The 7 Best Sightseeing Tour Agencies in Toronto
Toronto and Canada altogether have a great deal of scenic attractions. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, sightseeing tour agencies can help save you from tedious planning and make the most of your trips.
Thinking of exploring the queen city but don’t know where to start? In this article, we’ve compiled and reviewed the best sightseeing tour agencies in Toronto!
Top Sightseeing Tour Agencies in Toronto
We selected the top sightseeing tour agencies in Toronto after taking into account the following criteria.
How much do the services of sightseeing tour agencies in Toronto cost?
The information in the table below will give you an idea of the starting prices and tour durations offered by the sightseeing agencies we researched for this list.
Varying factors like the duration of the tour, attractions’ popularity, planned activities, transportation and equipment used, and tour guides’ experience all affect the costs of sightseeing tour agencies.
1. Toronto Fun Tours
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Toronto Fun Tours offers fully-guided bus tours in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). They are a tour operator based in Toronto and provide tours from the United States, Caribbean, and Europe.
They are recognised by the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) and a member of Tourism Toronto.
We like that the agency organizes diverse tours. Besides having public and private tours, they arrange hiking trips, which we think would further entice adventurous travellers.
Moreover, they can customise family or company trips and assist you with room accommodations. Their services are also priced at decent rates.
Take note, however, that their refund policies are strict. If you don’t cancel at least 30 days before the trip’s departure, you won’t get a full refund and you’ll have to pay fines.
Additionally, you may have to plan extra early if you want to book Toronto Fun Tours because you can’t choose your seats on the bus. They assign seats according to a first-paid, first-served basis.
Toronto Fun Tours covers a good deal of tourist destinations, and they ensure you would ease up and enjoy at every stop. According to most customers we’ve spoken with, their tour guides are well-informed and professional, yet entertaining and friendly.
They have several online channels, but they’re inconsistently active. This means that customers would have to call them up for details and updated information, which can be quite inconvenient for some.
Nevertheless, Toronto Fun Tours has an efficient website with a calendar, attractions page, gallery, FAQ section, and payment feature.
Pros
- Well-planned destinations
- Hiking tours
- Custom tour packages
- Room accommodation
- Decent rates
- Professional and entertaining tour guides
- Efficient website
Cons
- Pre-assigned bus seats
- Strict refund and cancellation policies
- Inconsistent social media updates
Customer Reviews
These tours are excellent
“I surely enjoy this tour company as I have been a traveller on multiple tours with it since 2018. Noushin, Fariba, and Shayan are amazingly wonderful and fun people to be around with. These tours are excellent and would encourage anyone to be a traveller with this company. [I] Had a splendid time in Niagara this long weekend, on Sunday, and looking forward to many more. The island cruises are super amazing, especially the Kingston 1000 island sunset cruise. Happy to be a traveller with Fun Tours!!!” —Neha Nikki Khanna, Google Reviews
On time, good explanation of the itinerary, excellent venue for lunch
“This was my first experience with Fun Tours. We went to Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake peach festival. Everything about the tour was excellent. On time, good explanation of the itinerary, excellent venue for lunch with wonderful service and good food, [and] great tour guide. Will definitely travel again with Toronto Fun Tours.” —Margaret G. TripAdvisor
2. ShortTrips.ca
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ShortTrips.ca is a bus tour agency that provides escorted tours departing from Toronto and the GTA.
They are a member of TICO and are considerably known in the industry. They have multiple affiliations, such as the Ontario Motorcoach Association, American Bus Association, and Central Counties Tourism.
ShortTrips.ca boasts the uniqueness of their tours. As we see it, they practise what they preach.
They have shopping spree trips, fruit picking, guided hikes leading to swimming adventures, and themed tours for you to make the most of the season. They do custom tours as well for those who want a tour more suited to their interests.
ShortTrips.ca helps in booking room accommodations for travellers, but there have been remarks that sometimes, the hotels’ locations were somewhat inconvenient.
For example, a client mentioned that the hotel assigned to them was quite far from restaurants.
At any rate, they charge budget-friendly fees for their tours, some costing as low as $99. As part of their services, they offer gift certificates, too!
In addition, you’d be pleased with their lax refund and cancellation policies. They will issue full refunds in most cases, even if you cancel just seven days before departure.
The agency is strict with seating arrangements on the bus, although once you’re on board, you’d indeed have fun. Don’t worry about asking many questions during the tours, for they apparently have kind and knowledgeable directors.
To boot, ShortTrips.ca is constantly active on Facebook. You can get regular updates from their page on top of their coherent and systematised website.
Pros
- Unique, organised tours
- Room accommodation
- Budget-friendly fees
- Lax refund and cancellation policies
- Gift certificates
- Kind and knowledgeable tour directors
- Constantly active on Facebook
- Systematised website
Cons
- Remarks on inconvenient hotel locations
- Strict bus seating arrangements
Customer Reviews
I am highly impressed with their services
“Highly recommended! Awesome trips!!! This group is well-organized and provides [the] highest level of customer service. This company organizes short trips to different places within Canada and USA, lots of short weekend trips, and from transportation to your meals, tickets to different venues and all other details are well taken care of by the staff. Your job is just to enjoy the trip. I have done a few trips with them and planning to do more in future. I am highly impressed with their services and looking forward to doing many more trips in future. Sash (the owner), Toni, Anna-Maria, Georges, the driver, everyone is very professional, helpful, and kind. Absolutely a great experience always having trips with ShortTrips.ca.” —Yinka Ola, Google Reviews
Especially convenient for newcomers
“Informative and well-organized guided bus tours. It’s especially convenient for newcomers to Canada. There’s a wide variety of pickup and drop locations to choose from.” —Chetna Mahajan, Facebook Reviews
3. Toronto Harbour Tours
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
If you are a fan of boating and all things water, then this tour agency is the one for you! Toronto Harbour Tours specialises in waterfront sightseeing excursions in the city.
Each of their vessels has been certified by Transport Canada Marine Safety. What’s more, they have outstanding crew members that have been trained and granted licences.
Their tours are narrated, continuous, and usually last about an hour. We think these are perfect for those who want a quick but all-inclusive tour of the city.
Furthermore, Toronto Harbour Tours offers private charters, luxury boat cruises, water taxi services to islands, and bar and catering options.
In terms of pricing, their tours are affordable – in fact, we appreciate that children who are two years old and under are free of charge. They offer group rates and student discounts as well.
We like that Toronto Harbour Tours eases up on their cancellation policies and gives you full refunds or options for rescheduling with no added fees.
Customers have told us that their tours are both educational and entertaining, which is the best combination. Their dock staff were said to be kind, competent, and committed to giving them a fun and safe tour.
They could, however, improve their customer service regarding schedule changes. On odd occasions, they reportedly send last-minute or on-the-day changes.
We’ve also spoken to some customers who feel that their boats could use some TLC, as some of them already look and feel old.
They could also work on their online presence as they don’t post regularly on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Be that as it may, Toronto Harbour Tours has a detailed website. You can also go down to their pier and purchase walk-in tour tickets.
Pros
- Quick and all-inclusive boat tours
- Luxury boat cruises
- Affordable rates
- Children who are two and under are free
- Student discounts
- Relaxed cancellation policies
- Educational and entertaining dock staff
- Detailed website
- Walk-in ticket purchases are available
Cons
- There may be last minute schedule changes
- Some boats need better maintenance
Customer Reviews
The captains were great, knowledgeable, and funny
“Great experience. We were a family of four and booked the tour just five minutes before departure. It’s a one-hour tour around the islands, and [there were] some fantastic views of the Toronto skyline. The captains were great, knowledgeable, and funny (!!). It’s a guided tour, so you get to know a lot about the islands, history, and some spooky stories. No refreshments on board, but you can bring your own food/beverages. Definitely recommended!!”—Jay Mehta, Google Reviews
The tour was the perfect amount of time
“[I] Would definitely recommend [Tour Guys], the tour was beautiful (especially nice around sunset) and the tour guide was funny and informative. The tour was the perfect amount of time, and the guide even offered to take photos of us on the boat, which was kind and thoughtful. Good fun and easy to find where you need to go.” —Kyle Flynn Davies, TripAdvisor
4. Tour Guys
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
This next tour agency is likely the most extraordinary in our list. Famous for their walking tours and tip-based pay system, we think Tour Guys will give you a one-of-a-kind sightseeing experience.
Travel guidance company TripAdvisor has awarded them the Travellers’ Choice Award since 2014—yes, they’ve won the award eight times and counting! That’s an excellent record if you ask us.
Tour Guys offers public and private tours and customises tours for corporate events, school trips, and other special occasions.
The general length of their tours is 2-3 hours. If you’re hale and hearty and the bold type of traveler, their walking tours are made for you.
We find it remarkable how they started the first and original graffiti tours, guiding tourists and locals alike through the city’s alleys and laneways to introduce them to the culture and history of street art.
Their public tours usually have a booking fee of only $6, which is especially good value for your money.
Believe it or not, they have free tours during peak tourist seasons. The tip-based system is then intended for the guides who will be with you on your trips.
Their cancellation policies via TripAdvisor are also not strict, which is reassuring.
However, there have been comments on how they organise their meeting times and places for tours. Some customers we spoke to apparently missed connecting with their tour guides, thus unable to join the tours.
We suppose they could improve how their guides are distinguished because only a button pin and lanyard identify them. In addition, they could review their meeting places and increase the grace period for customers.
Furthermore, they could do better with regard to their response time for customers, although this is on rare occasions.
Tour Guys has friendly guides ready to share fun and fantastic sightseeing stories. Over and above that, they have a solid online presence, which makes them accessible to audiences around the world.
Pros
- One-of-a-kind walking tours
- Original graffiti tours
- Custom tours
- Great value for money
- Free tours during peak seasons
- Relaxed cancellation policies
- Friendly and well-informed guides
- Strong online presence
- Efficient website
Cons
- Some problems connecting with the tour guides at the meeting place
- Response time could be better
Customer Reviews
I learned a lot about the graffiti scene
“I went on a weekend afternoon graffiti tour led by Jason, and it was excellent. It was a very small group, so it was often really conversational, which was nice. Jason is knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. I feel like I learned a lot about the graffiti scene here and would recommend the tour to anyone looking for something fun to do outdoors in the city.” —Niraj Patel, Google Reviews
Despite the rainy weather, a great backup plan made the tour very fun
“Great downtown tour. Aaron gave a fascinating and entertaining tour! Despite the rainy weather, he had a great backup plan and made the tour very fun. 10/10 would recommend if you want a tour from a real Toronto local.” —Rosa S., TripAdvisor
5. VIP Ontario Tours
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
As their name suggests, VIP Ontario Tours is here to make you feel like a celebrity while sightseeing in the city.
Recognised by the World Travel & Tourism Council and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, they are known for their lavish offerings that include airport pick-up and drop-off services and private helicopter rides.
They also provide tours for group and corporate events and do personalised tour packages.
You won’t have to worry about documenting your trip, particularly on special occasions. Notably, VIP Ontario Tours offers professional photography and videography services.
Their bus tours start at $139/person, but these are quite expensive already as these only last for about 8 hours. Moreover, their private tours quickly shoot up to $425.
However, VIP Ontario Tours does have significant discounts when bookings are made via TripAdvisor, and cancellation policies are relaxed as well. You may cancel at least 24 hours before the tour’s start date for you to get a complete refund.
While they seem to have forgotten about their social media channels, their comprehensive website is their saving grace.
Still and all, VIP Ontario Tours’ customer service is exceptional. They have professional and knowledgeable guides committed to giving you a true VIP sightseeing experience.
Pros
- Luxury tour packages
- Custom tours
- Room accommodation
- Airport transportation services
- Private helicopters
- Photography and videography services
- Relaxed cancellation policies
- Professional and knowledgeable guides
- Comprehensive website
Cons
- Expensive
- Inactive social media pages
Customer Reviews
Tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of info
“Booked a private tour to Niagara. Excellent from start to finish. Fast response from the office with quotes for varying requests. Easy booking and payment. On the day, we were met at our Hotel by Walter. He arrived on time in our SUV. Walter was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of info on our hour-and-a-half drive to Niagara. I would highly recommend this company; we certainly had a day to remember. Thank you again.” —Thomas McSweeney, Google Reviews
We were able to take our time to see everything
“Roy was our guide, and we had a wonderful time. He was very kind and showed us around. Great experience! We were able to take our time to see everything.” —Michael R., TripAdvisor
6. Gone Sailing Adventures
SERVICES | PRIVATE EVENTS: BIRTHDAY / BACHELOR/ETTE PARTY, MARRIAGE PROPOSALS, PHOTO SHOOT, WEDDING CEREMONY. CORPORATE REGATTA, ASH-SCATTERING PUB. SHARED SAILS: 2HR SAILING EXPERIENCE, 2HR SUNSET SAIL, 3HR SAILING ADVENTURE & ONBOARD CATERING |
WEBSITE | https://www.gonesailingadventures.com/ |
ADDRESS | Spadina Wave Deck 415 Queens Quay W Toronto ON M5V 1A2 |
CONTACT DETAILS | +14162400202 [email protected] |
OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5 PM Saturday, 10:00 AM – 2 PM |
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Do you have any upcoming occasions that you want to be memorable in the best way possible? If you do then Gone Sailing Adventures might be your “go-to” company.
Gone Sailing Adventures is one of the most established sailing, yacht charter, and cruising experiences. Their services extend from private sails for marriage proposals, birthdays, bachelorette parties, wedding ceremonies, corporate regattas, ash-scattering, and any reason you may think of.
They also offer public shared sails for individual tickets: a 2 hrs experience, 2 hrs sunset sail, 3 hrs sailing adventure, and special event sails including Friday Night Wine & Cheese Sails, Summer Sailstice, Full Moon Sails, Canada Day Fireworks sail, and Air Show Sails.
Their Friday Night Wine & Cheese & Full Moon Sails are the most popular events.
Checking out their yachts, they have about 10 yachts with capacities from 4-18 guests. Each each one is perfect for certain events. For example, their motor yachts are perfect for private events including marriage proposals and birthday parties while their sailing fleet is perfect for their public sailing services specially for their Canada day fireworks sail.
Pros
- 10 luxury licensed yachts
- Licensed by AGCO for alcohol service
Cons
Customer Reviews
They definitely go above and beyond to make your sailing adventure safe, fun and of course, memorable!
“What a great time! Boats are beautiful and very well maintained. Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. They definitely go above and beyond to make your sailing adventure safe, fun and of course, memorable! Worth every penny. Food and drinks are delicious. Go check them out! Convenient online booking system too!” – Morgan LeBlanc
We had a great time and would recommend this to anyone.
“Captain Howie and First Mate, made our sailing experience perfect. We had a great time and would recommend this to anyone. Way better than the larger site seeing cruises packed with people.” – Jeff Buelt
7. Toronto Eco Adventures
SERVICES | Small Group Day Trips Private Tours |
WEBSITE | https://www.torontoecoadventures.com/ |
ADDRESS | 171 Christie St, Toronto, ON M6G 3B3, Canada |
CONTACT DETAILS | +1 647-409-7400 [email protected] |
OPERATING HOURS | Everyday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
INCLUSIONS | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
VALUE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
ONLINE PRESENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Toronto EcoAdventures is small group day-trip business based in Toronto that takes participants to a variety of provincial/national parks and nature reserves outside the city… all in one day! Their trips are popular amongst solo travellers and small groups alike, and are mostly catered to adults.
The trips are fully guided and have a “road trip with friends” vibe, as transportation is in a minivan and has a limit of 6 participants per trip. Many people find it very easy to connect with each other during the day trips and end up becoming friends along the way, which is part of their mission of building connections with each other and the natural world.
The trips are designed for active and adventurous folks and involve activities like hiking, canoeing and snowshoeing with the different destinations offering activities that vary in intensity which is helpful for people with varying fitness levels. Their trips to Algonquin Park and The Bruce Peninsula are particularly popular, as is their waterfall trip to the Niagara region (which includes Niagara Falls). The pick up location is convenient at Christie Subway station, or Yorkdale Mall upon request.
The lead guide and owner of the business, Javier, has extensive knowledge and experience in the outdoors and does a great job at orienting his participants and educating them about all aspects of hiking, nature appreciation and even camping tips for those who are curious! Javier is a certified canoe instructor and is trained in wilderness first aide and participants report they feel safe and supported during the trips.
This is a small business with a personal touch. Javier is very communicative and available to answer any questions that may arise, however their website includes a lot of information about the trips and FAQs. Toronto EcoAdventures is extremely active on social media (instagram, facebook, youtube and tiktok) and they have a seasonal newsletter.
Their cancellation policy is strict and this is largely due to the scale of its operation and vehicle capacity. Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to another person by the purchaser (within a reasonable time frame), and/or the operator will do their best to sell the spot in question and rebook the participant to another day.
Toronto Eco Adventures has nearly perfect reviews across Google, Facebook, Viator and TripAdvisor, which is very impressive! Clients often comment about the excellent photography skills of the guide, welcoming customer service, easy communication and having an authentic outdoor experience that leaves them inspired to visit new places!
Pros
- 10 luxury licensed yachts
- Trips are as detailed as what the websites say
- Tour guide has great photography and videography skills
Cons
- Inclusions are not mentioned on their website
Customer Reviews
“Amazing Guide Javier! Beautiful Destinations! Great small group adventures that you can enjoy with a friend/family/partner or SOLO while making new friends! Completed my second ecoadventure with Javier, enjoying the beginning of fall. First trip to Bruce Peninsula in the summer was breathtaking. Great for beginners, we stopped at Inglis Falls on the way, then hiked and enjoyed a quick swim (toe dip) in the Grotto’s cool clear waters. Second trip, Fall Algonquin Park was even better! Enjoyed a gorgeous day canoeing at Canoe Lake then off to an uphill hike to a very rewarding view of the parks changing colours! Looking forward to the next trip!”
“Knowledgeable and super fun tour of the Bruce Peninsula! Javier was really accommodating and informative, the time felt well planned out but also allowed a go with the flow vibe if that’s your thing. Would definitely book again and actually looking for more trips with Toronto EcoAdvetures this summer. Honestly just go for it, you won’t be disappointed! Oh also he takes the best photos 😊”
FAQs on Tours in Toronto
These sightseeing tour agencies definitely got us excited to explore Toronto. How about you – did any agency catch your attention?
Now that you’ve learned about the finest sightseeing tour agencies, you may want to familiarise yourself with the most iconic destinations in the city.
Read our article on the top 10 things you can’t miss when in Toronto!