Listed on the US National Register of Historic Places, Ghirardelli Square is home to a selection of upscale stores, restaurants, a brewery, and wine-tasting room. However, the staple of the square is the Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. On sunny days, the plaza bustles with people sprawled around the fountain and on benches, taking in the scene. Most hop-on hop-off San Francisco tours include a stop at or near Ghirardelli Square; a Segway tour is another popular way to see it.
The line at the ice cream and chocolate shop can be out the door, so be prepared to wait if you go on a busy day.
If you’re driving, metered street parking is available in the neighborhood, or you can enter the parking garage from Larkin Street.
Wear comfortable shoes, as there’s a good chance you’ll be walking several blocks or more to your car.
Ghirardelli Square is accessible to wheelchair users; enter via Beach Street or Larkin Street, but beware the steep hills of the latter.
Ghirardelli Square is located between Polk, North Point, Beach, and Larkin streets, just a few blocks west of Fisherman’s Wharf. City buses 19, 30, and 47 stop next to the square, while the Powell–Hyde cable car turnaround at Hyde and Beach streets is one block away.
The square itself is open every day from late morning to late evening, though the hours of restaurants and shops vary. Festivals and outdoor movie screenings are held throughout the year; particularly popular is the annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival, which typically takes place the second weekend of September. If you’re visiting during the holidays, go at night to enjoy the lights of the Christmas tree.
Once you have your chocolate fix, don’t leave the area without popping across the street to explore Aquatic Park on the waterfront of San Francisco Bay. You can admire views of Alcatraz Island, watch bold locals swimming in the water, or visit the art deco Maritime Museum.
