personally i'm new to SD so I would love to learn some of this personally too...lol I'm a huge history buff especially in the creation of cities and such. but when i used to drive back in miami (previous local of 8 yrs) i kinda did the same if the people were receptive.
Do you give any SD history to out of town PAX? How about asking what they want to see?
I got a ping to Hotel Circle today.
Young couple (30's) that wanted to go to the beach. They entered their destination that showed up as "Destination Unknown" but it was a random spot in Pacific Beach on the coast.
The guy says his girl is from Chicago and wants to see the "beach". He has lived in San Diego a few months.
We take off to "the beach" and I start helping the guy out. I tell them about the early history of San Diego, and how Alonzo Horton bought 800 acres for 27.5 cents an acre. That became downtown San Diego.
They are receptive so I go on with San Diego History. They like it and ask me about restaurants and tourist sites. (I never push the history thing unless the PAX want to hear it.)
I tell them about the Gas Lamp Dist and it's history. I tell them about the restaurants in town. (Little Italy, Fish Market, Old town history and the tacos and tequila available there, etc) The woman says "I love tacos and tequila". So she bit the hook. The guy is very happy.
As we reach the PB area and get off I-5 at Grand/Garnet I ask what kind of beach experience they want. I mention the stretch of beach the chose is fine, but there are many experiences available.
I mention Belmont park and it's history. The woman warms up to that right away. It is 7:00 PM so I go to google and search on the time of sunset in San Diego today using google voice and my headset. It is 7:38 PM. Perfect.
I tell them about the beach bars at Belmont Park and the many restaurants and shops available there.
I take them to the South strip at Belmont Park and suggest they walk down the So. Strip, enjoy the shops and end up at the beach bars at Belmont for Sunset and then select one of the restaurants for dinner.
The guy is loving that the woman is really liking the suggestions. (He is definitely getting laid with my setup) I was a free lance wing-man.
I drop them off and they say "You are the best Uber driver we have ever had. Most just drive us to the destination and say OK here you are. You need to write a guide." The guy slips me a $20 and says thanks.
I knew I had set them up with a good time. By asking questions I got them to the experience they wanted.
They entered a plain northern PB beach that was the most plain beach in PB.
I dropped them at the experience the woman wanted from San Diego.
Anyone else play tour guide and find out what the tourist PAX really wants to experience?
Young couple (30's) that wanted to go to the beach. They entered their destination that showed up as "Destination Unknown" but it was a random spot in Pacific Beach on the coast.
The guy says his girl is from Chicago and wants to see the "beach". He has lived in San Diego a few months.
We take off to "the beach" and I start helping the guy out. I tell them about the early history of San Diego, and how Alonzo Horton bought 800 acres for 27.5 cents an acre. That became downtown San Diego.
They are receptive so I go on with San Diego History. They like it and ask me about restaurants and tourist sites. (I never push the history thing unless the PAX want to hear it.)
I tell them about the Gas Lamp Dist and it's history. I tell them about the restaurants in town. (Little Italy, Fish Market, Old town history and the tacos and tequila available there, etc) The woman says "I love tacos and tequila". So she bit the hook. The guy is very happy.
As we reach the PB area and get off I-5 at Grand/Garnet I ask what kind of beach experience they want. I mention the stretch of beach the chose is fine, but there are many experiences available.
I mention Belmont park and it's history. The woman warms up to that right away. It is 7:00 PM so I go to google and search on the time of sunset in San Diego today using google voice and my headset. It is 7:38 PM. Perfect.
I tell them about the beach bars at Belmont Park and the many restaurants and shops available there.
I take them to the South strip at Belmont Park and suggest they walk down the So. Strip, enjoy the shops and end up at the beach bars at Belmont for Sunset and then select one of the restaurants for dinner.
The guy is loving that the woman is really liking the suggestions. (He is definitely getting laid with my setup) I was a free lance wing-man.
I drop them off and they say "You are the best Uber driver we have ever had. Most just drive us to the destination and say OK here you are. You need to write a guide." The guy slips me a $20 and says thanks.
I knew I had set them up with a good time. By asking questions I got them to the experience they wanted.
They entered a plain northern PB beach that was the most plain beach in PB.
I dropped them at the experience the woman wanted from San Diego.
Anyone else play tour guide and find out what the tourist PAX really wants to experience?
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
Go to the San Diego Historical Society web page while you are waiting for rides.
Also do Google search for "best restaurant in" X area.
Learn the history of Balboa park and what is there.
Know the history of the zoo.
Know which Aircraft Carriers are in the bay.
Know about Kettner (Blvd in front of the Sante Fe Depot was named after him) and how he talked the Navy into bringing the first Navy base south of San Francisco, and when. Know why the Navy and San Diego love each other, and have always been happy together since pre-WWI.
Learn about the Coronado Bay Bridge, myths and history.
Know about Coronado and No. Island.
Know about Hotel Del Coronado and it's early history.
Know the history of the Star of India, and the USS Midway. People will ask "what is that?" you want to know it well enough to talk about it.
You can learn a lot in a hurry while waiting.
You are providing a service, if you can enhance it just a bit, you may get a tip.
It also makes the ride fun. I don't like boring rides any more than the pax.
Also do Google search for "best restaurant in" X area.
Learn the history of Balboa park and what is there.
Know the history of the zoo.
Know which Aircraft Carriers are in the bay.
Know about Kettner (Blvd in front of the Sante Fe Depot was named after him) and how he talked the Navy into bringing the first Navy base south of San Francisco, and when. Know why the Navy and San Diego love each other, and have always been happy together since pre-WWI.
Learn about the Coronado Bay Bridge, myths and history.
Know about Coronado and No. Island.
Know about Hotel Del Coronado and it's early history.
Know the history of the Star of India, and the USS Midway. People will ask "what is that?" you want to know it well enough to talk about it.
You can learn a lot in a hurry while waiting.
You are providing a service, if you can enhance it just a bit, you may get a tip.
It also makes the ride fun. I don't like boring rides any more than the pax.
Ain't is great to have a large percentage tourists in the place you are driving? 
Thanks for some hints where to start. Like I said I'm huge into history personally so it's just as interesting for me to learn as to share.
I did this as a cab driver in Las Vegas. I am a serious history enthusiast and many people want to hear about the history behind the neon.
It does work. I got a $10 tip today for describing what Richard Henry Dana thought about San Diego in 1835 in his book "Two Years Before the Mast". Dana Point was named after him, and there is a reproduction of the "Pilgrim" the ship he went around the Horn on to get to San Diego and California in 1835.
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
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