Trolleys, Disco Lights & Unexpected Vibes: Our Night on the City Lights Tour

Step One: All Aboard the Glow-Up Express

The night started at Seaport Village, where a warmly lit trolley sat waiting like the opening scene of a feel-good rom-com. The air was crisp—cool enough to justify scarves and dramatic coat flares—and the city lights were already doing the most. Inside? A disco ball and a soundtrack situation that felt curated by the ghost of Casey Kasem.

This wasn’t “just” a trolley tour. This was a main character moment on wheels.

Step Two: Rico—The Guide Who Came with a Soundtrack

Rico, our driver-slash-DJ-slash-entertainment director, welcomed us with the energy of someone who just chugged a double espresso and decided tonight was the night he’d become a legend. He had the mic, the jokes, the trivia, and the kind of confidence usually reserved for cruise ship performers and substitute teachers with nothing to lose.

He assigned each passenger a “state name” (because government names are so pre-tour era), handed out collectible postcards like rare Pokémon, and let us know—very clearly—this was not going to be one of those silent, slow-moving snooze fests.

Step Three: Lights, Music, and the Downtown Glow

Rolling through the Gaslamp Quarter felt like driving through a vintage music video set. Neon signs reflected off brick buildings. Palm trees looked like they were lit for the Met Gala. People-watching through the windows became a favorite pastime: couples on date nights, kids hyped up on sugar, and that one guy trying to parallel park with the intensity of a Fast & Furious chase scene.

All of it washed in golden light, all of it weirdly perfect.

Step Four: Balboa Park, Lit Like a Movie Set

Balboa Park at night? Honestly, someone needs to give it an agent. The buildings were lit from below like Beyoncé in concert. Shadows danced on stucco walls. Every dome, arch, and spire had its moment. It felt like Hogwarts had relocated to Southern California and gotten a lighting upgrade.

Rico called out each pavilion like they were contestants in a global pageant (“Ukraine! Colombia! Brazil!”), and we were silently judging them all based on their architectural drama. Spoiler: they all delivered.

Step Five: Coronado Bridge—A Skyline Moment with Main Character Energy

Crossing the Coronado Bridge was the moment. The lights, the angle, the sheer drama of the view—it was giving La La Land final scene energy. San Diego’s skyline shimmered in the background like it knew it was being filmed.

Rico cranked up the volume and yelled, “Put your phones to the glass and take a video of MEXICOOOOO!” like we were filming a Tourism Board commercial. Between the spinning disco ball, the dramatic incline, and the twinkling skyline reflecting off the bay, it was peak chaos in the best possible way.

If you’re the kind of person who narrates your own life like it’s a movie trailer, this stretch of the tour will feed your soul.

Step Six: The Hotel Del—Coastal Glamour with a Side of Lore

The Hotel del Coronado came into view like a coastal fairytale—lit in soft white, wrapped in palm trees, and oozing old-Hollywood vibes. It was giving “Marilyn Monroe once flirted here” energy, and we were eating it up.

Rico tossed in just enough ghost stories to keep it spicy but not enough to make us clutch our pearls. Mostly, it was beachy elegance, perfectly staged under the stars.

Step Seven: The Ferry Landing Break—Our Favorite View of the Night

The unsung hero of the whole tour? The 10-minute stop at the Coronado Ferry Landing. It wasn’t just a leg-stretch moment—it was the skyline shot. Downtown San Diego looked like it had been dipped in diamonds, with reflections stretching across the water like a scene from an Apple TV screensaver.

We wandered the pier, took a hundred photos that didn’t quite capture it, and stood there in that rare, perfect silence that only happens when you’re fully in awe—or fully frozen because you didn’t bring gloves.

It was hands down our favorite view of the night. A quiet, sparkly reward in the middle of the tour.

Step Eight: Million-Dollar Views Meet Fictional Real Estate

As we rolled past Coronado’s glitziest homes, Rico leaned into his Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous fantasy, assigning each house to a lucky trolley guest with full reality-TV-style dramatics. Every “WOO-HOO!” echoed into the night like Oprah handing out beachfront deeds.

Sure, they weren’t really ours—but for a few blocks, we mentally moved in, picked out throw pillows, and imagined what it would be like to own a bathtub with ocean views and a wine fridge bigger than our apartments.

Step Nine: Late-Night Cravings in Little Italy

The final stretch took us through Little Italy, and honestly? If you’ve ever watched Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, this was the trolley version. Fairy lights crisscrossed above the street. Restaurant patios glowed like cozy terrariums. And the smell? Garlic, butter, and whatever dreams are made of.  Rico shouted out his go-to food spots rapid-fire like he was running out of time on a cooking show. We opened our Notes app so fast that it practically started smoking. If this tour ended at a pasta tasting, we would’ve never left.

Final Thoughts: Should You Do This Tour?

Absolutely. The City Lights Tour is a rolling mixtape of San Diego’s greatest hits—equal parts dazzling, quirky, and just chaotic enough to be unforgettable. You’ll laugh, you’ll vibe, and you’ll leave with better photos than your iPhone deserves.

It’s perfect for families, friend groups, couples, solo adventurers, and anyone who appreciates a little disco with their city tour.

Key Takeaways:
📍 Starts in Seaport Village—central, scenic, and extremely photogenic.
🌆 That skyline from the Coronado Ferry Landing? Core memory unlocked.
🎤 Rico is a tour guide, hype man, and trivia master rolled into one.
🌉 Coronado Bridge + lights = the plot twist we didn’t know we needed.
🏨 Hotel del = vintage glam with a whisper of ghost drama.
🏡 Coronado’s mansions are a 15-minute escape into your fantasy life.
🍝 Little Italy is now our post-tour dinner plan. Forever.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-friendly, fun for all ages, and zero walking required.

This isn’t just a trolley tour. It’s a whole moment—and we’d do it again in a heartbeat.