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Historical Walking Tour of San Diego
5.0
15 Ratings
San Diego
Discover the rich history of downtown San Diego on a group walking tour. Explore the city’s founding in 1542, iconic landmarks, and modern-day industry. Don’t miss out!
Duration:
1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- 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.
![](https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/attractions-splice-spp-720x480/10/6f/2a/ca.jpg)
What's Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
This is a collective pedestrian tour to explore the attractions of San Diego’s city center. The excursion covers the comprehensive chronicles of San Diego, starting from its establishment in 1542 up to its contemporary industrialism. The trip includes data on San Diego’s pioneers and futurists, the Gaslamp Quarter, Horton Plaza Park, Santa Fe Depot, and the USS Midway Marine Museum.
Location
530 Broadway
Broadway
Josh will be wearing a tour guide name tag and will meet you in the lobby of the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Downtown. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes early to ensure the tour starts on time.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(15 Ratings)
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Projektjaydyn
Jul 24, 2024
Great history lesson for SD! - Josh took us from the beginnings of San Diego to the present. He was very knowledgeable about all parts of san diego history, it was a great walk, good pace. Definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R7518thjacquelinep
Jul 24, 2024
Walking history - Josh is great. Very informative and well prepared. Offered great tips and recommendations. Learned so much about the history of San Diego, from its founding to present day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z4787yyerinr
Jun 24, 2024
Never a better tour!! - Let me tell you about the *most* fabulous experience I had on Josh’s historic walking tour. From the moment we started, it was like stepping into a reality show episode—full of drama, history, and all the tea!🍵
He knows all the ins and outs, the who’s who, and the scandalous stories that make San Diego's history come alive. It was like taking a stroll through time!
He’s got the charm, the knowledge, and the charisma to keep you hooked from start to finish. Plus, the way he tells the stories? It’s like hearing the juiciest gossip at your bff brunch!
If you’re looking for an unforgettable tour with a dash of glitz and a whole lot of heart, this is it. Five stars aren’t enough to capture how amazing this experience was. Grab your besties, put on your walking shoes, and get ready for an iconic tour!
PS - you gotta get his restaurant recs as well! This guy knows good food!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brians6934
Jun 22, 2024
A must-do in San Diego! - It was an excellent tour with a really nice tour guide. He had fun stories and told them well. We also got really great recommendations for other things to do while we were in San Diego and ended up eating at some truly great places we would not have found otherwise. I recommend taking one at the start of your trip to find the best stuff to do!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kate
Jun 16, 2024
Vacationing in San Diego - Josh is an excellent guide. Extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic! I would highly recommend his tour on your trip to San Diego.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_r
Apr 22, 2024
Highly recommend this historical walking tour - My mother and I had an amazing time on our tour. Josh did a great job of explaining the historical and cultural influences to the city and how they affected each other. He also gave great recommendations for restaurants and activities to do throughout the city. We highly recommend this experience if you are visiting San Diego!
Review provided by Viator
Bardins2021
Jan 17, 2024
Excellent Tour - Our group of five thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Josh's knowledge about the City of San Diego and its unique history is very impressive. We would highly recommend this tour to others. Thanks, Josh!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wbiggs516
Jan 15, 2024
Great Walking Tour of San Diego. - Josh was a fantastic tour guide with wonderful knowledge of the history of San Diego. He’s very personable and I would definitely recommend taking his walking tour of San Diego!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L2784qijs
Jan 14, 2024
Great history of the city. Do it early on your trip to SD - Josh was awesome. His knowledge of the city was impressive. We learned so much about the history of the city. Josh shares how San Diego began and tells the story through modern day. We wish we had done this earlier on our trip so we would have known more about where we exploring. He also gave us some fantastic restaurant and cocktail spot recommendations. Book this trip and do it at the beginning of your trip. Thank you for a great tour, Josh!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Destination61114
Dec 9, 2023
Excellent walking tour! - We went on this historical walking tour and it was awesome. We met Josh at a hotel in downtown San Diego and he walked us through downtown to the USS Midway Museum. Throughout the 1-1.5 hour walk, he would explain the history behind each historical building/monument, which we learned and enjoyed so much.
He also recommended where to go for food/drinks which we did (the tacos were fantastic, and the Old-Fashioned at the US Grant was grand!). Josh is very passionate about the city and he was friendly and patient with us throughout the walk.
Highly recommended!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor