During a relaxing stay at a San Diego vacation condo get to know the city by taking a tour of this richly historic area. The city gained its name in 1602 when Sebastian Vizcaino rechristened the bay in honor of Franciscan St. Didacus of Alcala, translated in Spanish as San Diego de Alcala de Henares. In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain and made what is now Old Town State Park their new home. Five original adobe buildings remain as evidence of not only a new beginning, but the end of the US-Mexican war in 1848. These sun-dried, adobe brick buildings are home to restaurants, boutiques and a museum that provide visitors with a glimpse of what has become known as the birthplace of California.
Get to Know the Area
Sightseeing tours are the perfect way to familiarize yourself with the area before venturing out from San Diego condos on your own. With a variety of hop-on-off tours to choose from, take your time to explore Horton Plaza, which includes the bustling Gaslamp Quarter; San Diego Air and Space Museum; Little Italy with authentic Italian restaurants and boutique shopping; Middletown, boasting magnificent harbour views; Old Town, a must see district housing historical museums, art galleries, San Diego State and Heritage parks and beachfront Belmont Park, featuring amusement rides and a public park by the bay.
Sightseeing Tours
Vizit San Diego's vintage open-top, double-decker bus tours depart from the Seaport Village main entrance at West Harbor Drive daily from 9am to 5pm. With seven hop-on hop-off stops of interest you can make a day of it exploring on foot or just sit back, relax and take in the sights on the 60-minute narrated ride. View San Diego by night and watch the sunset while touring Shelter and Harbor Islands and Embarcadero. Daily departure is at 6pm from Seaport Village at Harbor Drive and Pacific Hwy. Hop-on-off option is not available on this tour.
Old Town Trolley Tours depart from Old Town Market every 30 minutes between 9am and 4pm during winter, 9am to 5pm in spring and 9am to 6pm during peak summer months. These continuous loop two-hour narrated tours offer a hop-on-off feature, making for an enjoyable way to discover San Diego's boundless attractions.
San Diego Tours offer an array of choices for La Jolla, Coronado Island, Embarcadero, Balboa Park and more. Pick up times and locations vary for these, check their website for complete details. For the more adventurous, take a haunted San Diego Ghost Tour. Discover the dark history of who lived and died where, and if you're lucky you might even encounter who remains to haunt. Be prepared to have hair stand up on the back of your neck and get goose bumps from the tales told. Two-hour tours depart from 4041 Hareny St. at 7 and 9pm Thursday to Monday.
Vacation condos in San Diego are just a click away at VactionHomes.com, where you can locate the best vacation condo to make your stay that much more memorable.