Explore that splotch of green on the map between Baker Beach and Crissy Field and you’ll find parade grounds, Yoda, a centuries-old adobe wall and some fascinating art projects. What started as a Spanish fort built by Ohlone conscripts in 1776 is now a treasure hunt of surprises. Begin your adventures at the Main Post to get trail maps at the visitor center and inquire about site-specific art installations by Andy Goldsworthy.
Brush up on your history at the free, renovated Spanish-Moorish Officers' Club, which dates from the late 1700s and now hosts a small museum of local history, plus a lovely club lounge and restaurant. Fans of Mickey Mouse head to the Disney Museum; while fans of the macabre hike directly to the Pet Cemetery off Crissy Field Ave, where handmade tombstones mark the final resting places of military hamsters. Head east of the parade grounds toward the Palace of Fine Arts and you’ll come across the Letterman Campus, home to nonprofits and Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas, whose offices require a special pass – but you can pay your respects to the Yoda statue out front. Thursday evenings, spring through fall, Off the Grid sets up food trucks at the Main Post, creating a giant party on the grass.