Go Car at Petco Park
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Go Car Tours San Diego
GO CAR SAN DIEGO - THE "TALKING CAR"!
This GPS-guided excursion puts the fun back in city tours.
From our experience, taking the Go Car around is not something that should only be experienced by visitors - it is a great thing to do if you are a local! For the days you want to try something different, consider renting a GoCar for a couple of hours or more, and go have some fun.
Go Cars are small, yellow, three-wheeled (2 wheels in the front and one in the back), two-seater cars that offer GPS guided tours of San Diego. Currently, two GPS tours are available for the Downtown/Balboa Park and the Point Loma/Cabrillo Monument areas. The audible GPS navigation system provides riders with directions as well as information on some of the more notable sites. The good folks at Go Car also provide you with a laminated map of the tours and a business card in case you get lost.
Please note: Go Cars can only be taken on surface streets. The State of California does not allow Go Cars 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 tours have speed limits of 30 miles per hour, which provides a level playing field of sorts.
For you locals who have no interest in being told which way to go, fear not! The GPS navigator can be turned off so you can go on your merry way listening to music on the Go Car's cd stereo or just listening to the sound of the road.
The Go Car Experience
The first thing we noticed when we took the Go Car out was how very small we felt next to the other cars on the road. We felt small, but safe. This feeling quickly gave way once we realized that being in a much smaller car allowed us to zip around! Because there are no doors and side windows, the feeling of freedom was intoxicating. In a Go Car, there are no blind spots! We both loved the ability to see the downtown area outside the confines of a car. We were able to see it all without obstruction and feel the wind in our hair.
The seond thing we noticed is that it is hard not to smile in a Go Car. The experience sort of gives you the feeling of riding an adult-version of a Disneyland-style Autopia car or a Go-Cart, at 30mph, through the streets of San Diego. If you ever wanted to be the center of attention or make yourself feel better, hop in to a Go Car and parade yourself around town. Just be prepared for the attention. These things attract lookers!
The third thing we noticed is how much you actually feel the road beneath when you are in a Go Car. We learned to avoid many of the city's potholes because when you hit them in a Go Car, you feel them right under you. And in San Diego, we've got potholes. Other than the potholes, the ride is actually quite smooth and fast. The Go Cars have a great turning radius that makes the prospect of doing donuts in a parking lot ever more appealing. Actually, anything having to do with a donut is appealing.
Go Car Tours and Macy
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During our Go Car 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 actually squealed with delight as we toured past them on Zoo Drive!
Why do people react like this? Because a lot of San Diegans have never seen the Go Cars. San Diego and San Francisco are the only cities in California that have Go Cars. That's right; Los Angeles is not on the list. Other Go Car locations are Miami, Lisbon, and Barcelona. The Go Car is San Diego's best kept secret!
We had so much fun on our two-hour Go Car expedition that we are itching to play hooky and get out on another route.
Reservations & Rates
We are pleased to join with Go Car Tours in offering you a special $10 discount off the price of a two-hour tour. Click on this logo:
You can book your reservations online or you can take advantage of the coupon offer by calling: 1-800-914-6227. The coupon does not work when booking online! Rental rates start at $49 for one hour/$39 for the 2nd hour/$29 for each additional hour and for rentals over five hours there is no additional charge. Click here for more information.
(Prices can change, please check with the Go Car Tours for current pricing.)
Rates include gas and a helmet for the driver and the passenger. Unlike a rental car, there is no need to refuel the Go Car upon your return.
Where to Rent a Go Car
Go Car 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 little yellow cars parked in front. The storefront is open every day from 8am-5pm.
Go Car 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 Go Car
Much like a rental car, it is a good idea to make a reservation because the cars are in limited supply. Go Car asks that you make your reservation at least 24 hours in advance. If you plan to rent a group of Go Cars, please give them plenty of advance notice so that they can have a Go Car fleet available for you.
Please keep in mind that you will want to allow about 15-20 minutes for the whole rental process.
All Go Car drivers must be 21 years or older to rent a Go Car. 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.
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 Go Car. Each will also be given a helmet to wear as well as a quick on-board tour of how to operate the Go Car and the GPS system.
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 Go Car and off you go! Have a blast!
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