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Union Square
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San Francisco’s downtown shopping, hotel and theater district, built around the plaza with the holiday tree, the ice rink and the cable cars on Powell Street.
About Union Square
Union Square is San Francisco's downtown shopping, hotel and theater district, built around a 2.6-acre public plaza bordered by Geary, Powell, Post and Stockton streets. The square was set aside as a public park in 1850 and takes its name from the pro-Union rallies held there before and during the Civil War.
It is the center of the city's holiday season: the big tree, the outdoor ice rink and the lit-up windows and lights on the blocks around the square. The rest of the year it is where people meet, shop, eat and catch a cable car. The column in the middle is the Dewey Monument, dedicated in 1903 for Admiral George Dewey's victory at Manila Bay, with a statue of Nike on top. Sources disagree on its height, so we do not give one.
Powell Street runs along the east side of the square and carries two cable car lines, Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason. Under the plaza is a parking garage built in 1939 to 1941, described as the first underground garage of its kind in the world. Maiden Lane, a short, narrow alley just east of the square, has boutiques and cafes and one Frank Lloyd Wright building.
It is crowded and commercial, and a few storefronts around the square are empty. The blocks toward Market Street can feel rough after dark, so in the evening stay on the plaza, Powell Street and Maiden Lane.
Our line for Union Square covers the plaza and the shopping, hotel and theater blocks around it, so you can find what is on there. It is our line for finding things, not the official boundary of the Union Square Alliance's district, and we have not confirmed where that boundary runs.
Our neighborhood lines are based on DataSF's Analysis Neighborhoods, adjusted where visitors use a smaller area or a different name: Union Square, Dogpatch and Fisherman's Wharf stand on their own, and the Richmond and the Sunset are each kept whole.
How Far Is It?
- Chinatown0.4 mi · an 8 minute walk
- Fisherman's Wharfabout 2 mi · by Powell-Hyde cable car, allow 30 min or more with the line
- Golden Gate Bridgeabout 5 mi · 20–25 min drive
- Golden Gate Parkabout 4.5 mi · 20–30 min drive
- SFO airportabout 13 mi · about 30 min on BART from Powell St
Getting here: Powell Street BART and Muni Metro station is at Market and Powell, a three-block walk up Powell Street to the square. The Union Square/Market Street station on the Central Subway opened in 2023. The Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable cars stop on Powell by the square. Walking times and distances here are estimates we have not measured. If you drive, the Union Square garage is under the plaza; check hours and rates before you go. A rebuild of three blocks of Powell Street is planned to start in late 2026 according to the Union Square Alliance, so access on Powell may change.
What to See
Union Square Plaza
The 2.6-acre central plaza. Sit on the steps, watch the crowds, and use it as the meeting point for everything else on this page.
Dewey Monument
The tall column dedicated in 1903, with a statue of Nike on top. It is the landmark everyone uses to say where they will meet.
Maiden Lane
A short, narrow lane of boutiques and cafes. Look for the Xanadu Gallery at no. 140, the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in the city.
Powell Street Cable Cars
Two lines, Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason, run past the square. Fares are set by SFMTA, so check the current price on sfmta.com before you queue.
Fraenkel Gallery
A leading photography gallery on the fourth floor of 49 Geary, a short walk from the square. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Things to Do
Skate on the Holiday Ice Rink
An outdoor rink goes up on the square each holiday season. Opening date and ticket details are on the event page.
See the Big Tree and the Lights
Our guide to the Union Square tree and when it is lit.
Let’s Glow SF
A free downtown holiday projection festival; dates and places are on the event page.
Winter Walk on Stockton Street
The Union Square Alliance turns two blocks of Stockton Street into a holiday marketplace with food trucks, stage programming and decor. These dates come from the Alliance's own site and we have not checked them against a second source.
Look in the Shop Windows
The department stores and boutiques around the square and on Maiden Lane dress their windows for the holidays. We have not confirmed which stores do window displays this year.
Walk the Holiday Lights Beyond the Square
Our guide to the citywide lights, with the Union Square stops marked.
Where to Eat
B. Patisserie Kiosk
A kiosk run by the award-winning San Francisco bakery, which opened on the plaza in March 2025 according to city reports. We have not confirmed its current hours.
John’s Grill
An old-school San Francisco steakhouse that has served downtown since 1908. We have not confirmed current hours or prices, so check before you go.
Bourbon Steak
A steakhouse from Stephen Curry and chef Michael Mina, opened at the hotel in 2025 according to a news report. We have not confirmed current hours or prices.
Super Duper Burgers
The city picked this San Francisco burger chain to run the cafe on the east side of the plaza, expected to open in early fall 2026. We could not confirm that it is open yet.
Upcoming in Union Square
This Weekend in Union SquareAll Neighborhoods This Weekend
Union Square Holiday Ice Rink Opens
Let’s Glow SF: Free Downtown Holiday Projection Festival (Dec 4–13, 2026)
Polar Bear Skate at Union Square Ice Rink
Places We Rate in Union Square
Guides
Union Square Great Tree 2026: Lighting Status, Rink, Windows and Muni
Is the Union Square Great Tree lit yet? 2026 status checked 6 November 2026, what is next to it this season, how…
Read the guide →Western Addition Legends Walk: Alamo Square, Fillmore Street and Octavia and Bush
A short walk through three Western Addition legends: the Westerfeld House at Alamo Square, State Bird Provisions on Fillmore Street, and Mary…
Read the guide →Mary Ellen Pleasant’s Eucalyptus Trees: The Ghost Story and the Real History
The ghost story told about Mary Ellen Pleasant’s eucalyptus trees at Octavia and Bush, and the real history of the civil rights…
Read the guide →Questions People Ask About Union Square
Is Union Square worth visiting?
Yes, especially in the holiday season, when the big tree, the ice rink and the decorated windows are all here. The rest of the year it is mainly a shopping and hotel district with the cable cars on Powell Street, so keep it to an hour or two and pair it with Chinatown or Nob Hill.
What is there to do in Union Square with kids?
In winter, skate on the outdoor ice rink and see the tree. Year round, ride a Powell Street cable car, walk Maiden Lane and watch the crowds from the steps of the plaza.
How do you get to Union Square?
Take BART or Muni Metro to Powell Street station and walk three blocks up Powell, or ride the Central Subway to Union Square/Market Street. The Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable cars stop by the square, and there is a garage under the plaza.
Where is the Union Square ice rink?
On the plaza itself, each holiday season. Our event page has the opening date and ticket details.