Spooky stories meet real drinks in Richmond. In about two hours, you’re guided through historic blocks tied to Edgar Allan Poe lore and local ghost myths, with short stops built for both atmosphere and a quick taste. I like the way the tour mixes recognizable names with lesser-known hauntings, and I like that the evening keeps moving so you don’t get stuck in one spot too long.

I’ve also learned to treat this as a story-and-sip crawl, not a nonstop drinking party. One drawback to keep in mind is that some departures come with rules that limit drinking or smoking, and that can affect how much time you spend inside venues.

If you show up ready to walk and listen, you’ll get a fun, Halloween-season-friendly way to see Richmond after dark. It starts at McCormack’s Irish Pub at 12 N 18th St at 6:00 pm, and it’s capped at a maximum of 15 people, which helps the guide keep things personal instead of herding cats.

Quick hits before you go

• Edgar Allan Poe Museum and other old buildings are part of the route, so the “ghost” theme has real place-based grounding
• A beer stop at Richbrau Brewing pairs history with a try of the house brew
• Short, frequent stops keep the pace brisk for a 2-hour evening
• Guides matter here: Bob and Mars both got standout praise for their storytelling and energy
• Rules can limit drinking or smoking, so check your expectations if you booked mainly for booze
• Max group size is listed as 15, though you should still be mentally prepared for crowds near popular venues

Why this Richmond haunted pub crawl feels different

Plenty of ghost tours sound the same on paper: walk, hear a legend, maybe a few minutes inside. This one has a more pub-focused rhythm, but it still leans hard on setting. You’re not just hearing about ghosts in the abstract—you’re standing in buildings tied to real chapters of Richmond life, from Masonic lodges and Civil War hospitals to the city’s oldest standing structures.

I also like that the “boos and booze” idea has a local twist. Some stops are built around tastings like beer, cider, or other drink moments, while others are about how rumors formed around specific places. That mix makes the tour feel like a Richmond night out, not a scripted haunted attraction.

And if you care about the tone of your guide, pay attention: multiple guests singled out Mars and Bob for bringing the stories to life. When a guide can keep the group engaged, you feel it fast, even when you’re outdoors on a cool evening.

Price and value at $37 for a 2-hour night out

At $37 per person for about two hours, the value mainly comes from three things:

First, you’re paying for a professional guide and a tight route of multiple stops. You’re not just getting one location and a long speech.

Second, the stops are positioned as “ticket-free” admissions at each location. That matters because it helps keep the evening from turning into an add-on parade of fees.

Third, the tour includes story-driven drink moments at multiple spots, including a brewery and a cider stop. You aren’t forced to buy a full meal here, and you can keep your budget under control.

The key thing: don’t assume you’ll be able to drink freely. Based on reported rules on at least one departure, alcohol and smoking can be restricted, and that’s worth considering if you’re booking with a party mindset.

Meeting at McCormack’s Irish Pub: starting easy, then walking Richmond

The meeting point is McCormack’s Irish Pub, 12 N 18th St, Richmond, VA 23223, and the start time is 6:00 pm. The tour ends back at the meeting point, so you’re not worrying about trains, taxis, or backtracking late at night.

What you should plan for is walking—Richmond has some steep roads. Wear comfortable shoes. The itinerary is structured for short windows at each stop, so you’ll be shifting locations more than lingering.

This is capped at 15 travelers on the listing, and that smaller group can help the guide manage pacing. One guest did report a larger group experience, and that’s the kind of situation that can turn “story time” into “waiting time,” so if you’re sensitive to that, try to book earlier when the schedule is less likely to swell.

Rosie Connolly’s Pub Restaurant: Railroad YMCA, red-light rumors, and ghostly hands

Your first real atmosphere jump happens at Rosie Connolly’s Pub Restaurant. It’s in a historic structure that once housed the Railroad YMCA, and the building sits in an area that was known as Richmond’s former red light district. That’s a specific kind of setting—tense and human—more interesting than a vague “old haunted building” label.

The tour frames the experience like this: you’re encouraged to try a drink while listening for the twist of the legend. The story suggests the drink may even be poured with help from ghostly hands. Even if you don’t treat it as literal, it’s a good example of how this tour uses the details of a place to shape the mood.

Practical takeaway: this is a great first stop if you want the evening to feel playful right away. If you’re not comfortable with humor mixed with the supernatural, you might prefer to mentally switch modes and treat it as storytelling theater.

JewFro and Smith and Foundry: Daniel Denoon’s haunting question

Next comes JewFro, set in Richmond’s oldest commercial building. The tour story leans into the idea that when businesses fail repeatedly in one building, people start believing the place is cursed. From there, the legend turns to Daniel Denoon, rumored to haunt the structure.

There’s also a tasting element here through Smith and Foundry, where African wines are offered for tasting. That’s a smart way to broaden the “pub crawl” concept. You get more than beer and cider; you get an extra layer of what drink culture can look like in Richmond, right in the middle of a spooky stop.

One note for your expectations: this is a short stop. You’ll want to be ready to taste quickly and move on, so keep your questions focused.

The War of 1812 Masonic lodge: when the hauntings have a real wartime past

Between pub stops, you hit the kind of location that makes ghost tours feel grounded: one of the world’s oldest Masonic lodges still in operation. The building also served as a hospital during the War of 1812.

That history matters because it explains why hauntings can feel persuasive. People didn’t just imagine stories out of thin air; they attach legends to trauma, confinement, and memory—especially in places that have had generations of visitors and workers.

The tour also addresses doubt head-on, pointing out that even skeptics get persuaded by reported paranormal activity in this building. Whether you buy into it or not, the pacing and storytelling are set up so you experience the legend in the same room where the history happened.

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum: ghost sightings tied to personal objects

Then you step into the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, located close to Poe’s house and place of employment. The building is described as Richmond’s oldest standing structure, which gives the stop instant gravity.

Poe’s ghost is reportedly seen in multiple locations throughout the house. One angle the tour emphasizes is attachment: the idea is that Poe may have remained around because of his personal items. That’s a compelling way to connect the supernatural to human details.

If you’re a Poe fan, this is one of the strongest stops on the route because it gives you context for why he mattered to Richmond in the first place—and then adds the ghost layer right where it belongs.

If you’re not a Poe person, you’ll still likely enjoy it because the stories are place-specific rather than generic.

Richbrau Brewing: beer history in the US, plus a real-world tasting

Richbrau Brewing is where the tour turns from folklore to drinks with a side of facts. You’ll hear about the background of beer in the US and then get a chance to try the house brew.

One guest specifically enjoyed the 14th Street Horribles sour ale at Richbrau Brewing, which tells me this stop isn’t just theoretical. It’s the kind of location where taste matters, and the tour gives you permission to treat it like a mini beer tasting moment.

A balance point: one review said the group couldn’t go to the Richbrau location. That can happen for reasons outside the tour’s control (or due to timing/rules), so if this brewery stop is a major reason you’re booking, keep some flexibility in your plans.

The first church and its cemetery ghosts: catastrophes, then lingering spirits

After Richbrau, the tour moves toward an old church said to be the first one built in Richmond. Over time, the church has witnessed numerous catastrophes, and that sets up the legend that four ghosts prowl the cemetery and church.

This is where the crawl format keeps working. Instead of turning into a long cemetery lecture, you get a compact story hit, tied to a single place with strong emotional weight. The four-ghost framing also gives you something concrete to listen for, rather than hearing a single vague haunting.

If you love when tours explain why rumors stick around, this stop is a good one. People remember events, and buildings remember people.

A Civil War hospital turned tobacco store: the ghosts you can’t avoid

Next is another heavy hitter: a facility where over 300 troops died. It served as a hospital during the Civil War and was formerly a tobacco store.

This blend of uses is interesting on its own. It’s one thing for a building to be old; it’s another for it to have shifted roles across conflict, industry, and daily life. That’s the kind of place where stories tend to accumulate fast.

The tour points to ghosts that unavoidably remain in this setting, framing the hauntings as something tied to loss. It’s a darker stop, and it works best if you’re comfortable with the mood turning serious for a bit.

Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille: farmhouse dry cider and a colonist flavor

The finale stop is Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille, where you can try the Farmhouse Dry Cider. The tour connects cider to what colonists consumed every day, giving the drink a historical angle rather than treating it as just a modern menu item.

It also slips in a playful warning: if you notice something out of the corner of your eye, it might not just be the booze. That’s classic pub crawl humor, but it fits the theme of the night—small scares, big stories, and you leaving with your senses tuned to the details.

If you’re the type who likes a satisfying ending, this stop is a good wrap-up. You end with a drink that feels tied to the period the tour keeps referencing, and you’re already primed for the spooky tone.

Guide quality and group vibe: why Bob and Mars get named

The best part of this tour, based on strong repeat praise, is the guide. Bob and Mars came up again and again for animated storytelling, friendliness, and the ability to keep the group engaged.

One common thread in positive feedback is how the guide doesn’t just recite facts. They make the stories easy to follow and fun to share, which helps strangers start talking instead of standing in awkward silence outside bars.

Mars also got specific praise for encouraging group interaction, which matters if you want a lively evening rather than a quiet walk.

On the flip side, there were negative comments about pacing and uncertainty in the storytelling, plus complaints about dead time at bars compared with time spent on ghost stories. If you’re sensitive to pacing, I’d treat this as a “listen closely” kind of tour: show up on time, stay with the group, and lean into the guide’s rhythm.

What you should watch for: rules, inside stops, and time pressure

Because this is a crawl tied to alcohol, you should plan for constraints. One guest reported a rule set that included no drinking or smoking, plus frustration that the group didn’t enter any establishments. That’s the kind of mismatch that can make the tour feel like it lost its main hook.

Also, timing matters. The itinerary is built with short windows at each location, and that can be great when the guide runs a tight schedule. But if you end up waiting longer than expected, the evening can feel awkward or less spooky.

Finally, shoe choice is not a small detail here. The route includes steep roads, and you’ll feel it by stop two or three if you’re in the wrong footwear.

Who this haunted pub crawl is best for

This tour is a strong fit if you want:

• A fun, adult-friendly Richmond night that mixes drinks with story stops
• Historic buildings you can actually see up close, especially the Poe Museum
• A guided evening where the guide’s personality helps you stay engaged
• A small-group vibe (maximum 15 is listed) rather than a giant crowd

It may not be ideal if your top priority is a long, fully immersive ghost lecture with tons of detailed hauntings. The route is short-stop focused, and the emphasis can shift between history, legends, and drink moments depending on the guide and the conditions of the night.

Also, it’s not for anyone under 21. So plan for adult-only company and bring a mindset that matches the tone.

Should you book this tour?

I’d book it if you’re into Richmond’s dark corners and you want a social, drink-flavored way to learn the city’s haunted lore. At $37 for about two hours, with multiple story stops and tasting moments, it’s good value—especially if you care about a guide who can actually carry the mood.

I’d be a bit cautious if you’re booking mainly for free-flowing booze. Rules can restrict drinking or smoking on some departures, and that can change the feel of the evening. If Poe and historic sites are your priority, you’ll likely still get your money’s worth. If the brewery stop or inside access is a make-or-break item for you, I’d go in with flexibility.

FAQ

How long is the Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze pub crawl?

It runs for about 2 hours.

How much does it cost?

The price is $37.00 per person.

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at McCormack’s Irish Pub, 12 N 18th St, Richmond, VA 23223.

What time does the tour begin?

It starts at 6:00 pm.

What’s included in the price?

The tour includes a professional guide, researched and accurate history, and authentic local legends and ghost stories. Food and drink are not included in the price.

Does the tour allow alcohol or smoking?

The tour description does not list rules, but one guest reported guide rules that included no drinking or smoking and that the group did not enter establishments. That’s something to keep in mind when you set expectations.

Who can join the tour?

The tour is not for travelers under the age of 21. Service animals are allowed, and the tour is in English.

How many people are in the group?

The tour/activity has a maximum of 15 travelers.