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Union Square


TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #82 of 638 attractions in San Francisco
Traveler Description:
A shopper's paradise, this bustling square near the theater district has everything from upscale department stores and boutiques to discount houses....... more » A shopper's paradise, this bustling square near the theater district has everything from upscale department stores and boutiques to discount houses. After a $25-million facelift in 2002, the cosmopolitan hub boasts a huge amphitheater, granite pedestals on which street entertainers perform and a tree and flower-lined environment in which to enjoy an espresso or an elegant meal. « less
Familiar with Union Square? Write your own description and share what you know with other travelers.
Attraction type: Town center/square/plaza, Neighborhood, Park, Theater district, Shop
Activities: Shopping, City walk sightseeing, Drinking
Address: Bordered by Powell, Stockton, Post and Geary Streets San Francisco, CA 94123
Tel: 415 391 2000

Reviews you can trust

[ Date ] [ Rating ]
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3 of 5 stars
catp79   111 contributions
Winchester
Aug 22, 2009
0/1 found this review helpful

If you love your shopping, you'll love Union Square! They have every high-end shop you can think of! The small garden area in the middle is a great place to stop and people watch, maybe with a hotdog and a cool drink. more

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4 of 5 stars
lookingglass101   53 contributions
New Jersey
May 23, 2009
1/1 found this review helpful

This area has all the high end shops. It is very very nice. The only downside is that I have all these stores at home in NY/NJ, I prefered the small shops that are off the main streets that carry unique items. But this is worth a look. more

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5 of 5 stars
buck2904   21 contributions
Illinois
Nov 30, 2008
3/3 found this review helpful

Find a hotel that says on Union Square and you will not go wrong, Powell Street is perfect, if it says one block off you're still prob-ly o.k. - but any more than that and you're in "a bad part of town". The cable cars run up and down Powell so you can get anywhere, China Town is three blocks... more

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3 of 5 stars
daveyinaz   19 contributions
Tucson
Oct 7, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

I had never seen such expensive clothes in my life. They didn't look all that different than that stuff I could get at my local mall in any case. The area was kind of nice, the guy playing 'somewhere over the rainbow' on the saxophone was kind of cool. Just seemed like a typical shopping plaza. I guess it's ok... more

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4 of 5 stars
bt7   30 contributions
San Francisco Bay Area, California
Sep 4, 2008
1/2 found this review helpful

Union Square is a nice place to hang out and have a snack or drink if it's a nice day. San Francisco is full of "interesting" people, and Union Square is a nice place to take it all in. The Square is surrounded by upscale shops and hotels, so if you're a shopper with a fistful of credit cards then... more

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2 of 5 stars
raginasian238   82 contributions
new jersey
Jul 25, 2008
3/6 found this review helpful

This place is an upscale shopping area. There's a nice patio/square in the middle of it all, where some local art was being displayed. But basically, if you live in another large city or anywhere with a high-end shopping mall, it's pretty unimpressive. Macy's, Louis Vuitton, Saks... it's nothing you couldn't do at home and is full of tourists who... more

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3 of 5 stars
interviewtraveler   112 contributions
Little Rock, Arkansas
Jun 26, 2008
0/1 found this review helpful

If you love shopping, you will love Union Square. Most of the stores are available nationwide, and a lot of them are pretty pricey too. It's interesting looking at all the advertisements and tall buildings, but it probably isn't any different from any other urban upscale oudoor shopping area. There is also a literal park-like Union Square with palm trees... more

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4 of 5 stars
Ax_Ccs   25 contributions
Madrid, Spain
Jun 1, 2008

I stayed in a hostel pretty close to Union Square and I can say it is a very secure neighborhood. You can find great deals/discount and also unbelievable expensive prices. I did find great prices and items I couldn’t find at my hometown but for an average American it will be the same thing that shopping in his/her local mall.... more

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3 of 5 stars
Cyclone05   47 contributions
Des Moines, Iowa
Apr 22, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

We spent an afternoon wandering through Union Square because my wife happened to forget her shoes when we packed, and needed some for our theater trip that evening (I actually do believe her, but it certainly sounds a little fishy :) Overall, the stores are pretty much no different from what you can find at your local mall. Of course... more

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4 of 5 stars
Thebirchadventure   27 contributions
Brisbane
Jan 30, 2008

Ok so I am not a big shopping fan but to me Union Square was a fantastic place to sit and watch people!! while maxing out their credit cards.... I love just sitting and people watching, going about their business interacting with family and friends and for me Union Square gave me some time out and interesting sites. There were... more

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Union Square Address

Bordered by Powell, Stockton, Post and Geary Streets, San Francisco, CA 94123
Tel: 415 391 2000