Ghirardelli Square
add photosA fun little square filled with shops and the delicious Ghirardelli Soda Shop. Be sure to stop in and get an ice cream sundae topped with original Ghirardelli chocolate syrup or sweets.
Fun annual events include the Chocolate Festival in September, Fleet Week in October, and the Tree Lighting ceremony during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Free wireless Internet in the square.
23 Reviews for Ghirardelli Square
176
148
'11, '12
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"A great stop"
We had so much fun walking through here and stopping in for some ice cream! This was a true Ice Cream Parlor and you gotta love that! We of course ordered way too much ice cream but found each bite we were able to get through delicious. This is a fun little stop and would gladly go here again!
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"The best ice cream!"
We love to go to Ghirardelli Square! The have the best tasting, most unique, and biggest ice cream sundaes. One sundae can feed two people. If you are up for a nice walk along the water, you can walk here from Pier 39. You will need the walk back! :) The only downside is that it can get really crowded, so be prepared to wait. I think it is well worth the wait!
1 family found this helpful
"Chocolate making"
I loved not only the amazing sundae or milkshake you can get here, but watching the chocolate flowing through the machines is so fun and I think most kids would find it entertaining. It can be really crowded in the summer and weekends though, so be prepared for long lines. There is a nice little area to walk around in, stairs to climb, etc. for the younger kids if they can't sit still and wait. I like the old feel to the building as well, it's really neat and there are other cool things in the area to see, not just Ghiradelli. But oh my gosh, my mouth is watering thinking about those sundaes. Mmmmm.
0 families found this helpful
"Heavenly Sundaes"
If your family loves chocolate and/or ice cream sundaes, Ghirardelli Square is a must! They have a huge chocolate shop where you can pick up souvenirs. Both times we've been, they hand you a free piece of chocolate just for walking in the door! The chocolate you buy there is so fresh and much better than the packaged stuff you can get at your local grocery store.
Our favorite part is the ice cream shop, though. You can watch chocolate being made while you eat what will probably be the best ice cream sundae you have ever tasted! We loved them so much that we had to go back the next day to try different flavors. We were bummed that we waited 'til the end of our trip to go there, because we would have gone every single day. They are a bit pricey and obviously not very healthy, though, so maybe it's a good thing. ;)
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"ICE CREAM PARADISE"
This place has the best ice cream sundaes EVER! One will feed two children. Plus there is a smaller cafe like ice cream shop on the opposite side of Ghirardelli square if you're not interested in waiting for your ice cream and a table. If you go on a weekend or during the summer expect long wait times.
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"what is the excitement about?"
I just don't get what is the excitement about this place. You can shop any place, eat ice cream anyplace, eat chocolate any place. Go see something wonderful in the bay area. There is so much to see - don't waste your time here. Go see anything that has to do with nature and you will be much better off. The neatest thing about this place is it used to be a huge cannery
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"A must see in SF!"
Ive been here countless times, and always enjoyed it as if it were the first. It has so many fun stores, and so much fun stuff to do! I think older kids might enjoy it more than youger kids or babies, theres lots of people and it gets pretty crowded.
0 families found this helpful
"I love this place!"
I made a stop here in hopes of finding a yummy chocolate treat. Not only did I get a huge ice cream cone for less than $5, but I also got a San Francisco zip up jacket for less than $15 at a gift shop right around the corner from the Ghiradelli place. The Ghiradelli store is almost always packed and has a long line. It is definitely worth visiting! They have awesome ice cream treats, hot chocolates and other items. Considering the quality of the chocolate and the taste, they are worth spending more than you normally would. Be sure to visit the gift shop around the corner for amazing deals on gifts and more!
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"lots to do"
we loved going here when we were in san francisco. Ghirardelli square offers so much to do from tree lighting events, to chocolate festival, wine festival and fleet week. something for everyone. lots of food, family fun, shopping and more. you could easily spend hours here. If you have a Chocolate lover in the family like I do with my 2 year old son this is a great place to go.
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"Too exclusive"
If you have money to spend, this will be place to go. But with overpriced stores and ice cream parlors, crowded seating area and loud music, this is not exactly the place to take your family for a Sunday afternoon stroll. May be appealing to people used to the fast paced and expensive life, but an average tourist deserves something else.
0 families found this helpful
"Yawn"
THis is just a bunch of shops with stuff that looks mostly like clutter. The one gem is Peekadoodle but they wont let you in unless you tell them you want to join and only MAYBE then. It is an exclusive kids play space that I cant afford but have been to and boy is it cool. Otherwise, there is ice cream but they have that anywhere. If you just want ice cream go to bi rite:)
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"Mmmmm CHOCOLATE!"
Every Christmas I wait for the special peppermint, eggnog, and hazelnut chocolates tehy sell in the store. But even better than those chocolates is the actual chocolate factory. The fudge and toppings they put on top of their ice cream is absolutely yummy! It's a delicious snack to have after walking the pier...
1 family found this helpful
"Avoid the crowds and go to the cafe downhill"
Whenever we are in the area, it seems like a stop at the historic Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory is a must. Although there really isn't much chocolate history to take in, the chocolate shop sure is tempting and getting a piece of free chocolate is always fun. But the ice-cream fountain serves up some yummy temptations too. However, the lines can be so insufferably long especially during the holidays and weekends. A little secret is that there is a second cafe and fountain at the bottom of the hill fronting Beach Street. The line is always much shorter here. Pick up some hot chocolate or a chocolate ice-cream cone and hang out across the street to watch sail boats sailing by. Most days, you'll be able to enjoy some jazz from musicians basking to tourist standing in line at the Cable Car turnaround. Life is good.
1 family found this helpful
"Love the chocolate fountains"
We really enjoy going to the Ghirardhelli chocolate place and look at the chocolate fountain with the chocolate being 'made' right there. We never actually had snacks or ice cream there but the people we saw who were, seem to have a nice time! The rest of the stores are really nice but they seem a little bit on the expensive side.
1 family found this helpful
"Chocolate!!"
It is a no-brainer that kids love Ghirardelli Square. Who would say no to world-famous chocolate and treats? The Square itself is not very big but the historic buildings are cool and make for some great photo ops. Nearby is the Maritime NHS and Pier 39.
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"Ice cream and chocolate. Who could ask for anything more"
Most kids and adults I know love chocolate and ice cream. To get the best of both sweets, you gotta go to Ghirardhelli's for best ice cream sundaes in town. Every child from 0-90 has loved it here. My personal sundae favorite is the warm brownie sundae. This used to be more of a unique treat when Ghirardhelli chocolate was a SF specialty. But, it's still darn good.
The lines are often long, but it's worth the wait.
1 family found this helpful
"Can you smell the chocolate yet?"
Seriously...your mouth will start watering from the moment you see the sign. The kids will love the ice cream sundaes and my favorite part is the free piece of chocolate as you wander through the store. Is there anyway I can get two pieces?!? You can view the old chocolate making equipment as well.
0 families found this helpful
"LOVE taking baby for walks there"
It's a great place for beautiful stroller walks outside. Ocean views, lots to look at and a lot of great window shopping and places to eat. I love meeting my girlfriends and kids here for play dates. Plenty of grassy knolls for kids to run around in. Usually quite sunny and beautiful.
2 families found this helpful
"The Mantra is: Cho-co-late"
"I'll have a Chocolate sundae, with chocolate syrup, chocolate sprinkles and chocolate on top." Kiddie heaven with extra chocolate to kick them into hyper-drive. Family friendly cafe where Ghiradelli showcases their chocolate creations. The fascinating chocolate mixing machine in the back is a fun addition to this overpriced , busy yet fun cafe.
Also in the plaza are other tourist shops but the main attraction is the chocolate cafe.
1 family found this helpful
"Ghirardelli Square"
The only attraction that the kids enjoy here is the Ghriardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. There are stores and restaurants in the square for the adults.
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