Taking the best Vancouver city tours is the best way to learn, understand, and live the city.
Getting immersive, entertaining city information on Vancouver excursions also saves time – and increases the value of each second spent in the city.
Let’s break down the top sightseeing tours in Vancouver to see if we can find the right one for you.
⚠️ Warning ⚠️ – Especially during high season, tickets to the best Vancouver tours sell out quickly. Guarantee your tickets by booking in the Vancouver sightseeing shop at Viator.
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Best Vancouver Sightseeing Tours & Excursions in 2024
The Lost Souls of Gastown Tour – Best Vancouver City Tour for History
Location: Gastown | Length: 1.5 hours | Cost: From $37.80 CAD
Gastown is the most historic neighbourhood in Vancouver, hands down.
Its cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways hint at a feisty frontier town, not a cosmopolitan city of millions. The first building there was actually a pub built by loggers who were paid in whiskey.
Loggers, whiskey, you see where I’m going with this – this is the top of our best walking tours of Vancouver.
Throw in the Great Vancouver Fire, some smallpox outbreaks, and tales of revenge and redemption, and we’ve got the makings of a delightfully macabre Vancouver walking tour.
I like this one for groups seeking city tours as it’s arguably the most social Vancouver tour, and it offers lots of hidden gems.
The Stanley Park Bike Tour – Top Stanley Park Tour
Location: Stanley Park | Length: 3 hours | Cost: From $103.50 CAD
Stanley Park is one of the most fabulous urban parks in the world, and it stands out because it’s not the byproduct of any fancy landscaping. It’s exactly as nature left it – with about half a million trees.
The park has the Vancouver Aquarium, is home to breathtaking First Nations totem poles, and counts some amazing panoramic city views along the Stanley Park Seawall.
This is one of the best bike tours of Vancouver, and you’ll weave through old-growth forest trails, learn all about local flora and fauna, and learn the Coastal First Nations history of life before the settlers came.
Wanting to leave the bike aside? Check out our top Stanley Park tours for other methods.
Vancouver City Sightseeing Tour with Stanley Park & Granville Island – Top City Tour for Tourists
Meeting Point: Georgian Court Hotel | Length: 3.5 hours | Cost: From $78.75 CAD
Here’s a tourist tour for people wanting to check off major sights with the least amount of hassle possible.
The epic food market and artisan stronghold at Granville Island is tough to get to, so sitting back and letting them take you to the action is the highlight of this trip.
The fact it also includes all the highlights of Stanley Park makes this a great one-two punch.
Along the way, you’ll get all the info from First Nations to contemporary culture through a knowledgeable guide – and they even take you to Gastown and Chinatown as well.
Talking Trees Tour – Best Vancouver Walking Tour
Location: Stanley Park | Length: 1.5 hours | Cost: From $75.00 CAD
This captivating interpretive walking tour in Stanley Park is an ideal way to learn about the history and culture of the First Nations peoples.
This is the real Vancouver local tour.
Accompanied by a knowledgeable cultural ambassador, the tour offers a unique firsthand perspective on how Aboriginal people have preserved and nurtured these lands, forests, and oceans for generations.
As you explore the natural beauty of Stanley Park, you’ll gain valuable insights into the rich heritage of the local First Nations, with the goal of deepening your understanding of their customs.
Vancouver Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour – Best City Tour for Cruisers
Location: Downtown | Length: 2.5 hours | Cost: From $65.00 CAD
I always recommend Vancouver hop-on hop-off bus tours for anybody on day one of a Vancouver itinerary or for cruisers arriving at the Vancouver cruise terminal.
Since it includes all the major photo landmarks, it’ll look like you were here for weeks! 🙂
Once you’re picked up, you’ll be taken to prime downtown locations like Canada Place, Stanley Park, and Robson Street. It’ll also follow some of Vancouver’s best beaches along English Bay before dropping you off at Queen Elizabeth Park.
The tour in Vancouver finishes up in Chinatown and Gastown (with a stop at the Gastown Steam Clock).
Prince of Whales – Best Vancouver Day Tour on the Water
Location: Granville Island | Length: 5 hours | Cost: From $235.99 CAD
This is one of the top Vancouver nature tours, whether you’re grabbing their half-day tours or their full-on day trips from Vancouver that’ll take you all the way to Victoria.
What I love about their half-day whale-watching tour is that it departs right from Granville Island aboard the Salish Sea Freedom – the biggest, fastest ship in the fleet that’ll have you on whale grounds in a hurry.
The chance to see orcas and humpback whales in the wild on the top Vancouver whale watching tours is true bucket list stuff.
There’s a 90%+ sighting rate, and if they don’t deliver, you’re allowed to come back another day.
Small Group Grouse Mountain & Capilano Bridge Tour – Best Nature Tour in Vancouver
Location: Hotel Pickup | Length: 5 hours | Cost: From $289.99 CAD
Vancouver’s crown nature jewels are on full display with this small group (14 or fewer) family-friendly tour.
With convenient hotel pickup, you’ll be shuttled through Stanley Park and over the Lion’s Gate Bridge to North Vancouver: home of the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.
You’ll get entry to both world-class attractions and around two hours to spend at each. Old-growth forest, epic views, grizzly bears, lumberjack shows, dining, patios, totem poles – it’s all here.
Evening Guided Bus Tour of Vancouver – Best Vancouver Night Tour
Location: Downtown | Length: 90 minutes | Cost: From $34.00 CAD
If you’re visiting Vancouver in summer and have limited time but want to squeeze in all the golden hour glory into one quick trip, this is the Vancouver tour for you.
The idea of this seasonal tour is to visit spots like Stanley Park (including Prospect Point), English Bay, and Queen Elizabeth Park under the amazing twilight rays, with much smaller crowds.
The tour winds up in Gastown, which is an ideal nightcap if you’re looking to explore the best bars in Vancouver.
These tours of Vancouver BC run at 19:30 daily between May 20th and October 10th.
Epic Electric Bike Tour – Best City Tour of Vancouver on Bikes
Location: Hornby Street | Length: 4 hours | Cost: From $149.50 CAD
Here’s a top Vancouver tour for people who wanna cover a ton of ground that can’t be done on bus routes – or even traditional bikes, for that matter.
This small group Vancouver city tour (max 8 people) utilizes the city’s bike trails, taking you through Stanley Park and the Vancouver Seawall, + some of downtown’s top neighbourhoods.
This Vancouver city sightseeing tour is led by an entertaining and professional guide to get you up to speed on city lore.
The Grand Bike Tour – Best Sightseeing Tour of Vancouver for Exercise
Location: Vancouver | Length: 5 hours | Cost: From $129.00 CAD
I love this one for Vancouver visitors who just want to get after it, consuming real Vancouver culture (and calories!) over an un-rushed ride through the city’s best areas.
This is one of these all-inclusive Vancouver tours that’ll get any true traveller excited. Along the way, you’ll discover four major Vancouver can’t-miss sights, all from the seat of your bike:
- Granville Island Public Market
- Stanley Park
- Chinatown
- Gastown
All will be explained by an entertaining, fact-packed tour guide who’ll weave you through old-growth forests, beachside promenades, and cultural hot spots.
Vancouver Instagram Tour – Top Photography of All Best Vancouver Day Tours
Location: Downtown | Length: 1.5 hours | Cost: From $80.00 CAD
OK, so the name might be a bit deceiving for non-millennials and younger – but this is a legitimate sightseeing tour of Vancouver – with a photography focus.
The best part? It’ll load you up with iconic postcard-like photos with just your mobile phone.
This small group tour is run by a professional photographer. They’ll take you on seasonal and weather-specific tours to city landmarks like the Art Deco Marine Building, the Olympic Cauldron, the Vancouver Art Gallery balcony, Gastown, Chinatown, and more.
All the while, they’ll be giving great photography tips and telling compelling stories about the city.
Vancouver Seaplane Tour – Top Vancouver Sightseeing Tour for Couples
Location: Downtown | Length: 20 minutes | Cost: From $167.97 CAD
This small group tour of Vancouver is for those who want to not only get the best city view but for those looking for a true bucket list experience.
I mean, how many people have ever taken off in a seaplane? Departing right from Vancouver Harbour, you’ll be up in the air in 60 seconds with epic views of Grouse Mountain, the skyline, and the BC coast.
The splash landing (don’t get the wrong idea, there’s no danger) is a huge thrill. This is great for couples seeking city tours in Vancouver with a little adventure.
Vancouver Private Tour – Best Private Vancouver City Tour
Location: Vancouver | Length: 3 hours | Cost: From $312.50 CAD
For those looking for private sightseeing tours in Vancouver, look no further than the private Vancouver Sightseeing Tour – which is the top price-value ratio private Vancouver tour in the city.
Here you’ll get picked up directly at your hotel and taken on a five-star tour of Vancouver’s top attractions with your own professional guide – you’ll learn the history, laugh at jokes, and discover some great secrets to take advantage of during your stay.
The best part? With these private Vancouver Canada city tours, once you’ve booked, they’ll put you in touch with your guide to make a customized Vancouver tour depending on your interests.
FlyOver Canada 4D Video Experience – Cheapest Tour in Vancouver
Location: Downtown | Length: 8 minutes | Cost: From $30.45 CAD
Tell somebody it’s possible to fly across Canada in 8 minutes and wait for the look on their face – then tell them you did that at FlyOver Canada in downtown Vancouver.
This state-of-the-art flight simulation uses 4D technology to make you feel like you’re really taking a flight across Canada – whether you’re being sprayed with the mist of Niagara Falls or breathing in the scents of an Alberta flowerbed, this is a true 5 sense experience.
This is one of the cheapest Vancouver BC city tours, and in my opinion, since it’s indoors, it is one of the best things to do in Vancouver in winter.
Victoria Highlights Tour – Top Vancouver Tour to Escape the City
Location: Vancouver & Victoria | Length: 13 hours | Cost: From $229.00 CAD
OK, so this isn’t a Vancouver day tour, but if you’re looking for Vancouver to Victoria tours, this is the fastest way to do it – and you’ll see a National Historic Site of Canada with over a million bedding plants while you’re at it.
Butchart Gardens is an oasis of fountains, stunning sculptures, and tranquil streams kept prime by over 50 full-time gardeners. You’ll also fit in the Empress Hotel, Canada’s oldest Chinatown, Victoria’s Inner Harbour and more.
This is one of the most romantic city tours on the list – and one of the most romantic things to do in Vancouver, period.
Looking for Vancouver Sightseeing Tours?
That’s Vancouver’s top city tours wrapped. That said, maybe you’re looking for something a little different.
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