Here in Victoria, we fully embrace the scary season. Our community spends Halloween celebrating the ghoulish and the ghostly by holding a number of spook-tacular events around our city. From a haunted ferry ride, to an eerie doll hunt, to a number of trick-or-treating events across our city, we're here to make sure your Halloween is fang-tastic. Read on to plan out your Halloween in Victoria.
Where to Stay
The Inn at Laurel Point
The Inn at Laurel Point has not one, but two tricks up their sleeve this Halloween.
The first hotel package – The Birds – will delight horror enthusiasts looking for a truly spooky stay. Spend the night in the comfort of ominous ravens, a Halloween-themed treat from the Inn at Laurel Point’s pastry team, blood-red house wine (opt for white if you prefer!), complimentary parking for your broom, and a tantalizing breakfast in bed prepared by Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio.
The second hotel package – the Treat Suite – is best for the sweet-tooth looking for a Halloween sugar rush. A bottle of house wine awaits you, or opt for buckets of popcorn and soft drinks to wash down the candy. This package will also allow you to bite into a Halloween-themed pastry, complimentary parking, and breakfast in your ultra-comfortable hotel bed. Book your stays, here!
What to Do
Tally Ho’s Haunted Halloween Tour
October 20th – 31st
Visit Victoria’s spookiest landmarks and sites where there have been ghost-sightings, from the comfort and safety of a horse-drawn carriage. For this limited time tour, Tally-Ho Carriage Tours will provide you with a private carriage, a professional guide well versed in Victoria’s history of hauntings, and a beautiful draft horse - adorned with ribbons that have been known to ward off evil spirits. For more information and a registration link, click here.
Photo by Danielle Lindenlaub Photography
The Life (And Death) of Francis Rattenbury Tour
Oct 24 – 28, 6:45 pm
*** This program is now full. Thank you for your interest and we will look forward to seeing you in 2023! ***
Who was Francis Rattenbury? Actually, it is likely that you’re familiar with his work. The iconic BC Legislature, the chateau-esque Empress hotel, the Steamship Terminal, and the historic Bank of Montreal building are some of the young architect’s most famous structures around Victoria. Many may know his name… but do you know his tragic past?
Rattenbury’s bright imagination was paired with a dark side of bankruptcies, greed, corruption, scandal… and even murder. But we won’t give you all of the spoilers. We invite you to a special, free evening guided tour of the BC Legislature all about Rattenbury, and who knows… maybe he’ll walk it with you. While the tour is free, you must register online, here.
Photo by Doug Clement
Haunted Doll Hunt at Point Ellice House
October 29 & 30, 12:00 –4:00 pm
Point Ellice House is a historic museum and charming garden site full of lifetimes of family belongings. When Halloween comes around, some of their vintage, collectible dolls like to come alive to play… In this real-life i-Spy exhibit, see if you can find all of Point Ellice’s dolls for a special, haunting treat… before they find you. Admissions by donation!
Halloween at The Malahat SkyWalk
Oct 29 – 31, 9:00am – 4:00pm
The Malahat SkyWalk has three days of treats lined up for us this Hallo-weekend. Visit them up on the Malahat from Saturday to Monday during opening hours to delight in magic tricks by a magician, face-painting, trick or treat bag-making, and of course a fair share of trick or treating with your new, sustainable bags. Make sure you adorn your finest costume – and keep an eye out for Luke the Sasquatch, a fellow Halloween lover!
Low Power Hour at Crag X
Oct 27, 9:00 – 11:00pm
Victoria really has all aspects covered for you this Halloween – including fitness. Rock-climb in the dark this year with Crag X Climbing Gym, our largest indoor rock climbing gym. Make sure you wear your costume equipped with a headlamp. You never know what lurks in the shadows…
There will be a prize for best costume and a Non-Belayer raffle for a free beginner lesson. Please note, attendees should already know how to belay, or come with somebody who does!
