San Diego

San Diego Old Town Tales, Tacos and Tequila Small Group Tour

Badge of ExcellenceSan Diego, USA

2 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

There's more to Old Town San Diego than meets the eye, so see the best of this often-overlooked area on a walking tour that combines some of San Diego's oldest history with delicious authentic tacos. Pass historic churches, a haunted homestead, Victorian architecture, and a landmark cemetery as you learn about three centuries of California history. The final stop is a local tequileria where you'll be treated to tequila and tacos.

Explore the fascinating history of San Diego's oldest neighborhood.
Learn about the different people and cultures who settled in Old Town.
See the city's most haunted building — the Whaley House
Includes tastings of authentic street tacos and a choice from a vast selection of tequila

What's Included

Professional Local Tour Guide
3 mouth watering delicious Street Tacos
One Tequila beverage for guests 21+ (or beer, wine or soda of your choice) at a local tequileria
Chips and Salsa
Handmade Tortilla Tasting
Souvenir Margarita Recipe

Guide Gratuity
Admission to paid museums

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

The Adobe Chapel
3963 Conde St, San Diego, CA 92110, USA
We will meet at the gate to the Adobe Chapel.

End point

El Agave Restaurant & Tequileria
2304 San Diego Ave B, San Diego, CA 92110, USA

What To Expect

Old Town San Diego

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Adobe Chapel Museum

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Whaley House Museum

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Heritage County Park (Pass By)

Mormon Battalion Historic Site (Pass By)

Presidio Park (Pass By)

Immaculate Conception Church

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

El Campo Santo Cemetery

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

El Agave Restaurant & Tequileria

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

Guests should be comfortable walking 2 miles - comfortable shoes are a must!
Water in reusable container, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses are all recommended.
Our tortilla tasting happens at the beginning of the tour and our tacos and tequila are at the end (saving the best for last!). Please take that into consideration when planning pre-tour meals (have enough to fuel your walk but not enough to spoil your tacos!).
There is plenty of free parking in Old Town but can be hard to find on weekends. Please plan ahead.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

95 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 95 reviews

Best Old Town tour in San Diego

Charles_G, May 2024

Jennifer was an amazing tour guide. She was very informative and very entertaining. We had an awesome tour with with lots of laughs. And the food and drinks were delicious. We will definitely ask for her again for future tours. We highly recommend Jennifer for anyone taking this tour.

Great tour! Very fun and...

Jacob_S, Mar 2024

Great tour! Very fun and the history/food was awesome. Looking forward to booking this again for future events

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thanks for bringing a nice group of people and I'm so glad it was a hit! Will be very happy to host you again. Really appreciate both the repeat business and the nice feedback here. Looking forward to seeing you again on your next trip!

Jennifer was a phenomenal...

Casey_R, Dec 2023

Jennifer was a phenomenal tour guide. She had a lot of knowledge and was super conscientious about food restrictions. She’s also funny! We laughed, learned, saw beautiful things, and then ate delicious tortillas/tacos/drinks!

Response from Host, Dec 2023

So delighted you enjoyed your time in Old Town with me as I had a great time too. You were a fun group and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such nice feedback here. Yes - those tacos and drinks are a delish way to end things. Many thanks for both the feedback and for joining. Hope to see you when you're back in town!

Nice way to pass the time

Kevin_C, Oct 2023

The food unfortunately did not impress me. The overall tour was nice and the guide Jennifer was top notch.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

I appreciate your feedback. Sorry to hear that the food didn't meet your expectations. We normally get raves for it, but perhaps the kitchen was off their game that day? Would have loved the opportunity to fix that at the time of service, but will keep an eye on it for future tours. Delighted that you enjoyed the overall tour and hope to have the opportunity to make your experience even better in the future. Thanks again for both joining (it was a fun afternoon!) and for the candid feedback here. Both are appreciated!

Immerse yourself into the Old Town Tales of San Diego

Jan_A, Sep 2023

Jennifer our guide was great. She had excellent knowledge of Old Town as we walked around the different sites. She even had a spare umbrella for us to use. We really enjoyed this walking tour and hearing the history unfold. The tacos and margarita at the end of the tour were incredible. The best ever.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

It was a pleasure showing you around old town, even with the "liquid sunshine!" So glad you enjoyed it and yes those tacos and margaritas are pretty epic! Hope you'll make the journey back to San Diego sometime. In the meantime thanks so much for joining me and for the kind words here. Both are appreciated!

Not worth the time or money - my opinion only!

Linda_S, Sep 2023

Jennifer should keep her sarcasm in check….she says to me, ‘I guess you don’t have tacos in Canada…..hahahahahahahahahahahaha.’ Tour is definitely over-priced. You pay quite a lot for 3 street tacos and a tequila drink….we never saw the inside of an adobe chapel museum (unless you call the dilapidated, unkept/unmaintained photos outside, the museum) or the inside of the Whaley House Museum.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hi Linda, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We genuinely value every guest's experience and always strive to improve. We appreciate your observation about the tour itinerary. We found and fixed an error in the Viator listing regarding the Whaley House admission. Although most of the information was correct, we toggled an option regarding admission tickets, and added paid admissions to the exclusions list to further clarify that we discuss the house but don’t go inside. Regarding the photos in the kiosks, we use them for context and to set the scene of the time period, plus they complement our “hidden gems” theme. Unfortunately, we don’t maintain them, but most guests find them informative, despite some wear. Many factors contribute to any tour’s pricing. Ours reflect the premium quality of our inclusions, including the gourmet tacos and handcrafted tequila drinks, which are frequently mentioned in reviews by guests as a highlight of the tour. However, we understand that value is subjective and appreciate your perspective. I always aim to connect personally with each guest, sometimes using humor. I apologize if any comment came off as inappropriate or offensive. This wasn’t my intention, and I'll certainly be more mindful moving forward. Again, it’s disappointing to read that we missed the mark in providing you with an awesome experience and I appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns here. Should you have any further comments or suggestions, we're open to continued dialogue.

Just do it!

Terry_F, Sep 2023

Jennifer made the trip worthwhile. Great host, great stories. Literally the best tacos and drinks we had our whole trip. 100% worth it

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thanks so much for the kind words! Had a great time too and am so glad you enjoyed it - especially those tacos and drinks! Yum! Thanks again for joining and for leaving the feedback here. Both are appreciated!

Barbie World

knucklehead536, Jul 2023

Learning about old town San Diego was very interesting. The guide Jennifer was so helpful, fun and made the time the best. The Tequila and Tacos topped off the day. This is a must see and do attraction.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such nice feedback here. Your group was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed showing you around our oldest neighborhood. Thanks again for joining and hope to see you again on another tour!

Great Experience

Jonathan_W, Nov 2022

We had a great experience with Jennifer. The tour went at a good pace. Jennifer was very knowledgeable of the history of Old Town. The food and drinks were amazing!

Response from Host, Nov 2022

So glad you had a great time - I did too -and that you enjoyed the end of the tour tacos and tequila. Thanks so much for joining me and with any luck you'll be back on your next visit out here. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave nice feedback here!

Beautiful

Virginia_H, Sep 2022

This was such a wonderful experience thank you Jennifer for the tour we learned a lot about the town that was Interesting

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thanks so much for the nice feedback! It was a lovely afternoon and I'm so glad you two were able to join on your very quick trip to San Diego. Since we're practically neighbors perhaps I'll see you on another tour? Hope so! Thanks again for everything!

Old Town Comes To Life

Stephanie_M, Sep 2022

Jennifer was an amazing guide! She really brought Old Town to life for us, we felt like we stepped back in time. Great history, interactive experience, and the tacos and tequila were the best we had!

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such nice feedback. It was fun spending time with you in Old Town, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And yes the food/drink at the end is de-lish! Hope to see you on your next visit! Thanks again for joining me!

Well worth it.

Michael_A, Apr 2022

What a great way to spend an afternoon. We visited places and learnt things that we wouldn’t have done thanks to our great guide, Jennifer, who was knowledgeable, friendly and humorous.

Response from Host, May 2022

Thanks so much for the very kind words. You two were so lovely and I really enjoyed our time together. Thanks so much for joining me and I hope to see you again if you're ever back this way!

The tale of Old Town San Diego

Esperanza_P, Apr 2022

Our guide, Jennifer was great! She was very knowledgeable on the history of Old Town San Diego. My only complaint is that there weren’t enough taco and tequila stops.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

So glad you had a good time on the tour - it was a fun morning and I know you had a bit of a drive to get here. The photos you took are great and I really appreciate you posting them. I hope you were able to enjoy some time in Old Town before the drive back home, and that you two will have another girls day out again soon. I'm disappointed to read your expectations on the inclusions weren't met. They are on the "what's included" section of the tour listing and also on the voucher sent by Viator. We don't expect anyone to memorize the itinerary and what is included so we review it before the tour starts, just in case guests think they have booked something other than what we provide. If it is a single group then we have some flexibility to alter the route a bit and focus more on food, though we don't include more tacos or tequila. This isn't a traditional food tour where there are multiple stops along the way. We save the food and tequila for the end of the tour as it's a fun way to wrap things up, and the restaurant we go to is exceptional. Many thanks for the feedback here - it is always great to hear what guests think of their experience. It allows us to evaluate how we do things, and make changes as needed. Thanks for providing us with that opportunity!

Perfect tour of Old Town

Becky_A, Mar 2022

Jennifer was a terrific guide bringing to life Old Town San Diego. Very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and funny. We had a great day!

Response from Host, Mar 2022

I'm so glad you had a great day - I did too! You guys were fun and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such nice feedback here. Hope to see you the next time you're in town! Thanks again for everything!

Our guide Jennifer made...

Bonnie_F, Jan 2022

Our guide Jennifer made our experience AWESOME! She was knowledgeable, humorous and made each individual feel welcome. Highly recommend her tours.

Response from Host, Feb 2022

Thanks so much for the kind words! It was fun showing you and your family around Old Town and I'm so glad you enjoyed the experience (and those tacos!). Please give a shout the next time you're in town!

Great visit to Old Town

Susan_D, Dec 2021

The tour was great & very informative. The tacos were DELICIOUS & I tried a variety of delicious tequilas. The restaurant at the end was delicious & we ended up staying an extra hour to enjoy the location.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

So glad you enjoyed the tour and the amazing food/drink at the end. It was a pleasure having you on tour and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave your feedback here. Hope to see you again on another tour!!

Perfect morning activity

Jake_G, Dec 2021

Jennifer was amazing! Super knowledgeable and mixed in things we were interested in during the tour. 100/100 take this tour!

Response from Host, Dec 2021

Thanks so much for the kind words. You two were so lovely and I'm so glad you enjoyed the tour. Thanks again for joining me and hope to see you on your next trip to San Diego!

Great Afternoon Exploring and Learning Old Town San Diego

Holly_M, Oct 2021

We had a great tour with Jennifer! Firstly, she was very considerate of the safety of of the tour participants in every regard, from Covid precautions to crossing the street. Secondly, she was very knowledgeable and entertaining in sharing the stories of Old Town San Diego. And finally, she was incredibly patient with our group and even used an app to help us identify flora and fauna along the hike to and from the Presidio. We had a wonderful afternoon exploring and learning!

Response from Host, Oct 2021

Thanks so much for such nice feedback! It was a lovely afternoon with you both and I'm so glad you enjoyed our time together. I love exploring and learning too, and I'm glad to help figure out what the vast variety of plants are around San Diego, especially since they change so much through the seasons. Hope to see you out here for another tour someday. Thanks for joining me and for sharing your feedback here!

Fun, informative, and tasty tour!

Felicia_P, Sep 2021

Very fun and informative tour! The tour guide, Jennifer, was friendly, welcoming and ensured everyone was safe and comfortable throughout. Most importantly though she made sure we had a good time at each stop and gave recommendations for the tacos, tequila and other must stop restaurants in the area. Jennifer even had a small souvenir for everyone at the end of the tour, which I’ve never seen any other tour guide or company provide before. This tour is a great way to support a local small business. Bathroom breaks were provided several times.

Response from Host, Sep 2021

Thanks so much for the nice feedback! You two were a delight and I'm so glad you enjoyed the tour. I'm always happy to provide recommendations, especially for other small businesses, and yes, bathroom breaks are very important! I'm so glad you liked the small token of thanks as it's brand new! Hope to see you both on another experience sometime. Thanks again!

Loved this tour - do it if you can!

Larry_B, Aug 2021

We had an amazing time. Jenn did a great job of taking us around Old Town and showing us the things tourists typically miss. She shared lots of great stories and walked us through the history of Old Town. The hike was enjoyable and the tacos and tequila at the end were excellent. If you plan to explore Old Town, do it with Jenn. You will be glad you did.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

You had such a fun, lively group! It was a delight to spend an afternoon with you all. I really enjoyed your good humor and enthusiasm, and I'm so glad you did the tour with me. Hope to see you again next time you're up for a "san" vacation! Thanks so much for joining this time, and for taking the time to leave such nice feedback!

Likely to Sell Out