From San Diego: Coronado Island Segway Tour

The best part of this tour is the combination of Segway riding and a round-trip harbor ferry. You cover far more ground than you could on foot, while the boat gives you wide views of San Diego’s skyline and Coronado Island. I also like the patient instruction, especially for first-time riders. Preston and owner Kenny are noted for helping nervous beginners feel at ease, while Adam brings humor and strong local commentary.

The main drawback is the price: $219 per person is a serious spend for three hours. You also need at least four people for the tour to run, children under 12 cannot join, and hotel pickup is not included. Still, the ferry, equipment, guide, and snacks make this more than a simple Segway rental.

Key points to know before booking

• A ferry connects the two halves of the experience: You ride across San Diego Harbor and return by boat, adding skyline views and a pleasant change of pace.
• The route covers downtown, the Embarcadero, and Coronado: You see several major parts of the city without spending the day walking between them.
• Hotel del Coronado is the signature stop: The famous beachfront hotel gives the tour its strongest landmark moment.
• First-time Segway riders get hands-on help: Safety instruction is built in, and Preston and Kenny have been singled out for calm, encouraging support.
• The group must include at least four people: Check availability before making firm plans, especially if you are booking a small party.
• The price includes useful extras: Your fee covers the Segway, helmet, guide, ferry tickets, snacks, and beverages, but not gratuity or transportation to the meeting point.

Starting in the Gaslamp Quarter

You meet at the office of Another Side Of San Diego Tours in the Gaslamp Quarter. The meeting point is not simply a storefront on a prominent corner, so allow time to find it. Third Avenue ends at G Street and becomes a courtyard or park. Look for the large rectangular open area beside the parking garage, with a long bush and trees along one side.

The office door is inside that courtyard, a little more than halfway down on the right. Two large gray concrete pillars mark the general spot, and a sign for Another Side Tours sits high on the corner of the building. Make sure you are at Third Avenue and G Street before looking up for the sign. If you have trouble, call the local partner rather than arriving late and flustered.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so you are responsible for reaching the office. That is a small but important cost and timing factor, especially if you are staying outside central San Diego.

Learning to control the Segway

The tour begins with a safety briefing and instruction on the Segway. This matters more than it might sound. A Segway responds to your body movement, so a few minutes of patient practice can make the rest of the ride much more enjoyable.

If you are anxious, tell the guide at the start. Susan arrived worried about controlling the machine and credited Preston and Kenny with helping her learn safely and relax. That is useful reassurance for beginners, since the experience is not limited to people who already know how to ride.

The guide is also part of the value. Adam has led this route with a playful manner and informative commentary, while Preston has been praised for encouragement and calm instruction. Specific guide assignments can vary, so do not assume you will have one particular person, but the company has a record of putting attention into the teaching part of the tour.

You should be comfortable following safety directions and staying with the group. The minimum age is 12, and the activity is conducted in English. No other language option is listed.

Downtown San Diego and the Embarcadero

Once you are ready, the route takes you through downtown San Diego and along the Embarcadero. This gives you a quick look at the city from street level before the ferry carries you to Coronado.

The Segway is useful here because downtown sights can be spread out. You move between areas faster than on foot, but you still have time to see the city around you rather than passing everything from inside a vehicle. The guide fills in stories and anecdotes about San Diego’s past and culture, including the idea of San Diego as California’s first city.

The Embarcadero is especially well suited to this tour because it puts you close to the harbor. This is where the city’s waterfront character becomes clear, and it prepares you for the boat ride. The tradeoff is that a three-hour tour cannot give every downtown sight a long stop. You should think of this as a broad introduction, not a detailed museum or architecture tour.

Crossing San Diego Harbor by ferry

The ferry is not just transportation between stops. It is one of the tour’s strongest features. From the water, you get a different view of downtown, the harbor, and Coronado than you would from the street.

A round-trip ferry ticket is included, so you do not need to arrange a separate crossing. The boat also breaks up the Segway riding, which is welcome during a three-hour outing. You can sit back, take in the skyline, and see the relationship between San Diego and Coronado from the water.

This part adds real value to the price because the experience becomes a small combination tour: city sightseeing, active transport, and harbor views. It also gives you a change in rhythm. Instead of riding continuously, you have a chance to enjoy the setting without concentrating on steering.

The ferry schedule and exact timing can affect how long you spend at each stop. The advertised duration is three hours, so do not expect a leisurely full-day exploration of both places. The appeal is the variety and efficient route.

Gliding around Coronado Island

After crossing the harbor, you ride around Coronado Island. The Segway is a practical way to take in more of the island than you could cover comfortably on foot during the allotted time.

Coronado has a different feel from downtown San Diego. The route gives you a chance to notice that change while still keeping the city skyline in view across the water. The guide adds context through local stories, which helps connect the sights rather than leaving you to simply pass them.

The island portion is also where the tour earns its name. If Coronado is your main reason for booking, you will appreciate having the ferry and a guide built into the plan. You do not need to work out the crossing, rent a machine separately, or build a route from scratch.

At the same time, do not expect an exhaustive tour of every corner of Coronado. The outing includes several named sights, but the time is shared among downtown, the waterfront, the ferry, the island, and the return crossing. This is best for seeing the main character of Coronado rather than checking off every attraction.

Hotel del Coronado and Coronado Beach

Hotel del Coronado is the headline sight. The famous hotel gives the tour a clear destination and a memorable photo stop. Its location near Coronado Beach also lets you pair one of California’s best-known hotels with the broad coastal setting that made the island famous.

The tour includes Coronado Beach, so you get more than a quick look at the hotel itself. You can take in the beachfront atmosphere and appreciate how the hotel fits into the island’s identity. The route is designed for seeing and learning, not for a long beach stay, so bring realistic expectations.

The hotel is particularly useful for first-time visitors because it provides an instant sense of place. You do not have to know much about Coronado before arriving. The guide’s stories and the setting do much of the work.

If you want several hours to sit on the sand, swim, or explore the hotel at leisure, this tour will feel too compressed. If you want an active overview that includes the landmark without giving up the rest of the city, it fits better.

Glorietta Bay Inn and the smaller details

The route also includes the historic mansion of Glorietta Bay Inn, with a brief stop inside if time permits. That final condition is important. The interior visit is not guaranteed, since the guide must keep the tour moving and coordinate the ferry schedule.

Still, it is a worthwhile detail. Hotel del Coronado is the famous attraction, but a stop at Glorietta Bay Inn adds another layer to the island experience. You get a chance to see a different kind of historic property rather than spending the entire Coronado section focused on one landmark.

This is the sort of stop that makes a guided tour more useful than simply renting a Segway. You have someone pointing out details you might otherwise miss. Just treat the mansion interior as a possible extra, not a central promise of the outing.

What the $219 price really includes

At $219 per person, this is not a budget sightseeing option. The value depends on how much you want the active format and the built-in transportation.

Your fee includes:

• Segway use
• Helmet
• Professional English-speaking guide
• Round-trip ferry to Coronado
• Snacks and beverages

You are paying for instruction, equipment, commentary, and the ferry crossing in one package. If you would otherwise book a separate Coronado ferry and pay for another sightseeing activity, the combined price becomes easier to understand.

The tour is also efficient. In three hours, you can see downtown, the Embarcadero, the harbor, Coronado Island, Hotel del Coronado, and Coronado Beach. Walking this route would take much longer, and arranging the same sequence independently would require more planning.

Still, you should compare it with your own interests. If you mainly want a ferry ride and a relaxed visit to the beach, you can find a cheaper, slower way to spend your time. If you want an active tour with a guide and are curious about Segway riding, the price covers several components that would otherwise be separate.

Gratuities are not included, so plan for that additional expense if your guide provides good service.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would recommend this experience to adults, older children, and first-time San Diego visitors who want a broad look at the city without spending the entire day on foot. It suits people who like a little movement and a little sightseeing, rather than choosing only a bus tour or only a beach visit.

It is also a strong fit for anyone nervous about trying a Segway. The instruction is a meaningful part of the experience, and Preston’s patient approach, along with Kenny’s help, gives beginners a useful model of what to expect.

Couples and small groups should pay attention to the four-person minimum. If you are booking only two people, confirm that the departure is operating before arranging the rest of your day. Children under 12 cannot participate.

You should choose something else if you want a long beach stop, extensive time inside Hotel del Coronado, or a private schedule with no fixed pace. The tour covers a lot, which means individual stops are relatively brief.

Practical details for a smoother outing

Wear clothing that lets you move comfortably and arrive ready for an active three hours. You will be riding, standing, boarding a ferry, and moving between city and island sights.

Give yourself extra time to find the courtyard meeting point. The office is beside the parking garage, not simply at the street corner, and the location can be easy to miss if you are looking for a large street-level sign.

Check the starting time when you book, since several departure times may be available. The provider sends confirmation within 48 hours of purchase, so watch for that message before finalizing the day’s plan.

The tour operates in English, and the guide provides the history and anecdotes along the way. Since the route includes both San Diego and Coronado, you will get more from it if you want broad context rather than a specialist talk on one single landmark.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. That is useful if your plans are uncertain, but it does not remove the need to check the four-person minimum.

Should you book the Coronado Segway tour?

Book it if you want to combine San Diego sightseeing, a harbor ferry, and Coronado landmarks in one active three-hour outing. The patient training makes it approachable for beginners, and the route covers enough ground to be useful on a first visit. Hotel del Coronado, Coronado Beach, and the skyline views give the day a strong visual payoff.

Skip it if $219 feels too high for a short tour, or if you prefer to spend a full afternoon at the beach or inside the hotel. Also confirm that at least four people are booked and remember to budget for gratuity.

For the right visitor, this is a well-packed introduction to San Diego and Coronado. You get the city, the water, the island, and a new way to move through them, all without having to plan the route yourself.

FAQ

How long is the Coronado Island Segway tour?

The tour lasts three hours.

Where does the tour meet?

You meet at the office of Another Side Of San Diego Tours in the Gaslamp Quarter, at Third Avenue and G Street.

What sights are included?

The route includes downtown San Diego, the Embarcadero, Coronado Island, Hotel del Coronado, and Coronado Beach. It may also include a brief stop inside Glorietta Bay Inn if time permits.

Is the ferry ride included?

Yes. Round-trip ferry transportation to Coronado is included in the tour price.

Is Segway instruction provided?

Yes. The tour begins with a safety briefing and instruction before you ride. The guide provides assistance throughout the experience.

Can children join the tour?

Children under 12 are not permitted to participate.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.