Occupying a city block in downtown San Francisco, Union Square Plaza is an anchor of the city’s art, culture and shopping scene. The term “Union Square” is considered to comprise the surrounding streets and blocks, which host trendy boutiques, art galleries, spas and eateries.
Some of San Francisco’s iconic department stores sits within the Union Square area. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York and Bloomingdale’s and also near Westfield San Francisco Center on Market Street.
The actual 1.1-hectare Union Square Plaza is marked on its four corners by public art installations from the Hearts in San Francisco collection. The painted-heart sculptures are auctioned annually to benefit local charities. The 26-metre-high Dewey Monument sits in the plaza centre, harbouring a statue of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory.
Getting There
Trolleys, buses and the F Market heritage streetcar all service Union Square Plaza. Two cable lines stop on Powell Street and the BART subway runs to and from Powell Street Station, which is a five-minute walk from the plaza.