With the oncoming fall, there is a lot to look forward to while visiting Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The incredibly mild climate here means that most fall days are filled with sunny skies and crisp evenings, you can go on a hike and check out the changing leaves, the weather is still warm enough to enjoy kayaking or paddleboarding and farmers markets are overflowing with produce. But there is one fall event that everyone looks forward to every year: Halloween! Halloween on Vancouver Island is incredibly fun and there are tons of family-friendly and adult Halloween activities! So whether you’re looking for a day on a farm with the kids or you want to get scared out of your wits, we’ve got the list for you!
Visit a Halloween Haunted House
With options for both kids and adults, visiting a Halloween haunted house is a perfect way to celebrate the season – and with these options, you’re sure to find something perfect for everyone! With vacation properties near Sidney, Victoria and in the Cowichan Valley, you can find an incredible rental right near these spooky Halloween haunted houses!
Quadra Village Carnival and Creep-house
901 Kings Rd, Victoria | October 29th 6pm-7:30pm | ages 5+
This annual neighbourhood haunted house is a perfectly spooky place to take big and little ghouls over 5 to get into the spirit! There will be dark, tight spaces, fake blood and spiders, loud noises and flashing lights so it’s best for kids and adults who can handle it!
Carnevil Haunted House at Galey Farms
4150 Blenkinsop Rd, Victoria | 6pm-10pm | ages 13+
One of the most terrifying Halloween events around Greater Victoria is by far the Carnevil Haunted House at Galey Farms. Every year, this 6,000 square foot warehouse is turned into a house of horrors that are sure to make you scream, jump right out of your skin and leave feeling relieved it’s over! It’s has chicken doors where you can escape earlier if need be and is the perfect way for adults and older kiddos to get their Halloween frights!
Cornfield Haunted House at Galey Farms
4150 Blenkinsop Rd, Victoria | 11am-6pm | all ages
This haunted house is perfect for kids and adults who don’t want to be scared out of their wits! With spooky displays that aren’t terrifying, this haunted house is filled with manageable thrills for little ones – grab a hot chocolate and a hot dog and make an afternoon of it!
The Big Shop of Horrors
7380 Trans-Canada Hwy, Duncan | 6pm-10pm | 8+
Come and check out the terrifying Big Shop of Horrors in Duncan for all your Halloween frights in the Cowichan Valley! Not only is the Big Shop of Horrors perfect if you’re looking for a spooky event to get into the Halloween spirit but part of the proceeds go to local charities!
Visit Real Haunted Places
The history of Vancouver Island is filled with beautiful heritage buildings and interesting personalities – some who maybe never left…
Victoria Ghost Walks
With so many historic sites in Victoria, it’s no wonder that Victoria is one of the most haunted cities! Weaving together the historical accounts of intriguing people from Victoria’s past and the hundreds of first hand accounts of supernatural encounters all over the city, this walking tour will take you to incredible heritage buildings and areas telling you stories and the hair-raising accounts people have had over the years! These tours are the perfect way to get ready for spooky season and easy to enjoy when you book an EMR property downtown Victoria!
Nanaimo Lantern Tours
If you want to learn about the darker side of the Harbour City, this is it! On the Lantern Tour, you will walk around downtown Nanaimo, visit historical landmarks and hear tales of first hand experiences with the unexplained, from apparitions to kinetic phenomena and more! Book a EMR Nanaimo property so you don’t miss out!
Other Haunted Places
Old Stone Butter Church
5455 Lemo Rd, Duncan
Built in 1870 with the help of the Cowichan Tribe, this church was the project of Catholic missionary priest, Father Peter Rondeault. Rondeault paid the First Nations builders through the money raised by selling the butter he churned, hence the strange name. Set high up on the hill of the Comiaken Indian Reserve it has long been abandoned but people who have visited over the years have reported being followed home by shadowy figures, hearing strange sounds within the building and the feeling of being watched while in the area. Book an EMR Cowichan Valley home, and be just a few minutes drive away to this scary site!
Beban House
2290 Bowen Road, Nanaimo
Built by timber baron Frank Beban in 1930, the Beban House was the home of Beban and his family until his death in 1952 when it was bought by the city of Nanaimo. Since then, Beban House has been the site for many local businesses and charities over the years and many people who have worked in the house have stories of mysterious apparitions, spooky sounds and strange, unexplained occurrences! Take a peek at the home and grounds while you’re staying in the area at a stunning EMR Nanaimo property or if you’re not far at a beautiful EMR Parksville home!
Have Fun at a Farm!
Fall on a farm is magical. Harvest season means copious amounts of fresh produce and gorgeous pumpkins! Make sure you take the time to visit one of the stunning farms, especially if you’re staying at a nearby EMR property in Victoria, Sidney, Nanaimo, Parksville or Comox Valley!
Cornfield of Horror at Galey Farms
4150 Blenkinsop Rd, Victoria | day and night – check website for details
During the day, the cornfield maze is a fun and lightly spooky activity to take kids! You’ll find ghoulish displays, a kid-friendly haunted house and many twists and turns to make kids of all ages excited for Halloween! At night, however, this Cornfield turns into a 13+ maze of terror. Enter if you dare!
Ocean View Estates
7979 Central Saanich Rd, Saanichton | all ages | check website for details
Find your way through all the twists, turns and dead ends of this 4 acre corn maze and make a pit stop at the pumpkin patch in beautiful Saanich! With no scary elements, this is a great activity for the whole family!
McNab’s Corn Maze
4613 Yellow Point Rd, Ladysmith | all ages | check website for details
If you’re looking for a non-scary option, this is it! With a huge pumpkin patch to find your perfect carving gourd and over 14 acres of maze to explore, McNab’s is one of the best Vancouver Island corn mazes for kids of all ages!
Shamrock Farm
2276 Anderton Rd, Comox
If you want a real Vancouver Island farm experience, this is the perfect place! With a sweet little fall market and every pumpkin variety grown here, you can find some really unique carving pumpkins to elevate your doorstep this Halloween!
Holly Hill Farm
2311 Ida Rd, Campbell River
If you’re looking for a pumpkin patch where you can also get up close and personal with some of the sweetest animals, go to Holly Hill Farm! Kids will love being able to snuggle with bunnies and chicks, pet the goats, sheep, and donkeys and even feed the alpacas and horses!
Get Ready for Trick-or-Treating!
One of the best parts of Halloween for kids is getting all dressed up to go trick or treating! No matter where you’re staying, if you’re visiting with kids in tow, you’ll want to take them out on this spooky night to have fun and get some candy! On October 31st, head to the nearest town centre in the later afternoon and walk through the streets where you’re sure to find many local businesses giving candy to all the little ghouls! If you still need to fill up that candy bucket, head to any residential neighbourhood and you’ll find throngs of kiddos knocking on the doors of houses with lights on – make sure to bring a flashlight and if you want to be super safe, grab some reflectors to put on your child’s outfit to make sure they’re visible as the sun goes down!
If you’re staying in a beautiful EMR property in a residential neighbourhood and want to participate in the festivities, simply load up on some candy – you can find lots in all the local stores around the 31st – and keep the front porch lights on! You’re guaranteed to have many little visitors knocking! You can even decorate the front porch with some carved pumpkins from a local pumpkin patch to make it really festive! If you prefer to not have trick-or-treaters knocking on your door all evening, simply keep the front porch lights off – they’ll know that you aren’t handing out candy this year.
Happy Halloween!
