This was such a fun outing. Pat (from Ireland) was our guide and he was such a hoot and full of fun facts and info about everything Sarasota. Thank you Dan for toting us around safely in the air conditioned trolley. We will be taking more tours with you guys. Such fun and so interesting. read more

A group of residents from our community took the hour and one half tour of Sarasota architecture and design; I learned more in that time than the 7 years we have lived here about the history and establishment of Sarasota. Tammi (owner/guide) is a wealth of information and makes the tour worthwhile. The trolly is air conditioned and comfortable- highly recommended read more

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It was a very interesting tour of Sarasota by air-conditioned trolley. Tour guide had many interesting and personal stories. It was a great way to get an introduction to Sarasota with many restaurant and theatre recommendations. The company has lots of different themed tours and we will book another one soon. The information is geared toward adults and not likely a tour that children would enjoy. read more

I recently rode on the Christmas trolley to see the lights in Sarasota. The tour was lovely, and the guide was entertaining. There are multiple trolleys, but they all take the same route in the lit neighborhoods here. The guide played Christmas music, and the tour is fun for all ages. The price is not too crazy, but be sure to bring cash to tip your driver. read more

Discover Sarasota Tours - Santa house - Historical Tours Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Great guide, information, sites and very comfortable. We learned a lot and look forward our next trip to explore more.

The Haunted Sarasota Tour was so entertaining - beyond expectations. The included pre-tour drinks and water for the ride was a nice touch and they also have a super cool gift shop! Highly recommend them for all tours. read more

We did the sing along trolley. It was great. They make it a lot of fun. We are going to try the murder mystery next. Can't wait!

Tamara, Thank you for your response and for validating my impression of your character and business skills. The intention of reviews is to allow people to learn about others' experiences and for business owners to learn customers' likes and dislikes and make adjustments accordingly. Previously, I worked as a customer service trainer for a Fortune 100 company and, therefore, would like to invite you to take this opportunity as a learning experience. I have taken the time to read many of your reviews, and it appears that all the negative ones concern your interactions with people, not your product. Therefore, because small businesses are the backbone of the American Dream, and I believe your employees deserve better from you, I am including some free advice that ordinarily would cost hundreds of dollars. 1. When addressing your customer, it is a great idea to use their name; it makes the connection personal. However, I encourage you to call them by their name and not one you made up. My name is not Amanda. 2. When someone comes in and expresses a concern, it is best to acknowledge that concern, apologize for any misunderstandings, and offer to make the situation better. For example, inviting us to take a different tour with a small percentage discount would not only recognize our opinion, but also bring you repeat business and encourage positive reviews rather than the negative ones you are receiving. There are old adages that you may want to consider: "The customer is always right" and "One bad apple spoils the bunch," a negative review being the bad apple. 3. It is always best to ensure the accuracy of your information before making accusations. Truth brings credibility. My grandchildren are 6 and 7 years old. My grandson did not approach your bartender because, although he is profoundly gifted, he doesn't speak to people without prompting and support. (Also, my concerns about the Santa references were because of his extreme intelligence and ability to process information at high levels. Had I known the content would have included "the post office used to throw the letters to Santa in the trash" and information about how Operation Santa is a generous group of people fulfilling Christmas wishes, I would have chosen a different tour. Including a small disclaimer would be beneficial to those with young children.) My family wasn't the disruptive group on the trolley; it was the people in the last row --they weren't disruptive--they were having a fun, enjoyable time. They actually made the trip more pleasant for our family. To give you a reminder of who I am, I was the person you asked to move to the back of the trolley, away from my grandchildren and family, because the aisle needed to be clear for the performers--an understandable request. Toward the middle of the ride, I did, however, ask the woman sitting behind my grandchildren if I could sit in the empty seat in her row (a suggestion an intuitive owner would have made). 4. It is always best to avoid insulting and name-calling your customers on social media. I was not intoxicated, nor am I mentally ill or an angry person. I am actually quite the opposite. My reviews on Yelp include multiple comments to my positive and jovial personality, as well as my ability to make the most challenging situations excellent experiences for all. Tamara, people remember the negative more than the positive. Given several negative complaints against you as a person and business owner, you may want to consider taking a course on handling constructive feedback. Disney offers a great one, and since they are the leaders in customer service, it may behoove you to take advantage of your proximity to their educational programs. 5. It is always best to address the concern a customer has and not insult their ability to understand or interpret information. I am very much aware of the meaning of the performance, and I never argued or commented on the beauty of the message or the incorporation of the heartwarming stories that evoke gratitude and appreciation for what one has. I merely commented that the show was not accurately labeled and would be better suited for young teens and adults. It is not geared toward or appropriate for young children, especially Believers. Again, a small disclaimer could offer clarity and avoid any misunderstandings. I did post on multiple sites, as I use several of them to help me choose an outing or experience. I will address all of your comments on each site with a similar response, tailored to the inaccuracies you made on that site. Admittedly, my frustration with your response and your reaction to my concern after the show did prevent me from complimenting the performers and the show in general. They were outstanding at their craft, and the script is a really beautiful story for the right audience. We did leave a generous gratuity for them, as we appreciated their hard work and talent. I do hope you take the time to reflect on this. Blessings & Smiles read more

Just finished with the Christmas Carol Trolley and everyone had a blast. Great way to get you in the Christmas spirit. We had an excellent performer who gave us history of Christmas, history of Sarasota, sang Christmas songs, read letters from Santa, and even told us jokes. We had a wonderful trolley ride throughout Sarasota, and even picked up some singers along the way, who performed Christmas songs we sang along with. Lots of fun, great festivities, and an amazing time. Sad that it had to come to an end for the night! Keep up the great work! read more

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My friend and I signed up for the hour and forty-five minute Amish tour. They are one of the only tour companies in the area to offer this, so we were really looking forward to it. Communication from the tour company was great, and on the day of, we parked at the starting spot, shopped the little tourist store, and then boarded the roomy trolley. The trolley holds 31, and apparently we had a crew of 29. The tour guide, Kendra, was OUTSTANDING. So knowledgeable about both the Amish and Mennonites, and it was definitely a mini-history lesson, which I loved. The tour took us into the Amish part of town, where it seemed almost everyone got around by bicycles - no horse and buggies in this tiny Pinecraft village. This is apparently where the northern Amish winter as snowbirds. We then went to a local hotel that caters to the Amish, where we got a sampling of pie shots, talked with the manager about his experiences, and then were told stories of the hanging quilts and the photographs hanging in the lobby showing the early Amish days. From there we went to a quilting shop and had a brief talk about quilting. I bought a couple of beautiful handmade pot holders here. The main problem with this tour was that not enough time was allocated for each stop. The tour clientele was mainly older, and they needed longer to get on and off the trolley. When we got to the hotel, the tour guide, knowing I wanted to buy pies, told me there would not be enough time to stop at the nearby Amish store, which was supposed to be part of the tour. She advised my friend and I to run over during the hotel lobby tour, which we did. All in all I definitely recommend the tour, but plan on paying a visit to an Amish market separately. read more

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We did the downtown Sarasota 90min Trolly Tour. Pat was wonderful. The trolly was clean, comfortable and air conditioned. Pat was friendly and knowledgeable...and we really enjoyed learning about Sarasota and its history. read more

Very enjoyable and entertaining... On our previous trip to Sarasota we learned about this tour company. When we decided to visit again we booked a sightseeing tour that included much of the background and history of the city and its local landmarks. Our host was Steve, a self-proclaimed local and life-long resident who knew much about Sarasota and had lived practically all across the town. The tour was very relaxing, it was quite enjoyable, and Steve was very much funny and entertaining. My wife and I enjoyed the tour and if we return, which we might, we will definitely book another one. Maybe one of their ghost tours... read more

This is a great way to get to know Sarasota. There's so much history and the tour guides are very well versed. You can tell the staff are empassioned about what they do. Genuinely friendly,you are made to feel welcomed. There's also ample parking which is rare in this town. They have lots of fun andd interestion tour options as well. read more

I took my visitors on the City Sightseeing Tour and it was fabulous. Our tour guide was Jon and our driver was Kim. They are a great team. Jon knows everything about Sarasota and he also shares some of his own experiences which really made our tour special. I would highly recommend this tour for visitors and residents of Sarasota. read more

Finally got around to booking this place for the "ghost tour" and man were we NOT disappointed! First of all the initial welcome was super friendly and there was FREE BEER and wine! How can you not appreciate FREE BEER and wine? The host (Kaylene? i SO apologize if the name is wrong) was amazing. The wife and I chatted her up while waiting on the arrival of the trolley and got some insider knowledge of the surrounding neighborhood and Sarasota in general. Once the tour started she went into performance mode and it was GREAT! From her knowledge of the hauntings and ghostly history of downtown Sarasota, to her funny sing-a-longs, her background in theater definitely came to the front. You can tell she loves her job! Secondly, at certain stops, another personage would enter the trolley to give us first hand recollections of that part of history. Without spoiling it for you, all I will say is they were AMAZING! Lastly, I have to thank our driver, who deftly maneuvered that huge trolley thru Friday night downtown traffic without incident. TOTALLY worth the ticket price! We will be back for a different tour in the future! If you're new to the area, or just want to learn more about it DO THIS! You wont be sorry! read more

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We came because it was raining. The sun came out and I called and asked for a refund. They said it was non refundable. It was fine because we've done tours before in other cities and enjoyed them. This tour was just ok, for us personally and it was the most pricey of all tours I've done. The tour instructor was very kind, nothing against him at all. I know a lot of reviews feel differently and that's great. It just felt very long for us. A lot of personal stories mingled with some history. But Sarasota is really beautiful and it was fun to see some sights. If it's rainy or you aren't able to be out walking around and you're over the age of 70 (90 percent of people on the bus fit that category.) this could be a really good fit for you. If you want to enjoy the sun, or walk around, or you have small kids, in my groups opinion, spend your money and time elsewhere. There were 4 of us in our party and we all fell asleep and remarked that we wished we had parked somewhere and walked around instead, but it was raining and they didn't allow refunds. It felt like a lot of money for us personally. But I know a lot of others on the bus enjoyed it. Just not a good fit for our group. Pricey at $50 a person. read more

We decided to do this tour our first day in Sarasota to get an idea on what to do next. It was a good idea because the tour gave us lots of ideas of places to visit and where to eat. Our tour guide Jon MacDonald was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Overall a great experience. read more

Discover Sarasota Tours - Masion - Historical Tours Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I booked the physics tour for my birthday and I'm so glad I did. My husband came with me and we had a great time. Denis was great. We felt good and learned a few things. The driver was also very nice. We definitely take this again. read more

the city tour was amazing! So much great information and beautiful history Of the city. The tour guide Jon was very knowledgeable, professional and well informed on the city history. I enjoy spending time with him. His driver John and his office manager were all friendly and accommodating. Next trip I will join you for my next tour. L Lawrence Texas read more

We were on vacation from Georgia and saw an ad for a haunted Sarasota tour , we took Uber from Siesta Key to the meet up location. At the meeting location we met another couple on vacation who also booked the tour for tonight June 23rd @ 8:00pm. We waited for an hour, no trolly showed up so I called the number on the add and left a voicemail.I received a text back from a woman named Tammy who said there is no tour tonight and we booked on the June 30th, my wife called the number to explain the situation. She tried to tell Tammy we will be back in Georgia and in booking, it said tonight at 8 PM. She also tried to explain about the other random couple waiting with us ,she rudely told her to stop talking and that they don't matter. And there is no tour tonight and there will be no refund and hung up the phone. So after an hour wasted, we have to spend another $27 on a ride back to the resort. This is the worst experience we've ever had while visiting and we don't want any people to have this terrible experience do not use the service there online booking dates are false !!!! read more

Discover Sarasota Tours - Discover Sarasota - Historical Tours Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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New company as of 10/18. Great guides bring our cities rich history to life. Join a City, Haunted, Circus, Happy Hour, Amish, Psychic, Sports, Public Art or Veterans Tour. Tours run year round, check online for tour availability!! read more

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Very pleasant experience. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The bus was comfortable and you could easily take pictures and etc. John and Jon, the driver and guide were insightful, knowledgeable and entertaining. You won't want to miss rhis! read more

A group of 12 ladies took the City Sightseeing Tour the other day with Pat as our guide and Will as our driver. Even though I have lived in Sarasota for 20 years, I learned a lot about the history and other interesting facts about Sarasota. Pat was extremely knowledgable and entertaining as the same time. I would highly recommend this tour. This company has many other tours and I look forward to trying them. read more

The tour itself was excellent 5*****. I wanted to learn about the Amish community and that I did. Kendra was outstanding! She was so knowledgeable and shared personal experiences she had as a child in the Amish community. It was very heartwarming and special. She kept the whole tour very interesting. Der Dutchman bakery..... all I have to say if you like apple fritters or eclairs after biting into these you will think you are in flavor heaven! As I said the tour was fantastic but there was 4 people that were running late that we had to wait for 15 minutes to get there and another 10 minutes for them to get on the bus. They didn't even apologize to the full crowd on the bus that had to wait for them. It specifically states to get there 30 minutes before the tour. They should have had to reschedule instead not only did everyone on the bus have to wait, but our tour was cut short because of these inconsiderate people. read more

My husband and I took the Haunted Sarasota Tour and had a "fa-boo-lous" time. We were welcomed by friendly staff and complimentary cocktails. Max the owners rescue dog may have been my favorite staffer (shhhh that's our secret). The tour bus was spotless and very comfortable. Our driver was charming and accommodating. Kaylene guided the tour with enthusiasm, knowledge and theatrics to entertain. This is a tour which should be experienced by locals and tourists! read more

Great tour of Downtown Sarasota. I learned so much about the city. A big thank you to our tour guide Ed. He did a fantastic job!

Fabulous tour of the city! Jon our tour guide is a long time resident with personal connections to the city. We saw places of the city that I've never seen, learned about architecture, sports, business and government. Highly recommend taking a tour, whether you live in the area or it's your first time. read more

This was our first visit to Sarasota and, with a "special needs" daughter, we often find trolley/bus tours to be the best means for us to see and learn about an area. Dolly, the Trolley was on a "break," but we rode in an air conditioned bus that was very comfortable and we had no problem seeing out or hearing our guide, Steve. Steve is a true native of Sarasota, and knew much historical information because he has lived it and has seen how the community has developed. He is involved in the arts community in Sarasota, as an actor and plays the guitar around the area. He even entertained us while we were waiting for the tour to begin...quite an interesting guy! This is an hour and 1/2 ride around the main districts of Sarasota and there is no bathroom on board and there are no stops, so be prepared. Dory was our driver and did an excellent job. read more

Four of us went on a tour of Sarasota led by Jon. He did a great job explaining all the sites. It just happened that the owner, tour and trolley riders were filmed by American Express that day! Highly recommend. read more

Just left the Boo mobile , a Halloween tour for kids , and it was fantastic ! Engaging and fun for the whole family, bravo!

Amazing adventure yesterday on the Circus Secrets of Sarasota tour. Turns out our guide, Bob Collins, had been directly involved in maintaining the incredible circus history in Sarasota. His knowledge was so impressive, even to my friend, who is currently head of the Circus Arts Conservatory. She learned so much from this tour. And thanks to our driver, James, for keeping us on time. Excellent experience! read more

On Sunday, June 23, 2019, we went on a Discover Sarasota Tour. It was a delightful and educating tour. The driver was well experienced In diving a trolley bus, he drove very safe and was very polite. The driver Know the history of Sarasota, Fl. The Narrator working on the trolley bus was educated and enjoyable to hear. If I am ever in Sarasota, Fl again, I will take another one of there tours. read more

We just did an art crawl tour with Jerry Chesley, a long-time Sarasota resident and accomplished watercolor artist. Knowledgable, and quite funny with tidbits and asides. He takes groups on tours to several selected galleries / art studios On this tour the places were very diverse, from an abstract studio/gallery in the Rosemary district to a contemporary gallery in the Hilllview and Osprey area, featuring glass, paintings, and mixed media. In each instance,, we heard from the gallery owner, toured on our own with wine and cheese, and asked questions of the featured artist when one was present. Jerry also had running commentary on Sarasota's public art, including insights on various murals and sculpture. As a Sarasota resident, his knowledge of the artists and the history of the pieces particularly interesting -- many details I'd never heard. A great 1 1/2 hour adventure, then off to dinner! read more

we went on the murder mystery tour yesterday evening. what a joke. this was so juvenile my 6th grade grandkids could have done a much better job. certainly not worth the $$ we paid. we sat in the back of the trolley, it was extremely hot I felt nauseous most of the time. we definitely would not recommend this tour! read more

Cannot rate these tours high enough- what a fantastic adventure! I loved every minute of the Haunted History of Sarasota Tour!! The actor who played all three parts was spectacular- so much fun! Worth every cent - can't wait to sign up for the next tour. read more

This is an excellent tour of Sarasota. Our narrator was Steve and he was awesome. Highly recommend this tour.

2 couples did the murder mystery tour on trolley on Saturday night they tell you to get there early but no seats to sit while your waiting it says air conditioned trolley we sat in back and I have to say it was extremely hot to the point we felt sick one women who had a part was highly intoxicated you could not understand what she was saying the whole evening was not enjoyable I wouldn't recommend this tour personally I don't even think children would enjoy it main parts are played by amateurs not worth the 55.00 dollars per person we asked owner for a refund we were denied one even though brochure says air conditioned trolley she knew air conditioner was not working according to her representative who answers the phone our friend was embarrassed by one of the paid actors by asking him if he was having triplets which is not part of show owner said nobody complained which is wrong because other people posted on TripAdvisor how extremely hot it was on trolley read more

Earlier this year, we booked a tour with Leading Ladies of Sarasota and at the time of departure, we noticed that many of the passengers were unmasked. When we discussed our concern with the staff member at the counter, we were informed that there is no mask mandate for COVID in Florida and it is optional with the patrons attending the event. We stated that we were uncomfortable with the tour, which takes place on a bus (too close for comfort), and would like a refund. We were told that they could not offer a refund because we had booked within the 24 hour departure. I stated that our discomfort with the lack of safety for their patrons, should be an exception. She said that it was the governor that made the rule and we would have to take up getting a refund from our credit card company. This is a poor business practice, in my opinion. As such, I would not book anything through Discover Sarasota Tours. read more

Amazing tour with a theatrical twist-- the hostess giving the tour was fun & a great story teller-- FREE drinks before you board the trolley & can even take your drink on with you if you're not done by the time they are leaving-- long, covered a lot of territory, told some notable stories, got to hear a lot about the history of Sarasota in general read more