San Diego Walking Tours: Local Knowledge, Personalized Service
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Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila

Come for the Tacos. Stay for the History.

Most people who visit Old Town come for the food – and the food is absolutely worth it. But underneath the restaurants and shops is one of the most historically significant neighborhoods in the state – the place where California’s story began and where the evidence of that story is still very much present if you know where to look.

Our Old Town San Diego walking tour gives you the best of both: the history and the tacos.

Walk Highlights

  • Explore the birthplace of California – and discover how much of its original story still stands
  • Hear the full story of Old Town – including the indigenous people who called this place home long before the Europeans first arrived
  • Learn how a book that took the country by storm in the 1880s – and then vanished from memory – is the reason Old Town is still standing today
  • End at one of San Diego’s most celebrated tequilerias – with a taste included

Price
  • $80 Adult (16+)
  • $70 Children (6-15)
  • $55-120 per person for private tours (prices vary by group size)
Departure times10:00am
1:00pm
AvailabilityTuesday – Saturday, year-round
Duration2.5 hours
Group sizeMaximum of 15 people
Meeting pointIn front of the Adobe Chapel, 3963 Conde St, San Diego, CA 92110
Ending pointEl Agave Restaurant & Tequileria
2304 San Diego Ave., San Diego, CA 92110
Know Before You Book
  • Minimum age of 6 years
  • Due to the three steps at the El Campo Cemetery, this tour is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Let us know in advance if you would like an audio system
Included
  • Professional and fun tour guide
  • One handmade tortilla
  • One shot of tequila (or a margarita, beer, or soda of your choice)
  • Three gourmet street tacos
  • Chips and salsa
Not included
  • Additional food and beverages
  • Additional purchases such as souvenirs and items of a personal nature
  • Tips/gratuities for your guide
What to bring
  • Walking shoes
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen and/or a hat
  • Light jacket or layers, depending on the weather
  • Water in a reusable container
  • Money for tips/gratuities/souvenirs
    • Cash for payment and gratuities is welcome, but if you’d prefer to provide your guide with a “thank you” that isn’t in cash form, they will give you their PayPal or Venmo information
About your guideYour guide is a San Diego native with a genuine passion for this city and the stories that make it unlike anywhere else. Every tour is personal by design, if you have a particular area of interest, just let us know in advance and we'll do our best to weave it in.

Where We're Headed

Old Town Cafe Coyote Tortilla MakerYour tour kicks off at the Adobe Chapel – a building that served as both a home and a church in the 19th century, and a setting for a novel that would end up saving this entire neighborhood from being lost forever.

From there we will view one of the oldest brick buildings in Southern California – a structure with a colorful past that tends to get people’s attention – before taking in some of San Diego’s finest examples of Victorian architecture, including the city’s first synagogue.

After a tortilla tasting, we will make our way past a historic golf course where Presidio Hill comes into view – the original European settlement on the West Coast of the United States.

From there, the oldest building in the region comes into view before a quick stop in an area known for its Mexican handcrafts – a great spot to browse and pick up something unique.

Next is a hundred-year-old Catholic church, followed by a walk through a landmark cemetery with graves dating back to the 1850s. Some of the locals claim it has a few permanent residents who have not quite moved on.

Old Town Tequila Shots and MargaritasOur final stop is El Agave Restaurant and Tequileria – home to one of the most impressive tequila collections you will ever see. You will learn about the different types of tequila, enjoy a taste, and sit down to some of the best tacos in the city.

We will say goodbye here, but feel free to linger – El Agave is worth the extra time. Your guide will have plenty of recommendations for wherever the rest of your day takes you.

Why Our Guests Love This Tour!

Wonderful walking tour with Jennifer. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and listened to our needs. Jennifer.s enthusiasm for sharing details was obvious! Walking tours are the best as they, like Jennifer, take one to places that might be more obscure

Linda
getyourguide

Jennifer was fantastic! So engaging and full of historic information about the neighborhood. It was perfectly paced and the lunch at the end was delicious and so much fun!

nosleeptilbrooklyn
tripadvisor

We had such a wonderful and personal experience on our Old Town San Diego Tacos and Tequila tour with Jennifer. She shared so much history and fun facts that really brought the area to life. The fresh tortilla tasting was incredible, and the tacos and tequila were absolutely delicious. Jennifer made the whole thing felt relaxed and genuine, like exploring with a friend who knows all the best spots. We’d highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Diego!

And San
google

Great tour, great tour guide! Jennifer is knowledgeable, fun, and the whole experience was enjoyable from start to taco & maggie ending! Highly recommend!

Lori P
google

We had a small group of three and the tour guide tailored the experience to us personally. She had a lot of knowledge about the area and history

Kathe R
tripadvisor

The Old Town tour with Jennifer was outstanding. Jennifer is a great guide and the food / drink component at the end was a great way to close out the experience

Chris W
google

Absolutely great tour with a good balance of information and sight seeing! Loved learning about the history of San Diego and how the old town formed! Jennifer was a fabulous guide and I would thoroughly recommend her / the tour

Naomi F
tripadvisor

Explore More of San Diego With Us

Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila

  • Where California's Story Began.
  • Small Groups. Expert Guides.
  • Private Tours Available
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