Hop on / Hop off bus tours

I agree with Frank.I like them when first arriving in a city to get a feel for what is there.

We love 'em. Especially for the first time in a new city. We generally ride one full loop to get a feel for layout and what there is to see and then decide which stop deserves more time. Can be a very efficient way to see the city in a short period of time. IF the ticket is a 24 hr ticket (most are) we try to buy around noon one day and use it the next morning. Gives a break and at noon we get off at the stop which will require the most time to see. And sometimes in the evening just use themm for local transportation.

Frank is right. It gives you a really efficient way of learning about a city and get your bearings. I haven't done one in Europe but did in NYC and London and they were invaluable.

I have used the tours more than once. The last two times I have been very disappointed (both in Europe and the states). Most recently was in Bath. The bus made frequent stops, seemed to go in a circle and each stop was easily within in walking distance of any other. With the said the skyline tour they offered was nice. In bigger cities they are better and even worth the expense to get your bearings and easily get around; but in small locales that are not spread too far out I believe they are not worth it.

Suzanne,

YES, I frequently use the Red Bus (or other "Hop on/Hop off") Bus tours in various cities. I like these for a number of reasons:

• As Frank or one of the others mentioned, it's a good way to get a general idea of the layout of a city and where various historic sites are located. I can make a note of places along the way that I might want to explore further. Also, if it's early enough in the day I can "hop off", spend a few hours visiting a site and then join the next Bus.

• It's a great way to get photos from a somewhat "elevated" position, without people blocking the view.

• It's a wonderful rest for my legs and back after a long day of walking!

Rick's books have information on the various Bus tours. You didn't say which city you were considering?

I really got a good tour on my last visit to Florence. There was some kind of a "mechanical problem" with some of the fleet, so they were using the same Bus for both the "A" and "B" tours (as I recall, one goes across the river and the other goes up into Fiesole). I originally thought I would be taking only one tour but just stayed on the Bus, and when that ended I continued on the second tour. Nobody seemed to mind?

Happy travels!

Suzanne,

I will chime in as well. We love the hop on/hop off tours. Usually you can buy a ticket for 24 hours or 48 hours. We too like to do a complete loop when doing one in a new city. You get a bit of history and overview of the city. You can walk between some stops, but they are great to get to the more distant sights while giving your poor, tired feet a rest.

Debby

Hi Suzanna-Another vote for the bus tours-I've taken them in Sydney, Sorrento and Vienna. One nice thing about them is they have a headset built right in so you can learn a little about what you are seeing on the way-in addition you are able to make a note if you'd like to explore someplace further. Also, if you only have a limited time to see a city, it's a great way to do it (For example, we were only in Vienna two nights-it was a great way to see the Ringstrasse). I agree with the person who said it's nice to give your feet a break too! Have a great time and watch out for the trees! I got hit in the head in Sorrento (ha ha)

We've used them as well. Depending upon the tour company, save your receipt - some companies will offer a discount to people who have taken advantage of their tours in other cities. Last Auguste, we took the Bath tour, and then showed the receipt when getting on the Dublin tour.

Did hop on and off in Rome last Sept and it was a great introduction to the city. I did notice that there were 2 different bus lines in Rome. The one I took was recommended and sold at our hotel, but I noticed the other one ran more frequently. I watched 3 of the other buses pass me as I waited for the one I had tickets for by the Pantheon. I did a hop on and off in London and Chicago. It is a great way to see alot and then choose what I wanted to spend more time at. I got some great pics from the top of the buses.