San Diego · GUIDED
Good guided tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review of a five-hour Tijuana day trip from San Diego with border crossing, guided walking tour, tacos, drinks, and practical tips.
“Tabitha was a great guide, very personable, and knowledgeable of Tijuana. When I return to San Diego, I plan to add the Tijuana tour to my next visit, and with luck have Tabitha as my guide again. Thank you Tabitha for a great experience.”
Snorkel La Jolla Cove with sea lions, colorful fish, rays, and sea caves on a 90-minute guided tour with gear included.
“It was an amazing experience, I felt safe all the time & our guide Ritch was just the nicest and easiest going guide! He always made sure everyone was okay and explained everything really well. 10/10 experience!”
See San Diego’s top sights in 5.5 hours, from Coronado and La Jolla Cove to Balboa Park and Old Town, with live narration and hotel-free port pickup.
“Our group was nervous because he hadn't showed up yet but he made it in the time frame he was supposed to. I could barely hear him but he was having mic issues. Overall it was a good experience”
Explore Balboa Park’s expositions, Spanish colonial architecture, gardens, art studios, and wartime stories on a friendly two-hour walk.
“Great tour! Just the right amount of time. Brooke was engaging and provided interesting information about the park. She even provided all of us with a follow-up email that answered our groups obscure questions. As locals with family visiting, we learned a great deal from her insights.”
A small-group San Diego whale and dolphin tour with fast Zodiac boats, expert captains, close wildlife encounters, and practical cold-weather tips.
“As they tell you, dress in layers. It’s gets chilly, but it’s totally worth it. We saw dolphins and sea lions up close swimming right by the boat. Our captain, Rick, was so knowledgeable about the water and the animals. We will definitely book another outing with them. We highly recommend taking a tour with this company.”
Drive San Diego at your own pace, from Mission Bay and La Jolla to Balboa Park and Mt. Soledad, with GPS audio guidance.
“There are a limited number of times you can stop and start the app. We stopped to look around and the app said I had used it all up by the first few places.”
Explore San Diego by GPS-guided scooter, from Balboa Park and Little Italy to the waterfront, Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town, and Petco Park.
“My husband & I booked this tour during an anniversary trip. We had such a blast that when we got back home, we bought two similar scooters!”
Ride San Diego by e-bike through the Gaslamp Quarter, waterfront, USS Midway area, and Balboa Park with a licensed local guide.
“We had a small group so we were able to add a couple sites off the beaten path making it an individualized tour! It was special!”
Review of San Diego’s Whaley House night tour, with ghost stories, early California history, guide tips, pricing, timing, and who should go.
“Gentleman Jack was a fabulous tour guide. Highly recommend! He was very knowledgeable and funny. I hope we can make the late night “ghost hunting” one happen before we head home.”
See San Diego by electric scooter on a GPS-guided private tour through Little Italy, Balboa Park, Old Town, the harbor, and downtown.
“This was such a fun sightseeing experience. First off the person who helped me, his name was Kelvin, he was patient and very nice, super helpful and explained everything in great detail. I was starting to feel like I wouldn’t be able to follow the instructions cause it seemed a bit overwhelming, he reassured me I would be ok, and if not I can return the go cart and not have to finish the tour. I really enjoyed this and will definitely do it again, I’m thinking I’ll upgrade to the electric go car. And I will definitely recommend this to all my friends and family.”
Explore San Diego in a GPS-guided GoCar, from Little Italy and the harbor to Balboa Park, the Zoo, and Petco Park in two hours.
“This is a a unique way to see the city. The staff were super helpful. However the GPS instructions and commentary that was installed in the car rarely worked and would repeat itself. Thankfully we had been provided maps and an overview of the route. This made it fairly easy to find the right road to get back onto. As far as learning about the city- that part just wasn’t working at all.”
Drive from Escondido to Julian through mountain overlooks, Palomar Observatory, desert sculptures, Anza-Borrego, and apple-pie country.
“After grabbing some coffee my husband and I started the tour with our children. We really enjoyed this tour because it was at our own pace and we got to do it in the comfort of our own car. I loved the areas this tour covered because the views were so beautiful. We would have never chose to go out of our way to do this otherwise. And the fact that we were learning about the history and finding other gems to travel back to, like the observatory. I highly recommend this tour to adults and families alike. You will be so glad you treated yourself. The set up is…”
Ride a GPS-guided fat-tire scooter from Little Italy to Coronado, with ferry tickets, beach views, Hotel del Coronado, and North Island.
“Our self guided trip through San Diego and Coronado Island was amazing. The gps and audio directions made navigating easy. 2 hours was plenty of time to see so many amazing sites and we never felt rushed to get back. I highly recommend this tour.”
Zip through San Diego on a GPS scooter tour covering Little Italy, the harbor, Gaslamp, Balboa Park, and more in one fast hour.
“Best experience ever!! I was super scared at first. Especially because this was my first time drive anything that fast, but after a bit practice, I had the time of my life. It had me excited the whole time, not once was I bored.”
Review of Coronado's guided bike tour, with flat roads, beach views, Hotel del Coronado, bridge rides, gear, pricing, and practical tips.
“Really loved it. Great bikes. Great guide. Great views. Great weather. Would definitely recommend.”
Pick a stretch of coast, a park or a taproom.
