San Francisco Union Square San
Francisco Union Square is the third-largest shopping area in the
United States and it is also one of the oldest sites for civil
protests, starting as early as 1860 during the Civil War.Nevertheless, Union Square has been an epi-center of San Francisco shopping since the early 1900's and today it hosts hundreds of name brand boutiques and shops mostly featuring clothing, art or high-end household items. Window shopping and people watching is a fun past time if you are watching your budget, but this neighborhood is known for one thing and one thing only... SHOPPING!  Restaurants
and bars are not the highlight of this area but that doesn't mean there
aren't options. The area is catered more to the tourist and the working
crowd, as the Financial District is only a few blocks away. So I recommend grabbing lunch in the area while your shopping at a local cafe like Cafe Press or a big sandwich from Sammy's Deli (and eat in the park), and then going to dinner in another San Francisco neighborhood. Union Square shopping is usually a year-round activity so the best time to avoid the crowds is during the weekday before lunch and after 2pm (ie: while most locals are at work). However if crowds are your thing, then the best day is Saturday. There is usually an outdoor art show/sale of a local artist guild, music playing and hundreds of tourists and locals alike. (For your shopping convenience most shops are open until 8pm, and during the Holidays the hours are usually extended.) POINTS OF INTEREST: Victory Monument: Located in the center of the square this was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. Cable Car Turnaround: The Mason and Hyde lines stop at Powell and Market streets, where drivers gets out and turn the nearly 8-ton, 18-foot-long Cable Cars around to go back towards Fisherman's Wharf. Get there early in the morning to experience this San Francisco treat! The lines get longer and longer as the day goes on. Union Square also hosts the "Theater District" which is home to many reputable theaters: **To buy half-price day-of tickets to various shows, head over to the TIX Bay Area booth at the Geary-Powell corner of Union Square.
Union Square also has many art galleries and holds the Free San Francisco Gallery Stroll on the first Thursday of the month (March-November 5:30-7:30 pm).
Also the Xanadu gallery, Housed in San Francisco's only Frank Lloyd Wright building, is worth a visit just for the Guggenheim-style interior itself. HOW TO GET HERE: Take MUNI Bus: 2, 3, 6, 9, 9x, 30, 38, 45, 71 Take Cable Car: Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde Historic Street Car: F-Line Underground MUNI & BART - exit Powell St. CAFES, RESTAURANTS, BARS & SHOPS:
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