San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

The most interesting part of this tour is the mix of documented hauntings and old San Francisco streets. You move from one pub to the next while hearing about ghosts, miners, suffering, and the city’s rougher past. It is less a haunted house show than a walking history lesson with a drink in hand.

I like the small maximum of 15 people, which gives the guide room to tell stories and answer questions. I also like the personal touch some guides bring, from Mark’s card tricks to Oakley, the friendly ghost-hunting dog. The main drawback is that the bars can change or close, especially on Sundays, and the early start may feel too tame if you want a late-night crawl.

Key points at a glance

• Four bar stops in about two hours: Begin at High Horse and finish at Lion’s Den Lounge and Bar, with Old Ship Saloon and Hungry I along the way.
• Stories tied to real places: Hear about a lingering ghost, the Miner’s Ghost, a cook with missing fingers, and other documented local tales.
• Small groups matter: The tour accepts no more than 15 people, and a quieter night may leave you with a nearly private walk.
• Drinks are extra: The $36 price covers the guide, taxes, and tour, but not your beer, cocktail, or other drink.
• Guides shape the evening: Ben, Taylor, Mark, Mike, Silver, and Michaela have all been praised for their storytelling and local knowledge.
• Expect a walking tour, not a ghost guarantee: You hear about hauntings and visit places linked to them, but seeing an actual ghost is not promised.

Why this haunted pub crawl works

San Francisco has plenty of ghost tours, but this one gives the stories a social setting. You are not standing in a dark alley for two hours waiting for something to happen. You are walking through an old part of the city, pausing in bars, and hearing why certain streets and buildings have unsettling reputations.

That format suits me because it keeps the evening moving. A good guide can make a short walk feel like a trip into another era, then give you time to order a drink and talk with the group. The stories are described as intensely researched and based on documented accounts, so the focus is on local legends with a historical foundation rather than random spooky claims.

The tour is also small enough to feel personal. With a limit of 15 people, you should be able to hear the guide without fighting through a crowd. On quiet dates, the group may be much smaller. One couple had the tour almost to themselves when the rest of the group did not appear, and the guide still ran it rather than canceling.

At $36 per person, the value depends on what you want. If you are buying four drinks, the evening will cost more than the ticket price. If you see it as a guided walking tour with several bar visits, local history, and a personable guide, the price is reasonable. Admission to the stops is included, but the drinks are not.

Starting at High Horse on Washington Street

The meeting point is High Horse at 582 Washington Street. This is where you meet the guide and begin learning about the area. The opening section sets the tone by explaining the local past and introducing one particular ghost said to still linger nearby.

Starting in a bar is useful. You can order a drink, settle in, and meet the people in your group before heading into the streets. One practical point is worth noting: a Sunday start may not go exactly as planned. High Horse was closed for one Sunday group, so the guide arranged an alternate bar. If you plan to arrive early for a drink before the official start, check that the venue is open on your date.

The opening story matters because it gives the rest of the walk some context. Instead of hearing a string of unrelated ghost tales, you begin with a specific place and a specific spirit. Guides such as Taylor and Ben have been praised for making this part feel like a San Francisco history lesson rather than a routine pub stop.

Old Ship Saloon and the city’s darker past

Old Ship Saloon is one of the listed stops. You spend about 10 minutes there, with admission included, and buy your own drink if you want one. The saloon is presented as a place that witnessed a great deal of human suffering, which gives the stop a darker tone than a simple historic bar visit.

This is where the tour’s subject becomes more serious. San Francisco’s older districts carry stories of hard labor, violence, loss, and people living on the edge. The haunted stories grow from that background. You are not only hearing that a room is haunted. You are hearing why people connect the place with pain and memory.

Ten minutes is enough for one drink and a focused story, but it is not a long pub session. If you want to linger at every bar, this crawl may feel rushed. The point is to keep moving through the neighborhood and build a chain of stories, not to spend an entire evening at one saloon.

Hungry I and the ghosts along the street

The next named stop is Hungry I, where you have another short drink stop. The setting is tied to ghosts said to haunt the street, so the guide can connect the interior of the bar with the surrounding blocks.

I like this part of the route because the street itself becomes part of the story. You are not simply going from one modern bar to another. The guide points out the area, explains what happened there, and gives the pub a place in the larger tale.

The crawl can also work well for solo visitors. The group is small, and the stops make conversation easy. Several guides have been praised for creating a relaxed mood, which helps if you arrive alone or do not normally join group tours.

Do not expect every planned bar to be open. Sunday closures affected two stops on one outing, and alternate venues were used. That is a fair warning for anyone choosing this tour mainly for a particular pub interior. The stories can continue, but the exact setting may change.

The Miner’s Ghost and San Francisco’s rough edges

Between the pubs, the guide discusses the Miner’s Ghost and some of the area’s darker past. This section adds a different layer to the tour. The focus shifts from one haunted building to the people and events that shaped the neighborhood.

San Francisco’s mining era is an obvious source of dramatic stories, but the useful part here is the connection to place. You hear about a figure associated with the neighborhood while walking through the streets where the city’s early wealth and hardship took shape. The guide’s job is to make those connections clear, and the strongest guides appear to do exactly that.

You may also hear the story of a cook with missing fingers, one of the more memorable tales associated with the crawl. It has the right ingredients for a ghost story, but it also reflects the grim working conditions and personal dangers behind old city life.

The stories are meant to entertain, yet the tour is not presented as a staged scare attraction. Some people will prefer that restraint. If you want actors, special effects, or guaranteed supernatural activity, choose a different kind of evening.

Lion’s Den Lounge and Bar: the final stop

The tour ends at Lion’s Den Lounge and Bar at 57 Wentworth Place. This is the final listed pub stop and the point where the group separates. The guide wraps up the stories here, and you can order another drink before leaving.

The ending is intentionally open. You are not taken back to the starting point, so plan your route from Chinatown and nearby streets after the tour. The finish is useful if you want to continue your evening in that part of San Francisco, but less convenient if you parked near High Horse.

The final joke in the itinerary is that you should try not to run into any ghosts on the way out. That gives you a sense of the tone: spooky enough to be fun, but relaxed and social rather than relentlessly frightening.

What the guides add to the night

The guide can make or break a storytelling tour, and this one has received strong praise for its people. Ben has been described as engaging and good at sharing city history. Taylor has been praised for her grasp of San Francisco’s ghost stories and for keeping the tour running even with a tiny group.

Mark and Mike bring extra entertainment to some outings. Their card tricks have been singled out as a pleasant surprise, and Oakley, a dog who sometimes joins the tour, has become a favorite with people who enjoy a little charm alongside the ghost stories.

Silver has been praised for bringing the historical settings to life through her storytelling. Michaela has also been credited with taking charge when communication before the tour was not especially smooth. These details matter because the basic route is simple: walk, listen, stop for drinks. The guide’s personality gives the evening its character.

There is no promise that you will get a particular guide, card trick, or dog. Still, the repeated praise suggests that the company’s strongest asset is its human touch. You are paying for interpretation and company as much as for the route.

Timing, walking, and group size

The tour lasts about two hours. The listed bar visits are about 10 minutes each, with walking and storytelling between them. That makes this a compact evening activity rather than a long pub crawl.

You need a moderate level of physical fitness. The experience involves walking between locations, standing during stories, and moving through city streets. No private transportation is included, so use public transportation or arrange your own way to the meeting point and home from the ending location.

The group maximum is 15 people. That is small enough for the guide to keep the discussion moving and for you to ask questions without shouting. A smaller group can feel almost private, though the exact size will depend on the booking date.

The tour is offered in English, and a mobile ticket is accepted. Service animals are allowed. Since the activity takes place near public transportation, you should not need a car to reach it.

Drinks, closures, and the real cost

The $36 ticket includes all fees and taxes, the professional guide, and the walking tour. You pay separately for drinks. Admission at the listed bars is free, so your additional cost depends on what you order.

I would budget for at least one drink, since the pub stops are part of the experience. You do not necessarily have to buy a drink at every location. One outing involved only a drink at the first bar, but you should confirm expectations with the guide if you prefer not to drink.

The bars may not all be open on your date. Sunday appears to be the main caution, with alternate stops used when venues were closed. If you care more about the stories than the exact interiors, this is not a major problem. If you are booking for a particular saloon, check the operating schedule before you go.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted, and the cut-off follows San Francisco local time.

Who should book this tour

I would choose this crawl if you enjoy local history, ghost stories, and casual drinks in a small group. It also suits solo visitors, couples, friends planning a night out, and families with older children who can handle spooky stories and a moderate walk.

It is a good first-night activity because it helps you get familiar with one of San Francisco’s older sections while giving you ideas for where to spend the rest of your evening. The guides often add facts about the city beyond the ghost material, so you receive more than a string of supernatural claims.

I would hesitate if you want a late-night experience. One person found the start too early and wished the tour ran later. I would also think twice if you need a fully fixed route, since bar closures can force changes.

Should you book San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze?

Book it if you want a social walking tour with real local tales, short pub visits, and a guide who can turn old streets into a story. At $36, it offers fair value when you count the small group, guide, four planned bar stops, and historical interpretation.

Skip it if you expect to see a ghost, drink heavily at every stop, or spend a long time inside one historic bar. The best reason to go is not a guaranteed scare. It is the combination of San Francisco’s darker past, personable guides such as Ben, Taylor, Mark, Mike, Silver, and Michaela, and a relaxed evening that ends in Chinatown.

FAQ

How long does the San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $36 per person.

Are drinks included in the ticket price?

No. Drinks are not included, so you pay separately for anything you order.

How many bars does the tour visit?

The experience is described as visiting four bars. The listed locations are High Horse, Old Ship Saloon, Hungry I, and Lion’s Den Lounge and Bar.

Where does the tour begin?

The tour starts at High Horse, 582 Washington Street, San Francisco, California 94111.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour ends at Lion’s Den Lounge and Bar, 57 Wentworth Place, San Francisco, California 94108.

Is transportation included?

No. Private transportation is not included. The tour takes place on foot and is near public transportation.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is 15 people.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.