The Amazing Race:  San Francisco

Goals for this Leg of the Race

Locate as many of the following items/locations that you can. Use flickr to post the location and a photo of the object with at least one of your teammates in the shot.

Make Your Way

Make your way to San Francisco's Union Square. This leg of the race requires you to "play it cool" as you are tasked with summiting the historic Westin St. Francis Hotel.

In and around Union Square:

• Giant apple
• Shattered glass entry
• Many horses in a small space
• Hearts (one point each)
• Someone with shopping bags
• Anti-fur protesters (if they're out)
• Modern art
• Typo on a memorial
• St. Francis Glass Elevators

The Best Elevator in SF

Be confident and on your best behavior as you walk through the hotel, as this is tolerated but not encouraged by the hotel and if you ask about it or make a ruckus, they may politely ask you to not ride their elevator. Walk straight through the Union Square lobby, past 2 restaurants, past the expensive shop, into the the main hotel's main desk and concierge area. Just before you reach the revolving door to exit, take a right turn down the walkway to the right (by the Concierge desk) and follow it as it zig-zags until you seee elevators on your right (this is more straightforward than it sounds). Go to floor 30, but do not get off. Then press the lobby button to return and exit the elevator.

While inside the elevator, take pictures of the following:

• Coit Tower
• Big Star on a Roof (extra points if you know what it is)
• What photographer's photos are in the lobby by the elevator?

Make your way

Make your way via one of San Francisco's oldest forms of public transportation, the Cable Car. You'll ride up the hill, but don't go too far, you'll need to get off on California Street. Follow California street to Stockton Street and head North.

Pit Stop

The top of the Stockton Street tunnel, overlooking Chinatown is the pit stop for this leg of the race.

Once you reach this location and post a photo to flickr, you may continue to the next leg of the Race.

About Union Square

Union Square is a 2.6 acres (11,000 m²) plaza bordered by Geary, Powell, Post and Stockton Street in San Francisco, California. It also refers to the central shopping, hotel, and theater district that surrounds the plaza for several blocks. The name "Union Square" stems from the fact that the area was once used for rallies and support for the Union Army during the Civil War.^[1] Today, this one-block plaza and nearby area is one of the largest collection of department stores, upscale boutiques, tourist trinket shops, art galleries, and salons in the Western United States, which continue to make Union Square a major tourist draw, a vital, cosmopolitan place in downtown San Francisco, and one of the world's premier shopping districts. Grand hotels and small inns, as well as repertory, off-Broadway and single-act theaters also contribute to the area's dynamic, 24-hour character.