Bus Tours

Bus tours are the main way visitors see Salt Lake City’s top sights and the surrounding landscapes without driving. Whether you want to cover downtown landmarks, visit the Great Salt Lake, or reach the Bonneville Salt Flats, nearly half the city’s tours use a bus or minibus, giving you access to places that are hard to reach by public transport. With 86 options—47% of all tours sold here—there’s a bus tour for nearly every kind of traveler.

These tours appeal to visitors who want to maximize sightseeing in a short time, families looking for a comfortable way to explore, and travelers interested in the region’s unique nature. The most popular city and nature tours each have hundreds of reviews, and 92% of all bus tours are rated 4 stars or better, making this one of the most reliable categories in Salt Lake City.

Bus tours dominate Salt Lake City’s tour offerings, making up 86 of the 184 experiences available. Prices start at $25 per person for a themed city tour and reach $149 for full-day excursions to the Bonneville Salt Flats. The majority of options, however, are priced above $120, with a median of $1,125—reflecting a mix of private, multi-day, and luxury products alongside standard group tours.

Compared to the city’s overall tour market, bus tours are more expensive than the $156 median for all categories, but less so than private or luxury tours, which reach a $500 median. Nature and wildlife tours, many of which are also bus-based, have a similar price structure, with a median of $938. For most travelers, the best-value bus tours cost $25–$149 per person and last from 90 minutes to a full day.

While there are a handful of short, affordable city tours, most bus tours here are half-day or longer, often heading out to the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island, or the Salt Flats. Multi-day trips to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are also common, but these push prices into the hundreds or thousands per person.

For travelers interested in city highlights, the best value comes from the shorter tours priced between $25 and $89. These cover downtown, Temple Square, and key landmarks in about 2–3 hours, and are consistently rated above 4.5 stars. The Salt Lake City Guided Bus Tour stands out for its high review count and broad coverage of major sites. If you want flexibility, the hop-on hop-off option at $55 lets you explore at your own pace, though reviews note that attractions may be closed on Sundays and bus intervals can be long.

Nature-focused tours, such as those to the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island, or the Bonneville Salt Flats, cost $69–$149 and last from two hours to a full day. These are ideal if you want to see Utah’s unique landscapes without renting a car. The most popular Salt Flats and Antelope Island tours are praised for knowledgeable guides and comfortable transport, though some reviews mention late pickups or guides skipping itinerary points. Wildlife viewing and photo opportunities are highlights, but expect some variability in wildlife sightings and time spent at each stop.

Multi-day bus tours to Yellowstone and Grand Teton are available for $900 and up, with itineraries covering major national parks. These are best for travelers who want everything organized, but they require a significant time and budget commitment. For most visitors, the shorter city and nature tours offer the best mix of value, convenience, and strong ratings.

Disappointments are relatively rare but worth noting. About 8% of bus tours are rated below 4 stars. Common issues include guides skipping scheduled stops (from a Great Salt Lake tour review), unclear instructions or late pickups (seen on Salt Flats and Antelope Island tours), and, for city tours, an emphasis on LDS sites that some guests felt was too strong. On the hop-on hop-off bus, riders have complained about long waits and limited commentary. Air conditioning and sound systems have also been mentioned as lacking on the lowest-priced city tours. Checking the latest reviews for your chosen date and reading the itinerary closely can help avoid most surprises.