Downtown San Francisco covers Union Square, the Financial District, and the blocks around Yerba Buena Gardens and the Embarcadero. It is the most walkable part of the city and the easiest to reach by BART and Muni. Here is what to do in the area.
Union Square
Union Square is the central shopping district, a public plaza ringed by department stores, hotels, and theaters. The Powell Street cable car turnaround sits two blocks southwest at Powell and Market, where the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines begin. Riders line up here to board; a single ride is $9. The TIX Bay Area booth on the square sells same-day theater tickets.
Yerba Buena and the Museums
Two blocks south of Market Street, Yerba Buena Gardens is a landscaped public park in SoMa with lawns, a memorial to Martin Luther King Jr., and a free summer performing arts festival. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a block away on Third Street, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum and the Museum of the African Diaspora are next to the gardens. See our guide to the SFMOMA Graciela Iturbide exhibition for current shows and hours.
The Embarcadero and Ferry Building
The Embarcadero runs along the waterfront at the eastern edge of downtown. The Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street holds a food marketplace and hosts the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Our Ferry Building guide covers the vendors and market days. The F Market streetcar runs historic cars along the Embarcadero toward Fisherman’s Wharf.
Chinatown and North Beach Edge
Downtown runs up against Chinatown at its northern edge. The Chinatown gate stands at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, a few blocks north of Union Square, and Grant Avenue leads into the neighborhood’s main commercial street. North Beach and its Italian restaurants sit just beyond Chinatown.
Getting Around
Downtown is served by four BART and Muni Metro stations along Market Street: Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell, and Civic Center. The F Market streetcar and several bus lines cross the area, and the two Powell Street cable car lines start at Powell and Market. Driving downtown means paid garages and metered street parking, so transit is the simpler option for most visitors.
