Union Square is San Francisco’s living room. Sit on one of the stone benches long enough and everyone who lives in the Bay Area will pass through, including San Francisco’s homeless population. If it’s a sunny day, bring a take-out lunch, and watch one of the open-air performances or browse through an art show. During the holiday season, time a visit for dusk when Macy’s Christmas tree blazes at the square’s center. Dating to 1850, the square was the site of rallies supporting Union troops before the Civil War; that’s how it got its name. After the 1908 earthquake, the square became San Francisco’s main shopping district, which it remains today. Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., and Saks Fifth Avenue all make their home on Union Square. Other upscale shops, including Gump’s, Gucci, Armani, Frette and Hermes are found on streets leading out from the square’s four corners. The St. Francis and Grand Hyatt hotels are also on the square’s perimeter. The Geary and Curran theaters are just up Geary Street. American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco’s Tony Award-winning repertory company, makes its home at the Geary and touring Broadway shows and plays are likely to be at the Curran. You can book tickets at the TIX Bay Area office on the square, either at full price, or, if you’re lucky, half-price, same-day tickets.