Neighbourhoods
Union Square: shops, theatres and the cable cars
The back story
About Union Square: shops, theatres and the cable cars
Union Square is San Francisco’s downtown living room: a square ringed by stores, with the theatre district on Geary Street and the cable car turntable at Powell and Market.
The square
Union Square is surrounded by shops and hotels, and the streets around it, Post, Stockton, Geary and Maiden Lane, make up the city’s main shopping district. In December the square hosts Winter Walk.
The theatre district
West along Geary Street are the theatres: A.C.T. at the Toni Rembe Theater and the Curran, with the Golden Gate and the Orpheum, the other BroadwaySF houses, on Market Street.
Start a city day where the cable cars start: at Powell and Market.
Cable cars
The Powell–Hyde and Powell–Mason cable cars begin at the turntable at Powell and Market, two blocks south of the square, and climb over Nob Hill towards Fisherman’s Wharf. Between 8am and 8pm, buy your fare before boarding at the terminal.
Our advice: ride the cable car early in the morning, before the queues build, and come back to Union Square for the evening shows.
Why it's on our list
- The square
- The theatre district
- Cable cars
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Union Square: shops, theatres and the cable cars before you go.