Popular tiki bar boat tours are coming back to Toronto this summer

Winter was exceptionally rough this year, so if you've been craving sunshine, music, and a drink in hand, a popular tiki boat tour is officially making its return to Toronto.

This summer, Palapa Tours is launching its popular floating tiki bars onto Toronto's waters beginning on May 1. Because don't we all deserve to be relaxing on a boat with good music, good friends, and a steady supply of Mai Tais?

If a trip to Hawaii isn't in your cards this year, no problem. Who's to say you can't treat the Toronto Islands as your own tropical escape — at least for 90 minutes.

Departing from HTO Park, these cruises will take you through the city's inner harbour and around the Islands on custom-built floating tiki bars.

Along with free Wi-Fi (so you can make everyone on our IG feed envious of your special private charter), there's a licensed bartender and bar onboard so you can leave the pouring and the mixing to the professionals.

"For our second season, we focused on enhancing the experience while keeping what people loved most. It's still about being on the water with your friends, a drink in hand, and the Toronto skyline around you," says Palapa Tours co-owner Alex Pancharovski.

And this year, there's a special twist. With the FIFA World Cup coming to Toronto, some rides will be soccer-themed, along with other experiences tied to cultural and sporting moments, so stay tuned for that.

Bookings are now open, and guests can grab individual tickets or reserve a private charter for up to 12 people. The company's website states that if you book 11 tickets, the 12th one is free. 

Tickets cost $75 per person on weekdays and $90 on weekends. Each ticket comes with a 10-ounce branded shot glass for you to take home. 

Tours run as early as 11 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m., but let's be real: those sunset slots around 7 to 9 p.m. are probably going to book up quickly.

Once you book tickets for you and your friends (or co-workers!), sunscreen, sunglasses, and a serious thirst are basically your only requirements on board.

Palapa Tours is located at the southeast corner of HTO Park at 319 Queen's Quay W.