By Carolyn Howard
PassPort to San Diego

It was a very warm Friday afternoon in October when my friend and I rented a couple of Segways for an hour from Segway of Pacific Beach.

We didn’t go on a tour, but were happy to see they have a trio of guided adventures: On the Mission Bay Segway Tour, guests glide along the ocean boardwalk. On the Gaslamp Segway Tour, they ride around downtown and see Petco Park, the USS Midway and the Star of India, among other stops. And on the Mt. Soledad Segway Tour, riders enjoy a 360-view from the war memorial atop Mt. Soledad in La Jolla.

We decided instead to take a self-guided tour and enjoy a relaxing ride along the oceanfront boardwalk and then cross over to the Mission Bay side. Once there, we headed in the direction of the Catamaran Hotel and around Crown Point.

Before our excursion, we both received instruction from a very patient Segway guide named Mike. Neither my friend or I had ever ridden a Segway, so we were a little nervous about operating and controlling it properly. But Mike taught us the basics, first inside the shop and then outside in the parking lot. Once we both felt comfortable, we were on our way!

We rented our Segways for just an hour, followed by lunch. Because our legs felt tired after about 30 minutes, I would suggest having a picnic or going out to lunch during your Segway adventure. There are many places to eat along the Boardwalk.

I had a great time and felt completely at ease with the maneuverability of the Segway. If you would like some history along with your ride, take one of the three Segway tours Segway of Pacific Beach offers. I would definitely recommend trying a Segway if you have never done it before!

Segway of Pacific Beach is open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. It’s at 4150 Mission Blvd #141, in San Diego. Call (858) 270-2881 or visit http://www.segwaypb.com/