Making a Gray-Day Outing Shine—Through Passion! - A gray near-winter December day for a Niagara outing didn’t sound promising for our social club. That was, until Black Lab Tours of Toronto came into the picture. How could Gareth make a storied Canadian destroyer, nearly invisible and remote in the mist, decidedly interesting? Or narrate how Laura Secord was able to save the lives of British soldiers in 1812 after her early morning, long hike through rough country, and not just provide a name for good chocolate? How could Tom lead our group gamely through the cold to view the American fort just a short swim away from us? Because they were passionate about their topics—which differentiated their presentation from a typical tour guide’s canned spiel. In their hands, we walked around Niagara-on-the-Lake, joining other tourists enjoying its many quaint shops, while carols wafted in the air. Needless to say, these further lubricated our club members’ prior friendliness with each other. Lunch was a hearty and delicious one at Table Rock restaurant at Niagara Falls. It obviously had to be capped by group pictures before the picture windows showcasing the nearby thundering falls. Cocooned in a comfortable coach, the couple of hours ride to and from Niagara was pleasant. Complementing our tour guides’ desire to provide enjoyment, however, was a realistic concern for our safety and security. Perhaps most indicative of their concern was of them frequently doing a head count unobtrusively, as shepherds of their flock. At the end of the day, though, what truly distinguished the outing was the passion that both Gareth and Tom brought. That was what made even a gray December day shine.

Extremely fun (plus educational) tour to Niagara on the Lake and Niagara Falls. I highly recommend it! - Today I went on a tour to Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake with Black Lab Tours. It was arranged through the Toronto Seniors Social Club. It was a fantastic day! The bus was clean and spacious, the driver Fabian was great and personable and our two guides, Gareth and Tom, were super knowledgeable and very entertaining. While I have visited Niagara on the Lake many times in the past, I learned some new facts today on our walking tour. On our way home they gave us a sample of ice syrup. They explained how it was discovered by accident and how it is used in cooking. I had never heard of it (ice wine, yes, but not ice syrup). I would highly recommend this tour to anyone.

Educational - Wonderful experience. We got to place tourist in our own city. We learned a whole lot of things we didn't even know

Educational tour of Toronto - This was a fun tour, our guide Gareth was awesome. He really understood the city and helped us get a better feel for Toronto. We saw too many things to remember them all but our guide made sure to check in with us, as to ensure we were getting all that we wanted out of the tour. I would totally recommend these guys, its a fun way to familiarize yourself with the downtown Toronto area.

Beautiful Toronto supported by interesting stories! - We had a great time on this tour! The tour guide was prompt. Stories were so intriguing, route was beautiful! We felt that for 2 hours we saw all city! We highly recommend to join this tour!

Fun Toronto Walking Tour - We had a walking tour today with Gareth. To start he was on time, and very accommodating he really wanted to make sure we got the most out of our time together as well as checking in to see if there were any goals that we wanted to accomplish during the tour. He was friendly and made the trip interesting and fun, we like doing these types of tours in cities we have never been to. It is a great way to learn about the history and culture of the place. I would totally recommend these guys, Gareth is a great guy and we feel as if we now have an insiders feel for the city.

Thank You Black Lab Tours! - Friends and I did this tour last month and it was SPECTACULAR! Our tour guide Ben made our Toronto visit so much better thanks to his insight on the history of Toronto. We LOVED the stories about Toronto's role in the Beatles as well as the connection with Saturday Night Live! Still in awe over how much better Toronto is now that I know so much more about what makes it special.

Lots of fun facts and engaging information - We had a wonderful afternoon being shown some major landmarks and some smaller out of the way spots of interest in Toronto. Our guide, Gareth, was funny and engaging. He shared little known stories and facts that kept us all entertained

Awesome tour, great stories! - Such a fun time! Went to see what it was about with friends and family, and it was a great tour, even if you think you know Toronto! Great stories of some old locales of the city, from Old City Hall to Berczy Park and a bunch else!

An Inspiring Sightseeing and Learning Experience! - I took this tour near the end of June. I was solo and there were 5 others on the tour. Led by an exceptional guide, Gareth, this tour proved to be an unforgettable experience that left me both enlightened and inspired by Toronto! Gareth was super knowledgeable and friendly! The stops we made allowed us to see some of Toronto's most famous landmarks and places (CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, old and new city halls), but also took us to lesser-known places to discuss both funny and incredible/awe-inspiring stories of the people that lived here, worked here, or spent their youth here. I highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Toronto. It is great for sightseeing and for learning new stories about the city. I recommend people come prepared with water and a sunhat on hot summer days!