Tours

If you’ve only got a limited time in the San Diego [1] area and want to see as much as possible, consider taking a tour. Several fun, unique tours show off different sides of the city, some you may not have explored before. For instance, to see the city from the bay, consider a harbor tour.

San Diego Harbor Excursion (619/234-4111, www.sdhe.com [2], adults $18, seniors $16, children $9) offers one-hour tours of the north and south ends of the bay, and a two-hour tour that covers the bay in full. You’ll see some of the most famous San Diego [1] sights from a new perspective: the Maritime Museum ships, the USS Midway, the Coronado Bay Bridge, and Fort Rosencrans. This excursion company also provides regular dinner and brunch cruises; reservations in advance are recommended!

For a unique look at the San Diego Bay, add a Seal Tour (www.trolleytours.com/san-diego [3], seal tour $30 or less) to your Old Town Trolley ticket. You’ll get a ride on a strange-looking amphibious contraption that will take you from the road around the harbor out into the harbor to look at the city from the water.

To take your own tour of San Diego [1] with just a little bit of help, book a cute talking Go Car (639 Kettner Blvd. or 2415 San Diego Ave., 619/696-9002, www.gocartours.com [4], daily 9 a.m.sunset). In your Go Car, you’ll be directed through town by a talking GPS navigation unit that also knows stories about the sights of San Diego. With a Go Car, you can either take a standard tour, or program your own routes through the area.

Looking for something fun and a little spooky to fill the after-dark hours? Take the Haunted San Diego Ghost Tour (877/642-8683, www.hauntedsandiegotours.com [5], $30, June–mid-Sept. nightly, mid-Sept.–May Thurs.–Sun.). This combination bus and walking tour takes about two hours, and includes stops at haunted sites in the Gaslamp District, downtown, and Old Town. Visit the haunted houses and hotels and hear the ghost stories that make each one famous.

Highlights of the tour include a historic cemetery and the notorious Whaley House [6]. For the best haunted experience, take the 8:30 p.m. tour so you’ll be sure to experience the haunted places of San Diego [1] in darkness.