A perfect union of culture, crowds, and commerce
If you think this neighborhood might be a great base for your visit to San Francisco, you're right on the money. Locals referring to Union Square mean more than just the 2.6-acre public plaza. The title includes the surrounding blocks as well, chock full of upscale shops, restaurants, bars, and galleries. Visitors throng around the Dewey Monument, especially in summer, but year-round residents find Union Square indispensable, too. A center for people watching and community gatherings _ from Christmas tree lightings to political rallies _ it's the symbolic heart of the city.
So many reasons to leave your heart in San Francisco
High-end shops and galleries are what draw many to Union Square, so strap on your best walking shoes and bring a snack. Actually, scratch that last part, because Union Square has more than enough fine restaurants, casual lunch counters, and bustling bars to keep you nourished. If you want to learn more about all the fabulous facades you're strolling by, take a group or self-guided walking tour past sights like Ruth Asawa's fountain, completed in 1972, or the Xanadu Gallery, the only structure in San Francisco designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear galoshes
San Francisco has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, which means Union Square is blessed with mild winters and summers. Average temperatures range from the 40s and 50s in winter and hover in the low 70s in summer. You'll actually find the warmest days in fall, and if you're looking to avoid summer crowds, try for a Union Square vacation rental between September and November. Remember that Union Square will be bathed in rain and wrapped in fog much of the year. Bring your rain gear and be prepared to get cozy.
Bustling city streets in the neighborhood of natural beauty
Union Square is more suited to urban shoppers and theater goers than to flora and fauna, and you'll likely meet the usual suspects near your Union Square vacation rental: raccoons, squirrels, pigeons and sparrows. The San Francisco Botanical Garden, however, is only 5 miles away and a different story altogether. Feast your eyes on gardens of native and exotic plants, and keep an eye out for the California Quail that uses the gardens as a resting and nesting place. Beach lovers are in luck, too. Ocean, Baker, and Marshall's Beach are just a few miles away.