Best Sightseeing Tours in Vancouver, British Columbia

A hop-on, hop-off tour allows you to board at any stop on the route and exit at any other stop, or you can stay aboard for the full tour. It's a great way to see a lot of Vancouver in one day and visit many attractions without the need for a car. The tours are booked by reservation only. The tour has stops at Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown, and Chinatown.

Westcoast Sightseeing offers a journey through the city in an old-fashion streetcar while drivers provide local history and insights. Their tour of Stanley Park is extensive and an excellent way to see the park's main attractions.

Westcoast Sightseeing also has a bus with an open top, with a section covered by a transparent roof. Included is a recording of the tour in seven languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin). The route consists of five stops in Stanley Park, including photo opportunities at the Brockton Point totem poles and Prospect Point.

From April through October (and especially in the summer), Vancouver boat tours and sightseeing cruises let you experience the city from the water. They combine guided tours with incredible nature and city views. You can choose a simple tour or make a night of it with a dinner cruise.

In December, there are the holiday-themed Carol Ships Parade of Light cruises.

The nonprofit Vancouver Heritage Foundation, which became a charitable organization in 1992, offers both free and ticketed tours. They usually cover Vancouver's historic neighborhoods and architecture. These walking and house tour experiences are perfect for people who love history and storytelling.

Vancouver is a very bike-friendly city with a pleasant climate all year. You can create your own cycling tour or take a guided journey by bike of downtown Vancouver or Stanley Park.

There are several tour options available from Cycle City Vancouver, or Vancouver Bike Tours. For guided bike tours, bike rentals are included in the price of the tour.

If you want to see Vancouver through a different lens, these tours offer a unique look at the city's seamier side:

• Forbidden Vancouver offers walking tours that focus on the unpleasant side of the city. View the infamous ​Penthouse strip club with owner Danny Filippone, or check out Gastown's gothic (and bloody) history.
• Sins of the City Tour from the Vancouver Police Museum takes you on a walking tour of Vancouver's bawdy past.
• Ghostly Vancouver Tours offers haunted history tours of both Gastown and New Westminster neighborhoods by foot.