Self-Guided GoCar Tour: San Diego Downtown & Gaslamp Quarter

You drive the route, the GoCar talks you through it.

A self-guided one-hour GoCar tour of San Diego's downtown neighborhoods (Little Italy, the waterfront, Gaslamp Quarter and Banker's Hill) with GPS navigation, audio commentary in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and three other languages, and a full tank of gas included. You rent the vehicle, follow the mapped route at your own pace, and stop where you want. The audio guide narrates what you pass. A valid driver's license is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

San Diego Downtown GoCar Tour

• Drive through Little Italy
• Drive by Maritime Museum
• Drive by USS Midway
• Drive by Seaport Village
• Drive by Petco Park
• Drive through Gaslamp Quarter

The experience

You pick up a GoCar (a three-wheeled open-air vehicle with GPS and an audio guide built in), and follow a pre-set route through downtown San Diego. The narration starts in Little Italy, where the audio explains the rise and fall of San Diego's Italian population as you drive the neighborhood streets. From there the route takes you past the Maritime Museum and the USS Midway, then through Seaport Village and a loop around Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. The whole route is mapped. You just follow the GPS and listen.

The Gaslamp Quarter is the heart of the tour. After its recent reinvention, the neighborhood is family-friendly and walkable, and the audio guide gives you the context as you drive through. From the Gaslamp Quarter you move into Banker's Hill, where unique shops line the streets and Balboa Park borders the neighborhood. Because you're driving yourself, you can slow down at any stop, circle back, or pull over and explore on foot: the route doesn't move without you.

The GoCar comes with a full tank of gas, a helmet, and a map. The audio guide is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and three additional languages. A rider orientation is included before you start, so you'll know how the vehicle handles and how to use the GPS system. You'll need a valid driver's license to rent.

What’s included

• GPS-guided three-wheeled vehicle rental.
• full tank of gas.
• helmet.
• audio narration in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and three additional languages.
• rider orientation.
• route map.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to2h before

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by GoCar Tours San Diego

Is this one for you?You navigate your own GoCar through neighborhoods tour buses skip, so you control the route and pace to hit Little Italy, the waterfront, and Gaslamp Quarter in whatever order suits you.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What neighborhoods does the GoCar route cover in San Diego?

The route starts in Little Italy, passes the Maritime Museum and USS Midway, moves through Seaport Village, loops around Petco Park, then enters the Gaslamp Quarter and finishes in Banker's Hill near Balboa Park. You drive the whole route yourself at your own pace.

Can I stop and get out to explore during the GoCar tour?

Yes. Because you're driving yourself, you can pull over anywhere along the route, park the GoCar, and explore on foot. The audio guide doesn't move forward until you do, so you control the timing completely.

What languages is the audio guide available in?

The GoCar audio guide is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and three additional languages. You select your language before you start the tour.

How long does the one-hour GoCar tour take?

The tour is designed as a one-hour experience, but because you set the pace, it can take longer if you stop to explore neighborhoods or attractions along the way. The route itself covers downtown San Diego, Little Italy, the waterfront and the Gaslamp Quarter.

What do I need to rent a GoCar?

You'll need a valid driver's license. The rental includes a full tank of gas, a helmet, a map, and a rider orientation before you start. The GoCar has GPS navigation and the audio guide built in.