Harbour Hopper Tours

Amphibious tour bus… Nuff said
To be honest I’m not a fan of tour buses. I prefer to use Unilocal as my tour guide. That being said I decided to try this out because I don’t get the opportunity to ride amphibious vehicles very often.
Dress accordingly and prepare to get wet. Engine is loud at the back. So move to the front if you want to listen to the tour guide. Kudos to her. It was an entertaining and informative tour. I got to learn about Halifax history, breweries, and lunch spots. Needless to say I was on a strict diet of fish & chips and Alexander Keith for a while.
Ribbit ribbit, mutha frogger!

When we first moved to Halifax my fiancé and I decided to take a tour on the habour hopper to learn some history about the city am I ever glad we did our tour guide (molly) was awsome and answered any questions we had this tour in on an amphibious veichle from world war 2 half hour in water half hour on land I would highly recommend it to anybody

Totally enjoyed this tour! Although I was a bit hesitant paying the price it was well worth it .the tour guide was so entertaining … Hilarious and knowledgeable… can’t remember her name but she was great! We had a beautiful day for it… must not be too fun during rain… try it you will like it!

We just got back from a day on the Halifax waterfront, ending it off with the Harbour Hopper Tour! We took for the kids, and it was a blast for all of us. Both my husband and I are from Halifax, but learned a lot about our little gem of a city. Our tour guide was funny and interactive. Happy we went, would recommend that you book a couple hours before your decided time, because it sells out quickly. :)

We had a great time. The tour was nice and staff was pleasant. Seats were uncomfortable after 50 minutes but would do it again in a second. Good for all young and old.

Went on the Harbour Hopper today with my family of five and my parents. It was awesome! Mark, our driver/​captain and Kayley, our guide/​first mate were wonderfully informative and entertaining for young and old alike! The only strike against was that it was quite expensive — we could not have afforded the price tag ourselves. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

I had been looking forward to a Habour Hopper tour for sometime since getting here. I am a bit of a sucker for the tourist attractions. Love having the tidbits of information about the city.
I haven’t yet been able to find someone to partake with me.
But I was down on the waterfront for Canada Day. and noticed they were doing on the water viewing of the fireworks. Excited, I took part.
My friend and ended up paying 36 $ for the hour long ride… first strike.
Then as we are heading out, on the third boat apparently. we find out that the awning doesn’t come down on this boat… well the three seats in the back are looking pretty good at this point. between 6 pairs of people.
Long story short… I didn’t throw the kid over the railing to get a good view of the fireworks.
In the future, for a firework trip. might be good if you told your patrons they wouldn’t get to see the fireworks.

I had my first trip on the Harbour Hopper this summer and had a hoppin’ good time! Our trip around the city was fun as we passed local landmarks. We had an excellent tour guide who happened to be a theatre student and her passion really shined through. My favourite part was getting into the water where we managed to get a little wet on the extremely hot day. I felt the time spent in the water and on land was enough and I had gotten my money’s worth. Yes, it’s a little pricey at the just under 30 dollar price tag, but if you’re visiting in the city, or having a staycation, it’s a lot of fun.
One thing I didn’t like was the line up situation. There were two poles marked «line up here» so you didn’t really know which one was the beginning of the line and people were just sort of milling around between the signs. When it came time to get on the boat our tour guide asked us to use the «honour system» allowing those who were there first to get on first for first dibs at seating choices. However, I was quite saddened at the lack of courtesy from my fellow Haligonians who basically stormed the boat for a free for all to get on. It should have been properly marked where the beginning of the line was, just sayin…
That being said, the tour itself was good for a fun time and a few laughs!

Incredibly informative… had no idea about half the history of Halifax and the tour guide was amazingly social and friendly.
It’s a bit pricey ($ 28/​adult) but I figured it’s one of those things that I should do since I’ve been living in Hali for so long and never really done most of the touristy things.
Also, you’re on land for quite a bit — my initial expectations was around a ⁷⁰⁄₃₀ split for water/​land — it ended up being the other way around. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Citadel Hill, Spring Garden, Barrington — Halifax is filled with historical stories about everything from oldest Victorian houses to detailed facts about the Halifax explosion.
Either way, all in all, it was a great tour and a great way to spend a sunny afternoon.

The Harbour Hopper is a sign Summer is here in Halifax.
We’ve done the tour… twice I think? Both times Ive found the trip both entertaining and informative. The guides make it even that much more fun.
If you are looking to do this in peak tourist season, be prepared to wait. This can be very busy. Luckily they run the tours on the hour in the summer I think.
Great adventure for both the Haligonian and out of town guests of all ages!

Ribbit Ribbit… is what they make you yell at pedestrians while you drive by.
I was once a tour operator myself, not with Harbour Hopper. they were actually my competition. (I was on the double decker buses run by Ambassatours) But, with that being said, the ol’ HH does a pretty bang up job.
The amphibious vehicle takes you on a tour of Halifax showing you the great spots we have to offer. It travels on land, and sea. The tour guides are full of energy, even when the crowd is not. They tell many great stories about the history of our beautiful city.
Although full of energy, I am unsure of how accurate the stores are, as I’ve said I’ve done this before and some of their events differ from mine but are similar.
The HH tours are fun and are quite entertaining, ideal for a family visiting the city.

I can’t even lie… I’ve got some love for the Harbour Hopper.
Yes, yes, yes. I know it’s a tourist trap, some people think it’s tacky, and they make you ribbit at strangers while driving around the city. BUT, every time I’ve been on board (three times now), I’m just filled with weepy-​eyed Halifax pride over the incredible firsts, bests, biggests, and onlys that our beloved city boasts both nationally, North Americanly, and internationally. I wish I could write them all down on a cheat sheet that I could bust out whenever I have to impress visitors.
But I’m getting ahead of myself… what’s a Harbour Hopper? A re-​purposed and restored military amphibious vehicle that can drive on land, or cruise in the water. For just under $ 30 a head (less for students, seniors and kiddies), you get to enjoy a thirty minute driving tour of the city’s downtown, and a thirty minute harbour tour that gives a whole new perspective on the Halifax waterfront.
…and you get to ribbit at strangers.
Typically my tour guides have been personable, charming and funny rather than obnoxious or kitschy aside from having to play to the tourists every now and then. But c’mon, by the time you’re on board an restored and re-​purposed amphibious land/​water tour vehicle, you kinda know what you’ve signed up for. That said, even though it skews toward our visitors, I guarantee you’ll hear at least one thing that you didn’t know about our city and you’ll crack at least one smile.
So get off your high horse and go have some staycation fun for crying out loud.
RIBBIT RIBBIT!

True story: I was working on the waterfront one summer, day in and day out. I worked right next to Lower Water Street and every few minutes (or it felt like every few minutes) the Hopper would pass by. Every host/​guide would be telling the same story. and be in the same spot in that story.
It got to the point where I could recite the story along with them.
Like many other Haligonians, I often found the Harbour Hopper confounding. It’s a boat. On the road. With wheels. And it’s from the 1940s. And you actually go into the harbour? The Halifax harbour?!? Do you know what’s in the Halifax harbour!?!
Nevertheless, I’ve been on the Hopper. Twice. And paid four times.
See, if you’re like me and you want to make your friends’ birthdays adventurous, you find something that they may be interested in but wouldn’t do on their own. So I’ve taken two friends for birthday trips on the Hopper.
And, yes, it’s cheesy. And silly. And fun! (If you let yourself go a bit.)
Historically accurate? Not so much. I would take most of what they say with a (large) (no, make that very large) grain of salt. But it’s entertaining and enjoyable.

The shouts of «Ribbit, ribbit!» echoing from the familiar blue and green amphibious vehicles cruising around downtown Halifax are a sure sign of warm weather. If you’re in town with your family wanting to do one touristy thing, a trip on this icon is a must. Kids especially love the land-​and-​water two trips in one experience.
The Harbour Hopper is one of Halifax’s most beloved tourist attractions. The 55 minute tour conducted in a military vehicle originally built for the U.S. during the Vietnam War era, rolls by the main sights, Citadel Hill, Argyle Street, the Public Gardens, and Spring Garden Road, and finishes with a dip in the Halifax Harbour.
Our guide informed us he was a university student and he liked history. He gave a very animated presentation of Halifax history. Even Haligonians could learn a thing or two (the accuracy might be questionable) from this easily digestible information.
My only complaint was that the narration was the full 55 minutes with no time to just sit back and look at the sights in silence.
And if you are planning on doing this in peak season make sure you prebook your tickets. We went down only to find we would have to wait three hours for the next available tour.

An incredibly educational introduction to Halifax, at a reasonable price. The Harbour Hopper is a transformed military vehicle which functions as both as an open-​deck tour bus and a boat. Yeah, driving directly into the harbour can be a little unnerving at first.
The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable about historical Halifax, and they’ll make you shout RIBBIT-​RIBBIT at pedestrians and on-​lookers. Make sure you scream it with a vengeance.

Crating around tourists like it ain’t no thang, the Harbour Hopper Tours are a full-​out trip through Halifax’s downtown vicinity. When the summer months hit, it isn’t unusual to see these jumbo sized green machines cruising around on the regular.
The trip starts down by the boardwalk, this mobile force trudges through both water and land perspectives. Expect lots of commentary from the bubbly tour guides, and lots of city statistics as well. When I worked on Argyle Street years ago, summer months meant the same one statistic passing by on the hourly: «Halifax has the most bars per capita». Did ya know? I sure know.
I’d say the Harbour Hopper would be a fun trip for families and visitors looking for a full tourist experience. The Hopper covers a lot of ground, including a trip up Citadel Hill with all the bells and whistles. Always pleasant and full of energy, guides will do their best to provide a fun time, and if your looking for a well-​sought trip around town, hop aboard for a summer spin.

If you are new in town check out the water front and get on the Harbour Hopper as this is the way for us to show you around town. Not only will you get a ear full of great information and facts about Halifax from the great tour guides. You will also experience that great Maritime humour.
Make sure it is a nice and sunny day so that you are not beating the rain out of your eyes when touring this lovely city of ours. Not only will you go on dry land it will take you in the water as well which all enjoy.
Everyone love this added attraction and you can hear them coming down Spring Garden Road waiving. Go enjoy.

The Harbour Hopper is a great way to see some of Halifax. For a family of 4 it will run you about 100 bucks. But, it is a great time, and they run often, so let the weather be your guide.
The tour guides on these big green creatures, are hilarious. It makes a big difference when your guide is a character. They give you the facts, throw in a few tales, and of course the odd joke or two.
We really liked going into the water on this machine.

The Harbour Hopper is an honest-​to-​goodness riot. You’ll laugh and laugh at the tall tales the guides spin.
Sure, they’re not big on actual, you know, facts — but the embellishments they add make up for that in spades.
We hit up the Harbour Hopper one summer when we did a staycation instead of going away for a couple of weeks. We decided to hit up all the touristy attractions right at home, and the Harbour Hopper was a big part of that.
Mind you, the Harbour Hopper is pricy. At $ 26 + tax for adults, a family-​sized outing will run you about $ 100 — or more! However, if you’re not headed out of town, it’s a good compromise for the kids.
One caveat: the Harbour Hopper’s water performance is less than smooth sailing. If you have anyone that gets seasick, you may want to pass on the Hopper.

I think every city has its own individual slew of activities that are irritating for locals and entertaining for tourists. Think about it, if you were in London– you might be inclined to ride the red double decker buses, right? And in Halifax, that annoyance for locals would be: the amphibious, green (made to look like frogs), post war Vietnam era vehicles that plummet around the city with everyone on board periodically chiming in «ribbit, ribbit.»
So, if this seems like your bag, then book yourself on a Harbour Hopper Tour. These vehicles do have tour guides that take you on guided tours around the city. Most locals have heard this thing rumbling around enough times to find it a tad irritating! Some of the tour guide info needs some work too– i’ve periodically heard the tour guides say «and this is the site of mills brothers founded in _​_​_​» Only to see a different founding date on the outside of the building…