The Forbidden Downtown and Gastown Walking Tour
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Explore Vancouver’s dirtiest Prohibition-era secrets. From mobsters and rum runners to corrupt politicians, this historical walking tour winds through Gastown’s most historic streets and alleyways – and most illicit stories.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Professional guide
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
What To Expect
Cambie Bar & Grill
A Vancouver institution, now a lively local bar, hostel and restaurant. The Cambie has history dating back to the Gold Rush!
Hear about the tallest building in town in 1910!
Options
The Forbidden Vancouver Tour
The Forbidden Vancouver Tour is an interactive walking tour through Vancouver's prohibition history. You'll hear tales of mobsters, opium, and vice as you explore historic Victory Sq. and Chinatown.
Reviews
473 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Fun activity to learn about Gastown history
Diego S,
Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Took the tour with Glenn. Great storyteller and he even dressed up for the walk! Awesome experience.
Glenn was amazing
Q5995YLmariac,
Oct 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an absolute amazing experience with Glenn. As stated, his last name is 5 stars (🤣🤟🏼) Thank you for a wonderful tour and being so kind and caring and attentive to your group today!! Will definitely do another tour!
Great Storytelling
StHopkins,
Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was everything I was looking for in a walking tour. Informative, accurate, and entertaining. Rob was an excellent storyteller and fantastic guide. Fun for all three generations of adults. Thank you!
Well worth this entertaining story of Canadian Prohibition
Therese B,
Sep 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Lenard was our tour guide and he did an excellent job of both informing us along with entertaining us with the history of the area. He combined funny little stories, local history and even sing to inform us about Canadian Prohibition
How Prohibition made Gastown
FarAway17101012612,
Sep 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I very much enjoyed Lenard's delivery of the high points of the Gastown district. It's always fun toget the insights into a town's history that doesn't always show up in the history books
Great Storytelling!
catherinewV4414LQ,
Aug 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We very much enjoyed this tour with Cole as our guide. He is an excellent story teller, and very funny. We try to do tours like these everywhere we go and have done dozens over the years. This one was top notch!
Great afternoon walking tour in Gastown
MichalS859,
Aug 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved this walking tour with our guide Wil the owner of Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours. We did the Gastown Prohibition Tour, which was super fun. Wil was great, he knew the history of every nook and cranny in Gastwon. His enthusiasm about each building, the people and how Vancouver was built around this area was awesome. We did this on the day we arrived to one give us a little bit of info about the area since we stayed a few blocks from Gastown and get acclimated. Thank you to Wil and his excellent company who also are a key contributor to the community with their fundraising efforts to support local causes.
Discover The Prohibiton period in Gaston.
Gerald R,
Aug 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Very interesting history about Gas Town during Prohibition times. Learned about the places and characters during this time.
Writing this review two...
Timurul H,
Aug 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Writing this review two years after the fact, and I still think about it sometimes. Genuinely some of the best content curation and presentation I've come across. I forget your name, man with the lovely short grey heard, but you were brilliant.
Engaging, fast paced and entertaining. Great to experience this walking historical tour in Gastown!
gunjitb2015,
Aug 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Lenard was a great communicator- inclusive, entertaining and experienced. Loved hearing about the buildings and the social history. Really brought the history of early Vancouver to life!
From CA$39.00
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