Updated October 2026. Tennis City SF › Playing Tennis While Visiting San Francisco
Union Square has no public tennis courts of its own. The nearest Rec & Park courts are in Russian Hill & Nob Hill, North Beach, Pacific Heights and the Western Addition, and the Powell Street cable cars run from Powell and Market to stops beside three of them.
The nearest public courts
| Site | Neighborhood | Courts | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Wills Playground, Broadway and Larkin | Russian Hill & Nob Hill | 1, reservable | No |
| Alice Marble Courts | Russian Hill & Nob Hill | 4, reservable, plus a practice wall | No |
| Joe DiMaggio Playground | North Beach & Chinatown | 3: 1 reservable, 2 walk-up | Yes |
| Lafayette Park, Gough and Washington | Pacific Heights | 2, reservable | No |
| Margaret S. Hayward Playground, 1016 Laguna | Western Addition & Hayes Valley | 2, walk-up | Yes |
What to know about each
- Helen Wills: rec.us says the court is on the west side of the park, entered via Broadway. It releases 7 days ahead at 8am in 90-minute slots from 7:30am to a last start at 6pm. Court hours are 7:30am to 7:30pm, and there are restrooms.
- Alice Marble: courts 1 to 3 release 7 days ahead at 8am and court 4 releases 2 days ahead at noon. It is one of only two city sites with a public practice wall; the other is Jose Coronado Playground in the Mission.
- Joe DiMaggio: courts 1 and 2 are walk-up only and court 3 is reservable. Court hours run to 9pm.
- Lafayette Park: rec.us places the courts on the southeast side of the park, entered via Gough Street or Sacramento Street. Court 1 releases 7 days ahead at 8am and court 2 releases 2 days ahead at noon. Court hours are 7am to 7:30pm.
- Margaret S. Hayward: 2 lighted walk-up courts with restrooms, per the city directory.
Rec.us bookings cost $5 per court per hour, with 1 reservation a day and 3 a week per person. See how to book a tennis court.
Getting there from Union Square
- Powell-Hyde cable car: starts at Powell and Market and stops at Hyde St & Broadway for Helen Wills and Hyde St & Lombard St for Alice Marble.
- Powell-Mason cable car: starts at Powell and Market and stops at Mason St & Greenwich St for Joe DiMaggio.
- 30 Stockton: stops at Stockton St & Sutter St and runs north to Columbus Ave & Union St, near Joe DiMaggio.
- Lafayette Park: the 1 California stops at Sacramento St & Octavia St.
- Hayward Playground: the 31 Balboa stops at Eddy St & Laguna St and the 5 Fulton at McAllister St & Laguna St.
Getting to Union Square itself: Powell Street BART Station is at 899 Market Street, and the T Third Street stops at Union Square/Market Street Station.
Tip: for an evening hit after a day downtown, the lighted options on this page are Joe DiMaggio and Hayward. Both have walk-up courts, so you can play without a reservation when a court is free.
FAQ
Is there a tennis court in Union Square?
No. The nearest public courts are in the neighborhoods listed above, starting with Russian Hill & Nob Hill and North Beach.
Can I take a cable car to a tennis court?
Yes. The Powell-Hyde line stops at Hyde St & Broadway and Hyde St & Lombard St, and the Powell-Mason line stops at Mason St & Greenwich St.
Can visitors play without booking?
Yes, on walk-up courts such as Joe DiMaggio courts 1 and 2 and Hayward, or on any reservable court nobody has booked. More in the walk-up courts guide.
Source: Rec & Park Tennis Court Directory, rec.us: Helen Wills, rec.us: Lafayette, Rec & Park: Helen Wills, Rec & Park: Hayward Playground, BART: Powell Street, SFMTA route pages for the Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason, 30, 1, 31, 5 and T, checked October 2026.
Related guides
- Playing Tennis While Visiting San Francisco
- How to Book a Tennis Court in San Francisco
- Tennis Courts in Russian Hill & Nob Hill
- Tennis Near Fisherman’s Wharf: Public Courts and How to Get There
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