With winter rolling in and Christmas just around the corner, it’s easy to find yourself permanently camped on the couch with only Hallmark holiday movies for company. But it doesn't have to be this way––especially if you book a sought-after slot for what may be the most enjoyable festive activity in the city.

 

Hosted by the friendly folks at Forbidden Vancouver, the limited edition Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour is a guided 90-minute weave around some of downtown’s most famous heritage buildings––complete with a generous serving of entertaining and often downright salacious stories about the city’s gritty past.

 

“With their decorated lobbies and all the streets lit-up for the season, this is the best time of year to walk around and visit icons such as the Hotel Vancouver and the Marine Building,” says Forbidden Vancouver founder Will Woods. “But behind every historic façade, there are scandalous stories just waiting to be told.”

 

Naughty ankles

 

The tour kicks off with hot chocolate to go from Trees Organic Coffee on Granville Street––the perfect winter chill-buster––before your expert guide leads you on a time-travelling exploration. One of the first stops is the 1911-built Vancouver Art Gallery. Originally the city’s main courthouse, its architect Francis Rattenbury led the kind of rollercoaster life that would easily fill countless pages of the National Enquirer.

 

“I love talking about the human stories behind these respectable-looking buildings,” says Woods, one of several guides leading the tours this season. He also enjoys telling tales about a yesteryear entertainment scene that saw the city’s neon-fronted theatres hosting legendary performers such as Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin—and a certain notoriously risqué music hall star.

 

“When Marie Lloyd arrived here to perform at the old Orpheum Theatre in 1914, it caused absolute outrage,” says Woods. “One of her songs was called “The Ankle Watch” and it included her lifting her dress up a couple of inches from the floor to reveal a watch on her ankle! At the time, this was seen as totally sordid and depraved and the mayor eventually pulled the plug on the show.”

 

Sparkling buildings

 

Alongside these evocative stories, there are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy downtown’s holiday charms. The tour takes in the decorated lobby of the Hotel Vancouver plus the gingerbread houses at the Hyatt Regency. There’s also a private-access finale stop at the Marine Building, the city’s most celebrated heritage edifice. Completed in 1930, this art deco masterpiece doesn't need any Christmas baubles to make it the most richly decorated skyscraper in the city.

 

“We get to walk into the ornate lobby and also view it in all its glory from the mezzanine level,” says Woods, adding that its eye-popping design flourishes depict everything from ocean creatures to “modern” transport modes such as zeppelins and streamlined locomotives. Now a nationally revered heritage site, it also has a tumultuous backstory––including being built by an infamous rumrunner whose bankruptcy enabled the Guinness family to buy it for a song.

 

Ideal gift

 

Now in its second year, Forbidden Vancouver’s Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour is a great way to escape the couch, stretch your legs and hear some captivating stories about vintage Vancouver––whether you’re a local or a visitor. And while Woods notes that good walking shoes and weather-dependent layers are recommended, there are also plenty of indoor stops along the route.

 

The tour is also a unique gift idea for your 2024 pressie list. Digital gift certificates are available on the Forbidden Vancouver website, and the company has added extra dates to its post-Christmas schedule to facilitate those receiving the tour as a present. Alternatively, gift certificates can also be applied to their 2025 tours, ranging from enduringly popular walks such as the Lost Souls of Gastown to the Dark Secrets of Stanley Park and more.

 

Gearing up for its 14th season next year, Woods attributes Forbidden Vancouver’s longevity to a growing interest in the city’s lively backstory. And adding downtown’s Christmas charms to the mix to create a special seasonal walk has proven equally popular. “This tour is a truly original way to encounter Vancouver during the holidays––at the same time as hearing some surprising tales about a city you thought you already knew.”

 

If you go:

 

Forbidden Vancouver’s Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour runs every day from November 15 to January 10. The 90-minute tour costs $49 for adults and $44 for seniors and youth (hot chocolate included) and it must be booked online in advance—we recommend booking early for the specific date you desire.​

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