Our top pick3,180 reviews
60 minToronto: Harbor and Islands Sightseeing Cruise
★ 4.7 · 3,180 reviews
- One hour, Harbour and islands cruise, live narration
- Water activity
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
$28$28.00 / hour
Check availability→ The honest answer
Is a Toronto sightseeing tour worth it? The numbers
For a first visit, mostly yes, and the prices make it a small bet. The top pick on this site is the harbour and islands cruise: $28 for one hour with live narration, rated 4.7 on 3,180 reviews. The cheapest way in is a three-hour guided walk through the city centre at $5, rated 4.7 on 606 reviews. A full day at Niagara Falls costs $49 on the lowest-priced listing, rated 4.6 on 3,732 reviews. Below: what each price buys, who it suits, and when a single ticket is the better spend.
Quick answer
The short answer. Yes for the top cruise and the cheapest walk: the risk is $5 to $28, and both are rated 4.7. The $5 walk is the lowest price on the site; the $28 cruise is the top pick because no city tour here has more reviews. A Niagara day is worth it if the Falls are on your list, and the $50 listing already includes the boat and Journey Behind the Falls entry.
The numbers behind the answer
- City tours compared
- 16 listingswalks, cruises, buses, bikes, drives
- Reviews between them
- 11,800weighted rating 4.58
- Top pick
- $281 hour, 3,180 reviews at 4.7
- Lowest price
- $53-hour walk, 606 reviews
- Hop-on hop-off bus
- $50one-day or two-day pass, 4.3
- Niagara day, lowest price
- $493,732 reviews at 4.6
- Most reviewed on the site
- 4,184 reviewsNiagara day at $50
- Private walk
- $623 to 6 hours
One hour on the water
Why the top pick is an easy yes at $28
The harbour and islands cruise is $28 for one hour through the Toronto Harbour and around the Toronto Islands, with skyline views and live narration about the landmarks. It has 3,180 reviews at 4.7, more than any other city tour on this site.
Two other cruises sit on either side of it. The guided harbour and islands cruise costs $20 for 45 minutes with live commentary from a guide on board, rated 4.6 on 482 reviews. The cruise with lunch, brunch or dinner costs $51 for two to two and a half hours, rated 4.5 on 1,564 reviews.
At these prices the real choice is how long to stay on the water, and if a meal on board is worth the extra $23.
Book direct
Six tours that answer the question
The top pick, the lowest price, the open-top bus, two Niagara days and the half-day drive with CN Tower.
Lowest price here606 reviews
3 hToronto: 3-Hour City Highlights Walking Tour
★ 4.7 · 606 reviews
- Three hours, Three-hour walk through the city centre
- Guided tour
- Cheapest here
- Free cancellation
$5$1.67 / hour
Check availability→ 
Bestseller3,031 reviews
1 - 2 dayToronto: Hop-On Hop-Off Open-Top Bus Tour
★ 4.3 · 3,031 reviews
- 1 - 2 days, Open-top bus, one-day or two-day pass
- Hop-on Hop-off
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
Bestseller3,732 reviews
9 h - 1 dayToronto: Niagara Falls Day Tour with Optional Boat Cruise
★ 4.6 · 3,732 reviews
- Nine hours to a full day, Full day at Niagara Falls from Toronto
- Departs from Toronto
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
Bestseller4,184 reviews
10 h - 1 dayToronto: Niagara Falls Day Tour + Boat & Behind Falls Entry
★ 4.8 · 4,184 reviews
- Ten hours to a full day, Boat and Journey Behind the Falls included
- Departs from Toronto
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
325 reviewsRated 4.7
5 hToronto: Premium Driving Tour with Tower and Harbour Cruise
★ 4.7 · 325 reviews
- Five hours, CN Tower, St. Lawrence Market, harbour cruise
- Hotel pickup included
- Small group
- Free cancellation
$133$26.60 / hour
Check availability→ Three hours on foot
The $5 walk: the lowest price on the site
The city highlights walk is three hours through the heart of Toronto, with the main highlights and stories about its history and culture, in a group you share with other visitors. At $5 it works out at about $1.67 an hour, rated 4.7 on 606 reviews. The listing does not say what else the price covers, so read it before you book.
Two other walks cost more and keep it smaller or shorter. The PATH walk costs $39 for three hours in a group of up to 12 guests, rated 4.9 on 313 reviews, the highest rating of the walks. The Distillery District walk costs $20 for one hour with an expert guide, rated 4.7 on 299 reviews.
Every trip, current fare
Twelve tours, price against hours
The walks, the cruises, the bus, two Niagara days, a bike tour, a walk and a drive with CN Tower. Lowest price first; a dash means the listing gives a range.
| Tour | Length | Price | What you get | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto: 3-Hour City Highlights Walking Tour | 3 h | $5 | Three-hour walk through the city centre | $1.67 | 4.7 · 606 |
| Toronto: Distillery District Historic Walking Tour | 60 min | $20 | Guided walk through the Distillery District | $20.00 | 4.7 · 299 |
| Toronto: Guided Harbour and Islands Sightseeing Cruise | 45 min | $20 | 45-minute cruise past the Toronto Islands | $26.67 | 4.6 · 482 |
| Toronto: Harbor and Islands Sightseeing Cruise | 60 min | $28 | Harbour and islands cruise, live narration | $28.00 | 4.7 · 3,180 |
| Toronto: City Walking Tour Through Toronto's PATH | 3 h | $39 | Small group of up to 12 | $13.00 | 4.9 · 313 |
| Toronto: Niagara Falls Day Tour with Optional Boat Cruise | 9 h - 1 day | $49 | Full day at Niagara Falls from Toronto | — | 4.6 · 3,732 |
| Toronto: Niagara Falls Day Tour + Boat & Behind Falls Entry | 10 h - 1 day | $50 | Boat and Journey Behind the Falls included | — | 4.8 · 4,184 |
| Toronto: Hop-On Hop-Off Open-Top Bus Tour | 1 - 2 day | $50 | Open-top bus, one-day or two-day pass | — | 4.3 · 3,031 |
| Toronto: Premium Harbor Cruise with Lunch, Brunch, or Dinner | 2 - 2.5 h | $51 | Harbour cruise with lunch, brunch or dinner | — | 4.5 · 1,564 |
| Toronto: Small Group Tour with CN Tower Entry | 90 min | $70 | Walk with a guide, then CN Tower | $46.67 | 4.6 · 185 |
| Toronto: Heart of Downtown 3.5-Hour Bike Tour | 3.5 h | $87 | Downtown landmarks at a leisurely pace | $24.86 | 4.9 · 481 |
| Toronto: Premium Driving Tour with Tower and Harbour Cruise | 5 h | $133 | CN Tower, St. Lawrence Market, harbour cruise | $26.60 | 4.7 · 325 |
A day at Niagara Falls
Is a full Niagara day worth $49?
The lowest-priced Niagara day costs $49 for nine hours to a full day, rated 4.6 on 3,732 reviews. Its description lists the viewpoints as included and the boat cruise, Journey Behind the Falls and Skylon Tower as upgrades you pay for on top.
For $1 more, the $50 day includes the boat entry and Journey Behind the Falls, with a licensed guide from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM and the Horseshoe, American and Bridal Veil Falls. It is rated 4.8 on 4,184 reviews, the most reviews of any listing on this site. If you want the boat anyway, that is the better buy of the two.
A Niagara day is worth it if the Falls are why you came. It is less worth it on a short stay with the city still unseen: it takes the whole day.
Who it suits
Worth it for you if…
Matched to what each listing describes.
- …it is your first day in the city
The $28 cruise for the skyline from the water, or the $5 walk for three hours through the centre with a guide.
- …you want to set your own pace for a day or two
The hop-on hop-off bus at $50, on a one-day or two-day pass, rated 4.3 on 3,031 reviews.
- …you want CN Tower inside the tour
The small-group walk at $70 visits St. Lawrence Market, the Hockey Hall of Fame and Union Station and goes up CN Tower; the five-hour drive at $133 adds hotel pickup and a harbour boat ride.
- …you would rather ride than walk
The downtown bike tour at $87, three and a half hours at a leisurely pace, rated 4.9 on 481 reviews.
- …the Falls are on your list
The $50 Niagara day with the boat and Journey Behind the Falls included.
- …you want a guide to yourselves
The private walk at $62 for three to six hours with a local guide.
Want a guide for your group alone? The four private listings, from a walk in the city to a private Niagara day, are compared on one page.
Private options→When it is not worth it
When a single ticket beats a sightseeing tour
If one place is the whole plan, a tour is not the best buy. The Royal Ontario Museum admission costs $18, rated 4.6 on 1,559 reviews, and the Casa Loma entry ticket costs $32, rated 4.6 on 3,504 reviews. Neither needs a guide to make sense of it.
CN Tower is the exception: this site has no ticket for the tower alone, only tours that include the entry. The cheapest of them is the small-group walk at $70.
The hop-on hop-off bus is the one to think twice about. It has 3,031 reviews but the lowest rating of the three most-reviewed city tours, 4.3 against 4.7 for the cruise and 4.5 for the meal cruise. It suits people who want to set their own pace, less so those who want a guide.
Prefer to see the city on foot? The guided walks are compared one by one, from three hours in the centre to the Distillery District.
Guided walks→Common questions
Is it worth it? Your questions
Is a harbour cruise worth it in Toronto?
At $28 for one hour, rated 4.7 on 3,180 reviews, the harbour and islands cruise is the lowest-risk booking among the city tours. The 45-minute guided cruise costs $20.
Why is the cheapest tour not the top pick?
The top pick is the city tour with the most reviews: the cruise, with 3,180. The $5 walk is the lowest price on the site and is rated 4.7 on 606 reviews.
Is a Niagara day worth it from Toronto?
If the Falls are on your list, yes. The lowest-priced day costs $49; for $1 more, the $50 day includes the boat and Journey Behind the Falls, rated 4.8 on 4,184 reviews.
How much does it cost to go up CN Tower on a tour?
This site has no ticket for the tower alone. Tours with the entry included start at $70 for a 90-minute small-group walk; the night drive with the tower costs $98.
Is the hop-on hop-off bus worth it?
If you want to move at your own pace for a day or two, yes: $50 for a one-day or two-day pass. It is rated 4.3 on 3,031 reviews, lower than the cruise.
How long should a sightseeing tour in Toronto be?
The harbour cruises run 45 minutes to two and a half hours, most guided walks one to three hours, the bike tours three and a half hours, and most Niagara days eight hours or more.
What if my plans change after booking?
Each tour named on this page shows Free cancellation on its listing. Check the terms for your date before you pay.
Go deeper
More guides to Toronto
CN Tower
CN Tower tickets
The tours that include CN Tower entry, from a walk to a night drive.
Casa LomaCasa Loma tickets
The entry ticket: what it covers and how it pairs with a city tour.
ROMRoyal Ontario Museum tickets
The museum ticket and what else sits nearby.
Day tripsDay trips from Toronto
Niagara Falls, Algonquin Park and the Bruce Peninsula, group or private.
Niagara FallsNiagara Falls tour from Toronto
Group day tours, Niagara-on-the-Lake and private days.
AlgonquinAlgonquin Park tour from Toronto
Canoeing and hiking days in Algonquin Provincial Park.
