Looking for the best San Diego tours? We’ve included the 9 best things to do in America’s Finest City. Keep reading to learn more, but first, a warning…
A Fair Warning About Tours in San Diego
San Diego is an amazing city with incredible attractions and lots of things to do. However, it’s also a major tourist destination, which means you have to watch out for tourist traps!
Common tourist traps in San Diego include overcrowded attractions, overpriced souvenir shops, and inauthentic restaurants, all of which care more about making a quick buck than providing a good experience. Many visitors fall into these traps simply because they haven’t done proper research before their trip.
Here are some things to look out for.
Red Flags That Scream Tourist Trap!
- Aggressive street promoters pushing “exclusive deals” or “limited-time offers”
- Attractions that prioritize gift shops over actual experiences
- Tourist information centers focused on selling timeshares or expensive packages
- Overcrowded locations where waiting time exceeds activity time
- Overpriced parking lots suspiciously close to gimmicky offerings
Here are some things you can do to help!
How To Find Authentic Things To Do in San Diego
- Ask hotel staff or locals (not tourist center employees) for their personal recommendations
- Visit attractions during off-peak hours when locals typically go
- Join community Facebook groups or forums to learn about local offerings
- Check community bulletin boards and calendars for local events
- Look for places that don’t advertise heavily in tourist magazines or brochures
Moreover, to get the best experience, we recommend always checking out online reviews before booking a tour. Another Side Tours is proud to be one of the most highly awarded tour companies in the Western United States year after year. Take a look at our Google reviews to see why people choose us.
Here’s another warning: Once you experience San Diego with a top-level tour company, you might find yourself planning your next trip before you’ve even finished your first one. Thanks to its historic locations, beautiful beaches, and much more, this city has a way of turning first-time visitors into lifelong fans. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
OK, let’s get back to the 9 best things to do in San Diego.
1. E-Bike Tour in San Diego
E-bike tours are a blast; in fact, they’re one of the best ways to explore San Diego. The great thing about e-bikes is you don’t have to pedal or exert yourself too hard. The electric assist means you can tackle San Diego’s steepest streets while covering a lot more distance than you would while walking.
Even better, San Diego is a bicycle-friendly city, with over 1,700 miles of bikeways. The city’s extensive network includes dedicated bike lanes, protected paths, and scenic routes that wind through diverse neighborhoods and along the coastline.
From the flat terrain of Mission Bay to the challenging hills of Torrey Pines, cyclists can explore everything from urban landscapes to breathtaking coastal views, all while benefiting from well-maintained paths.
Check out our San Diego Electric Bike Tours, which offer you the best of San Diego, from beautiful beach coves to cultural hotspots.
2. Bike Tour in San Diego
While e-bike tours are amazing, traditional bike tours are a great alternative for those wanting to burn calories while exploring San Diego’s best locations. These include, among many others, the historic Hotel del Coronado and La Jolla’s dramatic coastline.
As mentioned, San Diego is bicycle-friendly, but what we haven’t mentioned yet is the city’s excellent weather. San Diego gets about 267 sunny days per year, and average temperatures hover around 70°F (21°C) year-round.
The city experiences remarkably consistent weather, with winter highs typically in the 60s and summer temperatures in the 70s and 80s while rarely exceeding 90°F. Even during the cloudier months of May and June, the marine layer usually dissipates by the afternoon, leaving plenty of time for cycling.
Curious to know more? Check out our San Diego Bike Tours.
3. Segway Tour in San Diego
If you’ve never explored San Diego, one of the best ways to do so is on a Segway. This should be on the top of your list if you’re looking for a unique experience that puts the city in a whole new light.
Segways are incredibly fun, and for most people, they’re easy to use. Most people get the hang of them within a couple of minutes, and once you’re comfortable, it’s off to the races. You can cover more ground than if you were walking and enjoy the fresh air as you reach a top speed of around 12.5 miles per hour.
What is a tour, though, without a great tour guide? Another Side Tours has some of the best and most experienced San Diego guides around. See our Segway Tours in San Diego, where you can have a blast cruising along scenic paths, taking photos at iconic locations, and hearing fascinating stories about each location from our expert guides.
Some of our top tour locations include the historic Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, and Coronado Island.
4. Food Tour in San Diego
While exploring San Diego on a Segway or bike is fantastic, it’s not the only way to experience the city. San Diego food tours offer entirely unique experiences that shouldn’t be missed.
After all, San Diego’s food scene is absolutely stellar and includes a mix of authentic Mexican cuisine, traditional Italian fare, seafood, and more.
Check out our Food Tours in San Diego. From the bustling Gaslamp Quarter to upscale La Jolla, these tours offer something for every palate.
5. Brewery Tour in San Diego
If you’re into craft beer, then a Brewery Tour in San Diego should be on your bucket list. After all, San Diego County has a legendary brewery scene, with over 150 breweries.
The beauty of a professional Brewery Tour in San Diego is you get to experience the best of the best, and your tour company takes care of all the logistics. Not all breweries are created equal, which is why each stop is expertly curated for quality.
By the way, San Diego’s craft beer scene is known for its “San Diego-style” IPA. Picture sipping an especially crisp IPA while a passionate brewer explains how they achieved the ideal balance of flavors. Then, next minute, you learn the intricacies of the microbrewery process while you indulge in a variety of other palate-pleasing selections. This should give you an idea of what to expect!
Check out our Brewery Tours in San Diego to learn more. These tours are basically a craft beer lover’s idea of a trip to Disneyland!
6. Hiking Tour in San Diego
When most people think of San Diego, they picture sunny beaches, beautiful urban parks, and iconic attractions. However, that’s not the whole story. The city offers so much more, including incredible hiking opportunities.
For example, at Torrey Pines State Reserve, you can explore paths that meander along windswept cliffs above the Pacific. Likewise, Cowles Mountain challenges hikers with a climb that provides panoramic views spanning all the way to Mexico.
Cool Fact: Did you know that the Torrey pine is found literally nowhere else on Earth except for a small population on Santa Rosa Island? It’s one of the rarest pines in the world!
Curious to explore these amazing areas? Check out our San Diego Hiking Tours. Our local guides have a wealth of knowledge about the local scenery.
7. Wine Tour in San Diego
Most wine lovers know that Southern California has its own wine country. What you may not know is that Temecula has 30+ wineries located about an hour from San Diego. So, instead of a long drive to Napa, you can experience award-winning wines locally.
For this reason, a wine tour might be the perfect option for your day trip while you’re in San Diego. Every wine tour is different, and different companies have their own offerings. With Another Side Tours, you get to explore three renowned wineries of exceptional fame and quality without worrying about driving. Each stop offers something unique.
During our wine tours, you’ll learn how the region’s special climate shapes the flavors in your glass, witness the marriage of art and science in winemaking, and find hidden gems you’d likely never stumble across on your own. All our tours include lunch, meaning that you get a nice scrumptious break between tastings.
Check out our Wine Tasting Tours in San Diego.
8. USS Midway Tour
Want to experience a real piece of Navy history? Come see the USS Midway, which sits along San Diego’s waterfront within easy walking distance of tourists. It’s pretty incredible. This aircraft carrier served for nearly 50 years before becoming a museum, and walking its decks feels like stepping back in time.
The ship is massive; imagine three football fields floating on water! During a USS Midway Tour, you can explore everything from the flight deck with its historic aircraft to the surprisingly compact crew quarters where thousands of sailors once lived. Additionally, visiting the engine room allows you to appreciate the raw power that once kept this floating city moving.
What makes a USS Midway Tour special are the knowledgeable local docents who share real stories about life at sea, as well as incredibly interesting facts that most visitors don’t know.
Check out our USS Midway Tours.
9. Scavenger Hunt in San Diego
So, there are lots of ways to explore San Diego, but nothing quite matches the thrill of turning the city into your own personal giant scavenger hunt. A city scavenger hunt is a structured experience that requires you to find clues, solve puzzles, and race against a competing team.
If you’re looking for a more cerebral and engaging experience, a Scavenger Hunt is a good choice. Each area of San Diego offers its own unique experience, whether you hunt for clues in Balboa Park or scour La Jolla to secure your team’s bragging rights. Along the way, you’ll learn interesting facts about the city and spot details you might otherwise miss.
You’re not just following a typical tourist path. You’re actively exploring and discovering the city with the help of your guide.
Check out our Scavenger Hunts in San Diego.
Explore San Diego with Another Side Tours
San Diego is a big place that spans over 370 square miles and has a population of about 1.4 million. The city is also home to thousands of businesses, as well as many iconic locations, beautiful beaches, and much more. There’s a reason why it’s called America’s Finest City.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local looking to rediscover your city, there’s something magical about exploring San Diego with people who know it inside and out.
Your perfect San Diego adventure awaits with Another Side Tours. Contact us to book your tour today, or visit any of our tour pages to book directly. The hardest part will be deciding which tour to try first!
