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OverviewReviewsWin PrizesAdditional InformationLocated Nearby
Portsmouth Square
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Open Open 24 hours
Recommended Sightseeing Time: 1 hour
Address: Kearny St & Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States
Official website: http://www.sfpsg.com
Phone: +1-415-9826353
What people are saying:
Small park. Good for relaxing and being outside in nature. Not too much to do here.
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(34 reviews)Trip.com
(44 reviews)TripAdvisor4.2/5Very Good
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Additional Information
Introduction
What do Tai Chi and Chinese Chess have in common? They're both actively practiced at Portsmouth Square, a prominent plaza in San Francisco's Chinatown district. Children frolic in the playground, paying no mind to the history of the place made apparent by monuments like the Robert Louis Stevenson monument or the marker where Commander Montgomery first raised the American flag in San Francisco back in July 9, 1846. Today, Portsmouth Square is a hub for the Chinese community, hosting the Chinatown Night Market Fair every Saturday from the end of July to October.
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Small park. Good for relaxing and being outside in nature. Not too much to do here.
Possibly the most vibrant and interesting square in downtown San Francisco. Unlike Union Square or Justin Herman Plaza, Portsmouth Square always seems to be changing. A number of monuments, like the Robert Louis Stevenson monument and the site where the American flag was first raised in SF, sit hidden amidst all the elderly Chinese people. Live entertainment is common, and the Chinatown Night Market Fair is actually quite cool.
This is my go-to place for finding parking in the Chinatown area. Multiple underground floors of parking. It is inexpensive. The street level is a park. You are basically in the heart of Chinatown and all the popular locations within Chinatown are just a short walk away.
I go here all the time for parking. There is a bridge to the Chinese Cultural Center at the Hilton Hotel that resembles the Great Wall of China. Elderly folks play a form of Chinese chess, from what I've observed, while children play on the playground. It's the heart of Chinatown, so to speak.
Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote classic novels Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, has a memorial to him in Portsmouth Square. Stevenson is not from San Francisco, but moved to the Bay Area later in his life. Fans of Stevenson will appreciate the small monument (featuring the ship from Treasure Island) but its a quick stop. Luckily, Chinatown is nearby so there is more to do in the neighborhood.