Spirits With The Spirits, Haunted Pub Crawl

Flagstaff’s ghosts come with a drink in hand. This 2.5-hour walking crawl links old railroad buildings, historic bars, and grim local stories, including robberies, murders, suicides, and the tragic case of Marie Walkup and her children.

I like the stops at the Weatherford Hotel’s Zane Gray Bar and the chance to hear stories outside on a pub patio. I also like the focus on downtown history rather than jump scares. The catch is simple: you must be 21 or older, and the $50 price does not appear to include your drinks.

Key points at a glance

• Three historic downtown pubs: Stop for drinks in old Flagstaff bars instead of hearing every story on the sidewalk.
• The Weatherford Hotel and Zane Gray Bar: Visit one of the city’s best-known historic buildings and hear about its place in Flagstaff’s past.
• A guide in southwestern gothic dress: Meet your guide beside the train station and look for the distinctive outfit.
• Stories beyond standard ghost lore: The tour covers robberies, murders, suicides, eccentric townspeople, and tragic family history.
• A fully walking downtown route: The tour begins and ends at the south side of Flagstaff’s train station.
• Best for adults who enjoy history with their drinks: This is not a family activity, and all participants must be at least 21.

Flagstaff’s railroad past sets the mood

The meeting point is on the south side of the train station, on the track side. Look for a guide dressed in southwestern gothic clothing. That detail matters, since it gives you a clear visual marker in a busy public area and fits the tone from the first minute.

Flagstaff began as a modest railroad settlement beneath Mount Humphreys. The downtown buildings you pass today grew from that early town, when hotels, theaters, stores, and homes served workers, merchants, railroad passengers, and local families.

The tour uses those buildings as story settings. You are not simply walking from bar to bar while someone recites ghost facts. The streets provide the backdrop for stories about people who lived, worked, suffered, and sometimes died in the same buildings you see around you.

That makes the experience a good match for you if you enjoy local history with a spooky edge. The supernatural stories add atmosphere, but the town’s real past is just as important.

Three pubs, three chances to hear Flagstaff after dark

The route includes stops at three different historic downtown pubs. At each one, you can order a drink and listen to stories connected to Flagstaff’s past.

The exact order of the stops can depend on the evening’s schedule, so you should think of this as a guided route through several historic bars rather than a fixed tasting menu. The drinks are part of the setting, but this is not presented as a formal beer, wine, or cocktail tour. You pay for the $50 experience, then handle your own drinks at the pubs.

That distinction helps you judge the price. If you value a guide who can connect local buildings to odd, sad, and unsettling stories, the cost can be fair. If you mainly want several included drinks, this may feel expensive because your bar purchases are extra.

One stop takes place at the historic Zane Gray Bar inside the Weatherford Hotel. The hotel is tied to John Weatherford, the same figure connected with the nearby Orpheum Theatre. You get a sense of how one person’s vision helped shape this part of downtown, while also hearing about the strange events linked to the building.

Another part of the crawl includes time outside on a patio. That setting gives the stories room to breathe. A cold drink, an old building nearby, and a tale about Flagstaff’s seedier side can be more effective than a staged haunted-house effect.

The third stop rounds out the pub portion of the night. The provided details do not name every bar, so you should not book this expecting a fixed list of venues. The useful promise is three historic downtown pubs, each offering a pause from the walk and a different place to hear the guide’s stories.

The Weatherford Hotel and Orpheum Theatre

The Weatherford Hotel is one of the main anchors of the route. It sits beside the Orpheum Theatre, another important downtown building associated with John Weatherford.

The pairing gives the tour a strong sense of place. You can look at two old buildings rather than hear a story with no visible connection to it. The architecture and setting help you picture the town as it changed from a railroad outpost into the Flagstaff you see today.

The Weatherford stop also brings the tour’s themes together. It has the old hotel atmosphere, the Zane Gray Bar, and stories that place colorful characters in the same rooms and streets where people still gather for a drink.

The Orpheum Theatre is mainly viewed from outside as you walk past. It is worth noting that this is a walking history and pub tour, not a theater admission experience. You should not expect an interior visit unless the guide or venue makes that possible on the night of your tour.

Train depot, Hotel Monte Vista, and other eerie landmarks

The 1926 train depot is both the starting point and one of the landmarks tied to Flagstaff’s supernatural reputation. Beginning there makes practical sense, but it also puts you beside the railroad setting that shaped the town.

The Hotel Monte Vista is another stop or point of interest along the route. It is known locally as a supernatural hotspot, and its story adds a different mood from the Weatherford Hotel. The tour connects these buildings to the people and events that made early Flagstaff more than a quiet stop along the tracks.

You also pass the former home and offices of Dr. Raymond on Leroux Street. He is described as a kindly but eccentric town physician. That kind of story helps balance the darker material. Not every tale is about a violent death or a frightening apparition. Some are about unusual people whose habits and personalities became part of local memory.

This mixture is one of the tour’s strongest features. You get odd human stories, hard facts, and ghost lore in the same walk. The result should suit you if you prefer old-town character to a nonstop parade of horror effects.

The Marie Walkup story brings a darker edge

The story of Marie Walkup and her murdered children belongs to 1930s Flagstaff. It is one of the most disturbing subjects on the route, and it gives the evening a more serious tone.

Not all haunted history is playful. Stories connected to murder and family tragedy can be upsetting, especially when they involve children. You should expect the guide to cover difficult events alongside the lighter anecdotes and pub conversation.

That contrast is worth keeping in mind before you book. If you want only cheerful ghost stories and theatrical scares, this crawl may be heavier than expected. If you appreciate local history that acknowledges grief and violence, the Walkup story adds weight to the experience.

The tour’s strongest material appears to come from this blend of fact and folklore. The guide does not need to invent a haunted attraction when the town already has decades of real events, unusual characters, and painful memories.

Why the guide matters more than the route

A walking pub crawl depends heavily on its guide. The route itself is compact, and the buildings are close together. The guide’s storytelling determines whether the evening feels like a connected portrait of Flagstaff or simply a series of spooky stops.

Steve is one named guide associated with the experience. His approach is described as bringing both old and more recent ghost stories to life, with strong knowledge of Flagstaff’s past. The time is also reported to pass quickly, which is useful evidence for anyone worried that a 2.5-hour tour might drag.

You should expect an eccentric presentation rather than a dry lecture. The southwestern gothic clothing signals that the guide is playing with the theme, but the material also includes real town history. That mix can make the evening more entertaining without turning it into a costume show.

The guide’s role is especially important at the pub stops. You may be listening from a patio or at a table, with normal bar activity around you. A clear storyteller can hold the group’s attention even when the setting is not silent.

The experience is in English, and the live format means you can listen as the guide adjusts the stories to the group and the surroundings. No recorded narration or self-guided route is involved.

Walking, timing, and practical comfort

The tour lasts about 2.5 hours and begins and ends at the train station meeting point. Since the route is through historic downtown Flagstaff, you should be prepared to walk between the buildings and pubs rather than remain seated for most of the night.

A 2.5-hour schedule is long enough to create a full evening but short enough to fit before or after dinner. The starting time changes with availability, so check the schedule before planning a meal or another activity around it.

Wear comfortable shoes. The supplied details do not give a precise distance or describe the pavement, so I would plan for ordinary downtown walking and allow enough comfort for several stops. You should also bring a passport or ID card, since this is a 21-and-over activity and the pubs may require proof of age.

The route is listed as wheelchair accessible. If you have specific mobility needs, it is still sensible to confirm the route and bar access when booking, since the experience uses several different historic buildings.

Because the tour ends where it starts, you do not need to arrange a separate pickup. That is handy if you are staying near downtown or plan to continue your evening nearby.

What the $50 price really buys

At $50 per person, the main purchase is the guided experience: the route, the stories, the guide, and access to a planned evening through downtown Flagstaff’s haunted past.

The drinks do not appear to be included. Budget extra for beverages at the three pubs. Your final cost will depend on what you order, so the advertised price should not be treated as an all-inclusive night out.

I see the value most clearly if you want context. You could walk past the Weatherford Hotel, Orpheum Theatre, train depot, and Hotel Monte Vista on your own, but you would not automatically know which stories belong to each building. The guide supplies the connections and keeps the evening moving.

The value is weaker if you already know Flagstaff well or prefer to explore bars without a scheduled group. It is also less suitable if you do not drink, since the pub stops are a central part of the format, though the supplied information does not say that drinking is required.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start gives you some flexibility. You can also reserve now and pay later, which is useful when your Flagstaff schedule is still changing.

Who will enjoy this Flagstaff night walk

I would recommend this experience to adults who like small-town history, old buildings, local characters, and ghost stories that are tied to real places.

It is particularly suited to:

• Couples looking for an unusual evening activity
• Friends who enjoy a drink with local stories
• History fans who prefer personal tales to formal museum exhibits
• Visitors staying in or near downtown Flagstaff
• People who enjoy spooky subjects without a full haunted-house production

I would be more cautious if you dislike walking, avoid bars, or want a highly structured tasting experience with drinks included. Families with children cannot join, since participants must be 21 or older.

The tone also matters. The material includes murder, suicide, robbery, and the deaths of children. You can expect humor and eccentric characters, but the evening is not light from start to finish.

Should you book Spirits With The Spirits?

Book it if you want to see Flagstaff through its stranger stories. The combination of the Weatherford Hotel, Zane Gray Bar, Orpheum Theatre, train depot, Hotel Monte Vista, and three downtown pubs gives you a clear sense of place.

I especially like that the tour uses preserved buildings and local people as its main material. Steve’s storytelling is a strong reason to choose it when he is your guide, particularly if you want more than a list of ghost sightings.

Skip it if you want drinks included, dislike dark historical subjects, or would rather spend your evening choosing bars at your own pace. For everyone else, the $50 fee is reasonable when you treat it as a guided history walk with pub stops, not as a bar crawl with free alcohol.

FAQ

Where does the haunted pub crawl begin?

Meet the guide on the south side of Flagstaff’s train station, on the track side. Look for someone dressed in southwestern gothic attire.

Where does the tour end?

The experience ends back at the train station meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about 2.5 hours. Starting times depend on availability.

How many pubs does the tour visit?

The route includes stops at three different historic downtown pubs.

Is the tour suitable for anyone under 21?

No. The activity is not suitable for people under 21.

Are drinks included in the $50 price?

The provided details do not state that drinks are included. Plan to pay for your own drinks at the pubs.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card. This is a 21-and-over activity, so identification is important.