See a side of Vancouver you never knew existed. Delve into Vancouver's darkest history on a walking tour packed with the city’s most scandalous prohibition era stories.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today. Learn more
Duration 2 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English
Wheelchair accessible

Highlights

Learn about Vancouver's infamous Prohibition-era history
Visit city landmarks that are featured in the sordid tales shared by your guide
End the tour in the famous Gastown district and discover why Vancouver is "no Sunday School town"

Full description

Begin the story at the famous Gastown Steam Clock. Your guide will share the tales of the villains, crooked politicians, and mobsters that ruled the city in the roaring twenties when the saloon doors swung closed and Vancouver became a den of illicit booze, crime, and vice. As you walk past ornate heritage buildings, down narrow alleyways unchanged in over a hundred years, and along historic streets once teeming with bawdy houses, opium dens, and blind pigs, you’ll discover a unique perspective on Vancouver’s history. Finish the walking tour on the cobblestone streets of Maple Tree Square, surrounded by Gastown's most talked about bars and restaurants. It's the perfect place to share a post-tour dinner or drinks after learning why former mayor LD Taylor once said, “this is a port city, we ain’t no Sunday School town!”

Includes

Live tour guide

Not suitable for

Children under 10 years

Covid-19 precautions

You must book this activity online because the ticket office is closed

Safety measures in place

The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Traveler requirements

Masks are optional for this activity

Meeting point

• Meet at the Gastown Steam Clock, across the street from the Starbucks • Please arrive 10-15 minutes before the tour start time

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Important information

What to bring

Comfortable shoes
Weather-appropriate clothing

Not allowed

Pets

Know before you go

This tour operates rain or shine so please dress appropriately
The tour is designed for adult audiences and contains some references to adult themes. The local partner's age recommendation is 14+, but children aged 10+ can attend and enjoy the walking tour if their parents are comfortable with them hearing mature subject matter

Customer reviews

Overall rating

5 /5

based on 21 reviews

Review summary

Guide
5/5
Value for money
4.9/5
Service
5/5
Organization
5/5

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Really well-done tour with plenty of information that you won't get from "official" sources. Lenard is a great tour guide with tons of enthusiasm and knowledge. Lenard is a true local and you can feel that. The only improvement (but still giving 5 stars) would be that we would have liked to walk more and stand less ;-) it got hard after an 11 hour flight and 9 hours of jetlag!

September 7, 2019

One of the most fun and engaging tours I've ever been on

This tour was excellent and exceeded my expectations. Our tour guide Glenn (with 2 N's haha) was awesome!!! It was so unique of an idea, our guide knew so many facts and so much history, he was funny, engaging, took us to so many places I never would've been to, he had pictures and it was just awesome!

May 30, 2019

El tour ha sido muy interesante y el guia excelente! La tematica es muy diferente a los tourns habituales y nos ha parecido super divertido de hacer, el guia explicaba muy bien (si manejas el ingles) y de manera muy amena y divertida, sabe mucho de la historia local! 100% recomendable

June 8, 2022

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Vancouver: City Secrets Guided Tour

Vancouver: City Secrets Guided Tour

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One of the most fun and engaging tours I've ever been on