Denver Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour – Lower Downtown

Denver’s best ghost stories come with a barstool and a bit of old scandal. On this 2.5-hour walk through LoDo, your costumed guide links haunted bars with tales of brothels, tunnels, early Denver crime, and the city’s rougher beginnings. I especially like the small group of no more than 10 and the chance to see real historic interiors, not just stand outside buildings.

I also like the way the tour mixes ghost lore with local history. Guides such as Josh, Brynn, Rachel, and Tammy have been praised for lively storytelling, and Josh in particular is noted for making the past feel immediate. The drawback is simple: drinks are not included, and some people may find the stories more entertaining than frightening. If you want a serious paranormal investigation, this may feel light.

Key points to know before you book

• The tour visits working historic bars: You see The Celtic on Market, Nola Jane, and the Cruise Room, with time to buy your own drink.
• The group is capped at 10 people: That makes it easier to hear the guide and ask questions.
• Denver’s red-light past is part of the story: Expect tales of brothels, scandal, crime, and the city’s early days.
• The route includes both indoor and outdoor stops: You walk through LoDo, visit bar interiors, and hear stories at Union Station and Larimer Square.
• Bring proper identification: You must be at least 21, and some bars may not accept a vertical ID.
• Comfortable shoes matter: The tour lasts about two and a half hours and ends near Union Station.

Why this LoDo ghost walk works

This is not a haunted-house attraction. It is a walking tour through one of Denver’s oldest central districts, with ghost stories used as a way into the city’s past. That distinction matters.

You are not simply led from one spooky address to another. You walk through Lower Downtown, often called LoDo, and hear about the area as a former red-light district. Historic buildings, old bars, nightlife, and tales of brothels give the evening a strong sense of place. The supernatural stories add atmosphere, but the setting does much of the work.

The format also keeps the experience social. You meet at 7:30 pm at 1400 Market Street, then move through several stops before finishing at 1701 Wynkoop Street, a couple of blocks from the starting point. If you want, the guide can walk you back to the original meeting area.

With 95 percent of customers recommending the experience and an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 278 reviews, the strongest pattern is clear: the guides make the night. Josh, Brynn, Rachel, Tammy, and others have earned praise for humor, pacing, historical detail, and animated storytelling. The guide you receive can shape the tone, but the setup gives a good storyteller plenty to work with.

Starting at Larimer Square and Denver’s old red-light district

Larimer Square is the first major story stop, with about 30 minutes devoted to the area. This is a useful opening because it gives you context before the evening moves into individual bars.

The square is tied to early Denver and its changing fortunes. Here, the guide sets up the city’s rougher side, then connects local architecture and old businesses to tales of hauntings. You can expect the presentation to be theatrical, especially with a costumed guide, but the setting is not staged for the tour. You are standing in a real historic district at night.

The route also passes near Daniels and Fisher Tower. You may not spend a full stop there, but its presence helps place you in old Denver rather than in a modern entertainment zone. The tour also touches on the former red-light district, including the city’s past brothels and nightlife. That material is one of the more distinctive parts of the evening. It gives the ghost stories a human setting, full of ambition, vice, business, and bad decisions.

I would pay attention here even if you are mainly interested in ghosts. The early stories help explain why the later bar stops feel connected instead of random.

The Celtic on Market, where the evening gets personal

The Celtic on Market receives roughly 30 minutes and is an important stop early in the route. The tour begins its bar-based storytelling here, including a visit to the basement.

That basement matters. Hearing a story below street level gives the guide a natural way to change the mood, and the group gets more than a quick tale on a sidewalk. You see part of the building and hear about its past in the place where the stories are meant to have occurred.

The Celtic is also where you can start buying a drink, though the cost is your responsibility. One practical point came through clearly in the experience: some people would prefer at least one drink to be included in the tour price. At $37.59 per person, you should budget separately for anything you order.

Still, I think this stop offers good value because you are not paying for a generic pub crawl. You are paying for access to a guided story in a historic bar, plus the chance to order something if you wish. You can also skip alcohol and focus on the tales. The tour does not require you to buy drinks at every stop.

The Oxford Hotel and the Cruise Room

The route continues to the Oxford Hotel, one of the more memorable historic properties on the walk. The group can see the lobby and enter the Cruise Room Bar, where you hear stories about the hotel and its reported ghosts.

The Cruise Room receives about 15 minutes. That is not long, but it is enough for a focused visit. The room is famous in its own right, and seeing the interior gives the tour a stronger sense of place than a simple explanation from outside.

This is a good example of the tour’s balance. You are not spending the whole evening outdoors in the cold or moving from one plaque to another. You get short visits inside historic businesses, then return to the streets. The pace also creates natural breaks in the storytelling.

Do not expect a long sit-down bar session here. The stop is designed around the room, its history, and its ghost stories. If you want a full drink at every bar, the schedule may feel tight. If you want a series of atmospheric stops, it works better.

Nola Jane, two floors and time for a drink

Nola Jane Restaurant & Bar receives about 30 minutes and offers one of the fuller visits on the route. The group explores both levels of the historic building while the guide explains its reported ghostly activity.

This is also a chance to enjoy a drink. As with the other bars, drinks are available for purchase, not included in the tour price. You should listen for the guide’s instructions and keep an eye on time so the group can stay together.

Nola Jane is a strong stop for people who like architecture and atmosphere as much as paranormal stories. Seeing two levels of an older building gives you a better sense of how the structure has changed over time. The guide can connect the rooms, the building’s past, and the ghost accounts in a way that feels more immediate than a story told from the pavement.

The tour is not presented as proof of paranormal activity. It is entertainment built around local accounts, old buildings, and Denver’s less polished past. I think that is the right expectation. You may find the stories eerie, funny, or simply interesting, depending on your taste.

Union Station closes the route

The final listed stop is Denver Union Station, with about 15 minutes for ghost stories. The station is a fitting place to end because it remains a major public gathering point, not a preserved site visited only by history fans.

Here, the guide points out the spooky side of a place many people pass through without thinking about its past. The contrast is part of the fun. You may have walked through Union Station earlier in your trip as a transportation hub, but the tour asks you to see it as a place with stories and lingering memories.

The tour ends at 1701 Wynkoop Street, near Union Station and a couple of blocks from the start. You can ask the guide to walk you back to 1400 Market Street. That is useful if you do not know downtown Denver well or prefer not to retrace the route alone at night.

The final stop is not a long investigation or a dramatic staged finale. It is a short story session that brings the walk to a practical end near transit, restaurants, and downtown hotels.

What the $37.59 price really includes

The price covers a costumed guide, about two and a half hours of walking, visits to historic bars, and ghost stories tied to Denver locations. It does not cover alcoholic drinks.

I consider the price reasonable if you want a guided evening activity that combines three things: a city walk, local history, and bar visits. A standard ghost walk might keep you outside for the full duration. A standard pub crawl might offer drinks but little context. This tour sits between the two.

The value depends heavily on your habits. If you plan to purchase several drinks, your final cost will be higher than the advertised rate. If you order one drink or none, the base price is easier to justify. One advantage is that you are not forced into a fixed food or beverage package. You choose what to buy and where to spend.

The small group also matters. With a maximum of 10 people, the guide can pace the walk to the group and answer questions. That is especially helpful in bar interiors, where a large crowd can make storytelling hard to hear.

Practical details that can make or break the night

You need to be at least 21 and carry a valid photo ID. Vertical IDs may not be accepted at every bar, so an alternate form of identification is advisable. This is a detail worth taking seriously. You do not want to reach a stop and discover that your identification does not meet the venue’s rules.

Wear comfortable shoes. The route covers downtown streets and lasts approximately two hours and 30 minutes. The experience requires a moderate level of physical fitness, and you should be ready to walk and stand during the evening.

The tour is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. It runs near public transportation, with the ending point close to Union Station. Service animals are allowed.

Weather can affect the tour. It requires good conditions, and poor weather may lead to a new date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. The experience requires a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for that reason may also result in a new date, another experience, or a refund.

Because the tour starts at 7:30 pm, plan your evening around it. Arrive early enough to find the meeting point at 1400 Market Street without rushing. The stops include bathroom opportunities, but you should still use facilities before the walk begins if needed.

Who will enjoy this Denver ghost tour most

I would recommend it to couples looking for an unusual date night, friends who want a social evening, and solo visitors who like meeting a small group while seeing downtown after dark. It also works for locals who know modern Denver but want to hear about its scandalous early years.

History-minded visitors may appreciate it more than people who want constant scares. The stories cover hauntings, but they also involve architecture, old businesses, the red-light district, tunnels, and the city’s early days. One account of the tour found that the historical background was lighter than expected, with more attention given to stories tied to the bars. That is a fair warning if you want a detailed academic treatment of Denver history.

The tour is also a good fit if you like a guide with personality. Names such as Josh, Brynn, Rachel, and Tammy have become associated with strong storytelling, humor, and an ability to answer questions. You should expect a performance, not a dry lecture.

It may not suit you if you dislike walking, do not want to enter bars, or expect drinks to be included. It is also not the best choice for anyone seeking a serious ghost-hunting session with equipment, long investigations, or quiet time at each site.

Should you book the Haunted Booze and Boos tour?

Book it if you want a social night in Denver that combines historic bars, old scandals, and ghost stories without taking itself too seriously. The small group, indoor stops, and strong guide-led format give it an edge over a basic downtown walk.

Skip it if your priority is a detailed survey of Denver’s past or a genuinely frightening paranormal experience. You will get more entertainment than investigation, and you will pay extra for drinks.

For most visitors, I would call it a good-value evening activity, especially if you enjoy local stories and plan to buy only a drink or two. Bring comfortable shoes, a valid photo ID, and an open mind about the ghosts. The best part is not proving that the dead are present. It is seeing a familiar downtown district through its bars, scandals, and stranger stories.

FAQ

How long does the Denver Haunted Booze and Boos tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours and 30 minutes.

What time does the tour start?

It starts at 7:30 pm.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is 1400 Market Street, Denver, Colorado 80202.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at 1701 Wynkoop Street near Union Station, a couple of blocks from the starting point. The guide can walk you back to the start if requested.

Are drinks included in the tour price?

No. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase, but you pay for your own drinks.

How old do you have to be to join?

You must be at least 21 years old and bring a valid photo ID.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum of 10 participants.

What happens if the weather is poor?

If bad weather causes the tour to be canceled, you will be offered a different date or a full refund.