Embarcadero Plaza

Embarcadero Plaza is a historic 4.1-acre public landmark in San Francisco’s Financial District, located where Market Street meets The Embarcadero, across from the Ferry Building. The plaza is free and open to the public every day of the year, 24 hours a day for through-passage and from 5 a.m. to midnight for other activities. As a publicly managed open space under the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, admission is free for all visitors. The plaza is served directly by the Embarcadero BART and Muni Metro station, which is fully wheelchair accessible with elevators at street level and barrier-free boarding. Three sloped walkways provide access for mobility device users between the plaza and the upper sidewalk along The Embarcadero, and the southeast walk is described as generally flat and accessible. A publicly accessible restroom is planned as part of the plaza’s renovation project currently underway.

A 2025 accessibility assessment commissioned by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department identified several areas requiring remediation, including excessive cross slopes on pedestrian walkways and concrete upheaval on the northwest walk creating major accessibility barriers. Pathway and circulation improvements are a stated priority of the ongoing Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation Project, which aims to enhance accessibility and connectivity across the site. Visitors should be aware that some current walkways may present challenges for wheelchair users and others with mobility needs pending the completion of planned repairs and renovations.

Visitors report that the Embarcadero waterfront area is one of San Francisco’s more manageable areas for those with mobility needs, given its relatively level terrain compared to the city’s hilly neighborhoods. The wide brick plaza provides open circulation space, though the aging brick hardscape and uneven surfaces in places can be challenging for wheelchair users and those with mobility impairments.