Ghost Bus Pub Crawl

San Antonio’s Ghost Bus Pub Crawl mixes haunted storytelling with three very different drinking spots, from the old Menger Bar to a Victorian séance-themed lounge. The air-conditioned bus keeps the night easy, while guides such as Lexi, also known as Lady Lex, and Robert supply the theatrical touch.

I like the blend of history and atmosphere, and I like that the tour goes beyond a standard walking route. You get a look at the Menger Hotel area, Southtown, and Hotel Havana without arranging several stops yourself.

The main thing to keep in mind is that alcohol is not included, and bar locations can change. The tour also needs good weather and a minimum number of participants, so check your plans before booking.

Key things to know before you book

• The Menger Bar starts the night: You visit one of Texas’s oldest and most historic bars for about 30 minutes.
• Southtown brings the theatrical mood: The House of Spirits uses Victorian furniture, pink lighting, and electric candles to create an eerie setting.
• Hotel Havana adds old-world style: Its basement bar and Cuban-Texan atmosphere give the final stop a different character.
• The bus saves your feet: You ride in an air-conditioned vehicle between stops instead of walking across several parts of San Antonio.
• The guides are part of the show: Lexi, or Lady Lex, is praised for strong characterization and storytelling, while Robert has also helped look after the group.
• Expect a social night: The maximum group size is 33, large enough for energy but small enough for the guide to address the group directly.

Three bars, one haunted night in San Antonio

This is not a quiet history lecture with a single drink at the end. It is a moving pub crawl built around San Antonio’s darker stories and unusual bar settings.

The experience lasts about two to three hours. That gives you roughly 30 minutes at each listed stop, with the remaining time used for boarding, driving, introductions, and storytelling. You should think of it as a compact evening outing rather than a full night on the town.

The air-conditioned bus matters in San Antonio. It gives you a break from walking and lets the tour connect downtown with Southtown. It also keeps the group together, which is useful when the night involves several venues and a guide-led schedule.

The feel depends heavily on your guide. Lexi, also called Lady Lex, is known for a strong character and lively storytelling. One unusual part of the evening can include a conversation about real-life experiences, rather than only prepared ghost tales. A tarantula appearance has also been part of one tour, so you may get more than supernatural stories.

That last detail is worth noting for anyone who dislikes spiders. The tarantula was a surprise for one couple, though one member of the pair enjoyed it. The experience may suit curious, open-minded visitors better than anyone seeking a tightly controlled bar tour.

Starting at Sisters Grimm near Alamo Plaza

The tour begins at Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours & Oddities Parlor, at 204 Alamo Plaza, Suite J. This puts you close to one of San Antonio’s best-known historic areas and makes the meeting point fairly central for anyone already spending time downtown.

Confirmation is provided when you book. The tour is offered in English, and a mobile ticket is accepted, so you do not need to manage a paper voucher.

Try to arrive ready for a group departure. The night has several timed stops, and a delay at the beginning can affect the rest of the evening. Since the experience may include theatrical storytelling, you will get more from it if you are willing to play along with the mood.

The group can reach 33 people. That is not a private tour, but it is also not a massive coach outing. You should expect some group movement at each bar and occasional waiting if a venue is busy or if the route changes.

Menger Bar and the weight of Texas history

The first stop is Menger Bar, where you have about 30 minutes. It is presented as the oldest and most historic bar in Texas, giving the evening a serious historical anchor before the more theatrical settings begin.

The appeal here is not only the drink. This stop gives you a chance to sit in a place with a long connection to San Antonio’s past and hear stories that make the building feel less like a backdrop and more like part of the tour.

Thirty minutes is enough for a quick drink and some storytelling, but not enough for a slow meal or a long bar session. Plan to treat it as an introduction to the night. If you want a full experience at each venue, the schedule may feel brisk.

Admission to the stop is included, but alcoholic drinks are not. You will need to pay for your own beverages, and the same applies at the other bars. That setup keeps the base experience focused on transport, guiding, and entry rather than bundling drinks you may not want.

The Menger stop should appeal most to people who like their ghost stories tied to real buildings and local history. It is also a useful first stop because it establishes the tone without starting at the most overtly spooky venue.

Southtown House of Spirits and its séance-style setting

The second stop is Southtown House of Spirits at 727 S. Alamo St. The bar opened on Halloween 2024 and occupies a second-floor space in San Antonio’s historic Southtown district.

This is likely the most visually theatrical stop. The interior uses vintage wooden furniture, pink bulbs, and electric candles. The result is intimate, dim, and deliberately eerie, with a Victorian séance theme rather than a conventional pub atmosphere.

The setting gives you something to look at while the guide tells stories. The low light and old furniture help create a sense of occasion, though they may not suit anyone who wants a bright, relaxed bar where conversation is easy.

Again, the planned visit is about 30 minutes. That is enough to take in the room, order a drink, and follow the group’s storytelling, but it is a short visit. If this becomes your favorite stop, you may wish you had more time to stay.

The Southtown location also gives the night some geographic variety. You are not simply moving between bars around one square. The bus carries you into a different district and changes the visual setting before the final stop.

This is a good part of the tour for people who enjoy design, costumes, and atmosphere as much as ghost lore. It may be less satisfying if you want detailed paranormal investigation or extended time at one bar. The experience is built for mood and storytelling, not a formal examination of supernatural claims.

Hotel Havana and a moody finish

The final listed stop is Hotel Havana, a 1914 boutique hotel beside the San Antonio River Walk. Its vintage furnishings and old-world mood make it a fitting final setting for a night built around spirits of both kinds.

The hotel is associated with stories of ghostly guests lingering in its halls. Its basement bar was once a speakeasy and now serves craft cocktails in a dim, intimate room. The on-site restaurant, Ocho, brings Cuban and Texan influences into a candlelit setting.

The exact bar used during your visit can change, so do not arrive expecting one fixed room. Still, the hotel’s character is clear: this is the most polished and atmospheric stop of the three, with a stronger focus on historic style and cocktails.

The 30-minute visit gives you time to enjoy the surroundings, but it is not a complete Hotel Havana visit. If you are interested in the restaurant or want to spend a long evening at the basement bar, you may need to return separately.

As a final stop, Hotel Havana works well because it shifts the mood away from the more openly theatrical House of Spirits. You finish in a setting that feels like a historic nightspot, with ghost stories folded into the hotel’s existing character.

How the guides shape the evening

The guides are central to this experience. Lexi, also known as Lady Lex, has been praised for characterization and storytelling. That means the tour is not simply a driver taking you from bar to bar. The guide helps connect each location and keeps the supernatural theme active between stops.

A good guide also matters when plans change. One outing encountered a problem involving a hotel manager, and Lexi handled the situation calmly. That is a useful sign for a tour with several venues, since bars can be busy, policies can shift, and access can sometimes become complicated.

Robert has also been part of the guide team. Having two people involved can help with boarding, group movement, and keeping an eye on the schedule. It may also give the evening a more conversational feel than a one-person presentation.

You should not expect a dry lecture. The style leans toward character, performance, and personal storytelling. That suits you if you like a guide who can entertain a group and respond to the people around them.

The strongest part of the evening may be the chance to speak with the guide about real experiences. That kind of exchange can make a small group tour feel more personal, though it will depend on the group size and the pace of the night.

What the price represents, even without a listed fare

The supplied details do not give a ticket price, so I cannot judge the exact dollar value. I can still explain what you are paying for.

Your admission covers the local guide, the air-conditioned vehicle, and entry to the listed stops. Alcoholic beverages are extra, so your final cost depends on how much you order at each venue.

The tour offers better value if you want transport and storytelling combined. Visiting three atmospheric bars on your own would mean arranging directions, choosing the order, and finding your way between downtown and Southtown. Here, the bus and guide handle that work.

The value is weaker if you mainly want inexpensive drinks or long visits at each bar. The stops are short, and the experience is designed around moving through several settings. You are paying for the themed route and the guide’s performance, not just a bar seat.

Before booking, compare the total ticket price with what you would pay for a regular ghost walk plus your own drinks. If you enjoy guided history and unusual venues, the package can make sense. If you prefer a relaxed bar crawl with no schedule, you may find the structure restrictive.

Who will enjoy this most

I would recommend the tour to adults and older teens who enjoy ghost stories, historic buildings, theatrical guides, and a drink along the way. It is especially useful for someone visiting San Antonio who wants an evening activity that covers more than one district.

Couples and small groups can use it as a playful night out. The changing venues keep the evening from feeling repetitive, and the bus removes much of the effort involved in getting around.

It also suits people who have already seen the main downtown sights and want a different view of San Antonio. The route connects the Alamo Plaza area, Southtown, and the River Walk area through stories of haunted rooms, old bars, and unusual characters.

I would think twice if you dislike dark settings, spiders, group activities, or planned departures. The tarantula detail is not the main focus, but it shows that the night can include oddities beyond ghost stories.

You should also allow for changes. Bar locations can shift, and weather or minimum group requirements can affect whether the tour runs. That is normal for an experience involving several venues, but it means you should keep your evening plans flexible.

Timing, meeting point, and the ride home

The tour begins at Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours & Oddities Parlor and ends behind the Menger Hotel, outside Morton’s The Steakhouse at 300 E. Crockett St. The bus does not return you to the starting point.

That ending is practical if you plan to continue downtown afterward. Morton’s location puts you near the River Walk and other central spots, though you should arrange your own onward plans after the drop-off.

Public transportation is nearby, and most people can participate. The details do not describe special accessibility arrangements, so contact the operator directly if you need specific assistance.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather cancels the tour, you can receive a different date or a full refund. The same applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

Should you book the Ghost Bus Pub Crawl?

Book it if you want a guided, atmospheric night that combines San Antonio history, ghost stories, three distinctive bars, and easy transport between neighborhoods. The best reasons to go are the strong guide-led presentation, the Menger Bar setting, the unusual House of Spirits interior, and the moody finish at Hotel Havana.

Skip it if you want a slow bar crawl, low drink costs, or a fully predictable route. The stops are brief, alcohol costs extra, and venue changes are possible.

For the right audience, this is a fun way to see another side of San Antonio after dark. Go for the stories and settings first, and treat the drinks as part of the evening rather than the main event.

FAQ

How long does the Ghost Bus Pub Crawl last?

The experience lasts approximately two to three hours.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours & Oddities Parlor, 204 Alamo Plaza, Suite J, San Antonio, Texas 78205.

Where does the tour end?

The bus drops you behind the Menger Hotel, outside Morton’s The Steakhouse at 300 E. Crockett St. in San Antonio.

Are alcoholic drinks included?

No. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the tour cost.

Which bars are included?

The planned stops are Menger Bar, Southtown House of Spirits, and Hotel Havana. Bar locations are subject to change.

What happens if the tour is canceled?

If poor weather or an insufficient number of participants cancels the experience, you will be offered a different date or experience, or a full refund.