By Karen

Updated December 28, 2024.

The SF Chinese New Year
Parade Route for 2024

All the the best viewing spots!

The SF Chinese New Year Parade for is back for 2024!

When is the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade for 2024? It's on Saturday, February 24, 2024 and starts at 5:15 pm.

The parade usually lasts about two and a half hours, and goes rain or shine.

Chinese New Year officially begins on February 10, 2024.

San Francisco will greet the Year of the Dragon with its historic Chinese New Year Parade.

Costumed ladies, San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade

SF Chinese New Year Parade

Where are the best places to watch the San Francisco Chinese New Year parade in 2024? Inquiring minds want to know, so here they are...

I walked the parade route for the Chinese New Year Parade to see what the best viewing spots would be and here's what I found.

Best Places to View the Parade:

The four viewing stands along the route.
The 601 California steps.
Raised areas on Union Square.
For early birds, the front row anywhere along the route.

Good Spots on the Map (red pins)

Map of SF Chinese New Year's Parade with Best Views

Parade Route 2023

Map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA

Scouting the Parade Route

The parade starts at Second and Market Streets, downtown and works its way past Union Square, goes down Kearny Street, and ends up in Chinatown at Kearny and Washington.

As I went along the route, I looked for good places to stand, and also for spots on the second floor or above: basically, any position that would make for better views above the heads of the crowd.

The map shows the locations of the bleachers (tickets available for purchase, see below).

Result: slim pickings, but there are some good spots! Here are the highlights.

Traveling the Parade Route

The parade begins at Second and Market.

San Francisco Chinese New Year parade route 2018, Market Street

Market Street, Between Second and Third

At 3rd and Market, it veers onto Geary St. Down Geary a couple of blocks, to Union Square.

Geary Street

The route goes past Neiman Marcus, on Geary just before Union Square. They have a little cafe with windows that look out on the route.

There is a counter with stools facing the window; could be a prime spot, if it will be open during the parade. They also have tables on the sidewalk, but I don't know if they'll be there for the parade. Might be worth checking out, but you would have to be early.

Cafe at Neiman Marcus store, San Francisco

Neiman Marcus Cafe

This year, the parade goes all the way around three sides of Union Square.

SF Chinese New Year Parade route 2018, Powell Street, Union Square

Union Square, Powell Street

The route goes around Union Square on Powell St, then right on Post St, past Saks Fifth Avenue.

San Francisco Chinese New Year parade route 2018, Saks window view

Designer Gowns View Windows... Sorry!

Great views from the second and third floor corner windows of Saks, but they close those areas off the day of the parade.

Union Square is a prime view spot this year. One of the viewing stands is placed on the square on Geary Street. Plus there are some other spots to check out.

There are some steps on the southeast corner (Geary and Powell) that could give a bit of a view, plus there is a slight hill on the western end of the square (near Powell) that gives a little altitude.

Union Square, western end, near Powell St

The route continues down Post Street, down to Kearny St, past all the fancy stores: Gucci, Cartier, Brooks Brothers, Armani, etc.

Post Street

At Kearny Street, the route turns left, and goes all the way down Kearny to Washington Street, where the judges are waiting.

Below is one of the four viewing stands along the route. Scroll down to see another viewing stand.

SF Chinese New Year parade route, Kearny Street stands

Kearny Street Stands (near California)

At the end of the route, the parade passes the Hilton Hotel and ends near the Chinatown City College campus.

They've got a fourth set of bleachers here, by the judges' reviewing stand.

SF Chinese New Year parade route, Hilton Hotel

End of Parade Route, by the Hilton Hotel

The Hilton Hotel on Kearny in past years has had viewing stands set up in front of the hotel, as well as on the bridge that connects them with Portsmouth Square, but in 2017 they stopped doing it.

The bridge will most likely be closed to the public during the parade.

The parade judges will be at Kearny and Washington, near the City College campus on the corner.

The glass walls of the Chinatown City College campus offer a view of the end of the parade near the judges stands; I don't know how good of a view it will be, or how crowded, but it's a possibility. The second story is the library; I don't know if it will be open during the parade.

SF Chinese New Year parade route, view of judging stands, City College

View from inside City College, near the judging stands.

Seats in the Stands

At various locations on the parade route, viewing stands like bleachers will be set up. You can buy a ticket for a seat in one of the stands.

This year, the stands will be set up at four locations:

On Post Street, between Grant and Kearny.
On Kearny Street, between California and Sacramento.
On Kearny Street, between Washington and Jackson, near the judges.
On Geary Street, on Union Square.

See map above for bleacher locations.

Buying Tickets for the Stands

This year, they are selling tickets via Eventeny.com; you'll get the tickets via email, or you can use the Eventeny app on a mobile phone.

They're available for purchase now; they sell out, so it's a good idea to book early.

Ticket prices:

Section A: $60. Kearny between Washington and Jackson, at the end of the parade route where the judges are.

Section B: $41. Kearny between California and Sacramento.

Section C: $41. Post, between Grant and Kearny.

Section E: $70. Geary, at Union Square.

To get tickets for the viewing stands, you can purchase them on the official parade site, at new year parade tickets.

You are reserving a seat in the bleacher area, but there are no assigned seats.

Children under 2 are free. They advise you to be at the bleachers by 4 pm. The seats are first-come, first-served.

Visitors stands on Sutter Street, Chinese New Year Parade, San Francisco

Sutter Street Stands, at Grant

This year, these seats will be on Post Street, instead of Sutter, but they should look about the same. See photo of Kearny Street stands above.

Last, and Probably Least

These spots are free, and would give you a place to sit down if you get there early-ish. At the corner of Kearny and California, there are two buildings on the parade route that have a series of steps going up to them.

SF Chinese New Year parade route, 600 California

600 California Street, on Kearny

600 California didn't work out, but 601 California turned out to be pretty good.

Sf Chinese New Year parade route, 601 California

601 California Street, on Kearny

During a previous parade, the steps at 600 California were blocked off, but the 601 steps were popular. The top two or three rows should have a great view.

SF Chinese New Year parade, view from 601 California steps

601 California steps during the parade.

Beginning or End? Opinions vary as to whether it's better to watch from a spot towards the beginning of the route (performers have more energy) or towards the end (less crowded); difficult call!

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Hotels on the Parade Route

Staying in the city during Chinese New Year? A number of major hotels are right on the parade route. But only some rooms look down on the parade.

Westin Saint Francis

The Westin Saint Francis Hotel flanks the entire western side of Union Square on Powell Street, giving a great view of the parade coming and going. Your room would have to be on side facing Union Square.

Check out the Saint Francis Hotel for more info and availability.

Westin Saint Francis Hotel, front view, San Francisco

Westin Saint Francis Hotel, Powell Street

Hilton Hotel, Financial District

The Hilton is near the end of the parade route, right across from Portsmouth Square.

The hotel entrance faces Kearny Street where the parade passes, but this year they are not setting up the bleacher seating in front. The rooms don't face the parade area, but you would staying right in the heart of it.