Get Hoppin'
These tour options help you see more, while saving your feet and sanity.
Summer travel season has arrived! Streets and beaches are filling up with tourists navigating maps, apps, and mishaps. If your dream itinerary is longer than your patience, hop-on, hop-off tours might just save your feet and your sanity. Not just double-decker buses, we’re talking riverboats, historic trolleys, whisper-quiet trams, mini trains, and bubble cars that rumble like your grandma’s washing machine.
Over the years, I have enjoyed fabulous hop-on, hop-off tours through GetYourGuide. Always professional, large selections, and on time. Book your tour through the link. Thank you for your support.
It’s a Tour, But Make It a Vibe
I love hop-on, hop-off anything. You see more, walk less, and if something grabs your attention, you just — wait for it — hop off. Revolutionary. It’s flexible, budget-friendly, and often comes with a side of surprisingly decent trivia.
In Rotterdam, I time-traveled on a vintage trolley where the driver had to get out and manually shift the track. Every passenger was awestruck and cheered when he stepped back on board.
In Faro, Portugal, I baked inside a bubble tram with zero airflow while bumping over medieval cobbles. And in Luxembourg? Hopped on a sleek (free) electric tram into the unknown. Despite heavy rain, I had to hop off when I spotted an artistic (and expansive) cemetery wrapped by ornate wrought iron fencing. No surprise, my curious walk through the damp cemetery was the highlight of my trip.
Fast Track to the “Must-Sees”
On a quick Lisbon trip with a galpal, we had one afternoon and zero desire to navigate. A double-decker bus tour gave us semi-aerial views of things we would have never seen on foot. Many tickets are day passes, so if you miss something on the first round, stay on the tour and go again. All in the comfort of someone else navigating. How about taking a themed tour: Specific neighborhoods, historic districts, or evening holiday light tours.
Boats, Bmps, and Bonus Tours
Water nearby? Do not skip the boat option. I’ve floated past castles, bridges, and secret riverside lunch dives oozing local nostalgia. Chicago is a fabulous city for river tours. Hop off, eat well, hop back on. Some tickets are even bundled with complimentary walking tours or museum entry. In Brussels, I checked off my tourist list, and then some. One ticket. Done.
Save Your Feet, Save Your Brain
Spring 2025 found me in Seville, exploring gardens, museums, and a historic palace. And yes, trusting the hop-on-hop-off map. On this trip, I was reminded that those little cartoon tourist maps you’re given showing the stop locations may not be absolutely accurate. Stay alert and be ready to make a dash for your bus. Even with this mishap, I covered a lot of ground in one day and still had time for Sangria and Tapas.
Hacks, Warnings & Street-Smarts
By in advance or curbside: Look for kiosks or staff in uniform. Many companies offer one or two-day passes. A bargain. If purchasing online, double-check any cancellation policies.
Bundle bonuses: Ask if the tour includes walking tours or museum access. Look at different routes to ensure your tour parallels your desired sites.
Tip the guides: Free walking tours are still work. Tip and offer gratitude.
Top deck, back seat: Best views and longest look at sights.
Shade is survival: Sit on the shady side if you’re out for hours.
Bring extras: Small cash, phone charger, water, and yes, sunscreen.
Ride twice: Day and night. City lights = new magic.
Narration reality: Multi-language commentary usually sounds like a drive-thru speaker underwater. Don’t count on it. Still, bring earbuds.
Footwear matters: Boats are slippery. Bubble trams bounce. Bus stairways are narrower than Jennifer Aniston's hips. Wear shoes that work for multiple surfaces.
Sit near the driver: On restored trolleys, you’ll see the gizmos, brass levers, squeaky gears, and Willy Wonka magic.
Mind your hat: Seriously. I’ve seen more airborne sunhats than pigeons.
Outside seat wins: Better views, less foot traffic.
Bonus Tip: Be a Tourist at Home
Have guests this summer? Hop on a local tour, glide through your city like a VIP, and stop for cocktails like you’ve never lived there. Your guests will enjoy the visit, and you might even see something new.
In a few days, I fly out for two months of travel; first, pet sitting for a month in San Francisco. You know who is going to jump on a bay cruise or a double-decker bus to revisit my favorite city sites from days gone by.
Where will you take a hop-on, hop-off tour?