11 Historical Tours in San Diego That Are Worth The Money

1.San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter Historic True Crime Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 230 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29Our pick

Walk San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter with guides such as Leila, Luna, RT, or Daniel, hearing true crime stories tied to Chinatown, downtown murders, a haunted hotel, and the old Stingaree district. Expect about 90 minutes of walking, history, and dark tales in English.

“Our tour was great! No spoilers, but the stories were super interesting and loved touring the city. Our guide was awesome! She brought the tour to like and we all had a few laughs along the way! She was great and I highly recommend the tour for anyone looking to kick off an evening in the Gaslamp Quarter. Another great factor is once the tour is gone, you’re right there on the bar streets where all the action is! 10/10 would recommend.”

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2.Historic La Jolla Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $70Top rated

Walk La Jolla with local guide Chas, tracing the Scripps family legacy from historic cottages and churches to Sunny Jim’s cave, sea lions, Children’s Pool, and tide pools. Expect about two hours on foot, a small group of up to 15, coastal views, old photos, and practical dining tips.

“Chaz was an excellent tour guide. He gave a detailed account of La Jolla history and provided a tour that highlights how much of a gem La Jolla truly is. As I was his only tourist, he was kind enough to walk me to a local restaurant that he recommended, and the food was amazing!! Highly recommend this tour!”

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3.San Diego to Temecula: Wine Country Tour & Historic Old Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $258

Travel from San Diego to Temecula with a guide such as Dave, Vicki, or Sonia, stopping in Old Town and three contrasting wineries. Expect wine tastings, lunch, valley views, hotel pickup from selected locations, and a relaxed day in a group of no more than 15.

“Tour was ok lunch was served late but other than that is was ok I thought Wilson creek was the best winery we visited”

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4.San Diego Coronado History and Highlights Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 2 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $64

Walk Coronado with local guide Jennifer, or another San Diego Walks guide, as you connect island history with its shops, churches, parks, beach, and Hotel del Coronado. The small group visits a museum when open, pauses for a sweet snack, and covers about two miles on foot.

“Had a great time at Coronado Island. Tour guide was very informative and funny! Loved all the shopping and food places to eat. Definitely come back.”

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5.San Diego Natural History Museum Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 33 reviews · from $12Best value

Spend one day at The Nat, San Diego’s oldest museum, with access to four floors of exhibits, a giant-screen theater, live specimens, fossils, and Southern California science. See dinosaur and mastodon fossils, explore Baja, watch a daily film, and use the $12 ticket at your own pace.

“Very good I enjoy how it’s helping animals around the world while still informing the general public about what they’re doing”

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6.History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 2 hours · from $40

Meet your English-speaking guide at 400 Fifth Ave for a two-hour Gaslamp Quarter walk through four historic bars. Buy local beer at each stop while hearing stories of conquistadors, bootleggers, aviation pioneers, and San Diego’s rise from military outpost to major port.

“Had a great time between the drinks, friendly tour guide, and the unique history lesson about the area!”

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7.Guided Historic La Jolla Village Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.) · from $59

Join John for a 2-mile, English-language walk through La Jolla Village, beginning at Ellen Browning Scripps Park. The 90-minute to 2-hour tour covers Native American roots, local history, art, politics, and modern La Jolla. Groups are capped at 10, and a bottle of spring water is included.

“Very informative, very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. Really enjoyed and have recommended the tour to others!”

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8.Gaslamp Quarter Historic True Crime Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 1h 30m · from $29

Join a local English-speaking guide outside Henry’s Pub for a 90-minute walk through San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. You’ll hear about the Stingaree era, a haunted hotel room, 1920s murder and revenge, serial-killer cases, and a horrific downtown crime.

“Learning about crimes and the history of the gas lamp district was a worthy endeavor”

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9.San Diego Natural History Museum Nighttime Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $12

Visit San Diego Natural History Museum after 5 PM for four floors of exhibitions, films, activities, bars, and rooftop views across Balboa Park. Explore fossils, Baja California, Southern California wildlife, citizen science, and living animals. The $12 ticket is valid for one evening on the selected date.

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10.Gaslamp Quarter Frontier History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 4 reviews · 1 hour · from $35

Walk San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter with an English-speaking Junket guide for one lively hour. See the Davis-Horton House, Horton Grand Hotel, Balboa Theatre, Wyatt Earp’s old bar, and the city’s first skyscraper while solving a scavenger hunt and hearing stories of the Old West, prohibition, and haunted downtown.

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11.Food Tour of Historic Gaslamp District

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4 reviews · from $97

Join an English-speaking local guide for a 3.5-hour food walk beginning at The Lumpia Factory, with Filipino lumpia, a California meltburger, Baja tacos, specialty coffee, a California burrito, and a secret final dish. Richard has led especially personal tours, and the route ends where it begins.

“Everone was great and the guide was kind and energetic.”

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