River City: Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl

San Antonio’s old center has plenty of ghost stories, but this tour gives them a useful setting: six haunted buildings and bars linked by a two-hour evening route. You hear about a tavern built on a battlefield, a woman buried in wet cement, and a jilted woman remembered through a red cocktail at the Haunt Bar.

I like the way the crawl mixes local history with time in real bars, rather than keeping you outside for a full night of spooky tales. I also like the small group limit of 20, which should make it easier to hear guides such as Paul and Amorette. The main drawback is that the $36 price covers the guide and stories, but drinks are not listed as included, so your final cost will be higher if you order at the stops.

Key points to know before booking

• Six haunted stops: The route includes Crockett Tavern, the Emily Morgan Hotel, the Haunt Bar at St. Anthony, the Majestic Theatre, Esquire Tavern, and the Sheraton Gunter Hotel.
• Strong guide-led appeal: Paul is praised for his humor and storytelling, while Amorette is known for drink suggestions and an easygoing manner.
• A two-hour evening plan: The tour starts at 6:00 pm and ends back at 320 Bonham, making it a simple addition to a night in central San Antonio.
• Drinks cost extra: The tour includes an experienced guide and historical stories, but no beverages are listed among the inclusions.
• Small group size: A maximum of 20 people keeps this more personal than a large city walk.
• Easy booking flexibility: You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the 6:00 pm start time.

Why this pub crawl works in San Antonio

I like haunted tours best when the buildings matter even without the ghost stories. This route does that well. You move among old hotels, theaters, taverns, and bars, so the evening is not built only around a dramatic tale. The places themselves give the stories some weight.

The route begins at 320 Bonham, at the Crockett Tavern, and ends at the same meeting point. The listed stop times range from 10 to 15 minutes, which gives the guide room to tell a focused story without leaving you parked in one place for too long.

At $36 per person, the value depends on what you want from the night. If you only want a bar crawl, you may find the price less appealing because drinks are extra. If you want a guide to connect several San Antonio sites with ghost lore and local tales, the fee is reasonable for a small-group, two-hour outing.

You should also plan for the tour to become a longer night out. The official activity lasts about two hours, but ordering drinks at the bars will add time and expense. That is part of the fun, yet it means the advertised price is not the full evening budget.

Starting at Crockett Tavern on Bonham Street

The first stop at 320 Bonham is the Crockett Tavern. Here, the focus is the claim that the tavern was built on a battlefield. That gives the tour an immediate link to San Antonio’s past, rather than opening with a generic haunted-house story.

The stop lasts about 15 minutes, and admission is free. Since this is also the meeting point, you can arrive early, get your bearings, and be ready when the 6:00 pm start time arrives.

This opening stop should suit you if you enjoy stories that connect a building to a specific event or setting. It also sets the tone for the rest of the crawl, where the guide uses a real address as the starting point for each tale.

The Emily Morgan Hotel and its unexplained interruptions

At 611 S Presa Street, the route pauses at the Emily Morgan Hotel for about 10 minutes. The stories here involve a phone ringing and doors opening on their own. These are simple details, but that is part of their appeal. A ringing phone or moving door is easier to picture than a long list of vague supernatural claims.

The shorter stop also keeps the pace moving. You are not expected to spend a large block of the evening at one hotel. Instead, the guide gives you a quick story, then brings you onward to the next location.

I would treat this part as atmosphere rather than proof of anything paranormal. The tour is built around reported supernatural activity and traditional ghost storytelling, so you should come ready for folklore and local tales, not a scientific investigation.

Ordering the Lady in Red at St. Anthony’s Haunt Bar

The stop at 300 E Travis Street brings the pub element into clearer focus. At the Haunt Bar at St. Anthony’s, you can order the Lady in Red cocktail, named after a woman who took her own life after being left at the altar.

That drink is not listed as part of the $36 ticket. You should budget separately if you want to try it, and the supplied tour details do not give a cocktail price. Still, this is one of the route’s most distinctive features. The story is tied to something you can order at the site, making the stop feel more connected to the bar than a simple exterior talk.

The visit lasts about 15 minutes. Amorette is specifically praised for drink recommendations, so her style may be especially useful here. If your guide is Paul, expect a more comic and entertaining approach based on the way his guiding is described. Guide assignments can vary, so do not book the tour expecting one specific person unless the provider confirms it.

The Majestic Theatre’s long list of spirits

At 224 E Houston Street, the tour reaches the Majestic Theatre, one of San Antonio’s oldest theaters. The site is described as home to many spirits, giving the guide another kind of setting to work with.

The Majestic stop lasts about 10 minutes. That short time is enough for a compact story, but it will not be a full theater tour. Admission is free, and the provided details do not say that you enter performance spaces or receive access beyond the stop itself.

This is an important distinction for planning. You are booking a haunted pub crawl with historical stories, not a theater performance tour. The Majestic adds architectural and cultural interest to the route, but the main purpose is the ghost account connected with the building.

Esquire Tavern and the end of Prohibition

The stop at 115 E Commerce Street takes you to the Esquire Tavern. It opened the day after Prohibition ended, and the location has drawn patrons and spirits over the years.

That background gives this stop a different flavor from the battlefield story or the hotel activity. The tale here grows from the life of a drinking establishment, which fits the pub-crawl format naturally. You get a bit of social history alongside the supernatural angle.

The stop lasts about 15 minutes. You may want to order a drink here, but again, beverages are not listed as included. The tour fee covers the guide and historical stories, so plan to pay directly for anything you choose to eat or drink.

The Sheraton Gunter Hotel’s wet-cement story

The final listed stop is the Sheraton Gunter Hotel. Here, you hear the story of a woman buried in wet cement, followed by continuing spiritual activity at the hotel.

It is the most striking story on the route, at least in terms of its unusual detail. A tale involving construction, a body, and later paranormal activity gives the guide plenty to work with. The stop lasts about 15 minutes, making it one of the longer story segments.

The tour then returns to the starting point at 320 Bonham. That is helpful if you have left a car nearby or want a clear end point for the rest of your evening. The details do not provide a separate drop-off service, so you should plan around the original meeting location.

What the guide adds to the night

The guide is the main reason to choose this crawl instead of simply visiting the bars yourself. The included service is an experienced guide who supplies the historical stories and connects the six locations into one evening.

Paul receives especially strong praise for being funny and entertaining while still telling plenty of stories. That balance matters on a haunted pub crawl. Too much history can feel like a lecture, while too many jokes can weaken the sense of place. Paul’s described style aims for the middle.

Amorette is singled out for creating a fun, informal atmosphere and giving good drink recommendations. If you want help choosing what to order, her style may be a good match. She is also described as offering a large amount of information, so you can expect more than a quick succession of ghost claims.

The available feedback also points to an educational side. One guide was praised for being well prepared, smart, and informative. Since guide assignments may change, I would judge the tour primarily by its format rather than assume one person will lead every departure.

Group size, timing, and the practical side

The tour starts at 6:00 pm and lasts about two hours. That timing makes sense for a haunted pub crawl. You get the evening atmosphere without committing your whole night, and you can continue at a bar or restaurant afterward.

The maximum group size is 20 people. That is not a private tour, but it is small enough that the guide should be able to address the group without the crowd becoming unwieldy. It also makes it easier to hear the stories at busy downtown locations.

The ticket is mobile, and the tour is offered in English. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Since the activity averages booking 16 days in advance, I would reserve ahead if your schedule is fixed, especially for a particular evening.

Service animals are allowed, and the activity is near public transportation. Most people can participate according to the supplied information. The details do not explain the exact distance between stops, the amount of walking, or whether every stop involves entering a building, so contact the provider if those details matter for your planning.

Who will get the most from this $36 tour

This crawl is a good fit for you if you want three things in one outing: ghost stories, San Antonio settings, and a chance to stop for drinks. Couples, friends, and visitors looking for a relaxed evening activity should find the format easy to fit into a city stay.

It also suits people who prefer a guide with personality. The strongest praise centers on humor, drink advice, and an informal atmosphere. That makes the guide a major part of the value, not just someone who leads you from address to address.

You may want to skip it if you dislike supernatural stories or do not plan to buy drinks. The ticket is not a cover charge for the bars, and it is not a formal history tour with long explanations at every site. The stories are short, the pace is social, and the evening works best when you accept a little theatrical ghost lore.

Families may need to use their own judgment. The supplied details do not provide an age recommendation or explain the content of every story. Because the route centers on bars and includes a tale of suicide, you should check with the provider if you are booking for children or teens.

Cancellation and planning advice

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund, so keep that deadline in mind before booking.

I would arrive at 320 Bonham with enough time to find the meeting point and open your mobile ticket. Wear something suitable for an evening out and avoid planning another fixed activity immediately after the crawl. The advertised duration is approximately two hours, and bar stops can make the night stretch longer if you order drinks.

Should you book River City: Spirits & Spirits?

Book it if you want a compact, social introduction to San Antonio’s haunted side, with real bars and historic buildings providing the backdrop. The six-stop route is varied, the group limit is sensible, and the guide’s personality receives the strongest praise.

The best reason to book is the mix of stories and settings: a battlefield tavern, a hotel with unexplained activity, a red cocktail tied to a tragic tale, an old theater, a post-Prohibition bar, and the Sheraton Gunter’s wet-cement story. Just remember that drinks cost extra and that the tour leans toward entertaining folklore rather than a serious investigation.

FAQ

Where does the haunted pub crawl start?

It starts at 320 Bonham in San Antonio, Texas, at the Crockett Tavern.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour begins at 6:00 pm.

How long does the activity last?

It lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the meeting point at 320 Bonham.

How many stops are included?

The route includes six listed stops: Crockett Tavern, the Emily Morgan Hotel, the Haunt Bar at St. Anthony’s, the Majestic Theatre, Esquire Tavern, and the Sheraton Gunter Hotel.

Are drinks included in the $36 price?

Drinks are not listed among the inclusions. The ticket includes an experienced guide and historical stories, so you should expect to pay separately for cocktails or other purchases.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English and includes a mobile ticket.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not eligible for a refund.