Dovercourt Crypt Haunted House

Dovercourt Crypt was a haunted house in North Vancouver. It used to be open on the last few days in October and hosted fireworks on Halloween night.

The haunted attraction ran from October 21st to 31st in 2023.

If you like haunted houses, other ones you might want to check out include Fright Nights and the Dead Fellows Haunted Brewhouse in Vancouver. There is also Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors in Surrey and Brinkworth Dungeon in Langley. Awesome ones in the Fraser Valley include Reapers Maze of Terror in Chilliwack and Maan Farms Haunted Mazes in Abbotsford.

Another haunted attraction on the North Shore is Canyon Frights at Capilano Bridge. This last one is very family-friendly. All the others mentioned above though are for more serious fright seekers!

To learn more about other scary places to visit in the Lower Mainland, click on one of the above links or see our article about Lower Mainland Haunted Houses. To learn more about Dovercourt Crypt, continue reading.

Lynn Valley’s Dovercourt Crypt at Halloween

The Lynn Valley neighbourhood in North Vancouver is usually a peaceful and very uncreepy neighbourhood in North Vancouver. That all usually changes on the days leading up to Halloween. That’s because an otherwise quiet and at other times normal-looking home at 3637 Maginnis Avenue turns into an amazing haunted attraction.

Dovercourt Crypt is an exceptional haunted house for a number of reasons. First, admission is by donation. The suggested minimum amount per person is $5. You don’t have to pre-purchase tickets and you don’t have to pay a lot of money to get in. Proceeds benefit the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund though, which is another reason why we like this place. If you can’t afford too much, that’s fine. But if you can, you’ll be helping a great cause.

The haunted house in Lynn Valley is also exceptional because of the quality of the attraction. It’s at a person’s private home, and they do it as a hobby, but the quality of the work is near professional.

And finally, two other things make the Dovercourt Crypt stand out. One, you go right inside the person’s home (or at least an addition to the house built specifically for Halloween). And two, the place gives out candy and hosts a free round of fireworks on Halloween night most years.

Dovercourt Crypt at Halloween — 3637 Maginnis Avenue at Halloween

Where is Dovercourt Crypt?

The address for Dovercourt Crypt is 3637 Maginnis Avenue in North Vancouver. It’s at the corner of Maginnis and Dovercourt (which explains the name).

Dovercourt is a small road just off Mountain Highway in the Lynn Valley neighbourhood of North Vancouver.

Coming from the Upper Levels Highway (i.e. #1 Trans-Canada), take the Mountain Highway or Lynn Valley exits. If going north along Mountain Highway, you’ll find Dovercourt Road on your right just a couple of streets past the intersection with Lynn Valley Road (and just one block past Frederick Road).

If driving north along Lynn Valley Road, turn left when you get to the intersection with Mountain Highway (by the Petro Canada gas station), and then turn right one block after Frederick.

Note: Not far from Dovercourt Crypt is the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and Lynn Headwaters Regional Park (both of which are free and nice to explore during the day).

Dovercourt Crypt Entrance — Entrance to the Dovercourt Crypt Haunted House

When is Dovercourt Open?

Dovercourt Crypt is usually open to the public for about four days in October. In 2023 the attraction ran for a few days extra. It was open daily from Saturday, October 21st, until Tuesday, October 31st.

Hours on the first weekend were from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Then, “Hauntling Nights,” took place on the weekdays of October 23rd to 26th. On those days the place offered a special “scare-free” time without live actors jumping out. The “Hauntling Nights” experience was still scary, just not its usual high level, so suitable for slightly younger children.

Dovercourt Crypt’s full haunted experience opened once again from Friday, October 27th, until Tuesday, October 31st. People could tour the attraction from 6:30 pm unil 9:30 pm each day before Halloween. Then, on October 31st, there was trick or treating at the house starting at 4:30 pm. The haunted house ran one last time for the season from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Fireworks typically blast off on Halloween night as well, but that may not have happened in 2023.

Dovercourt Pumpkin Skeleton — A Dovercourt Halloween Display

What to Expect

Expect to see a first-rate haunted house when you visit Lynn Valley’s Dovercourt Crypt.

The Halloween attraction has been running for more than five years and gets around 700 or so people each season. It likely gets a few more each year as word of it gets out.

At Dovercourt Crypt expect to see scary scenes, both inside and outside the house. Except for the “Hauntling Night,” when the place is less spooky, expect as many as eight or so actors hiding around corners and waiting to freak you out.

The haunted attraction is built on the side deck area of the creators’ home. It feels like you’re going right into the house. Outside there is a creepy entrance gate, and inside there are ghastly creatures, a claustrophobia tunnel and things hanging from the ceiling. One year there was even a skeleton on the toilet.

The lineups at the place aren’t bad because Dovercourt Crypt gets less than 1,000 visitors in a typical year over the course of its three or so days. Except for Halloween night, you don’t normally have to wait long to get in.

Because admission benefits a charitable cause, the quality is a near-professional level and the crowds are low, we rate Dovercourt Crypt pretty high on our list of favourite haunted houses! Hope you like it too!

Dovercourt Monster in Bladder Tunnel — A Live Actor in the Claustrophobia Tunnel

Tips & Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your Dovercourt Crypt experience.

TIP #1: Maginnis Avenue is only about one block long, as is this tiny section of Dovercourt Road. Parking, therefore, is pretty limited. Plan to park on a nearby street and walk the rest of the way.

TIP #2: Donate generously. The attraction is worth paying for and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund is a great cause.

TIP #3: There is usually a strobe light at the Dovercourt Crypt, or at least there has been in recent years. If you are hyper-sensitive to light, this is good to know. Ask about it before you go in.

TIP #4: Take young children and other timid folks to the “Hauntling Nights.” That’s when the scare factor gets turned down a bit. Halloween night is also a good time for little kids because of the trick or treating and evening fireworks. The house itself will still be too scary for most younger folks on the 31st though (and for some older folks too).

Other Tips

TIP #1: In years when it takes place, the fireworks on Halloween night are fun and free, but it’s not a huge event – it’s more for the neighbours. The pyrotechnics blast off from the street, and it’s a small road with lots of trees nearby, so don’t expect the Fourth of July. It’s nice though for people in the area.

TIP #2: If you really want fireworks, check out the displays in Maple Ridge at the Celebrate the Night event on a weekend in late October, or at Richmond’s Minoru Park with the Halloween Fireworks on October 31st.