Half Day Private Driving Tour of San Diego in San Diego, CA

Travel Curious*Hotel Pick-Up*San Diego, CA 92101
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Starting at
$813.00
Total Price: $829.26 (USD)
INSTANT CONFIRMATION
NO SERVICE FEES

Overview

Explore scenic sights on a day trip to San Diego. See the beloved landmarks of America’s Finest City with a professional tour guide and complimentary shuttle to and from your hotel. Hop aboard the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Old Town San Diego tours on a private vehicle to learn about the history and culture that has shaped the city for years.

up to 5 hrs 1 or more people

Good To Know

  • An approximately 5-hour tour of San Diego’s historic and breathtaking sights aboard a private vehicle with a professional driver-guide.
  • Convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off are available upon request.
  • Meet your guide at the Tony Gwynn Statue in Park at the Park, outside Petco Park. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to departure.
  • Please note that the Botanical Garden in Balboa Park is closed for major renovation until the end of 2024.
  • Explore the scenic La Jolla Cove, Old Town, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, and more.
  • Bring a camera or smartphone, sunblock, sunglasses, bottled water, and cash for buying snacks and drinks and tipping the guide.
  • Wear weather-appropriate, comfortable clothing and shoes.
  • The exclusive tour ends at the Gaslamp Quarter.

Description

Discover the compelling character of California’s second-largest city, renowned for its fascinating Mexican heritage, resplendent gardens, historic streets, and fine stretch of Pacific Coast.

On your private half-day driving tour, you will:
  • Enjoy hotel pick-up and drop-off by your private driver-guide, who will escort you throughout the day.
  • Visit stunning La Jolla Cove and enjoy marine life and the bay. Take a photo stop at Soledad Mountain with amazing views of downtown San Diego, Tijuana, MX, and Mission Bay.
  • Walk around San Diego Old Town and the Spanish Mission. If you book the morning tour, enjoy a great lunch at one of the authentic Mexican restaurants on San Diego Avenue.
  • Learn about Balboa Park, San Diego’s World Fair location. Visit the Botanic Garden and Rose Gardens.
  • Visit Seaport Village, and stroll along the city’s waterfront, where you will be able to see the USS Midway.
  • Your tour finishes with a walking tour in San Diego’s nightlife area, the Gaslamp Quarter. You are welcome to stay here at the conclusion of your tour, or your guide will happily drive you back to your hotel.

In 1867, when Alonzo Erastus Horton stepped ashore from a San Francisco steamer, he trod on land that would, one day, be the heart of San Diego. Awed by what he found, Horton declared it "the prettiest place for a city I ever saw." Since then millions of visitors have echoed the sentiments of this early explorer, the single most influential arrival in San Diego - although not the first to discover its beauty.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo claims to have discovered San Diego Bay in 1542, some 200 years before Europeans settled the area. In truth, however, the indigenous Kumeyaay peoples had been living in the area for as long as 12,000 years prior to any European ‘discovery’ with the Southern Californian coastal region’s first Americans, now called the San Dieguito, calling it home in around 9000 B.C. Today this once uncharted paradise belongs to an urban population of around 1.4 million people.

On your fascinating private San Diego half-day highlights tour, you will discover the city’s deeply embedded Mexican heritage and will explore the legacy of San Diego’s place in the Mexican Empire from 1821. You will understand what the American-Mexican war, 27 years later, meant for California and the USA. San Diego’s Italian community, established in Waterfront Park in the early 19th century, has also helped shape the culture of the city with its Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market, pizzerias, ice cream parlors, and gourmet food stalls. Unsurprisingly, San Diego is gaining a reputation for its diverse and taste-rich food scene.

On the San Diego half-day highlights tour, you will visit many of the city’s major historical sites, neighborhoods, and parks, including Balboa Park, the elegant architecture of the Gaslamp Quarter, the Old Town’s rich culture, and the beautiful coastal stretch of some of San Diego's beaches. Through the local insight of your private guide, you will be introduced to some of San Diego’s lesser-known corners with plenty of opportunities to grab some fabulous photographs of the city’s most picturesque landmarks, be it quaint Victorian streets, bloom-filled gardens, or the stunning cliff-strewn coastline that are home to seals, marine birds, and rugged sea caves.

Please note that the Botanical Garden in Balboa Park is closed for major renovation until the end of 2024.
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San Diego Private Driving Tour: Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Old Town is located at Travel Curious*Hotel Pick-Up*San Diego, CA 92101
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Frequently Asked Questions about San Diego Private Driving Tour: Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Old Town

Where do San Diego private tours depart from?

The exclusive day trips (San Diego) can start and end at your hotel. Pick-up and drop-off are only available upon request. Please note that if you do not provide your hotel information, your guide will meet you at the Tony Gwynn Statue in Park at the Park at 840 K St, San Diego, CA 92101. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to tour departure.

How long is the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego tour?

Tour duration is approximately 5 hours.

What is included in the ticket price?

The private San Diego tour includes a professional English-speaking tour guide, convenient transportation for sightseeing around the city, and complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off if your hotel is centrally located.

Is food included in the ticket price?

Although there will be a San Diego food tour as part of the adventure, food and drinks are not included in the ticket price. If you book the morning tour, you can purchase and enjoy a great lunch at one of the authentic Mexican restaurants on San Diego Avenue.

Is the tour family-friendly?

Yes, the tour is family-friendly and enjoyable for all ages!

What should I bring?

Bring your camera or smartphone for pictures, sunblock, sunglasses, bottled water, and cash for purchasing snacks, drinks and gratuities (optional).

What should I wear?

Wear weather-appropriate, comfortable clothing and shoes.

Will there be other people on the tour with us?

The private driving tour is 100% exclusive to you and your group with your own transport vehicle and tour guide.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at the Gaslamp Quarter. After the tour, you are welcome to enjoy the area or choose to be dropped off at your hotel.