Tours
Family FavoriteOld Town Trolley Tours of San Diego
$25–$50Hop-on hop-off trolley tour looping through San Diego's top neighborhoods and Coronado.
SightseeingHistory BuffFamily Favorite
Old Town San Diego
2415 San Diego Ave, #104 · San Diego, CA
Why you should go…
Old Town San Diego is the site of the region's first Spanish settlement and is promoted as the birthplace of California. Its center, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, recreates life from the Mexican-American period of 1821 to 1872 through living-history programs, and the surrounding district holds more than 20 museums, artisan shops and galleries within walking distance of each other. The Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce runs a visitor center for the district near the San Diego Trolley Old Town Transit Center.
- #history
- #museum
- #shopping
- #family
- #historic district
Good to know
General sightseeing guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
The forecast is part of the ticket
Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.
Golden hour sells out first
Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.
Dress a layer warmer
It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.
Timed entry is common
Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Old Town San Diego, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours
- SightseeingHistory Buff
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
FreeA recreated 19th-century Mexican and early-American village on the site of California's first European settlement.
0.3 mi awayMore like this
- ToursFamily Favorite
Old Town Trolley Tours San Diego
$25–$50A hop-on, hop-off open-air trolley loop connecting Old Town, downtown, Balboa Park, and Coronado.
0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours
- Eat & DrinkLocal Gem
Fiesta de Reyes
FreeAn open-air Mexican-themed marketplace in Old Town San Diego with restaurants, specialty shops and free weekend live entertainment.
0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink
- SightseeingLocal Gem
San Diego
FreeSan Diego's official visitor information center on the downtown Embarcadero, with maps, guides and trip-planning help for the city.
1.9 mi awayMore like this
- SightseeingIconic
Hotel del Coronado
FreeA red-turreted Victorian beach resort from 1888, one of the last of America's great wooden seaside hotels.
5.1 mi awayMore like this
