Sightseeing tours in British Columbia combine natural landscapes with diverse attractions and outdoor activities.
Take a guided sightseeing tour for a comprehensive experience with opportunities to relax, meet other travelers, and gain local insight. Choose from a wide range of tours and travel by floatplane, helicopter, bus, train, horse-drawn carriage or foot.
There are also endless opportunities for self-guided sightseeing tours – leisurely explore lively neighbourhoods with storied pasts, restaurants and shops; travel well-marked driving routes; or follow maps and brochures on community heritage walking tours.
Learn more about sightseeing tours in BC’s regions and cities:
Northern British Columbia: Flightseeing tours over remote fishing and Aboriginal communities, plus an iconic rail and boat journey.
Vancouver Coast & Mountains: Circle Farm Tours and aerial views of Fraser Valley farmland.
Vancouver Island: Bus tours to ancient forests and boat tours up a rugged coastline.
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast: Flightseeing tours over vast icefields and boat tours to look for the Kermode (Spirit) bear.
Thompson Okanagan: Scenic tours on a paddlewheeler or restored steam train.
Kootenay Rockies: Helicopter tours over some of Canada’s highest mountains, along with driving routes through small mountain towns.
Vancouver: City skylines and mountain vistas from floatplanes, hop-on/hop-off buses and ferries that visit attractions, and walking tours of historic neighbourhoods.
Victoria: Hop-on, hop-off buses and ferries that connect attractions, gardens and historic buildings.
Whistler: Tours of the Olympic venues and trips by all-terrain vehicle, plus sightseeing from the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.
VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer
Take a cross-province rail journey with VIA Rail or Rocky Mountaineer to discover scenery punctuated with communities, mountains, old settlements, waterfalls and wildlife. Choose “sightseeing class” for panoramic views from open-air or dome cars.
Flightseeing Tours
Enjoy unparalleled views on a flightseeing tour. Lift off from the water on a floatplane to fly over remote logging camps and Aboriginal communities in Northern BC, or ascend to some of Canada’s highest peaks on a Kootenay Rockies helicopter tour. In Vancouver and Victoria, take off from bustling inner harbours amid city skyline.
Prefer a quiet ride? Hop in a glider and enjoy peaceful silence and views of glaciers, patchwork farmland or coastal rainforest. Flightseeing companies offer set itineraries and custom tours, plus drop-offs for heli-hiking, fly-in fishing and more.
Boat Tours
Small hop-on, hop-off harbour ferries in Vancouver and Victoria connect to attractions, parks and neighbourhoods, and are great for both sightseeing and transportation. For more remote sightseeing tours by boat, take a multi-day cruise along stretches of coastline or opt for a day trip in warmer waters with wildlife viewing, wineries, tidal rapids, waterfalls and more.
Land Sightseeing Tours
Narrated bus tours do all the work so visitors can relax and enjoy the views. Find Vancouver and Victoria day charters that head to top attractions, in addition to hop-on, hop-off buses that allow for quick (and personalized) exploration and transportation.
Take a guided or self-guided walking tour to stroll through neighbourhoods filled with tempting shops and restaurants, or hear fascinating stories in smaller communities on historical walking routes (some accompanied by audio tapes and informative materials).
BC’s outdoor activities also make great adventure sightseeing: go off-road in an ATV, take a dune buggy into the backcountry or admire mountain views from a heated snowcat. Prefer a more serene tour? There are horse-drawn carriage and pedicab (bicycle-powered carriage) tours too.
Driving Routes & Trip Ideas
Follow well-marked British Columbia driving routes or learn about options for sightseeing trip ideas. As part of the journey, see regional highlights, popular attractions and heritage sites.
Driving routes include multi-day drives such as the historical Alaska Highway, soothing Hot Springs Circle Route, or gold-rush-inspired Coast Cariboo Circle Route, along with shorter loops and day trips to wineries, farms and more.
Practical Points
- The peak season for sightseeing is from April to September although some tours and most self-guided trips can be done year-round.
- Most guided sightseeing tours require reservations, but some can be booked on the spot.
- Sightseeing tours may require a minimum number of people. Check with the operator to ensure tours are running.
- Visit local Visitor Centres for information on tour operators, and help with trip planning and transportation.
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