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Vancouver Lost Souls of Gastown Walking Tour
Vancouver, Canada
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Get a glimpse into Vancouver’s rough and rowdy past on a walking tour of the historic Gastown neighborhood. Hear haunting tales of the city’s darkest days, when fires, smallpox and gold dust fever swept through the frontier outpost. Visit the neighborhood’s landmarks and historic sites as your guide evokes the thieves, hustlers and vagabonds that made the west so wild.
- Gothic theater adventure in Vancouver
- Recount the Great Fire of 1886, smallpox outbreaks, and Vancouver’s most shocking unsolved murder
- Visit Gastown’s most famous sites, the Steam Clock, Gassy Jack statue, Byrne’s Block, Hotel Europe and Maple Tree Square
- Weave through the back streets, alleyways and secret spaces of Gastown
What's Included
- Local guide
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Monaco Cafe356 Water St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B6, Canada
Meet outside Monaco Cafe at 356 Water St. in Gastown. Close to Waterfront Skytrain and Seabus Station.
End point
- Maple Tree Square, Vancouver, BC, Canada
The walking tour ends in Maple Tree Square, Gastown, in the heart of Vancouver's restaurant and bar scene. The start point is just an easy 10 minute walk back, and the guide can provide a map and directions if needed.
What To Expect
356 Water St
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Victorian Hotel
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Gastown
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Gastown Steam Clock
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Gassy Jack
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Gaoler's Mews
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Maple Tree Square
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
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Reviews
5.0
925 reviews
Ida_P, May 2024
It was a fun, immersive, and poignant at times. Fun way to learn some history of the area! Cole was great!
Susan_M, May 2024
What an interesting, educational, and entertaining narrated tour through the streets of Gastown, Vancouver! Our tour guided dressed the part and stayed in character until the very end. He painted a picture of the early days of Gastown, the key players, historical landmarks, unknown facts, and the hardships the early settlers endured and overcame. I really enjoyed it! Suzie M. San Diego, Ca. May 1, 2024
Response from Host, May 2024
Delighted to hear you enjoyed your time on the Lost Souls of Gastown Suzie! Our guides pour themselves into every performance and kind reviews from guests mean the world to us. Thanks for sharing!
Oscar_O, May 2024
Great tour of the Gastown area. Tour guide Cole, was great in his character telling the interesting and sometimes sad historical stories of old Vancouver.
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Oscar! Thanks for your review. Delighted to hear you enjoyed your time with Cole on the Lost Souls of Gastown Tour. Hope we'll see you again before too long!
Fiona_D, Apr 2024
OMG guide was fantastic, he also waited at crossings to make sure no one was left behind. Would recommend to anyone that does not have difficulty with hills.
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Fiona and thanks for your review! Glad to hear you guide did a fantastic job (and took good care of the group, which we always take seriously).
You are right there is a bit of a hill at the start, although our guides make sure to walk at a gentle speed so that no one gets left behind.
All the best
Will
Michelle_W, Apr 2024
Unfortunately we thought we were getting more of a ghost tour, which ours was not. We did what felt like a lot of unnecessary walking. It was cute but not great.
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Michelle, and thanks for your review. Sounds like you were more interested in a ghost tour than the Lost Souls of Gastown. We do try and make it clear in the experience description that this is not a ghost tour. The Lost Souls of Gastown is a gothic adventure delivered in character by one of a cast of our storytellers (some of the very best theatre actors in the city!). We appreciate it's not for everyone and some people are looking for a more conventional ghost tour.
Regarding your comment on the walk, it's about .75 mile or 1km walk, which we think is pretty reasonable for a 90 minute experience. There is a short hill at the start, but then it's downhill the rest of the way. Sorry to hear that felt too much walking for you. We visit Gastown's most famous landmarks as well as some hidden secret spaces, and it's not really possible to do that without the walk.
Hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay in Vancouver.
All the best
Paul_D, Apr 2024
Rachel wove an interesting story perfectly in character. Covers a good portion of Gastown where little exists from the period covered because of the fire.
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Paul and thanks for your review! Delighted to hear you enjoyed your time with Rachel on the Lost Souls of Gastown. Hope we'll see you again before too long!
Karen_L, Apr 2024
The history through storytelling was excellent. Theatrical tour guide was on point. Very knowledgeable about area and history.
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Karen and thanks for your review! Glad to hear you found your guide knowledgeable. I'd love to know who your guide was!
We have a lengthy and thorough training process for our guides, and our goal is certainly for every one of our guides to be well prepared.
All the best
Randy_S, Apr 2024
We went with family members on this little tour. We had a great time, the host was in character and did a good job bringing us along for the adventure
Response from Host, May 2024
Hi Randy and thanks for your review! Glad to hear you and your family enjoyed your time on the Lost Souls of Gastown. Hope we'll see you again on one of our walking tours one day!
Alice_F, Apr 2024
What a lovely way to spend 90 minutes in Vancouver. Our guide Emmett Hanly was a great story teller. Made the tour a lot of fun and very interesting. The weather was lovely which really helped make the experience enjoyable.
Stacey_N, Apr 2024
Alison was the star of the show. Always in character, making sure the group stays together and her singing voice captivates you like nothing you've ever heard. If you want to learn about the dark side from this wonderful city then this is highly recommended!
...
From $28.20
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Vancouver Lost Souls of Gastown Walking Tour
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