Victoria: As most visitors do while visiting B.C.'s capital, my partner Brent and I strolled up and down the waterfront's main streets checking out the neighbourhood.
Within minutes, coming straight at us were hundreds upon hundreds of bloodied zombies. This ghoulish display of walking, shuffling, moaning and groaning zombies snaked through the streets of downtown Victoria from Centennial Square to the B.C. Legislature grounds, and we were right in the thick of it.
It was quite the sight to behold as I snapped about 100 photos, marvelling at the professional looking make-up artistry of the walking dead.
We were told by one of the Victoria Zombie Walk 2015 marshals that this year attracted more than 2,500 walking dead. Hundreds watched, photographed and enjoyed this flash mob, one of Victoria's premier Halloween events. The capital has long held the title of being the most haunted city in B.C. The grande dame of Victoria herself is said to be haunted. Case in point: the untimely death of the hotel's chambermaid, Lizzie McGrath, at The Empress in 1909 who died after stepping out of her sixth-storey room to stand on the fire escape that she didn't realize had been removed for construction. Guests staying on the sixth floor have reported getting a knock on the door by a woman who asks for help in finding her room. But when they go out into the hall to help her, she disappears. That's just one
of the stories tourists hear while on a ghostly walk led by local historian John Adams.
So if vampires, ghouls and other paranormal beings are on your bucket list then Victoria is the place to fill it. Even the Inn at Laurel Point, where we stayed for two nights in a harbour view room, was in on the trick or treat action. Friday afternoon, we were handed tickets to the newest attraction to attempt to scare visitors and residents alike - Horror Escape.
We were teamed up with two other couples and led into a dark room. Consisting of several rooms, we had 30 minutes to find our way out by following the clues: that's if you can figure out the clues which was not easy.
Horror Escape is a hybrid of sorts, part haunted house and part maze that challenges you to locate clues and solve riddles to help you unlock the door that will allow you to escape your "prison." We never made it out of the second room! When one of the co-founders Jeff Roberts pointed out the oh-so-obvious clues, I felt better knowing I wasn't alone in my inability to break out. However, it's not all fright and flight in Victoria this fall. The city has a lot to offer visitors at any time of the year.
n Butchart Gardens: Although there were no hauntings or ghosts milling about, the scents and beauty of fall foliage is everywhere in this horticultural wonderland; making it a wonderful place to spend a few hours.
We strolled through the gardens, and met up with a couple from Florida. As we
chatted with them, they told us they've traveled to several world-class gardens all over the U.S. and had never witnessed such a stunning and unique display.
It's true. Although late in the season, the dahlias were in full bloom, some hardy roses were still standing and the vibrant reds, fiery oranges and golden hues of the trees and the hidden garden were dazzling at this time of year. It's hard to
believe that this once was an abandoned limestone quarry.
n Fisherman's Wharf: I'm really surprised that after all these years of visiting Victoria I had never been to this hidden gem. Walking along the boardwalk from the Inn at Laurel Point, we turned a corner and saw a dozen or more colourful, funky floating houses and walk
right into Fisherman's Wharf.
The floating boardwalk takes you along a neighbourhood of houseboats in an array of brilliant yellow, lime green, barn door red and blue, a hub for kayak and whale watching tours, and several seafood restaurants. We also had front-row seats as a young couple fed fish to a group of resident harbour seals.
n Recipe from Inn at Laurel Point executive chef Takashi (Tak) Ito: Kabocha (buttercup Squash) Soup Serves 4: -600 grams Kabocha cubed, -100 grams onion, sliced -100 grams celery, sliced -100 grams Granny Smith apple, peeled and cubed -50 grams fennel, cored -1/2 piece star anise, -1 bay leaf -1/4 cinnamon stick -1 litre pork or chicken stock thyme to taste -2 Tbsp butter -200 ml apple juice Method: Peel skin of Kabocha and cut into pieces in pot, add all ingredients. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove star anise, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Blend ingredients with some stock. Adjust thickness of soup by adding more stock. "I like serving this soup with some garnish with acidity like apple or pumpkin seed relish or pickled onion."
If you go: The easiest, fastest (30 minutes from Richmond) and scenic way to get to Victoria is by Harbour Air Seaplanes, departing from Richmond and Vancouver. Book online at harbour-air.com.
n The Inn at Laurel Point, 680 Montreal St., Victoria. Toll free: 1-800-663-7667 Website: laurelpoint.com. This resort-style hotel offers spectacular harbour views as well as a museum-quality art collection sprinkled throughout. Your October Escape package includes accommodation, Horror Escape tickets for two, parking and breakfast for two in the AURA waterfront restaurant. P.S. The hotel's staff is some of the nicest, friendliest and most helpful.
Butchart Gardens, 800 Benvenuto Ave. in Brentwood Bay. 20 kilometres south of the Swartz Bay ferry terminal. Phone: 250-652-7751 or online at butchartgardens.com.
n Ghostly Walks is Victoria's classic ghost tour, exploring the haunted alleys and courtyards of Victoria's Old Town. Tours start at the Visitor Centre. Special Halloween tours take place nightly from October 19 to 31 at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Bedford Regency Hotel (1140 Government St.). No reservations needed. Call 250-384-6698 or
check discoverthepast.com for details.
n Horror Escapes runs all year-round. This 30 minute escape room challenge is located at 523 Broughton St., Victoria. You can reserve by calling 778-265-7995 or online at horrorescape.com.
n Fisherman's Wharf is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. This unique marine destination offers food kiosks, unique shops and eco-tour adventures in the heart of the working harbour. Visit fishermanswharfvictoria.com.
- For more information about what to see and do in Victoria during the fall season, visit tourismvictoria.com.
