My first activity of the spooky season was Aventure Outaouais’ Pontiac Haunted Tour and it definitely started the season off on the right foot. What better way to celebrate fall and Halloween than exploring the Outaouais top haunted spots and treating yourself to delicious fall staples?
Meet our guide, Brandon from Aventure Outaouais. Photo by Torie Wotton.
Ottawa Night Tours
Aventure Outaouais is a local tour company providing fantastic opportunities to explore the best parts of the Outaouais in all seasons. They provide everything you need to have a great time including transportation from Ottawa and Garineau, snacks, knowledgeable guides and informative pre-trip emails so you know exactly what to expect. Aventure Outaouais also does a great job of accommodating dietary restrictions when notified in advance so everyone can have the full tour experience. On the haunted tour, every detail contributes to creating an eerie experience, from the headlamps and lantern to the mood music in the van as you travel between locations.
Enjoying the spooky vibes, photo by Torie Wotton.
Haunted Locations Around Ottawa
What makes this tour so interesting is that you stop at four different haunted places where your guide will share spooky stories that happened right where you’re standing. There’s no need to imagine the scenery because you are immersed in it and it feels like the story is happening right around you. There’s something very unique about learning the haunted history of a place while you’re there. Despite the logical knowledge that they won’t, you’ll be expecting the characters to step out of the trees around you at any moment.
This is a spooky tour without being overwhelmingly scary. It’s not a haunted house so there’s no jump scares or intentionally scary scenery and none of the stories are gory. This makes it a great tour for people who want to get into the Halloween spirit but aren’t interested in a big scare.
I’m not going to share the locations or stories with you because the surprise and suspense is what makes the tour so fun. Instead here’s a little preview of what you can expect. First, you’ll travel to a waterfall and hear a ghost story about a lumberjack’s wife. As the sun finishes setting, you’ll learn about an old dance hall and the piano that plays itself. In the pitch black, you’ll explore the barn where a young girl faced a spooky burden and finally you’ll visit a river flowing with history and look for the light.
Eerie scenery for an eerie story, photo by Torie Wotton.
Wholesome Fall Snacks
Along the way, you’ll stop at Coronation Hall Cider Mill for a sweet treat of apple cider and apple pie. This was my second time visiting Coronation Hall and I can say with certainty their treats never disappoint. The hardest part is deciding how many treats you should bring home with you. You can choose from apple juice, hard cider, apple pies and apple butter just to name a few. This snack stop is sure to fuel you up for all your ghost hunting this spooky season.
Delicious apple pie from Coronation Hall, photo by Torie Wotton
The Aventure Outaouais Pontiac Haunted Tour is a great haunted attraction and makes for a perfect fall night if you’re in Ottawa or the surrounding area. You should absolutely add it to your list of must-do Ottawa Halloween activities. You can buy tickets and learn about all the tours they offer here.
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