San Diego Driving Tour: Must-See Scenic Sights With a San Diego Local

San Diego embodies the fabled, coastal California lifestyle, welcoming guests with picture-perfect weather and an unexpected range of things to see and do. Buckle up because, on this driving tour, we’ll give you the inside scoop into why San Diego is known as “America’s Finest City.” We’ll share its illustrious Spanish colonial history and tell you how the city was almost named San Miguel.

Our San Diego scenic tour begins at the edge of Mission Bay and takes in legendary landmarks, including SeaWorld San Diego, the Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma, the San Diego Zoo, Old Town State Park and Presidio Park. Including a drive through Bilboa Park. You’ll experience the city through the eyes of San Diego locals, immersing yourself in stories about its past while taking in its spectacular coastal scenery. You’ll also pass through the former neighborhood of Dr Suess. Oh, the places you’ll go! The city has something to offer every traveler, from its laid-back and unique beach neighborhoods like La Jolla, Sunset Cliffs, and Pacific Beach to the vibrant nightlife and downtown dining destinations of Little Italy and the Gaslamp Quarter. On this tour, you’ll see San Diego like you’ve never seen it before.

Along this journey, where the past meets the Pacific, you’ll:

• Imagine tracing the footsteps of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the intrepid explorer who first gazed upon California’s shores. (Feel free to stop to take the Cabrillo National Monument tour).
• Feel the might of the USS Midway, once the titan of the seas. (Stop to take the USS Midway tour, if you like!)
• Discover how you can seize the chance to steer through history aboard the legendary America’s Cup yacht.
• Embrace the free-spirited essence of Ocean Beach, where the longest fishing pier on the West Coast stretches into the horizon, a testament to architectural wonder.
• Enjoy stopping to savor the legendary fish tacos at South Beach Bar and Grill or seize a renowned Hodad’s burger in the vibrant core of Ocean Beach. There are so many dining options to feast on along the journey!
• Revel in the urban oasis of Petco Park and have the chance to stop at The Rady Shell, the city’s spectacular outdoor musical venue and imagine the harmonies serenading you under the starlit sky.
• Step into the very heart of America’s beginnings at the site of the first European settlement in the Western United States.
• Cruise through the vibrant heart of San Diego—the Gaslamp Quarter, where the Victorian era past comes alive as a hub for dining, entertainment, events, nightlife, and haunted houses.
• Drift through Old Town’s spectral allure. Intrigued by ghostly abodes? Feel free to stop and take the Whaley House Museum tour of America’s most haunted house.
• Uncover the secret to seaside slumbers on a pier that promises dreams cradled by ocean waves.
• Glide down the Camino de la Costa in La Jolla, the “Street of Dreams,” where luxury and longing intersect.
• Ascend to the summit of Mt. Soledad, where a panoramic spectacle of land and sea unfolds in a breathtaking 360-degree tableau.

This tour isn’t just a feast for the eyes; it’s a tapestry of stories woven into the very fabric of San Diego.

Whether you’re a visitor eager to discover or a local hungry for hidden gems, this tour is your gateway to the soul of San Diego. Charge your camera and let your heart be your guide. We’re not just sightseeing; we’re memory-making. Say goodbye to FOMO—your adventure awaits!