Union Square
Union Square is San Francisco’s top destination for shopping. An actual park that became a primary focus for renovation and restoration this past year. The square itself underwent a much needed $25 million facelift, transforming one of San Francisco’s oldest patches of greenery into a wide open space for tourists and locals alike.
Unions Square is ringed by Macy’s, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Nike Town and Levi’s stores along with colorful flower stands and street performers. Surrounding streets feature superstores like Virgin Megastore, FAO Schwarz, Gump’s and Britex Fabrics along with boutiques for Coach, Bulgari, Cartier, Thomas Pink, Louis Vuitton, MaxMara, Emporio Armani, Diesel, Prada, Celine, Escada, Gucci, Guess, Hermes, Agnes B., Betsey Johnson and Wilkes Bashford. However, you should be particularly careful in this area, as it is notorious for extensive panhandling and also close to surrounding less desirable neighborhoods.
Related Travel Information
Union Square Park
Union Square Park is now one of the city's best assets and home of the New York's most famous Greenmarket. Hackey-sackers, skateboarders and protestors dominate the steps on the south end while dog-walkers and dog-watchers gravitate towards the narrow dog run on the west side of this landmark space. Kids play in the park’s three playgrounds, adults shop the fantastic greenmarket, and students from the New York Film Academy (on the park’s northeast corner) learn how to focus.
This park was also the site of the very first Labor Day Parade in 1882. With this in mind,
Madison Square
Madison Square is located in the Flatiron district, is one of the most important squares in New York City. The attractive 19th century Madison Square Park is surrounded by historic landmarks from the Gilded Age, including the famous Flatiron building and the classical Metlife tower. Madison Square Garden and its Theater can accommodate upwards of 20,000 people and is home to such teams as the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks, and the New York Liberty. It's been host to: shows such as the Emmy & VH1 awards shows; great performers ranging from Bruce Springsteen, Billy
Chinatown
San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in North-America, but it is also the most commercial. Unlike the Chinatowns in Vancouver or New York, San Francisco's Chinatown is in some areas filled with tourist shops. Still, it has a lot of charm and atmosphere.
Besides the well known Chinatown Gate, the approx.
24-block area contains a lot of pagoda-roofed buildings, as well as nicely decorated lamp posts and phone booths in Chinese style. Chinatown also has several temples; three of them are located in the Waverly Place, which is also known as the 'street of painted balconies'. This street is certainly
Bastille
This is historic ground. It was here that the French revolution started just over 200 years ago. The popular revolt had far stretching consequences. It swept across Europe, influencing minds and ideas of people all over the old continent. Nowadays the prison is gone. The Colonne de Juillet dominates la place. In the subway station beneath the square, stones from the Bastille's foundation can still be seen. This square is also home to the Opéra Bastille completed in 1990.
Ghirardelli Square
An old red brick building, a city-block large, was the site of the Ghirardelli chocolate factory in the late 1890s. The company flourished in that location (having done well earlier at their Jackson Square location - still standing since the 1850s surviving the 1906 earthquake). In the 1960s the company was bought out but a larger conglomerate and moved to another facility. Various city denizens became fearful that this wonderful old structure would be razed to make way for sparkling new apartments units. With their efforts the Ghirardelli building was spared. The name - and the enormous 125-foot wide
