The 15 Best Gastown Tours

1.Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,863 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $116Our pick

Spend about three hours walking Gastown with a local guide, stopping at neighborhood eateries for food and drink tastings. Expect stories about Vancouver’s Wild West past, familiar dishes such as poutine and karaage, and a small group of up to 16. Guides vary; past tours have been led by Rachel, Sean, Andrea, Connor, and Dan.

“Rachel was our guide, she was a lot of fun and very knowledgeable about the city history. It wasn’t too much to be a history lesson, we were there to eat after all, but tied nicely to how diverse the city culture is in Vancouver and why we were tasting at those locations. Would definitely recommend, but come hungry and plan to go light on dinner later!”

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2.Vancouver Lost Souls of Gastown Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,273 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $29

Follow an English-speaking guide through Gastown’s lanes and landmark streets on a theatrical account of early Vancouver. Expect tales of the Great Fire, smallpox and a notorious unsolved murder, with a guide who plays a character from the era. The walk ends at Maple Tree Square, among Gastown’s restaurants and bars.

“Our guide was knowledgeable, entertaining, and considerate. He always made sure no one was left behind or uncomfortable.”

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3.Gastown Historical Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 539 reviews · 3 hours · from $113

Walk from Waterfront Station through Gastown to Maple Tree Square with a guide who mixes funny stories about Vancouver’s past with food stops at eight local restaurants. The three-hour tour includes six tastings, including two desserts, plus four alcoholic drinks. Non-alcoholic options are available, and guides such as Sean, Rachel, Kate, and Connor have led tours.

“Great guide! Wonderful tour full of history, larger than expected food portions & alcohol! Our group was so fun and nice! The perfect way to start our Vancouver trip! Could not have been better!”

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4.The Forbidden Downtown and Gastown Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 476 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29

Follow a professional guide through downtown Vancouver and Gastown, hearing tales of Prohibition, mobsters, politicians, and showgirls. Stops include the Cambie, the Dominion Building, Woodward’s, and Hotel Europe. Guides such as Glenn, Rob, and Lenard are praised for lively storytelling. The walk starts at 4 pm, ends near a skyline view, and costs $29.29 per person.

“Excellent, fun, and very informative tour. Our tour guide, Rob, was fantastic. You could tell that he really liked his job and he made the whole experience that much better! Reasonably priced and well worth it!”

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5.Lost Souls of Gastown Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 279 reviews · 2 hours · from $28

Meet outside Monaco Cafe on Water Street for a two-hour walking play through Victorian Gastown. A professional actor leads you past cobbled streets and the Steam Clock, telling documented stories of fire, smallpox, murder, and the Woman in the Well. Guides have included Stuart, Sarah, Vanessa, and Amy Lee Newman. The tour costs $28 and is in English.

“very good tour to see the highlights off Vancouver.”

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6.Gastronomic Gastown Food Tour by Vancouver Foodie Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 238 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $231

Start near Gastown’s Steam Clock at 3 pm for a three-hour food walk capped at 12 people. A guide leads you past Victorian buildings and Blood Alley, then to a changing mix of restaurants for a progressive meal, craft beer, wine, and cocktails. Vegetarian and pescatarian options are available if requested in advance.

“Our group of four (4) international visitors and our wonderful guide, Conor, met at a well known landmark in Gastown and we learned a bit about local history. From the delightful steam clock to the delicious Monarca margaritas, and finally, the layer cake at the Ukrainian community epicureal wonder...our food tour was a resounding success. Highly recommend!”

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7.Experience Gastown Vancouver’s Elite Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 134 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.) · from $80

Walk from Waterfront Station through Gastown with a guide such as Arsham, Ali, Nicole or Landon, stopping for sushi, a porchetta sandwich, sweets and other tastings. The roughly three-hour outing mixes Vancouver history with five food stops and includes a cocktail for participants aged 19 and older. Expect cobblestones, a small group and enough food to arrive hungry.

“Landon took us to several local restaurants. The walk itself is not far, all within a couple city blocks. Our original guide had to cancel at the last moment and Landon, fortunately, was able to jump in.”

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8.Gastown Pub Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 127 reviews · 5 hours (approx.)

Start at the historic Portside Pub at 8 pm on Fridays, then visit Funky Winker Beans, The Lamplighter Public House, and The Pint. Your host leads the crawl, and you can claim one shot at each bar with a first drink purchase. Expect a social group, changing music and bar styles, and a final stop at The Pint.

“Had a great time. The people were friendly and kept the vibe going all night. Each bar was unique. Thank you”

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9.Gastown, Chinatown & Granville Island – Vancouver Bike Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $74

Ride about 11 miles through Vancouver with a local guide, using a road bike, helmet and water bottle. The route links the False Creek Seawall with Gastown, Chinatown, Strathcona and Granville Island, with stops for public art, city history and waterfront views. Groups are capped at eight, and an Aquabus crossing may be included.

“Jeremy was a fantastic tour guide! A third generation Vancouverite who was full of local history, neighborhood insights and cultural context. He was able to explain and share his knowledge in an approachable, yet nuanced format. Excellent tour with a superb tour guide. I’ve already recommended his tour to a friend who business travels to the area frequently.”

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10.Vancouver City Sightseeing Adventure: a murder mystery in Gastown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $32

Take on a fictional murder case in downtown Vancouver, following clues through Gastown and nearby streets with a partner or small group. A detective gives you the case, then you have about two hours to solve it and return for your score. The route covers 2 to 2.5 km, mostly outdoors, and ends near Harbour Centre.

“The chase for the interesting items that we needed to gather helped us learn more about Vancouver. Our group was 3 seniors lost in a new city. This is an adventure that everyone of all ages needs to take.”

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11.Experience Gastown Vancouver’s Elite Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 3 hours · from $97

Walk Gastown with a local English-speaking guide, stopping for sushi, a porchetta sandwich, a donut, a Canadian-inspired dish, tacos and a cocktail. Guides including Landon, Nicole, Arsham and Ali have led the tour, sharing neighborhood history and architecture along the way. Expect about three hours on foot, starting inside Waterfront Station.

“5/5 stars! We had such a great time on the food tour in Vancouver with Arsham! He was super knowledgeable and made the history of Gastown really fun to learn about. The food was amazing!! my favorite was the porchetta sandwich, and my partner couldn’t stop raving about the butter chikk’n poutine. The tacos were awesome too! We definitely didn’t leave hungry, and the cocktail at the end was a great bonus. Arsham did an excellent job, and I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone who loves good food and cool stories!”

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12.Gastown, the origins of Vancouver

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 31 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $52

This 75-minute private walk links Gastown’s early-twentieth-century buildings with its Prohibition-era alleys, a bar more than 120 years old, the Steam Clock, Lookout Building and other city landmarks. It starts at 4 Powell St and ends at Canada Place. Guides are listed as available in English, Spanish and Chinese, with several departure times.

“Fernando did an excellent job with the history of Gastown. He was full of knowledge. Gastown has quite a history related to this area but of Vancouver. Fernando was patient and answered all our questions. I would highly recommend this tour as the history is incredible!”

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13.Vancouver Gastown Breakfast Tour with Mimosa and Local Eats

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · from $77

Start at Waterfront Station at 9:45 am for a 2.5-hour Gastown walk with four brunch tastings, coffee or tea, and one alcoholic drink. Guides such as Sean, Connor, Gabriel, and Chirag have led the tour. Expect local food, neighborhood history, and stops near the Steam Clock and Maple Tree Square.

“I was so impressed with this tour. I am coeliac and gluten free, and was so surprised when we visited Lee's Doughnuts in Gastown, that they had brought me a gluten free doughnut all the way from North Vancouver. The food was excellentRead more”

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14.Private Vancouver Sightseeing Adventure: a Gastown murder mystery

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $31

Meet a costumed detective near Waterfront Station, then follow a 2 to 2.5 km route through Gastown with a map, evidence files, clues and artifacts. You and your private group solve a murder mystery, split into teams and compete to crack the case. The game lasts about two hours, needs no app and is offered in English.

“My wife and I did the Vancouver Outdoor Murder Mystery in Gastown during a trip from Phoenix, AZ. We absolutely LOVED IT. Such a fun way to see parts of the city, and work together to solve puzzles and challenges as a couple. It felt like we were on the Amazing Race. The program is really well done, and is challenging, but not impossible. It's more than just a scavenger hunt, and requires some thought and deduction to get things right. I would highly recommend this activity for anyone looking to do something fun in Vancouver.”

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15.Gastown Pub Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 6 hours · from $21

Meet your English-speaking guides inside Portside Pub on Friday at 8:00 PM. Look for their Gastown Pub Crawl lanyards and leopard-print shirts. At 8:45 PM, the group heads to four Gastown bars, with a bingo-style icebreaker, free shots tied to drink purchases, and free entry at the venues.

“we booked the tour thinking we might see some older pubs with a bit of history but we soon realised that wouldn't be the case. We were the oldest of the group, it was aimed at a much younger audience, however, we stuck it out and ended up having a fun night and made lots of new friends.”

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