A rich history and authentic Mexican cuisine are served with a side of the paranormal on our Old Town San Diego Ghost Tour — “Tacos, Tequila & Tombstones.” If you’re unsure what to expect with such a unique combo, read on to learn what you can expect to see, taste, and experience on this San Diego Ghost tour, with a side of Hispanic flare!

About the Tour

Join us for a 2.5-hour walking tour of Old Town San Diego, which is the first European settlement in Southern California, as well as the oldest neighborhood in San Diego. In 1769, the land we’ll walk upon together came to be home to the very first mission in California — this chain of 21 missions would later become the centerpiece of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio overlook what we now know as Old Town. 

Old meets new and vibrant fun in this small community of San Diego, where historic buildings made with adobe are in the vicinity of trendy street corn vendors, and restaurants serving fresh tortillas, and gourmet Mexican dishes with a modern flare. Our historic tours of Old Town is for all ages — though those under 21 will have to enjoy a mocktail margarita or some soda pop!

The tour of Old Town with stops in between restaurants should give you an approximate total distance walked of a mile. There’s plenty of time to rest up, eat up, and drink up throughout one of your Old Town San Diego Tours! Your experience includes a stop at 4 restaurants where you get to sample one of their most famous dishes as well as a tequila or margarita at 2 of these stops. 

Enjoy tales of the past, paranormal occurrences, mariachi music, and loads of fun with a group of friends or family, or let us do the legwork for your special date night with your partner. If you have a group of 10 or more people, we also offer a private tour! Contact us for more info!

Image via SanDiego.org

An FAQ answered

One of the frequently asked questions we get is  — how much food do we get?! The quick answer: There will be 3 stops with 3-4 bites of a food sample, and then a last stop will be a full dessert.  While some guests may look at this as a full meal, others may see it as a light snack.  We do not guarantee that the amount will suffice as a full meal, however, you shouldn’t leave the ghost-hunting tour feeling hungry.

Read more about how you’ll get your fiesta on with us on our Old Town San Diego Tour below!

Explore the Birthplace of California

On our Tequila, Tacos, and Tombstones guided tour, we’ll go back in time to the beginning and give you the lowdown about the events that led to San Diego once being part of Spanish territory, then becoming part of the United States in the Mexican-American War and the main players in the history of Old Town. 

Old Town is also home to the oldest mansion in Southern California, which you will get to see on our Old Town San Diego tour, as well as original adobe structures from the early 1800s, such as La Casa de Estudillo (below).

Construction on this one-story adobe townhouse began in 1827 for Presidio Comandante José María de Estudillo and his family. It is the oldest surviving example of a typical one-story Spanish-Mexican adobe townhouse in San Diego County. The home is built in a U-shape surrounding a courtyard, which boasts fruit trees and a kitchen garden along with an adobe oven.

Our guided tour isn’t a quick Wikipedia search of Old Town. Our expert tour guide ​​will bring you one of the most in-depth Old Town tours and give you a thorough journey through the historical eras, from the early Spanish settlements to the establishment of Mexican Independence to the California Gold Rush. 

Explore Old Town’s “Paranormal Activity”

One of the stops on our Old Town San Diego ghost tour is the oldest cemetery in San Diego, El Campo Santo Cemetery. This cemetery has been around since 1849 and brings out the full-body chills if you encounter any paranormal activity while exploring it. Sightings in this cemetery have been rumored to be everything from cold spots, orbs, misty figures, and floating spirits. 

We’ll talk about some of the ghosts who are still hanging around Old Town — including local fixtures at the most haunted house in America, the Whaley House Museum. Thomas Whaley was the owner of the home which was also the location of the San Diego county courthouse, a school, San Diego’s first theater, and a general store … the more haunted places to be! Some people have alleged they’ve seen the ghosts of Thomas, his wife Anna, and even Jim Robinson, who was hanged in 1852 behind the house. Our friends at the Whaley House Museum sometimes even run an overnight paranormal investigation — do so if you dare! 

Explore the Taste of Old Town

When it comes to Mexican food, we bring only the most authentic to our guests on our Old Town San Diego Tour. On our Old Town food tour, you’ll get authentic tastings and amazing cocktail samplings from our amazing restaurant partners: 

Cafe Coyote: This is a staple and OG restaurant in Old Town — they’ve been in the area for 30+ years and are a favorite of many San Diego locals. They’re known for their fresh Mexican fare and a robust menu of margaritas, as well as fresh tortillas, served with your meal the traditional way — a mano (by hand).

Tuetano Taqueria: They’ve gained quite a following because of their Tijuana-style beef birria  cooked with melted cheese to make a TJ classic — the quesabirria. Tuetano Taqueria has grabbed the attention of the Michelin Guide as one of five “new discoveries” in the San Diego area and they recently had a visit from Guy Fieri of the Food Network’s hit, “Diners, Drive-In’s, and Dives.”

Old Tequila Factory: This quaint Mexican hillside retreat overlooks historic Old Town, serves delicious and GIANT margaritas, has authentic Mexican food you’ll remember for years to come, live music, and a panoramic view of Old Town to Mission Bay.

Casa De Fred’s: Fred’s is known by every San Diegan for its vibrant decor, live music, fresh margaritas, unbeatable outdoor dining experience, and Baja-inspired dishes. Have a fiesta with us on the tour, and come back again with your furry friend — Casa De Fred’s also has a dog menu!

Old Town Ice Cream: No matter how many tacos you have, there’s always room for ice cream, especially on a homemade waffle cone from Old Town Ice Cream! Eat your gourmet ice cream cone as you sit outside and listen to the live musicians in Wallach & Goldman Square.

Elote: Take a bite out of one of Mexico’s favorite snacks, street corn. The corn is roasted fresh every day and comes in a wide variety of flavors — including the Tosti-elote (roasted corn with tortillas chips and all the fixings). 

When it comes to a Southern California town so rich in history and culture, we don’t think it’s fair to give you the usual tourist path. On our Old Town tour, expect authentic food, amazingly fresh cocktails and a deep dive into Old Town’s history and haunts. If you have any questions about our  Tequila,Tacos, and Tombstones tour or any of our San Diego tours, we’d love to answer them. Can’t wait to take you around the Birthplace of California! 

Written by: Melissa

Melissa hails from San Jose, CA, and has been a San Diego local for five years now after a 10-year long pit stop in Los Angeles. In L.A., she began her writing career crafting digital content for a wide range of clients, including The Real Talk Show, Sharon Osbourne, Hank Azaria, Time Life, and Cardinal Financial. She’s excited to be able to use her passion for writing to introduce people to some of the best spots in San Diego, many of which she has already frequented or has on her ever-expanding list of things to do … In her spare time, she enjoys taking her puppy Milo to all of the best dog beaches in SD, grabbing a glass of wine or a cup of joe at new places, and hosting watch parties for The Bachelor/ette TV show.