San Diego Gaslamp & Embarcadero Tour
Page Contents
- San Diego Gaslamp & Embarcadero Tour
- 1. The San Diego Convention Center
- 2. The Gaslamp District
- 3. The Gaslamp Quarter Sign: Historic Heart of San Diego
- 4. Petco Park
- 5. Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge
- 6. Heart of the Gaslamp
- 7. The Horton Grand Hotel
- 8. San Diego Children’s Museum
- 9. USS Midway Aircraft Carrier / Museum
- 10. San Diego Maritime Museum
- 11. Seaport Village
- 12. Embarcadero Marina
San Diego is an open-air museum. Let’s explore it together sightseeing with a Downtown Gaslamp & Embarcadero Waterfront San Diego tour.
The Gaslamp Quarter and the Embarcadero Waterfront is the front yard of our picturesque city. Enjoy a seamless glide as you experience spectacular views of San Diego’s breathtaking harbor and majestic skyline. This pinnacle of all San Diego city tours provides intrigue, adventure, and time in the sparkling sunshine.
Taking you to the colossal convention center, the highly acclaimed PETCO park, the dazzling harbor, the enchanted marina, cobblestone pathways, and Victorian buildings, our tour guides will ensure you receive the most stunning photo opportunities. Create a treasure trove of lasting memories and a full photo album after San Diego sightseeing.
Enhance your knowledge and learn current and historical San Diego facts, while you enjoy scenic vistas and iconic buildings.
1. The San Diego Convention Center
Our sightseeing in San Diego starts at the awe-inspiring San Diego Convention Center, which, with over 1,000,000 square feet of flowing, maritime-themed architecture, is a marvel in itself. The Convention Center is located near the historic Gaslamp District, San Diego’s hot-spot for shopping and nightlife!
2. The Gaslamp District
The highly acclaimed Gaslamp District is a mecca for tourists who want to get to the heart of San Diego. The Gaslamp District catapults you back to San Diego’s origin in the 19th Century. Built in the post-Civil War years, the area is a thrilling mishmash of architectural styles.
The Florentine Italianate and Romanesque Revival buildings emerge amid the area’s dominant Victorians, many of which are listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
3. The Gaslamp Quarter Sign: Historic Heart of San Diego
Hear about the audacious beginnings of a once risqué, downtown San Diego. Our guides will share tales of how this area of 94 pristine historic buildings boomed as a red light and gambling district.
4. Petco Park
Home of the San Diego Padres. Crack! Even when empty, the bowl seems to reverberate with echoes of the bat hitting the ball square and the fans cheering Padres’ baseball legend Tony Gywnn home. Concourses opening to the street make this ballpark a bold departure from those in most cities.
5. Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge
After rolling past Petco Park, our next stop on the tour is the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge. This artistic structure is truly a unique exhibit in this open-air gallery.
6. Heart of the Gaslamp
Next, our journey continues deeper into the heart of Gaslamp District, to the enchanted 5th and market intersection, where the last standing original gaslamps are placed on all four corners of the intersection. A great photo opportunity and historical significance of downtown San Diego.
7. The Horton Grand Hotel
The Horton Grand Hotel The hotel’s Italianate Victorian architectural style is as ornate inside as it is outside. Once Wyatt Earp’s lodgings, the hotel provides admirers a glimpse into the history and a ghost story as well!
8. San Diego Children’s Museum
As the tour continues, we have now made it to the magical San Diego Children’s Museum, where the mission is to inspire children to learn about our world through exploration, imagination, and experimentation.
9. USS Midway Aircraft Carrier / Museum
No San Diego Segway tour would be complete without the USS Midway. This behemoth aircraft carrier turned into a museum once served our country. Now it stands in the San Diego Harbor. The beautiful picturesque landscape here is another perfect photo opportunity for your group as the San Diego City tour exploration continues.
10. San Diego Maritime Museum
The San Diego Maritime Museum’s home is the bay itself, with a stunning collection of 12 historic ships standing side by side. Glide by the smooth sails and intricate rigging of the Star of India, built in 1863. Next to it, the HMS Surprise stands just as majestic as when it served as the set of films, Master and Commander and Pirates of the Caribbean.
11. Seaport Village
This Seaside shopping mall is nestled between the harbor and the San Diego Convention Center. The spectacular site is full of quaint and unique shops stocked with apparel, souvenirs, art and live music for entertaining tourists. Seaport Village has something for all tastes and styles.
12. Embarcadero Marina
Embarcadero Marina is a fantastic spot for quintessential San Diego views of the bay, boats, airplanes, and downtown skyline. To the south, you can see the spectacular Coronado Bridge, and the magnificent Coronado Island, which is well known for its scintillating white sand beaches.
