Travel the world with the global leader in sightseeing and tours since 1910.
Gray Line is the largest provider of sightseeing tours on the planet. For more than 100 years, Gray Line has been at the center of creating and operating the best traveler experiences in the world’s most sought after sightseeing destinations. With thousands of tours and experiences in more than 700 locations, spanning six continents, Gray Line is also the largest direct supplier of destination services to online travel sellers, wholesalers and travel agents. Founded in 1910, Gray Line has grown into the most well-known consumer brand in sightseeing tours. Its global network of elite providers operates day tours, airport transfers, hop-on hop-off tours, multi-day packages, walking tours and other specialized destination services.
The Gray Line History
It all began with a tenacious-yet-simple vision which we still hold onto over 700 locations and 100 years later.
In March 1910, a young restaurateur by the name of Louis Bush refurbished an old Mack Truck chassis, painted it blue and gray and began offering sightseeing tours around the city of Washington, D.C. Little did he know, his earnest endeavors would help establish the world’s leading sightseeing tour company, known today as Gray Line.
By 1926, Gray Line had expanded to other booming cities including New York, Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco, as well as internationally to Toronto and Havana. With peacetime following World War II, Harry J. Dooley, a former Gray Line employee, acquired the company and helped re-establish Gray Line Chicago. Dooley soon became president of Gray Line and is today considered the father of the sightseeing industry.
With the advent of jet travel and increased gateways in the late 40’s and early 50’s, Dooley expanded Gray Line’s market throughout the United States and established Gray Line companies in Canada, Mexico, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The sudden popularity growth in motorcoach sightseeing helped position Gray Line as the leader in the sightseeing industry for decades to follow.
2011 marked a major milestone in the history of travel, as Gray Line celebrated its 101st year of providing the best in sightseeing tours across the globe. Today, with over 100 years of experience, we’re more dedicated than ever to helping you explore the world, one experience at a time. Some things really do get better with age.
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