Historical Walking Tour of San Diego

Overview

The is a group walking tour to see the sights of downtown San Diego. The tour includes the full history of San Diego from its founding in 1542 to modern day industry. The tour includes information about the founders and visionaries of San Diego, Gaslamp District, Horton Park, Santa Fe Train Station, and the USS Midway.

City: San Diego

Sun 25 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $10.00

Make a reservation

Sun 25 May

Starting at $10.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Gratuities

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

What To Expect

Gaslamp Quarter

Josh will meet you in the lobby of the historic San Diego Trust and Savings Bank Building (now a Courtyard Marriott) to share information on how San Diego became the birthplace of California. You will learn about Spanish explorers, the first settlement of Old Town, the Mexican-American War, and becoming the 31st state in the U.S.

Horton Plaza Park

After passing through the Gaslamp Quarter you will learn about the growth of the city and the visionary creation of downtown San Diego in the late 1800s (including international recognition and the development of the San Diego Zoo).

Santa Fe Depot

The tour will stop outside of the historic Santa Fe train station to learn how the east coast and west coast were connected by train. Train access led to an age of prosperity and rich elites visiting San Diego, especially with the opening of the famous Hotel Del Coronado.

USS Midway Museum

The tour will end outside of the USS Midway Museum to discuss San Diego's role in world wars and the modern day military industry. Please note the tour does NOT include entrance to the USS Midway Museum and the tour will NOT go inside the museum.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (20)

dianesH6788TM

Sep 2023

We loved our tour with Josh. He has clearly done a ton of research on the history of San Diego and made it very interesting. We had no idea there was such history here. It was only about an hour long, but we enjoyed every bit of it and were impressed how personable Josh is and how he pulled together the various things that happened in history to bring San Diego to the point it is today. He even inspired us to do a little bit more exploring on our own! I would most definitely recommend this tour to anyone who likes history and architecture. It doesn’t take long and is super affordable. A great use of your time!

Response from Host

Sep 2023

Thank you for your review Diane. It was a pleasure meeting you and your husband and sharing the history of San Diego with you.

pamelafi2014

Aug 2023

LOOK NO MORE AND BOOK THIS TOUR! I just moved to the city, so I wanted to take a tour to learn a few interesting facts about my new home, but little did I know that it was going to surpass all my expectations. First off, Josh is exactly what you want in a tour guide, a huge history buff with impeccable storytelling skills who is super nice, very knowledgeable and really funny! The tour begins at this really cool place that at first you don’t think much of it, until Josh reveals the history of it,( I won’t ruin the surprise you’ve got to experience it yourself 😉) and proceeds to walk you through the history of the foundation of San Diego. Then the walking tour starts in the heart of the city and you hear all about the creation of the downtown area, the role that the Gilded Age played in its expansion, the role of the military in the city and up to the modern times of what today is San Diego. Throughout the whole tour Josh points out little details in the landscape, landmarks, surroundings and buildings that take you back to the time in which they were installed which, if it wasn’t for this tour, I probably would have not noticed on my own. It is such a wonderful, easy, informative and very enjoyable experience for such a good price and it will definitely become a must for when I have visitors in town. Please do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on this tour. You won’t regret it!

Response from Host

Sep 2023

Pamela, thank you for leaving such a thoughtful and kind review. It was great to meet you and I enjoyed sharing the history of San Diego with the group.