I lived a block from here and walked through it al...

I lived a block from here and walked through it almost daily. Great place to sit and people watch, grab a bite to eat (expensive, but there are also cheaper places to eat if you look around). Best for shoppers and people watchers. Best time of the year is the holidays when the Christmas tree and ice rink are up. Day or night it's always pretty. There are also events like bands, art shows, etc so check their website. I've stayed in the hotels looking over Union Square and the view is gorgeous. There's also the starlight lounge a block up, where you can view the square from the top of the hotel. Parking is non-existent, so just park in a lot for a hefty price if you're driving. There's a lot under the square. They're building a rail station to stop here, but it's also a nice and short walk from Powell BART station.