Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

Portland’s haunted past gets a good theatrical twist on this two-hour pub crawl, which links nine historic sites with four old watering holes. You’ll hear about pirates, murders, government secrets, and paranormal sightings while walking through downtown with a guide carrying a lantern. The mood is spooky, but the format stays social rather than grim.

I like the mix of local history and bar time, and I like that you are not trapped inside one pub listening to the same kind of story all night. The $30 price also feels fair if all four bars are open and you enjoy walking between stops. The catch is that drinks are extra, stop times vary, and one Sunday outing had a closed bar and no drink stop at the first pub.

Key points at a glance

• Nine historic haunted sites: The route includes four pubs plus five other places tied to Portland’s darker stories.
• A lantern-led downtown walk: Meet outside The Benson Hotel, where your guide will be dressed up and carrying a lantern.
• Three named pub stops: Kelly’s Olympian, Kell’s Irish Pub, and the Shanghai Tunnels Bar form the main drinking stops described for the route.
• Stories with a wide range: Expect tales of heartless pirates, ruthless murders, government secrets, and unexplained activity.
• Drinks are not included: Bring money for each pub, and do not expect the $30 ticket to cover food or beverages.
• A good fit for adults who enjoy atmosphere: The crawl is for people 21 and older and runs in all weather.

Starting beneath The Benson Hotel’s ghostly reputation

The tour begins at The Benson Hotel, Portland’s Curio Collection property at 309 SW Broadway. Arrive 15 minutes early and look for a guide in costume carrying a lantern. That small bit of theater matters. It gives the group an easy meeting point and sets the tone before the first story begins.

The Benson is presented as an elegant hotel with its own ghost sightings, so the tour starts with a place that already carries a supernatural reputation. You will not simply meet at an anonymous street corner and start walking. The setting helps shift your attention from ordinary downtown Portland to the city’s older, stranger side.

The exact starting time depends on availability, and the route operates rain or shine. I would wear shoes that can handle a full evening on foot and bring a waterproof layer in Portland’s typical damp weather. Comfortable clothing is not optional here, since you may spend much of the two hours walking between stops.

The guide speaks English and leads the group through the downtown area. One useful detail from the evening format is that some stories may be told in private rooms at the pubs, giving the group a quieter place to gather. That is helpful when a bar is busy or when you want to hear the details instead of competing with background noise.

Kelly’s Olympian and the first round of ghost stories

Kelly’s Olympian is one of the featured stops, and it gives the crawl an early taste of Portland’s old bar culture. The experience is not built around a formal tasting menu or a reserved drink pairing. Instead, you enter a historic watering hole, hear its darker stories, and decide for yourself if you want to order something.

The bar is also tied to one of the tour’s more playful promises: you may get the chance to dance with the spirits while sipping your drink. That language tells you what sort of evening this is. It is spooky entertainment with a wink, not a serious investigation into paranormal claims.

An EMF reader may appear during the tour. It is a fun extra for anyone who enjoys ghost-hunting gadgets, though it does not turn the outing into a scientific field study. I would treat it as part of the show and the atmosphere, much like the lantern and the costumed guide.

Keep your expectations flexible at this stop. Visits can last anywhere from about 15 or 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the day and season. That means you could have a short story session in one setting and a longer gathering in another. It also means the crawl may not feel perfectly timed from week to week.

Kell’s Irish Pub and Portland’s strongest paranormal setting

Kell’s Irish Pub is another central stop, with paranormal stories that have circulated for years. The tour presents it as the place most likely to make a skeptic reconsider. You will hear accounts of strange activity while sitting in an Irish pub, a setting that naturally suits old tales and ghost stories.

I like this part of the route because the pub setting keeps the evening grounded. You can listen to a story, look around the room, and order a drink if you wish. The experience does not ask you to spend the entire time staring at a dark building from a sidewalk.

That said, this is not a bar-hopping pass with guaranteed drinking time at every location. Food and drinks are not included, and the amount of time available at each pub changes. One Sunday outing did not include a drink stop at the first bar, so you should not book this expecting a fixed number of rounds.

The best approach is to see the beverages as optional additions rather than the point of the ticket. If you want to sample Portland’s bar scene, budget separately for drinks at the stops that are open. If you do not drink, you can still take part in the stories and historic site visits.

The Shanghai Tunnels Bar and Portland’s darker side

The route finishes at the Shanghai Tunnels Bar, a place chosen for its connection to Portland’s grim past and eerie atmosphere. The name points to the city’s old stories of shanghaiing, the practice of forcing people onto ships, though the supplied tour details do not spell out exactly which tales your guide will tell inside the bar.

This final stop gives the crawl a darker finish than a simple ghost walk through pretty streets. The tour promises stories of heartless pirates, ruthless murders, and government secrets, so the subject matter can be disturbing. If you prefer light folklore and playful haunted-house effects, this may feel heavier than expected.

You also need to allow for the possibility that the evening’s schedule changes. Bars can have different hours or events, and one stop has been closed on a Sunday outing. The tour description says the length of each visit varies by season and day, so the final stop may not receive the same amount of time on every departure.

Still, ending in a bar makes practical sense. After two hours of walking and listening, you have a place to sit, order a drink, and keep talking about the stories. Just remember that the tour itself does not cover that final beverage.

Nine sites make this more than a standard bar crawl

Four pubs are included among nine historic haunted sites. That balance is important. You are not paying $30 simply to walk into four bars, and you are not signing up for a nonstop history lecture with no chance to pause.

The five non-pub locations give the guide room to connect Portland’s streets with its past. The stories cover crime, political secrecy, maritime violence, and reported ghost activity. The route’s value comes from these connections. A bar becomes more interesting when you know what happened there or what people claim to have seen there.

The amount of detail will depend on the guide and the group. One outing had a guide who was highly engaged with the stories, but walked too fast and was difficult to hear. That is a useful warning for anyone who wants every historical point. Stay near the guide, especially when crossing streets or moving from one site to the next, and speak up if the group begins to spread out.

The best guides make the stories feel connected to the streets around you. The less successful moments can feel rushed if the group is large, the sidewalk is noisy, or the guide moves ahead before everyone has gathered. You should come ready to walk at a steady pace and listen closely.

The guide, storytelling, and group atmosphere

Your guide is the main ingredient in a tour like this. Costumes and a lantern help, but the evening depends on clear delivery, timing, and the ability to make old events feel immediate without stretching the facts too far.

The strongest feedback centers on storytelling, friendliness, and fun. One evening included private rooms where the group could hear the spooky material, which is a real advantage. A quiet room makes a big difference when the guide is explaining a murder, a secret, or a paranormal claim.

The tour also has a social side. You are moving with a group of adults, stopping in pubs, and sharing reactions to strange stories. That makes it a good choice for friends, couples, and birthday or Halloween outings. It is less suited to someone seeking a silent, scholarly walk through Portland’s past.

The experience is restricted to people 21 and older, and you should bring photo identification. A copy of your ID is accepted according to the tour information. Smoking and video recording are not allowed, so expect to listen and take in the surroundings rather than record the entire evening.

Is $30 a fair price when drinks cost extra?

At $30 per person, the ticket is reasonable if you value a guided route, nine historic stops, and a structured evening in downtown Portland. You are paying for the guide and access to the planned experience, not for alcohol, food, or a set number of drinks.

The value is strongest when the four pubs are open and the guide has enough time to tell the stories at each stop. It weakens if a bar is closed, the group misses a planned drink stop, or you mainly want to drink rather than hear local history.

I would compare this with the cost of arranging your own bar crawl. You could visit several downtown pubs without a ticket, but you would not have the route, the costume, the lantern, the historical framework, or the ghost stories. For me, the ticket earns its keep through the storytelling and the access to nine connected locations.

Set aside extra money for drinks and possibly food before or after the crawl. Since the visit to each place may last from 15 minutes to an hour, you may not have enough time to order a full meal at every stop. Think of the pubs as story settings with optional drinks, not as a dinner itinerary.

Practical details that affect the evening

The meeting point is The Benson Hotel at 309 SW Broadway, Portland. Arriving 15 minutes early is sensible, especially if you are unfamiliar with downtown or need time to identify the costumed guide.

The tour lasts two hours, but the exact rhythm changes with the season and day of the week. You may move quickly between some sites and spend longer in a pub or private room. The walking portions make weather-ready clothing important, since the tour continues in rain.

The tour information lists wheelchair accessibility, but it also says the activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. Those statements do not fully agree. If you use a wheelchair or have difficulty walking, contact the operator before booking and ask about the specific route, surfaces, and pace for your date.

Cancellation is flexible up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Portland plans are still shifting. They do not solve the practical issue of bar closures, so check the departure details and keep your schedule open.

Who will enjoy this Portland haunted pub crawl?

I would choose this tour if you like local legends, old bars, and a bit of theatrical fun. It works especially well for an adult evening when you want more structure than simply wandering downtown from pub to pub.

It suits you if:

• You enjoy ghost stories even when you remain skeptical.
• You want a mix of walking, history, and optional drinks.
• You are comfortable with stories about murder, piracy, and disturbing events.
• You like social tours with a guide rather than a private experience.
• You can walk at a steady pace for two hours.
• You are 21 or older and carry identification.

I would skip it if you want a guaranteed drink at every stop, a slow academic history tour, or a carefully fixed schedule. It may also disappoint if you expect every pub to remain open regardless of the day. The Sunday closure issue is worth keeping in mind.

Should you book the Ghosts Boos and Booze crawl?

Book it if you want an entertaining introduction to Portland’s darker stories and like the idea of hearing them inside old pubs. The nine-site route, lantern-carrying guide, private storytelling rooms, and occasional EMF reader give the night more variety than a basic ghost walk.

Before you reserve, accept three things: drinks cost extra, the route changes with the day and season, and some walking may be brisk. If those conditions suit you, $30 is a sensible price for two hours of guided history and spooky atmosphere.

I would be most inclined to book it from Thursday through Saturday, when the pub-centered format is likely to make the most sense, though the available schedule should guide your choice. For a rainy Portland night with friends, this is an easy way to turn the city’s grim stories into a lively evening out.

FAQ

Where does the haunted pub crawl meet?

The tour meets at The Benson Hotel Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton, at 309 SW Broadway, Portland, Oregon 97205. Arrive 15 minutes early and look for a guide dressed in costume and carrying a lantern.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts two hours. Time at each location can vary from about 15 or 20 minutes to one hour, depending on the day of the week and season.

Are food and drinks included?

No. The $30 ticket includes the guide and visits to nine historic haunted sites, including four pubs. Food and drinks must be purchased separately.

Is the tour available for people under 21?

No. The activity is not suitable for people under 21, and you should bring identification. A copy of your ID is accepted.

Does the tour run in bad weather?

Yes. Tours run rain or shine, so bring weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes.

What language is the tour in?

The tour is conducted in English with a live guide.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve now and pay later option is also available.