Things aren鈥檛 always as they seem... Behind Vancouver鈥檚 gorgeous views and glossy sky skyline lays an eerie history, one so spooky that those who are squirm at the thought of the supernatural best close their browser right now. For those who are seeking out a good thrill this Halloween season, you鈥檝e come to the right place.
Behold! The ultimate driving tour of the city鈥檚 most haunted places! Yes, embedded within the walls of the city鈥檚 most popular establishment are tales of absolute weirdness: ghosts, mysteries and everything fearsome in between. If this sounds like your type of thing, maybe it鈥檚 time to pay a visit to some of these聽ghoulish聽spots.聽So gather some friends and hop into an, you may not want to do this one alone鈥� Cue sinister laugh.
1. Pacific Spirit Regional Park- West 16th
We start our journey in the West. Legend has it that many moons ago; a woman was left on the side of the road following a fight with her boyfriend. After spending hours with her thumb in the air, trying to hitchhike her way home, she was tragically struck by a car and killed along West 16th in Pacific Spirit Regional Park. Since that night, there have been many stories of a woman wandering the same stretch of road late at night. Some people have even claimed to pick up this mystery woman, who then handed them a UBC library card before completely disappearing from plain sight. So when you take your driving tour鈥� Don鈥檛 stop to pick up any hitchhikers.
Photo: Jeff Leyland.
2. Hycroft Manor - 1489 McRae Ave, Vancouver
You鈥檒l feel a chill run down your spine just from looking at this place! There are apparently up to seven ghosts wandering the halls of this historic mansion. One of the most popular sightings is an older gentleman dressed in World War I attire, believed to be General Alexander Duncan McRae, the politician and war hero the house was originally built for.
3. Billy Bishop Legion - 1407 Laburnum St, Vancouver
Photo: Jeff Leyland.
Situated just east of Kits Beach, the Billy Bishop Legion is ripe with supernatural stories that date back to the 1970s. Patrons and employees have reportedly seen up to three ghosts roaming the legion over the past 40+ years. Some of the most commonly seen apparitions are a woman who plays the piano and a man that likes to stay close to the fireplace on the legion鈥檚 main floor.
4. The Vogue Theatre - 918 Granville St, Vancouver
Photo: Vogue Theatre.
Built in 1941, the Vogue still stands as one of the city鈥檚 best live music venues. Employees of the venue have reportedly seen shadow figures floating and roaming throughout the venue鈥檚 infamous underground dressing rooms. That specific hallway has been so ripe with sightings that many employees now refer to it as 鈥済host highway鈥�. Not to be outdone, there are also reports of the seats in the main concert area mysteriously opening closing on their own accord. Maybe it would be best to stand the next time you attend a show at the Vogue鈥�
5. Old Spaghetti Factory - 53 Water St, Vancouver
Photo: Old Spaghetti Factory.
A well-known tourist favourite! The decommissioned trolley car that makes up the restaurant鈥檚 interior dining area is said to have come with a ghost often seen by staff. It鈥檚 the trolley鈥檚 former conductor that鈥檚 said to frequent the restaurant, as multiple reports claim to have seen him sitting at a table after closing. Another spirit is known for pranking staff while a little girl holding a balloon has been seen at the front tables at the restaurant and has even told staff members that she was looking for her mother before vanishing into thin air.
6. Hotel 麻豆传媒映画- 900 W Georgia St, Vancouver
One of the most well known sites for supernatural activity in all of Vancouver, the Hotel 麻豆传媒映画boasts the legend of the 鈥淟ady in Red鈥�. The ghost is said to haunt the 14th floor of the building, where many guests and staff claim to have crossed her path. In addition to these sightings, the Lady has also been seen walking alongside the out ledges of the building while the elevator makes frequent unprompted stops to the buildings 14th floor.
7. Deadman鈥檚 Island - Stanley Park
麻豆传媒映画Archives.
Perhaps one of the creepiest locations on the list. Deadman鈥檚 Island was formerly housing for smallpox victims and the city鈥檚 first graveyard. Serving today as a small naval base, frequenters of the island claim to hear the sound of heavy chains being dragged around the island into the middle of the night.
8. Marinaside Grill - 1653 Columbia St, North Vancouver
Photo: Marinaside Grill.
Located under the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing (which has it鈥檚 own tragic history), North Vancouver鈥檚 Marinaside Grill is said to be ripe with paranormal activity. Formerly a saw mill, the restaurant staff has seen things containers flying off the shelves, wine glasses come off the rack and even a squeaking cart being wheeled around the washrooms by a ghostly figure.
9. Burnaby Arts Centre - 6450 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby
麻豆传媒映画Archives.
Sitting on a site once home to an old mansion known as the Ceperley House, the Burnaby Arts Centre鈥檚 staff has reported hearing the sound of children screaming and crying. This is no field trip gone wrong, apparently the Ceperley House used to serve as an orphanage run by a deranged cult leader with a criminal past. The details of how the orphaned children were treated are absolutely horrifying, making the Burnaby Arts Centre one of the most disturbing sites for paranormal activity in the city. Before the Ceperley House, the land was used as a dormitory for Benedictine monks, who have also been seen roaming around the Arts Centre. Other occurrences include doors that lock, unlock, open and close, mysterious voices, paintings that leap from the walls, rattling padlocks and even a hair-raising photo of a lone figure sitting in the theatre seats.
10. Lord Selkirk Elementary - 1750 E 22nd Ave, Vancouver
鈥淪elkirk Sally鈥� has been one of the mainstay urban legends that has been whispered from student to student over the course of Lord Selkirk鈥檚 108 year existence. During Vancouver鈥檚 1918 flu pandemic, the building was turned into a hospital with a聽men's ward on one floor and聽a women's ward on another聽and the basement was the morgue.聽22 of the building鈥檚 patients passed away, one them being Sally, who according to many of the schools students, still roams the halls to this day.
This season, skip the sore legs, wet shoes and walking-tour-slow-walkers and hop in an Evo with your friends instead! With free parking throughout the city, including North 麻豆传媒映画and Burnaby, you can check out all of Vancouver鈥檚 strangest, scariest and most supernatural haunts.聽, saving you enough money to buy extra Halloween candy and a new nightlight to help keep all the ghostly creatures at bay. Have fun out there!
