San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley provided by Old Town Trolley Tours San Diego
San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley
San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley
4.5
Book in advance
from
$46.00
per adultReserve now & pay later: Save your spot free of charge with flexible booking.
92% of travelers recommend this experience
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
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Tour snapshot
San Diego hop-on hop-off trolley tour allows you to plan your own itinerary
Duration:
2h
Taking Covid-19 safety measures
Wheelchair accessible
Ticket type:
Mobile
Free cancellation
- Duration:2h
- Taking Covid-19 safety measures
- Wheelchair accessible
- Ticket type:Mobile
- Free cancellation
About
This San Diego hop-on hop-off trolley tour provides an easy and affordable way to get around the city. This tour helps you avoid the hassle of finding and paying for parking. The trolley tour, available as a one and two day option, allows you to travel your own itinerary at your own pace. Along with 11 stops around the city, it also includes guided commentary and large, open windows.
Know before you go
- Duration: 2h
- Mobile tickets accepted
- Instant confirmation
Cancellation policy
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Available languages
English
Highlights
- The trolley route includes 11 stops near top attractions, shops, and restaurants
- Live commentary from a guide helps you learn about San Diego
- Choose from a one or two day San Diego trolley pass
What to expect
Climb aboard the trolley at any of its 11 stopping points (see Itinerary below) any time during its normal operating hours. Trolleys come to each stop about every 30 minutes. Choose either a one or two day pass.
Enjoy the ride on this vintage transport method, offering comprehensive access to some of San Diego’s best attractions.
Among the stops is Old Town State Historic Park, often called the “Jamestown of the Pacific,” where you can discover the history of California’s founding amidst the area’s range of 19th-century buildings.
There are also stops for the world-famous San Diego Zoo, which covers 100 acres and houses more than 3,700 rare and endangered animals, the USS Midway, and the historic Gaslamp Quarter.
The tour ends at the stop you choose or when the trolley shuts down for the night.
Know before you go
- Duration: 2h
- Mobile tickets accepted
- Instant confirmation
Available languages
English
Cancellation policy
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Highlights
- The trolley route includes 11 stops near top attractions, shops, and restaurants
- Live commentary from a guide helps you learn about San Diego
- Choose from a one or two day San Diego trolley pass
What to expect
Climb aboard the trolley at any of its 11 stopping points (see Itinerary below) any time during its normal operating hours. Trolleys come to each stop about every 30 minutes. Choose either a one or two day pass.
Enjoy the ride on this vintage transport method, offering comprehensive access to some of San Diego’s best attractions.
Among the stops is Old Town State Historic Park, often called the “Jamestown of the Pacific,” where you can discover the history of California’s founding amidst the area’s range of 19th-century buildings.
There are also stops for the world-famous San Diego Zoo, which covers 100 acres and houses more than 3,700 rare and endangered animals, the USS Midway, and the historic Gaslamp Quarter.
The tour ends at the stop you choose or when the trolley shuts down for the night.Need help booking?
Call the number below and use the product code: 5046SAN_OTT
Important information
Inclusions
- San Diego Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour
- Local taxes
- Live commentary on board
Exclusions
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Tour does not operate on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
Duration
2h
Departure details
- Location Name: Tour commences with boarding at any of the following stops: 1) Old Town State Park 2) Cruise Ship Terminal/USS Midway 3) Seaport Village 4) Marriott Marina/Convention Center 5) Horton Plaza 6) Gaslamp Quarter 7) Hilton Bayfront 8)Coronado/Mc P's Irish Pub and Grill 9) Balboa Park (El Prado)/San Diego Zoo 10) Little Italy
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible, please advise at time of booking if a wheelchair-accessible trolley is required
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Emotional support animals or pets are not allowed
- Most travelers can participate
Inclusions
- San Diego Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour
- Local taxes
- Live commentary on board
Exclusions
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Tour does not operate on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
Departure details
- Location Name: Tour commences with boarding at any of the following stops: 1) Old Town State Park 2) Cruise Ship Terminal/USS Midway 3) Seaport Village 4) Marriott Marina/Convention Center 5) Horton Plaza 6) Gaslamp Quarter 7) Hilton Bayfront 8)Coronado/Mc P's Irish Pub and Grill 9) Balboa Park (El Prado)/San Diego Zoo 10) Little Italy
Duration
2h
Return details
- Returns to original departure point
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible, please advise at time of booking if a wheelchair-accessible trolley is required
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Emotional support animals or pets are not allowed
- Most travelers can participate
Travel safe during COVID-19
What you can expect during your visit
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
What you can expect during your visit
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
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Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
540 reviews
Excellent
409
Very good
93
Average
20
Poor
12
Terrible
6
DesertDad1
Tucson, AZ18 contributions
My family and I went on the trolley tour. We bought a one day ticket. I would recommend a multiple day pass, use it to get around the town, get off and see the museums, explore the sites.
I enjoyed the first part of the tour (JACK) was great, I enjoyed his comments, stories and his overall demeanor. He makes everyone feel confortable by asking you where you are from (state) and then "introducing " everyone one the tour, gave some lite teasing to certain people 😉. We got off the trophy at the Del Coronado Hotel, the second trolky wasn't as fun or entertaining, we wished we had stayed with Jack.
Over all this is a great way to see the city, great way to get around and see the history if San diego.
I enjoyed the first part of the tour (JACK) was great, I enjoyed his comments, stories and his overall demeanor. He makes everyone feel confortable by asking you where you are from (state) and then "introducing " everyone one the tour, gave some lite teasing to certain people 😉. We got off the trophy at the Del Coronado Hotel, the second trolky wasn't as fun or entertaining, we wished we had stayed with Jack.
Over all this is a great way to see the city, great way to get around and see the history if San diego.
Written June 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Paul B
Glen Cove, NY1 contribution
Nov 2021 • Family
Our tour guide was full of interesting facts about the city. He had a great personality, keeping us smiling and laughing throughout the trip. We didn’t give ourselves enough time to hop on and off as we started late in the afternoon so we recommend starting before noon. Even so, we took the whole tour in about an hour to help us see parts of the city we had yet to see and determine where we would like to go back to visit later. Our trolley was fairly packed at the end of the day but the tour guide quickly called in to dispatch to make sure people waiting had a ride coming right behind us. Well organized and efficiently run operation. We enjoyed the trip!
Written November 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lady M
Phoenix, AZ2 contributions
Jun 2022
WORTH IT! Came for my birthday weekend with mom. She had taken the tour before and recommended it. We went 06/19/22 (my actual birthday!). We had Benjamin for a driver. Decided to do the whole 2 hr tour so we could see and hear everything before deciding to hop off any stops. Benjamin was WONDERFUL! Very informative and entertaining without interjecting his personal feelings and commentary too much. His timing was also wonderful (i.e. not mentioning landmarks and sights after we have passed them). The tour hits all the tourist spots and comes every 20 minutes. I highly recommend starting early so you can squeeze as much as you can in. The hours were from 9 to 5 so you really have to be on top of your schedule. Otherwise the employees were friendly and knowledgeable (the lady at the ticket booth in Old Town recommended Coyote Café and she was 100% right). This is a MUST DO even if you have been to San Diego before. Heck I might just do it again! 10/10
Written June 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
KimberlyWI
SPRING GREEN33 contributions
Jan 2020
We used this as a cost-effective way to see different parts of the city.
We took the first trolley out and used it all day until the last "all aboard." We spent a lot of time in Coronado, so had to cut our time short in Little Italy (the other area we really wanted to explore) and had zero time left for Old Town. So, I recommend you keep that in mind if you are traveling there when they are running shorter days in the winter months.
We hated a few of the drivers and liked others. We were crawling out of our skin when the drivers rambled, encouraged sing alongs, etc. But others gave interesting facts with a few fun laughs.
If group tours are usually fun for you, you'll love this. If they are hit or miss for you, consider your options. We would not do this again if visiting in the winter and only wanting to spend time in a few areas. A taxi/ride share would've given us more time flexibility and less annoyance. We would've missed a few fun facts, though!
We took the first trolley out and used it all day until the last "all aboard." We spent a lot of time in Coronado, so had to cut our time short in Little Italy (the other area we really wanted to explore) and had zero time left for Old Town. So, I recommend you keep that in mind if you are traveling there when they are running shorter days in the winter months.
We hated a few of the drivers and liked others. We were crawling out of our skin when the drivers rambled, encouraged sing alongs, etc. But others gave interesting facts with a few fun laughs.
If group tours are usually fun for you, you'll love this. If they are hit or miss for you, consider your options. We would not do this again if visiting in the winter and only wanting to spend time in a few areas. A taxi/ride share would've given us more time flexibility and less annoyance. We would've missed a few fun facts, though!
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Inspire32764340282
Thank you for sharing your experience. I was sorry to read you did not care for a few of our guides, but found some fun facts along your tour. We do offer a satisfaction guarantee located on the customer service page of our website.
Written January 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Marybeth B
1 contribution
Apr 2022
Let me suggest you NOT give this company your $$. Our driver started out very friendly and informative..then proceeded to get LOST after one of the scheduled stops. Rather than going over the Coronado Bridge towards the famous Coronado hotel, she pulled over on a side street where we all waited for some information from her. She was on the phone with her supervisor for at least 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get to the bridge. Then, we found ourselves on the I-5 freeway southbound for about 20 minutes. She was driving on the freeway at least 60 miles per hour, there are NO seatbelts on the trolley and the vehicle was full of families and older adults. Rather than provide the guests with any information, the driver proceeded to to BLAST the music. We truly felt unsafe and like we were hostages! Her lack of training took us well over an hour to get us to our destination but the safety issue was the real problem i had. I have tried to call the company 6 times to get some resolution and a refund. they never call back or respond to any messages. My next step is to report them to the Highway Patrol. They are not operating a safe business!! The one employee we did report the incident to responded with "oh that is one of our newer drivers". Lovely.
Written April 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hello,
We were sorry to read you were dissatisfied with our tour. We offer a satisfaction guarantee under the menu item Tours on our website, trolley tours dot com, under the subheading "our guarantee".
Written June 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Zvillemommy
Zionsville, IN208 contributions
Apr 2022
We booked the tour and enjoyed it. We wanted an overview, and this is a great way to get a taste of the city. We could off and on where we wanted. The trolleys came every 20 minutes and were on time. We did not have an issue finding seats. The drivers had great personalities and they provided a lot of information to us. The only thing I would I suggest is letting people know that if you can start in Old Town San Deigo, the parking is free. Otherwise, the parking can get expensive elsewhere in the city. If you park on the street, its limited to 2-hour increments. The maps the hand out are great, they give a brief summary of info on each of their stops.
Written April 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
668stephana
Ephrata, PA66 contributions
Apr 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed the information provided by the driver/guide. Jardel was not only thorough and knowledgeable, but he was also very funny and entertaining. I learned a lot about the area covered during the tour, and saw sites i never knew existed. While at first I thought the tour was a bit pricey, by the end I realized it was worth the money.
Written May 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
LMMP2013
Thomasville, GA5 contributions
Feb 2022
The tour gives you a great overview of what's to see as well as historical information about SD and the area. Our drivers were not only informative but entertaining. We did two days on the bus -- first day we simply rode the bus and learned about the city, takes about 2 hours. Second day we took the bus and hopped off at the sites we were most interested in. Thanks to Jack and Jessica for great rides.
Written February 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
NWTravelingFam
The NW136 contributions
Apr 2022
Having never been to San Diego before we decided to take the roughly 2 hour tour to get an idea of what we might want to go visit. What a great way to get the basic highlights of multiple areas of the city without having to pay and fight for parking at multiple locations. The information given by the guide was useful in helping us decide what we might want to actually hop off for and he was careful to remind riders of when the last trolley would come by at each location. I do wish the hours were just a bit longer so that we could go to dinner and hop back on for a ride back to where we started.
Written April 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Zia C
6 contributions
Nov 2020 • Business
The purchasing aspect is a ittle unorganized. You can only do certain things at certain stops which honestly is very inconvenient. The App is mediocre at best. The experience itself is not bad because you essentially get a large Uber to buss you around. But know that the tour pretty much stops around three so unless you really start the day first thing in the morning you won’t get your moneys worth. And frankly even starting early morning which is what I did I still felt like three 330 was not enough for me to actually explore the areas I wanted to explore.
Written November 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
I was sorry to hear you had difficulty purchasing your tickets. We offer a satisfaction guarantee located on the customer service page of our website.
Written November 12, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
2Winstones
Ontario, Canada36 contributions
Can I take a small mobility scooter on the trolley - It takes apart and fits into the trunk of a car.
michaeljS8776RO
Chula Vista, CA1 contribution
Coming from Chula Vista where can I park rental car for duration of trolley trip
michaeljS8776RO
Chula Vista, CA1 contribution
Coming from Chul Vista where can I park rental car for the time we are on trolly,
What are the times that the hop on hop off trolley operates on Saturdays>
Judith484
Yardley, PA561 contributions
This will be posted on their website. It changes per Season. So look on the hop on hop off website for San Diego and look on for the hours for when you are going on Saturday and the month that you’re going in.
gail g
Chatham, NJ1 contribution
Which trolley tour is better…the shore excursion or the other hop on hop off trolley
Alex C.
San Diego, CA135 contributions
The Hop-on Hop-Off was the way to go. We toured the entire ride then we got off at Old Town and ate at Miguel's Mexican restaurant, excellent food. The we went to Little Italy and did some shopping at the Local outdoor market, this was on a Wed. Hope this helps, apologies for the late response.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
By: Old Town Trolley Tours San Diego
terimM3310KE
00The very best of San Diego in 2 hours.
I am a 3rd generation San Diego Native, having grown up and still living in Point Loma. Today, I decided to see Sa…
corinnew886
00Great way to see major San Diego sites‼️
Great way to see many San Diego sites... Old Town, Star of India, USS Midway, Seaside Village, Balboa Park, Coronad…
wheatonnitz
00Great Experience
The drivers and the trolley were great. The hop on hop off worked very well for our trip. The drivers gave great …
cherylynn3
00Hop On/Off History Worth Repeating!
Pure fun, and a bargain way to learn and get around a city. Guides narrate while driving with short and fun music …
TheWhitewoman
00Disappointing
Tour was very informative. Our tour guide was Susie. She was terrific. Worse part and most disappointing was the …
gogogoin2010
00Great- Bad- Better
My experience with The San Diego Old Town Trolley Tours is mixed.. Great, then Bad, but got Better The GREAT part …
felicityjg1
00Great day out
As I am not particularly mobile due to knee replacements, we felt this would be a good idea in order to see San Die…
aesowa47
00Hop On Hop Off trolly tour
Wewere allowed two day passes on the hop on hop off trolley. The price of $46/person is somewhat high, bur with o…
anonymousQ532FO
00Good overview of popular areas
It was a great way to see the popular areas of San Diego, especially you are visiting without a car. We got on the …
carolynm560
00City Lights Fun
Great look at the city! Tour guide was funny and gave an overview of the area. We had a full house. Looking forwa…
cathypMadisonWI
00Do the tour in the daytime
If you take the day time Trolley there is little need to do this one. Nothing spectacular stood out and most of the…
Paula H
00Good overview of the area
It is a hop on and hop off tour which is nice. The 2 guides we had were very good. We did this our first full day h…
marktraynor
00Great way to get your bearings around the city
Hop on, hop off tour with excellent drivers / tour guides. Special thanks to Tony our driver who called us back on…
christine h
00Great way to see San Diego
We booked a private trolley tour with a custom itinerary for a Family reunion in November. Everything was amazing, …
igor l
00Totally worth it
It was a nice trolly ride through the city. Beautiful scenic photo locations. Energetic and enthusiastic conductor
Frequently Asked Questions about San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley
- During this experience, places you will visit include:
- Seaport Village
- Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
- El Prado
- San Diego Air & Space Museum
- Old Town Trading Company
- San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley price starts from $46.00. Discover and book San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley on Tripadvisor
- San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley on Tripadvisor
- San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley is hosted by Old Town Trolley Tours San Diego. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Old Town Trolley Tours San Diego on Tripadvisor. Discover and book San Diego Tour: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley on Tripadvisor