Tour San Diego on a GoCar

When you consider touring a city, chances are, the first thing you think about is a bus with big windows. A major tourist destination, San Diego has its share of bus touring companies that will take you on a scenic ride.  However,  not everyone likes to hop on a bus and be told what to look at and when.

If you are someone who would rather tour San Diego on your own and at your own pace, we have a great solution - a GoCar. A GoCar tour puts the fun back in traditional touring because you can pull over whenever and wherever you want. There is no need to wait for the driver or for the rest of the group to come back. Just rent it and go!

Before we tell you more, we will let you in on a little secret. When we toured San Diego in these little yellow cars, we couldn’t stop smiling.  It was really a fun ride and the best part was seeing and hearing peoples’ reaction as we zipped past them in our GoCar.  If you like a little thrill on your vacation or are looking for something different to do in San Diego, take a GoCar out for a spin and see and feel the streets of San Diego.

What is a GoCar Tour?

GoCars are small, three-wheeled, two-seater cars that offer GPS-guided tours of San Diego.  If you are unfamiliar with San Diego, you can take one or two GPS tours depending on how much time you rent them.  The GPS tours guide you through Downtown/Balboa Park and/or the Point Loma/Cabrillo Monument areas. The audible GPS navigation system provides directions as well as information on some of the more notable sites. The good folks at GoCar also provide you with a laminated map of the tours and a business card in case you get lost. Don’t hesitate to call them if you get lost, they’ll steer you back on track.

For the days when you want to do something different, or you have guests coming to town, consider renting a GoCar for a couple of hours and see what it’s all about.  If you are familiar with San Diego, you have the option of listening to the radio instead of the GPS guide. You can even bring your own CD’s and listen to your music instead of the audible GPS navigation system.

Please note: GoCars can only be taken on surface streets. The State of California does not allow GoCars on the freeway or the Coronado Bridge. Why? The little vehicles’ top speed is 30 miles per hour. In fact, most of the streets on the two GPS tours have speed limits of 30 miles per hour, which provides a level playing field of sorts. If you are visiting San Diego and do not know your way around, the GPS navigation system and the laminated maps take you on routes that involve only surface streets, not the freeways.

The GoCar Experience

Riding a GoCar is similar to riding an adult, sped-up version of a Disneyland-style Autopia car.  Once in the GoCar, we immediately realized how small we felt next to the other cars on the road. This feeling quickly gave way when we felt the freedom of not having doors or side windows.  With the wind in our faces, we took in all the sites of Downtown San Diego, East Village, Golden Hill, South Park and Balboa Park. Best of all, parking in Downtown San Diego was a breeze!

During our GoCar adventure around town, people on the street reacted to us on each and every block. People in cars asked how they could rent one. Pedestrians, other drivers, and people waiting for the bus pointed at us and gave us a big smile and a big thumbs-up. Our favorite response came from a large group of school children who were leaving the San Diego Zoo. They actually squealed with delight as we toured past them on Zoo Drive.

From our experience, taking the GoCar around San Diego is not something that should only be experienced by visitors - it is a really fun thing to do if you are a local. From the positive response we received, we actually felt like local celebrities in our little yellow GoCar and maybe you will too. Don’t be surprised by the responses you’ll receive as you zip by and be sure to wave back.

Reservations and Rates

Book reservations online by calling: 1-800-91-GoCar or book online.
Rental rates start at:

$44/one hour
$34/2nd hour
$24/each additional hour
After 5 hours, no further charge

Most people take the GoCars out for a 2-hour tour ($78). If you plan to make a lot of stops,  you might prefer to take it out for the whole day.

Rates include gas and a helmet for both driver and passenger. Unlike a rental car, you will not be responsible to refuel the GoCar upon your return.

Where to Rent a GoCar

GoCar Tours (2100 Kettner Boulevard) is located in Little Italy at the corner of Kettner Boulevard and Hawthorn. Look for Pacific Car Rental and you will see the small yellow cars parked in front. The storefront is open every day from 8am-5pm.

GoCar also offers free pick-up and drop-off from most local hotels. Be sure to call the San Diego office at: 1-800-914-6227 and ask if your hotel is on their list.

How to Rent a GoCar

Much like a rental car, it is a good idea to make a reservation because the little yellow cars are in limited supply. GoCar asks that you make your reservation at least 24 hours in advance. If you plan to rent a group of GoCars, please give them plenty of advance notice so that they can have a GoCar fleet available for you.

All GoCar drivers must be 21 years or older to rent a GoCar. You will be asked to provide a valid Driver’s License and a credit card to make a refundable deposit of $300. Optional vehicle insurance is available for $9 per day. NOTE: Children can ride in the car if they are post-car seat weight.

Please keep in mind that you will want to allow about 15-20 minutes for the whole rental process.

Each driver will be asked to read, understand, and sign a waiver that releases GoCar from liability should you injure yourself or someone else while you are renting their vehicle. Additionally, both the rider and passenger will be asked to view a 5-minute video of the rules of the road while driving a GoCar.  Each person will also be given a helmet to wear and a quick on-board tour of how to operate the GoCar and the GPS system. Don’t let these procedures detour you.  Be assured that they are quick and only serve to enhance your GoCar experience.

After the rental process is done, you are on your own to go have a great time exploring San Diego from the street-level. Give yourself a few minutes to get used to driving the GoCar and off you go!  Have a blast!

Alexandra Hart is the co-editor of the Visitors Guide for SDNN and the co-owner of San Diego Travel Tips.com, a local’s guide to San Diego. Email Alexandra at: sdtips (at) sandiegotraveltips.com

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 8:54 am and is filed under Visitors Guide. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.