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Old Town Trolley Tours® of San Diego Route Map & Stops
 
Click On Stops Below to Find Out All that San Diego has to Offer
 
orange circle and a Star of India stop Seaport Village stop Padres Petco Park stop Hotel Del Coronado stop Gaslamp Quarter stop G H I J K
 
Click here to see a detailed map of Old Town San Diego
 
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Trolley Stop
stop A

Old Town
San Diego State Historic Park


 
  Old Town State Historic Park
  Old Town Market
  Casa de Aguirre
  Old Town Community
  Heritage Park
  Mormon Battalion
Memorial Visitors Center
  Immaculate Conception Church
  El Campo Santo Cemetery
  Whaley House
  La Casa de Estudillo
  Presidio Park
  City Public Transit Station
  Fiesta de Reyes
  Visitors Center
 
 
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Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
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Old Town State Historic Park
   
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trolley in front of Old Town San Diego Market
 
Restrooms
Restaurants
 

Old Town State Park is known as the Birthplace of California. In 1821, when Mexico gained independence from Spain, a small group of Mexican settlers began building homes at the foot of the hillside below the first mission and Presidio. Because wood was scarce at the time, sun-dried adobe bricks were used. Thus, the buildings had a different look, a brownish-red color and rough exterior.

Approximate Time to Allow: 1 hour
Actual time depends on your choices

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  Old Town Market    
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Join us for free, historic storytelling, shows and entertainment every day of the week. Shop in our 40 unique gift stores, watch working artisans, or enjoy a bite to eat. Learn about the rich history of Old Town San Diego in our free museum. We invite you to visit our Festival Marketplace and experience Old Town San Diego, the Birthplace of California.

 
 
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  Casa de Aguirre    
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family at Casa de Aguirre in Old Town San Diego Market
 
Restrooms
Shopping
Snacks

 

 

Casa de Aguirre is an important landmark within the Old Town Market as it displays the life and traditions of the settlers of Old Town, San Diego’s first city. The home of Don Jose Aguirre and his family, the original adobe was built in 1853. Don Jose later gave the building and all his land to the Catholic Church. Father Antonio Ubach used the home as a site for an industrial school for Indians. Although the original structure was destroyed in 1914, it was reconstructed and now serves as a free museum at the entrance of Old Town State Historic Park. Numerous artifacts are displayed throughout the museum, telling the story of the influences the original inhabitants of Old Town had on San Diego and southern California during the mid 1800’s.

Approximate Time to Allow: 1 hour
Actual time depends on your choices

   
       
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  Whaley House    
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The Whaley House is a remarkable icon in historic Old Town San Diego. Its stately Greek Revival architecture is an impressive sight, while its mysterious past and mystical reputation cause quite a stir among visitors from all over the world. It is here that the spirits of many original Old Town San Diego citizens are said to roam from room to room and through many of the hallways. Known as the Most Haunted House in America, the Whaley House was the family home of Thomas Whaley.

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Whaley House
 
 

 

   
       
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  Old Town Community    
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Immaculate Conception Church
 
Specialty Shops
Restaurants
Art Galleries
 

Adjacent to the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the Old Town Community exudes colonial beauty and the flavors and heritage of its early settlers. Several restaurants serve up Mexican and Californian cuisine, while quaint stores and boutiques provide unique shopping experiences. Up the hill there is Heritage Park, a protected county park is the setting for seven of San Diego’s most splendid Victorian homes that were relocated and restored to their original grandeur.

Approximate Time to Allow: 1 hour
Actual time depends on your choices

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  La Casa de Estudillo    
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courtyard with bell towerLa Casa de Estudillo was a social and political center of San Diego during California's Mexican period, 1821-1846, and into the early American period.

Capitán José Maria Estudillo, a retired San Diego Presidio comandante (fort commander), began construction of the casa (house) in 1827 on a parcel of land granted to him by Governor José Echeandí.

At first the house was an L-shaped adobe which later grew to be U-shaped. The original floors may or may not have been tile and, in the sala (living room), wood planking. At present, the roof is reconstructed of rough-cut log rafters covered by a mat of cane and fired clay tiles.The 3- to 5-foot thick walls are made of sun-baked adobe bricks built on large river cobble foundations.

Upon José Maria Estudillo's death in 1830, construction of the house continued under the direction of his son, José Antonio Estudillo, and his son's wife, Maria Victoria Dominquez de Estudillo.

José Antonio Estudillo held many public offices in San Diego. He and other family members acquired extensive land holdings in the county, including Ranchos Temecula and San Jacinto Viejo, near Hemet and San Jacinto; Ranchos Janal and Otay, east of Chula Vista; and Rancho El Cajon. All of these properties were excellent for raising and grazing cattle.

The family descendents moved to Los Angeles in 1887 and left the house with a caretaker. Nat R. Titus bought the casa, almost in ruins, in 1906. One year later he sold it to the San Diego Electric Railway Company, owned by John D. Spreckles.

The Estudillo house was restored under the supervision of architect Hazel Waterman. In 1908, it was converted into a commercial venture called "Ramona's Marriage Place," based on Helen Hunt Jackson's novel Ramona. The casa became part of the California State Park system in 1968 and was restored as a house museum identified with the Estudillo family.

   
       
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  Presidio Park    
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  The Junípero Serra Museum, in Presidio Park, is one of the most familiar landmarks in San Diego. As a major symbol of the city, it stands atop the hill recognized as the site where California began. It was here in 1769 that a Spanish Franciscan missionary, Father Junípero Serra, with a group of soldiers led by Gaspar de Portolá, established Alta California’s first mission and presidio (fort).

On July 16, 1769, near the site where the museum now stands, Fr. Serra founded the Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Often confused for the Mission, the Serra Museum was built between 1928-1929 for the purpose of housing and showcasing the collection of the San Diego Historical Society, which was founded in 1928. The structure was designed by architect, William Templeton Johnson, using Spanish Revival architecture, to resemble the early missions that once dominated the landscape of Southern California.
   
       
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  Fiesta de Reyes    
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  Within Fiesta de Reyes, two restaurants have been completely remodeled and are now open.

Festooned with true 1850s California-style antiques, collectables and paintings, Barra Barra is a full-service restaurant and saloon with indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant boasts all-you-can-eat Friday nights and its signature drink, “The Best Margarita in Town"… made with top-shelf Herradura Blanco tequila, agave nectar, fresh-squeezed lime juice and Cointreau, Barra Barra’s signature margarita will be priced less than half of what it might cost at another establishment.

Casa de Reyes, the courtyard restaurant in the center of Fiesta de Reyes, has been completely restored with a new carrizo arbor, an outdoor tortilla factory, mariachi stage and California hacienda décor. Casa de Reyes features traditional Mexican food, like homemade tamales, chile rellenos, sizzling fajitas and slow-roasted pork. Imported outdoor furniture, patio umbrellas and fire pits add to the festive atmosphere of the Fiesta de Reyes courtyard.

Quaint retail shops offering products from around the world surround the Fiesta de Reyes courtyard. Guests can taste wine grown and manufactured locally or sample olive oil straight from the orchards in Temecula. And one of San Diego's favorite toy stores, Geppettos, is back to its original location in Old Town with all the same great toys and games. Fiesta de Reyes also showcases locally made jewelry as well as a traditional Mexican bakery. Beacon Artworks and Designs in Shell are also back by popular demand. 

Shops and restaurants, live musicians and local artisans demonstrating their artistic craft make Fiesta de Reyes a lively experience with a permanent party ambiance.
   
       
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  Hotels    
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Best Western Hacienda hotel in San Diego  

Best Western Hacienda
Distance to Trolley Stop: Aprx 1 block
4041 Harney St.
(619) 298-4707

   
       
 
Days Inn Hotel Circle San Diego  

Days Inn - Hotel Circle
Distance to Trolley Stop: Aprx 2 miles
Trolley Shuttle Service Available
543 Hotel Circle S.
(619) 297-8800

   
       
 
Handlery Hotel & Resort San Diego  

Handlery Hotel & Resort
Distance to Trolley Stop: 2 miles
Trolley Shuttle Service Available
950 Hotel Circle N. • (619) 298-0511

   
       
 
   

Holiday Inn Express Old Town
Distance to Trolley Stop: Aprx 5 blocks
3900 Old Town Ave.
(619) 299-7400

   
       
 
Town and Country Resort San Diego  

Town & Country Resort
Distance to Trolley Stop: 2 miles
Trolley Shuttle Service Available
500 Hotel Circle N. • (619) 291-7131

   
       
 
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Western Inn San Diego
3889 Arista St.
(619) 692-4063

   
       
 
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Old Town Inn - San Diego
4444 Pacific Hwy.
(619) 260-8024

   
       
 
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Courtyard San Diego Old Town
2435 Jefferson St.
(800) 255-3544

   
       
 
 
 

San Diego’s Best Tour to See Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, the San Diego Zoo, Maritime Museum,
Hotel del Coronado, San Diego Convention Center, Old Town San Diego, Balboa Park, Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum,
Star of India, The Whaley House, Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, Little Italy and Much More!
 
 
 

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