San Diego GoCar Tour: Self-Guided Full Day, All Neighborhoods

Drive your own route through San Diego's neighborhoods at your own pace

A full-day self-guided GoCar tour of San Diego puts you behind the wheel of a three-wheeled GPS-equipped vehicle to explore Little Italy, the USS Midway, Balboa Park, Old Town, Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma and the San Diego Zoo. You navigate the route yourself using the provided map and audio guide, stopping where you choose and spending as long as you want at each neighborhood.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day San Diego GoCar tour

• Drive through Little Italy
• Drive by USS Midway
• Drive by Petco Park
• Drive through Balboa Park
• Drive through Old Town
• Drive to Cabrillo National Monument
• Drive by San Diego Zoo
• Drive through Point Loma

The experience

You pick up your GoCar and get a quick orientation on how to operate it, then you're free to chart your own course through the city. The vehicle comes with a full tank of gas, a GPS unit, a map, and an audio guide in English that walks you through the highlights as you drive. You decide the order of stops, how long to linger in each area, and which neighborhoods matter most to your day.

The route covers the neighborhoods that define San Diego. You'll drive through Little Italy and past the USS Midway Museum in downtown, then head to Balboa Park to walk the rose gardens and take a family photo. Point Loma offers tide pools where you can spot sea anemones, crabs, lobster and fish if the tide is right. Old Town San Diego shows how the city evolved from a small Mexican community to what it is today, and Cabrillo National Monument sits at the peninsula's edge. You pass the San Diego Zoo and Petco Park along the way, and can stop at Ocean Beach and the Maritime Museum if time allows.

The GoCar itself is the point: a three-wheeled open-air vehicle that handles like a scooter but seats two people. It's nimble enough to navigate city streets and park easily, so you're not hunting for a spot or dealing with a full-size rental. The environmental fee covers carbon offset, gasoline and tire recycling.

What’s included

• Map and GPS-equipped GoCar rental.
• full tank of gas.
• rider orientation.
• audio guide in English.
• helmets.
• environmental fee for carbon offset, gasoline and tire recycling.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00

Book up to2h before

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish

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 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by GoCar Tours San Diego

Is this one for you?You start from the rental location and drive yourself, so no hotel pickup means you're free to begin whenever you arrive and explore at your own pace without waiting for a group or following a fixed schedule.

Traveler reviews

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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.

Can I stop and walk around at each neighborhood, or do I just drive past?

You stop wherever you want and spend as long as you like. The GoCar lets you explore on foot at Balboa Park, Old Town, Point Loma's tide pools, Ocean Beach and any other stop that interests you. The day is yours to structure.

What is Point Loma like when I get there?

Point Loma is a coastal peninsula with tide pools where you can wade and look for sea anemones, crabs, lobster, fish and occasionally an octopus. Cabrillo National Monument sits at the tip, offering views and history of the area's early European exploration.

Do I need a driver's license to rent the GoCar?

Yes. You must have a valid driver's license and be at least 21 years old to operate the vehicle.

Is the audio guide enough to know where to go, or do I need to plan the route beforehand?

The GoCar comes with both a GPS unit and a printed map, plus the audio guide. You can follow the GPS turn-by-turn, use the map to plan your own route, or mix both. The choice is yours.

What neighborhoods does the full-day tour actually cover?

The route includes Little Italy, downtown (USS Midway and Petco Park), Balboa Park, Old Town San Diego, Point Loma, Cabrillo National Monument, the San Diego Zoo area, and Ocean Beach with the Maritime Museum.