Balboa Park Tours and Activities

Explore downtown San Diego and Balboa Park on a 2.5-hour Segway tour. Follow your guide to historic sites like the Hall of Justice and Pantoja Park, then make your way through Little Italy and the expansive grounds of Balboa Park. In the park you glide past destinations including Founder’s Plaza, the San Diego Museum of Natural History, and the Inez Parker Memorial Rose Garden. Your guide provides commentary on San Diego's history and landmarks throughout the tour. Includes guide, use of equipment, and Segway orientation—no prior experience necessary.

Explore some of the top highlights of San Diego with your silver, gold, or platinum day pass (depending on option selected) for the city’s Hop-on, Hop-off Trolley Tour. Choose your own adventure as you get on and off the trolley at any of the 11 included stops, covering famous sights including the Gaslamp Quarter, the San Diego Zoo, USS Midway and the Cruise Ship Terminal, Little Italy, and many more. This San Diego trolley tour also features live commentary from the on-board guide during your ride.

In just four hours, experience the scenic highlights of San Diego and its neighboring areas. Watch sea lions and pelicans on the beaches of La Jolla and capture fantastic views from the top of Mt Soledad. Soak up the Old World elegance of the mansions and Hotel Del on Coronado Island, and find peace in the urban oasis of Balboa Park. Wind through downtown and Old Town San Diego, learning about the city’s history along the way. Enjoy personalized attention on this small-group tour limited to just 14 people.

Explore San Diego at night under the moonlight with this 1.5-hour city lights tour. Travel from the city’s Gaslamp Quarter to Balboa Park and the Embarcadero. Catch sights of the historic San Diego County Administration Center, the USS Midway Museum, and the Star of India. Plus ride to the top of the Coronado Bridge and see sights lit up all over the city, as well as some from Tijuana.

Explore San Diego’s Downtown and Old Town sights in a fun and fast-paced way—on a GoCar tour. This sightseeing adventure takes the stress out of reading a map, as the car talks and shows you the way with its in-built GPS. Enjoy hearing stories as you explore the city’s most popular areas, including Little Italy, Mission Hills, Presidio Park, and the Gaslamp Quarter.

Zip through downtown San Diego and Balboa Park in just two hours with the use of a GPS-enabled GoCar. You and your partner will get settled, strap on your helmets, and use the provided map and GPS to get exploring. You'll cover tons more ground than you would on foot and can use the navigating devices to make your own route.

Learn about San Diego while joining your friends or family for a scavenger hunt on this 2.5-hour self-guided game in Balboa Park. Combine the fun of the Amazing Race with the information of a 3-hour walking tour as your team uses your own smart phones to play the scavenger hunt. Solve the clues and complete challenges as you make your way among well-known and hidden parts of Balboa Park during the scavenger hunt—an ideal choice for families, friends, or work colleagues visiting San Diego.

Explore San Diego by Segway on this comprehensive tour. Led by a local guide, learn about the city’s major landmarks and history while passing top attractions like Balboa Park, the USS 'San Diego' Memorial, Petco Park and the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Snacks and beverages are included along the way, as well as a brief safety session to ensure that you feel completely comfortable hitting the streets on your Segway.

With year-round perfect weather, beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife, and top-notch cultural attractions, San Diego embodies the best of Southern California. Discover its many delights on a morning tour that takes you through this city's most charming areas, from the leafy promenades and fountains of Balboa Park to the legendary Hotel del Coronado and historic urban streets of the Gaslamp Quarter. Skip the stress of driving and let a local guide show you around town, making several stops to soak up the sunny ambiance and do some California dreamin’ of your own.

Experience San Diego’s scenic highlights and historic landmarks on a full-day tour of the 'America's finest city'. Listen to the legends behind San Diego's most important sites as you skirt the bay to Coronado Island, explore the Embarcadero then follow lush roads into Balboa Park’s elegant gardens and museums. Pause to find lunch in a Gaslamp Quarter restaurant, take in La Jolla’s world-class shopping district and sweeping coastline and finish your day in the heart of downtown San Diego.

Explore San Diego at your own pace with a full-day ticket to ride a hop-on, hop-off trolley through the city. Simply board the trolley at your cruise ship’s port of call and visit historic landmarks and vibrant neighborhoods at eleven centrally-located stops. Get a glimpse of California’s past in Old Town then see the magnificent ships that moor at the bustling waterfront; grab a spot on a beach to watch surfers catch breaking waves, and try to spot the famous ghost at the elegant Hotel del Coronado.

Ride in a luxury vehicle to Balboa Park for a private tour of this National Historic Landmark District of San Diego. Explore the 1,200-acre (485-hectare) cultural icon with your own personal guide and customize your 2-hour itinerary with your choice of sights, including complimentary admission to the Spanish Village Art Center; Botanical Garden, Rose Garden and Cactus Garden; and Timken Art Museum. Pass by numerous museums and hear informative commentary about the park’s history and architecture. Bottled water and snacks are provided.

Pack a ton of San Diego sights into one day during this San Diego tour with Orange County pickup and drop-off included. You’ll explore the beaches of La Jolla, Seaport Village, Downtown San Diego, and Coronado Island with three brothers who grew up in Southern California as your guides. Not only do your guides know the area well, they also know the best times to visit these popular spots for the best experience possible.

Take the guesswork out of your sightseeing in San Diego and book a half-day private tour with an ultimate itinerary. Leave the driving to a personal guide who accompanies you by luxury car or SUV to the city’s major attractions. Stroll the landscaped gardens of Balboa Park, explore the historic Gaslamp Quarter, drive across the bridge to visit Coronado Island or discover the cliffside enclave of La Jolla. On this tour, set your own pace at the sights that interest you most!

Make the most of your limited time in San Diego on a 7-hour small group tour.  Provided transportation takes you to each location, which spares you the stress of navigating the city’s traffic on your own.  Stop to explore La Jolla, Balboa Park, Old Town, and much more. The tour also includes a free trip to Las Americas Outlet, where you enjoy unbeatable deals at 125 stores.

This GPS guided scooter tour takes you on a multi-cultural tour of San Diego, starting in Little Italy, where you learn about the rise and fall of San Diego’s Italian population, your tour continues past the maritime history museum, the USS Midway, and into beautiful Seaport Village. You also get to travel past Horton Plaza which just begs be visited again after the tour ends. After Horton Plaza you make your way into the heart of San Diego, with a quick loop around the Home of San Diego Padres, and into the Historic Gaslamp Quarter, which after its reinvention is MUCH more family friendly then it used to be. As you leave the Gaslamp Quarter you will enter Banker’s Hill with is unique shops, also borders the always beautiful Balboa Park. Tour Highlights: • Little Italy • Maritime Museum • U.S.S. Midway • Seaport Village • Horton Plaza • Historic Gaslamp Quarter • Petco Park • Bankers Hill

Explore San Diego on a private Segway tour, providing the ability to cover more ground than a walking tour but still enjoy the fresh Southern California air. With a knowledgeable guide, cruise along the San Diego Embarcadero, and see interesting sights along the waterfront. Check out areas like Little Italy and Balboa Park, and glide through the popular Gaslamp Quarter.

SAVE UP TO $50. The EARLY BIRD 1/2 DAY SPECIAL requires the vehicle be returned to the departure location by 12:00 PM. All for the price of 2 hours in a GoCar. Let GoCar take you off the beaten path through many of San Diego’s iconic parks like the Balboa Park and Petco Park on the way to Hillcrest and back. Snap some amazing photos along the Pacific Ocean and see the San Diego up close. You can even park and take a stroll along if you choose. On the way back explore the boutique shopping districts of Hillcrest. This tour is approximately two hours drive time at a slow pace and has several fun, informative detours and stop options along the way. If you want to extend the tour you have the option of taking the Oldtown loop at the end of the tour.

Remember your vacation in San Diego by having beautiful photos taken by a professional photographer. This flexible shoot gives you the freedom to either customize your route, or choose for a selection of set routes, such as Oceanside Pier, or Coronado. No need to worry about sharing the shoot with others—the experience is completely private, and you’ll receive 30 hi-res images in an online gallery.

Flytographer 30-Minute Vacation Photo Shoot Connect with a local hand-picked professional photographer in San Diego and capture your most memorable moments during this private photo shoot. Get insider tips on the best things to do in San Diego, including where to eat & what to see from your vacation photographer. Return from your trip with beautiful, high-quality vacation photos — the best souvenir ever. We specialize in: - honeymoons - family trips - engagements - anniversaries - romantic getaways - multi-generational trips - babymoons - solo travellers - and just because! With over 10,000 5-star reviews, Flytographer is the global leader in vacation photography and has captured over 3 million memories for travellers across six continents. We’ve been featured across A-list media, including Conde Nast Traveler, Oprah, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, New York Times, BRIDES, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle Magazine, Elle, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, Huffington Post, & many more.

Explore the wildlife, skyline, and maritime legacy of the San Diego Harbor by land and by sea on this Viator Exclusive tour. Take the wheel of a speed boat during a cruise through the ship-studded bay before hopping on a bike for a closer look at shoreline attractions like Broadway Pier and the San Diego Air Station. Finish with a guided tour of the USS ‘Midway’ aircraft carrier, featuring an interactive glimpse into both US Navy and Air Force operations.

Join us for a unique, private adventure in and around downtown San Diego with a guided tour in a motorcycle sidecar! Learn about the past & present of “America’s Finest City”, the birthplace of California, cruising in style! It's safe, it's fun, & it's an unforgettable experience of a lifetime! With Pegasus Sidecar Tours, your private driver & guide will take you on a tour around the beautiful San Diego area in our top-of-the-line 3-passenger sidecar rigs. This means 2 passengers can sit in the sidecar, and a third behind your personal driver and guide. Our helmets are equipped with industry leading SENA communication system offering 4-person HD audio connectivity, so you can talk directly with one another & with the guide during the entire tour. Pets are also allowed to ride along, for what is life without our furry friends! There is even a convertible top that can enclose the sidecar in case (by some rare chance in San Diego) it rains. Tours are highly customizable. Lets ride!

The all day Everything Tour is fun for the whole family, and lets you see nearly everything San Diego has to offer. From the historic Gaslamp Quarter where the fun is always happening and the iconic Horton Plaza where the shopping is just as fun as navigating the mall. You will see the beautiful rose garden of Balboa Park and the natural Beauty of the Point Loma Ecological preserve where you can wade through the tide pools looking at sea anemones, crabs, lobster, fish and the occasional octopus. You can walk around Ocean Beach and San Diego’s famous Maritime Museum, experience the always beautiful Balboa park where a Family photo is a must, and stroll through Old Town San Diego and see how San Diego has changed over the centuries from the small Mission and Mexican community it was to the Most Beautiful City in America. *If booking more than 2 people please submit separate orders!

There is so much more to beautiful Balboa Park than meets the eye, and you'll find all the secret spots on this small group walking tour of San Diego's cultural crown jewel. You'll see gardens of different types, inspiring architecture, learn about the park's history and the cultural organizations that populate it now. And top it all off with a beverage at a popular coffee cart. - 2 hour walking tour of Balboa Park - Learn how two expositions shaped the park and changed San Diego - Discover the Naval connection to the park - Be sure to bring a camera as this is the prettiest tour in town! - Enjoy a beverage at a park coffee cart