Locations: Gaslamp Quarter and Old Town

Tour Schedule: 2.5 hour tours for Lunch & Dinner, Wednesdays through Saturdays

Cost: $45, includes food tastings

Features: Themed Walking Tours combining local Food and History

Historic San Diego Food Tour Highlights

San Diego is home to the oldest settlement on the West Coast of the United States. Over time, its culture has been influenced by the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans, all of whom came out to this far-off location in pursuit of new opportunities in the Wild West. It’s been home to the likes of Wyatt Earp and many other interesting characters who made their mark in the development of San Diego.

So Diego Tours will take you back-in-time on walking tours through our historic areas of Old Town and the Gaslamp Quarter. Along the way, you will taste a sampling of the foods inspired by this historic past.

So Diego Food Tours

Here is a summary of the historic food tours:

Brothels, Bites and Booze: a Culinary Tour of SD’s Questionable Past

Gaslamp Quarter History and Food Tasting Tour – $45/person
Day Tour: Fri and Sat @ 11am
Night Tour: Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat @ 6:30pm

Often called the Historic Heart of San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter is the city’s most popular dining and entertainment destination. With more than 150 bars and restaurants and 94 registered historic buildings, this nightlife district has a lot to see and do, as well as an interesting, R-rated past.

On the Brothels, Bites and Booze walking tour, you’ll learn about San Diego’s beginnings as a port town. Discover why it became one of the more infamous red light districts of its time, and find out how this once-seedy neighborhood became a fun and vibrant San Diego neighborhood.

With your knowledgeable guide, you’ll embark on a culinary journey of scandalous stories, delicious cocktails and flavorful local cuisine. On the tour, you’ll make new friends, hear fascinating tales, sing karaoke and visit local restaurants.

For more details and reservations, visit: http://sodiegotours.com/blog/2010/09/san-diego-food-tour/.

Tequila, Tacos and Tombstones Culinary Tour

Old Town History and Food Tasting Tour – $45/person
Wed, Thurs, Fri @ 5:30pm

Take a walk on the ghostly side of San Diego on the Tequila, Tacos and Tombstones culinary tour of the Old Town district, also known as the “Birthplace of California.” One of the best places to spend an evening in San Diego, Old Town is also considered by some to be haunted, so buddy up and prepare to get spooked while walking past El Campo Santo Cemetery and the Whaley House (officially designated as a haunted house by the US government).

On this Old Town walking tour, you’ll admire the original adobe homes from the 19th century and stop at restaurants to taste authentic Mexican cuisine and sample cocktails. Come with an appetite — by the end of the tour you’ll have had the equivalent of a full meal.

A fabulous introduction to San Diego food and history, this culinary walking tour will dazzle your taste buds, titillate your sixth sense and appeal to your sense of adventure.

For more details and reservations, visit: http://sodiegotours.com/blog/2011/08/45-tequila-tacos-and-tombstones-old-town-culinary-tour/

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

San Diego is one of the easiest cities to visit in the world. Why? The San Diego Airport is only one mile away from the hotels and attractions in Downtown San Diego.

Yes, you fly right over Balboa Park and through Downtown as you come in for landing. This makes it very convenient and quick for you to get started on enjoying your vacation in San Diego.

Do You Need a Rental Car in San Diego?

The answer to whether you need a car rental in San Diego depends on where your hotel is located and what attractions you want to see.

San Diego Hotels

If you are staying in Downtown San Diego, including the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, and the hotels surrounding the Convention Center, or in the areas of Old Town, Hotel Circle, or Mission Valley, you can easily visit most of San Diego’s top attractions without renting a car in San Diego. You will start with Bus #992, which takes airport visitors to the trolley station a mile away and makes stops near downtown hotels on Broadway. All of these areas are served by the San Diego Trolley with the exception of some hotels in Hotel Circle, where guests will want to take a short ride on Bus #88 to reach a nearby trolley station. A public transit Day Pass for using buses and trolleys only costs $5. All of these areas are also served by the Old Town Trolley hop-on and hop-off tour.

If you are staying at hotels on Shelter Island, Mission Bay, Pacific Beach, or father north along the beaches of San Diego, you will want to consider getting a rental car to more readily get around to the attractions in San Diego. However, one alternative to a car rental if staying in these areas is using Gray Line Tours, which provides hotel pick-up to give you access to their city tours, tours to Mexico, and transportation to main attractions including the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and LEGOLAND.

For more information on the different areas where you will find hotels in San Diego and the public transit options for each, read this introduction to San Diego hotels.

San Diego Attractions

Most attractions in San Diego are served by some form of transit. (If you use this online travel guide by TourGuideTim, you will find the descriptions provided for over 200 attractions includes the transit options that are available at each destination.)

However, it can be appreciated most tourists shy away from transit, especially if it is not easy to use or takes too long to reach an attraction. To make it simple, if you are staying at a hotel that is readily accessible to the San Diego Trolley as described above, you can avoid using a car rental in San Diego to see the major attractions unless you plan to visit SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (this is different from the San Diego Zoo), and LEGOLAND. You can get transportation to these attractions from your hotel using Gray Line Tours but if you want a flexible schedule, it is best to get a rental car for these visits.

In addition, if you want to visit the San Diego Zoo or the Hotel del Coronado, both require short rides on a city bus. However, a good alternative is to sign up for Old Town Trolley Tours mentioned earlier, which has stops within short walks of both attractions. Also, if you want to visit La Jolla, I’d recommend my highly rated tour which takes guests from downtown San Diego to all of the top sites in La Jolla and Torrey Pines, most of which are not accessible by transit and which almost all visitors and many locals do not find on their own.

Advice for those who get a Car Rental in San Diego

Here are some things to keep in mind if you get a rental car:

• Downtown San Diego has numerous one-way streets.
• Many local streets north of downtown San Diego start and stop several times because San Diego is full of hills and valleys (called mesas and canyons by the locals). These streets do not have bridges to connect you from one side of a canyon to the other so you end up at dead ends and have to figure out what streets will get you to the other side.
• Motorcyclists are allowed to pass in between cars so be careful when you go to change lanes during a traffic jam, which is when motorcyclists take advantage of the opportunity to squeeze between cars.
• Bicyclists are allowed on to the interstate highways on some stretches, especially in the La Jolla area, so keep an eye out for them as well.
• Check to see how much your hotel charges for overnight parking.

Advice for those not getting a Rental Car in San Diego

Here are some resources to help you visit San Diego without a car rental:

• San Diego’s transit system earns many awards for its innovation. It’s latest endeavor to stay at the forefront of technology is a collaboration with Google Maps, which will show you on your computer, smartphone, or via text message real-time data on when the next bus will arrive at your stop. You can learn more about this service, try out the transit planner that provides information on what transit can be used to get from point A to point B, and access San Diego public transit maps on TourGuideTim’s page about San Diego Transit Information for Tourists.
• San Diego’s tour companies provide an excellent alternative to renting a car in San Diego. Not only do you get to avoid the hassles of driving around a new (and challenging) area on your vacation but you will also learn a lot of fascinating history about the area. You can learn more about the Old Town Trolley, Gray Line Tours, and my own La Jolla Tours on TourGuideTim’s page about San Diego Tours.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

San Diego tours introduce visitors to the amazing beauty of the area. Some tours of San Diego explore the beautiful harbor of San Diego with its magnificent views of the downtown San Diego skyline while other San Diego tours take visitors to beautiful places popular with the rich and famous such as Coronado, La Jolla, and Torrey Pines. There are also tours that take visitors from San Diego into Baja, Mexico.

Continue reading for a brief summary of the more popular tours that have a great reputation among tourists and locals.

San Diego Hop on Hop off Tours with the Old Town Trolley

The Old Town Trolley is San Diego’s most popular tour. The sightseeing loop taken by the Old Town Trolley takes just two hours making it ideal for visitors with limited time. The trolley tour is also ideal for visitors who want to stop to see the Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, Little Italy, Old Town, San Diego Harbor, and Seaport Village. The fully-narrated tours are led by ‘Conductors’ who receive great reviews and allow guests to hop-on and hop-off at any of about a dozen tour stops along the way. Recommendation: Take the Old Town Trolley on one day to visit the attractions in and around downtown and then take the La Jolla Tour with TourGuideTim the next day to see the beach areas of San Diego, including La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Pacific Beach, and Mission Bay. Read more about the Old Town Trolley.

San Diego City Tours and Mexico Tours with Gray Line

Gray Line offer tours all over the world, including a city tour of San Diego. The Gray Line city tour is an alternative to the trolley tour and includes hotel pick-ups. Tourists go on a three hour tour that includes the Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, Balboa Park, La Jolla, and Old Town. Visitors are provided brief stops to explore the Hotel del Coronado and Old Town. The Gray Line City Tours of San Diego are ideal for people who are less mobile and want to keep the same seats, those who are traveling with larger families and want to sit together, and anyone who prefers the comfort of a coach tour bus. Gray Line also provides a variety of San Diego tours that go to Tijauna and/or Ensenada Mexico. Recommendation: If you love the beauty of La Jolla and want to return to learn more about the area and spend time enjoying the views, taking pictures of the seals, and browsing through the shops and art galleries, take the La Jolla Tour with TourGuideTim. Read more about the Gray Line Tours.

San Diego Tours to La Jolla and Torrey Pines

While San Diego is one of the most beautiful places in the United States, La Jolla is one of the most beautiful places in the world with its jagged ocean cliffs, hilltops providing panoramic views over the Pacific Ocean, abundant marine life from seals to pelicans and cormorants, and the community of boutique shops and art galleries. My tour guests compare La Jolla and Torrey Pines to the Spanish Island of Majorca and Italy’s Amalfi Coast. This is the only tour in San Diego that provides guests with a driver and a tour guide. This allows me, your tour guide, to give you a full-on experience sharing history of national significance that occurred in the area, answer your questions, and provide walking tours at various stops along the way. In addition to our focus on La Jolla and Torrey Pines, we will also see Pacific Beach and Mission Bay before returning to downtown San Diego. Learn more about the La Jolla Tours with TourGuideTim.

San Diego Harbor Tours

The San Diego harbor tours offer a southern tour loop and a northern tour loop with each taking one hour. The south loop shows you the San Diego city skyline, Coronado Bay Bridge, Hotel Del Coronado, Navy Ships, and the Port of San Diego. The north loop provides a closer view of sailboats and yachts heading in and out to the Pacific Ocean, military aircraft at North Island, Cabrillo National Monument, and a chance of spotting sea lions and other wildlife. The narrated tours provide an in-depth look at our naval and maritime history. Recommendation: If you enjoy military history, combine a San Diego harbor tour and the La Jolla Tour, which goes in-depth on the local military aviation history as it passes by an old factory that built B-24 bombers and Atlas Rockets and stops on a hillside with a view of Miramar, former home to Top Gun. Read more about the San Diego Harbor Tours.

San Diego Segway Tours

Want to try something different? A very popular San Diego tour for locals and tourists is the Segway tour offered by Another Side of San Diego. Starting in downtown’s Horton Plaza, guests can learn to ride the electric personal transporters and take tours either of downtown, Balboa Park, or Coronado. Each tour lasts about 2.5 – 3 hours, including an introduction to using a Segway. This is ideal for people who like to try new things and visit areas at a pace similar to riding a bicycle. Recommendation: Take a morning tour on a Segway to visit Coronado and then take the afternoon La Jolla Tour with TourGuideTim. Plan your Segway tour for 8AM and then meet up with the La Jolla Tour shortly before noon. Read more about the Segway Tours in San Diego.

More San Diego Tours

The summary of San Diego tours described above covers the more popular tours for out-of-town visitors. However, there are many other tours of San Diego to try if you planned enough time for visiting this great area. For example, you could explore San Diego harbor by sailing on a yacht used in an America’s Cup Race or riding on a fast, inflatable boat like the ones the Navy SEALS use, which are guided by retired Coast Guard captains. You could take a tour of both San Diego Harbor and the local streets on an amphibious seal boat. You could explore the haunted side of San Diego on a Ghost Tour, which visits places rated as the most haunted in America by the Travel Channel. You could also take a tour to visit local wineries, microbreweries, and more. Scroll down a list of San Diego tours to find more details about the tours that interest you. Enjoy!

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Location: Downtown San Diego

Schedule: Summers at 11:30AM and 5:30PM; Public and Private Charters

Cost: $40 – $100 for Adults (Discounts for Kids)

Features: Sail on an America’s Cup Yacht in the Beautiful San Diego Bay.

America’s Cup Sailing Highlights: San Diego served as host to the America’s Cup Yacht races in 1988, 1992, and 1995. San Diego has also hosted teams preparing to compete in Americas Cup Races in other parts of the world, including 2010 winner BMW-Oracle.

Enjoy the exhilarating experience of riding in one of the most advanced sail boats in the world. You can take a leisurely ride to enjoy the spectacular views in San Diego Harbor or you can join in on a fast-paced race to get the heart pumping.

Information on Taking America’s Cup Sailing Tours

Dennis Conner’s Americas Cup Experience – Throughout the summer, you can join a 1.5 hour sail through San Diego Harbor at 11:30AM or a 2.5 hour sunset sail at 5:30PM. Year-round, you can join a 2PM Race if enough people sign up. Pricing starts at $49 for the daily sail and range up to $99 for the races. Fees include free admission to the San Diego Maritime Museum, which is where the sailing tours depart.

Sail USA-11 – Sail on the largest America’s Cup vessel open to the public in San Diego. You will have the opportunity to help the crew as you sail at high speeds through San Diego Harbor. Public and private charters are available as requested. Public sails last 2.5 hours for $100. Tours depart from Shelter Island, which is just a few miles west of Downtown San Diego.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Travelers are blown away by how much there is to see and do in San Diego. They come with the expectation to see SeaWorld, the Zoo, local beaches, and the Gaslamp Quarter, only to find out there is so much more they are missing.

Because there is so much to know about San Diego, it helps to hire a local to take you on the tour of the area, provide an insider’s perspective on where to experience the activities you will remember for a lifetime, and make sure your visit goes smoothly as planned.

San Diego Tour Guides learning about the Chinese Historical District

Members of the San Diego Professional Tour Guide Association (SDPTGA) take pride in their knowledge of the local area and seek to serve you as great hosts. SDPTGA organizes monthly meetings for its members to go behind the scenes at area attractions and learn all of the unique stories and little-known tidbits to share with guests.

The member Tour Guides have a variety of experiences and specialties. Some focus on certain areas of town, while others focus on foreign tourists who need someone to speak in their native language.

Call or send an email to the SDPTGA and you will get a quick response to find a tour guide that can meet your needs.

As a member of the SDPTGA, I can proudly recommend this wonderful group of people to serve as your hosts in our amazing city of San Diego, California.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Location: Downtown San Diego, La Jolla, Torrey Pines

Tour Schedule: Starts at 12PM most days except Sundays

Cost: $58

Departs: Santa Fe Train Depot in Downtown San Diego, which serves AMTRAK, regional Coaster train, and city Trolley service. It is located two blocks from the Visitor Information Center, Cruise Ship Terminal, and Harbor Attractions.

Features: Half-Day, Expert-Guided Tour from San Diego to La Jolla and Torrey Pines. Amazing views; Fascinating Trivia; Includes free time.

Enjoying the Views at La Jolla Cove

La Jolla Sightseeing Tour Highlights: If you have browsed around this TourGuideTim travel web site while preparing for your San Diego Vacation, you probably noticed we share more details about local attractions than other travel guides. There are also many instances where we share interesting trivia about an attraction that few know about but many find fascinating.

You can expect the same attention to detail and fascinating trivia when you take the San Diego to La Jolla Sightseeing Tour with TourGuideTim.

What Guests are Saying

A recent guest from England summed up the typical response we get during a tour, “Absolutely Brilliant! There is a surprise around every corner!”

Looking out over the Ecological Reserve

Guests also often ask, “How comes this place is not more famous?!”

La Jolla, La Hoya. What makes this town with a funny name so famous among the rich?

Many guests have heard of La Jolla, which is pronounced as La Hoya, but don’t know what makes it famous. When you come on the tour, you’ll find out why the world’s wealthiest have moved into the area to make it the most expensive housing market in America, despite the fact multi-million dollar homes are stacked up right next to each other.

It is all about the views, wildlife, ecological reserve, beach activities, seaside cliffs, caves, art galleries, boutique shops, and oh, did we mention the views.

Sea Lions Sunbathing in La Jolla Cove

The spectacular views can not be mentioned enough. Many wonder if this is what heaven is like. People’s spirits are lifted as they soak in the scenery and sounds of wildlife at La Jolla Cove.

What Guests Will See

• 360 degree views from one of the highest hilltops along the Southern California coast.
• Multi-million dollar mansions.
• Sea Lions, Seals, Brown Pelicans, and Cormorants.
• The famous Torrey Pines Golf Course, home to the 2008 U.S. Open.
• Fearless people flying off beach cliffs on paragliders.


Gliding off the Cliffs at Torrey Pines

• Art galleries, Boutique shops, Fine restaurants, and Fancy car dealerships – you will see showrooms for Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, and Bentley.
• Beach views you will remember for a lifetime.

What Guests Will Learn

• History of Aviation – Several national and world firsts took place in San Diego.
• Geology – The San Diego landscape provides one of the most beautiful urban areas in the world, encompassing the ocean, canyons, mountains, and desert.
• Architecture – Some of the more notable works of internationally recognized architects are found in San Diego and La Jolla.


Coastline next to Scripps Park

• Famous Residents – Hollywood stars, financial tycoons, and other recognizable figures who have lived in La Jolla.
• Interesting Trivia – Your guide has a treasure trove of facts that will keep you saying, ‘Wow’.

What Guests Can Do

Preparing to Bike down from Mt. Soledad

Main Tour – Enjoy all the things to see and learn, as described above, and then spend an hour-and-a-half getting a bite to eat, exploring the art galleries and boutique shops, or just feeling inspired by staring at the beauty of La Jolla Cove. This is the way most guests enjoy their afternoon in La Jolla. However, if you want to walk, bike, kayak, snorkel, or shop, here are some other options you can combine with this tour.

Walking Tour – Instead of going off on your own for free time, join a walking tour along La Jolla Cove to learn about the sea lions, seals, brown pelicans, and cormorants as well as learn about the pioneering women who made La Jolla what it is today.

Kayaking in the Ecological Reserve

Bike Tour – Reserve a spot to get off the bus at the first stop, Mount Soledad, and exercise your legs as you bike down the hill and go for a two-hour ride with a guide from ‘Hike Bike Kayak’ along local streets, exploring La Jolla and nearby beach areas. You will then have an hour of free time in La Jolla Shores before you head back to San Diego on the sightseeing tour bus.

Kayak or Snorkel Tour -  Explore the La Jolla Ecological Reserve on a 1.5 hour guided tour with ‘Hike Bike Kayak’. Learn about the local marine life and, if conditions permit, explore the sea caves.

Surf Lesson – Take advantage of this introduction to the quintessential California pastime of surfing. Your 1.5 hour group lesson includes lesson time on the beach and then riding the calm waves in La Jolla Shores.

Boutique Shops in the Village

Shopping – If you love to shop at unique shops and art galleries for hard-to-find items, the Village of La Jolla is the place to go. For those who want extra free time to browse through over 100 shops, grab a bite to eat, and walk along La Jolla Cove, just let us know when you board the sightseeing tour and we’ll drop you off so you have over 3 hours of free time, instead of 1.5 hours. You will miss part of the sightseeing tour as it continues to La Jolla Shores and Torrey Pines before it returns to the Village.

Beach – If you want to sit on the beach or dip your toes in the Pacific Ocean, you will have free time to do so in La Jolla Cove when you take the Main Tour.

Standing alone atop the Beach Cliffs

However, if you want to spend up to 2.5 hours at the beach and be able to rent beach gear, just let us know and we’ll drop you off in La Jolla Shores. You will miss the visit to Torrey Pines and the free time to spend in the Village Shops and La Jolla Cove but we’ll still pick you up for the return tour ride to San Diego.

Can’t Make Up Your Mind? Don’t worry about it. Pick the Main Tour and you will have a great time. The options show there is just so much to see and do in La Jolla that you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to spend an afternoon seeing why it is a place you will remember for a lifetime.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Enjoy the Slideshow – Starts in 6 seconds.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Enjoy the Slideshow – Starts in 6 seconds.

San Diego County, California can probably claim it has more tourist attractions than any other area in the country. As a result, many great attractions are often overlooked. The pictures above represent a sampling of attractions that deserve more attention. If you are looking for something new to see, select one of the picture tabs above or start exploring the attractions by the locations or themes listed in the sidebar to the right and find yourself a new adventure. Enjoy your travels!

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Enjoy the Slideshow – Starts in 6 seconds.

Actor Gregory Peck started the original La Jolla Playhouse in 1947, bringing with him the likes of Ginger Rogers and Charlton Heston to San Diego.

Peck originally desired to bring the experience of theatre from Broadway to Hollywood but he could never find enough support for theatre among the residents of Los Angeles. However, he found plenty of support for theatre in his native San Diego.

Since then, San Diego has not only produced many of Hollywood’s most famous stars – Cliff Robertson, Raquel Welch, Dennis Hopper, Whoopi Goldberg, Kelsey Grammar, and Robin Wright – but also dozens of Tony Award winning Broadway Productions, including the 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Musical – Memphis.

You see, San Diego provides a nice lifestyle for actors, a quiet place for producers to perfect their works outside of the limelight, and great community support for the performing arts.

But, theatre is not the only place where San Diego excels. Consider the San Diego Symphony, which is one of the few symphonies in the world to own its performance hall. (It is an original Fox Theatre where Walt Disney would premier his movies.) Today, it offers over 100 performances a year with the help of a $120 million gift.

San Diego also has a vibrant opera company, a number of ballet companies, and several visiting artists series that attract the top jazz musicians and classical performers in the world.

Start learning more about the upcoming performances in San Diego by selecting each of the pictured venues above to learn more.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company

Enjoy the Slideshow – Starts in 6 seconds.

The first American to fly was John J. Montgomery off a San Diego hilltop in 1883. Nearly 50 years later, Charles Lindbergh set the distance record for motorless flight when he flew over the cliffs at Torrey Pines. Today, visitors come from around the world to fly off the ocean cliffs without the use of a plane. It’s just them and the quiet ocean breezes.

North Island, just across the harbor from the San Diego Airport saw the world’s first seaplane flight and first parachute jump. The Navy SEALS special forces now use the area for their training.

In 2009, the America’s Cup Challenger and eventual champion, BMW-Oracle, spent several months sailing in San Diego waters as they prepared to win back the Cup for America.

San Diego has always been and will always be a destination for those who thrive on adventure. Whether you want to SCUBA dive into the deep recesses of a submarine canyon, hike down steep mountain cliffs, or explore desert mud caves, you can experience all of that and much more in San Diego.

Start your adventure by selecting each of the picture tabs above to find what will get you to explore your wild side.

TourGuideTim Reveals San Diego! - The Best San Diego Travel Guide & Tour Company