Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

Richmond’s darkest stories come with a drink in hand on this two-hour haunted pub crawl. You move through Shockoe Bottom and nearby streets, hearing about former hospitals, old churches, Poe, Masonic history, and buildings tied to the city’s rougher past. The ghost stories are the hook, but Richmond’s real history often steals the show.

I like the mix of historic places and local drinks, especially the chance to try African wines at Smith and Foundry, beer at Richbrau Brewing, and farmhouse dry cider at Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille. I also like the small-group limit of 15, though actual group size may vary. The main caution is simple: some stops may be viewed from outside, and the quality of the evening depends heavily on the guide and which pubs are open.

Key things to know before you book

• Richbrau Brewing is a highlight for beer fans: You may sample a house brew, including the 14th Street Horribles sour ale mentioned by one guest.
• Mars and Bob have earned strong praise: Mars is animated and good at getting the group involved, while Bob is known for lively storytelling.
• The route includes steep Richmond streets: Wear shoes you can walk in comfortably for two hours.
• Food and drinks cost extra: The $37 price covers the guide and tour, not your bar tab.
• The ghost content can vary: Some people find the history fascinating, while others want more sustained paranormal storytelling.
• You must be at least 21: The tour starts at 6 p.m. and returns to the meeting point.

Richmond’s haunted past, one pub at a time

The setting gives this tour its best material. Richmond has old commercial buildings, former hospitals, Civil War sites, churches, cemeteries, and places tied to Edgar Allan Poe. You are not just hearing a string of random spooky tales. The route connects supernatural stories to the city’s long record of war, trade, illness, vice, and loss.

That said, this is a walking pub crawl, not a formal investigation. You should expect stories, local legends, and stops for drinks. You should not expect every stop to include a dramatic paranormal event or a long indoor visit.

The tour begins at McCormack’s Irish Pub, at 12 North 18th Street, at 6 p.m. It ends back there after roughly two hours. The mobile ticket makes check-in easy, and the meeting point is near public transportation. You still need to allow time to get there, since confirmation arrives within 48 hours and bookings are subject to availability.

The listed price is $37 per person. That is fair if you want a guided evening walk with several stops and a trained storyteller. It is less appealing if you are mainly paying for included drinks, since all food and beverages are extra. Think of the fee as covering the guide, the route, the research, and the group experience.

Rosie Connolly’s Pub and the old red-light district

Rosie Connolly’s Pub Restaurant occupies a historic building that once housed the Railroad YMCA. The structure sits in an area formerly known as Richmond’s red-light district, which gives the opening stop a strong sense of place.

The story here centers on the building and the possibility that a drink may receive help from unseen hands. The stop lasts about 20 minutes, with no separate admission charge. You pay only for anything you order.

This is a good opening because it gets you inside a pub quickly and sets the tone without asking you to wait for the supernatural side of the evening. If you want a full meal, though, be careful with the timing. The tour keeps moving, and the published details do not promise a meal break.

The first drink is also a useful test of what kind of night you want. If you enjoy chatting with other people over a drink while hearing a local tale, this should work well. If you prefer a tightly scripted ghost investigation, the pub setting may feel casual.

JewFro and Richmond’s oldest commercial building

The next stop is JewFro, located in Richmond’s oldest commercial building. A run of failed businesses has led some people to suspect a curse. The story of Daniel Denoon, who is said to haunt the structure, adds a human figure to the building’s bad luck.

Smith and Foundry, also in the building, offers African wines for tasting. This is one of the more distinctive stops on the route. It connects the ghost crawl to a specific local business and gives you a drink option that is different from the usual beer or cider.

The key word here is offers. Drinks are not included, and access or tasting arrangements may depend on the evening. One disappointing account described a tour where the group did not enter establishments at all, so I would treat indoor access as a possibility rather than a guarantee.

Still, the building itself gives the guide plenty to work with. A business district with a long record of failed ventures is an easy place to discuss how legends form. You get a story about a supposed haunting, but also a lesson in how people attach supernatural meaning to difficult commercial spaces.

A Masonic lodge with a wartime past

One unnamed stop is a Masonic lodge that remains in operation and is described as one of the world’s oldest working Masonic lodges. It was used as a hospital during the War of 1812.

That detail changes the mood of the tour. Hospitals connected to wartime suffering naturally bring more weight than a general tale about a haunted bar. The building’s long use also gives the guide a chance to explain how the same structure served different roles across time.

The stop is particularly useful for people who want more than jump scares. You get architecture, military history, and paranormal claims in one place. Even a skeptic can enjoy the setting and the questions it raises about how a building holds onto its past.

The tour information does not name the lodge or promise entry. Plan to hear about it from the street unless your guide tells you otherwise.

The Poe Museum area and Richmond’s literary ghost

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum is another major point of interest. It occupies Richmond’s oldest surviving structure and sits near places connected to Poe’s life and work in the city.

Poe’s ghost is said to appear in several parts of the house. The explanation offered is that he remained attached to some of his personal belongings. It is a classic Poe-style idea, and it fits the city better than a generic ghost tale would.

You should understand that this crawl takes you to the Poe Museum area, but admission to the museum is not listed as part of the experience. Do not book the evening expecting a full museum visit. If Poe is a major reason for your interest, plan a separate daytime visit if your schedule allows.

The Poe stop also shows the tour’s balance. Some sections are about spirits. Others are about literary memory, place, and the way Richmond keeps Poe present long after his death. I find that blend more interesting than a tour that relies only on unexplained noises and cold spots.

Richbrau Brewing and the beer history lesson

Richbrau Brewing is the clearest stop for beer lovers. The guide discusses the history of beer in the United States, then gives you the chance to try a house brew.

One drink specifically mentioned by a guest is the 14th Street Horribles sour ale. That makes this stop more useful than a generic bar break. You can connect the drink to the brewing story and try something with a distinctly local identity.

The brewery stop is scheduled for about 20 minutes. That is enough time for a sample or a quick drink, but not necessarily enough for a long tasting session. Since drinks are extra, decide in advance how much you want to spend across the evening.

Access here is not guaranteed. One account specifically noted disappointment at not being able to visit Richbrau. That matters because the brewery is one of the tour’s most appealing named stops. If entering the brewery is essential to your plans, confirm conditions before booking.

The old church and cemetery

The route also passes an old church described as the first built in Richmond. Its cemetery and church have witnessed repeated disasters, and four ghosts are said to roam the grounds.

This is the kind of stop where the surroundings do much of the work. Churches and cemeteries give a ghost tour a natural atmosphere, especially after dark. The focus on four separate spirits also gives the guide several stories to tell instead of one vague haunting.

As with the other outdoor locations, you should expect a history talk and ghost lore rather than a guaranteed indoor visit. The tour details do not identify the church by name, so the guide’s explanation will be your main source of context.

For me, this stop sounds strongest for people who enjoy local legends tied to a real place. The church is not just a spooky backdrop. Its connection to disasters helps explain why stories gathered there over time.

The former tobacco store and Civil War hospital

Another stop is a building that began as a tobacco store and later served as a hospital during the Civil War. More than 300 soldiers died there.

This is likely to be one of the most serious sections of the evening. The ghost stories are based on a site where large numbers of wounded men died, so the setting carries real human loss. The guide discusses the spirits believed to remain there.

The subject may be too heavy for someone looking for a lighthearted bar crawl. The tour combines alcohol and entertainment with stories of war and death, and that contrast is worth keeping in mind. You can enjoy the atmosphere, but the best guides will treat this stop with care.

It is also a good example of why the tour’s historical side matters. The ghost story has power because the building’s past is documented. You are not simply hearing that a place feels strange. You are hearing why people connect it with the dead.

Patrick Henry’s Pub and the final drink

Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille provides the final named pub stop. The suggested drink is farmhouse dry cider, a style associated with what colonists drank in daily life.

This is a nice change from beer and wine. It also ties the drink to early American life, which gives the pub stop more purpose than a simple last call. If you notice something from the corner of your eye, the evening’s story suggests it may not be the alcohol.

The stop lasts about 20 minutes. Since the tour returns to McCormack’s Irish Pub, you should not assume Patrick Henry’s is the final point of the route. The crawl closes where it began, which makes transportation planning easier.

The pub sequence is one of the tour’s main strengths when it works well. You get different drink styles, several settings, and a reason for each stop. It is also the part most affected by access, crowd size, and bar conditions.

The guide can make or break the night

The strongest guide praise centers on Mars and Bob. Mars is described as friendly, animated, and good at encouraging the group to share experiences. Bob is praised for his storytelling and for making Richmond feel alive.

That kind of guide matters more here than on a simple sightseeing walk. The tour moves between factual history, local legend, and casual conversation. A guide who can keep the group together and tell a clear story will make the two hours pass quickly.

The experience is not perfectly consistent. Some accounts describe awkward pauses, weak storytelling, or too little about ghosts. One particularly poor experience involved a guide who seemed unsure of the material and left too much dead time at the bars.

I would book this with realistic expectations. The operator promises a professional guide, researched history, and local legends, but the actual feel can depend on who leads the group. If available, Mars appears to be the safest guide preference based on the strongest feedback, though guide requests are not guaranteed by the information provided.

Walking, group size, and practical details

The group limit is listed as 15 people. A small group should make it easier to hear the guide and ask questions. However, one account described a group of more than 20, so you should not treat the limit as a firm promise in every situation.

Richmond has steep roads, and the route involves a good amount of walking. Wear comfortable shoes. The two-hour duration sounds modest, but standing on pavement, moving between stops, and walking uphill can make the evening feel longer.

The tour is offered in English and allows service animals. It is near public transportation, but transportation itself is not provided. The activity is for people 21 and older, and you should bring identification if you plan to drink.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 6 p.m. start time. Within 24 hours, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes are not accepted.

Who should book Richmond Boos and Booze?

I would choose this tour if you want a social evening introduction to Richmond, especially if you enjoy local drinks, old buildings, and stories that mix documented events with ghost lore. It suits couples, visiting families with adult children, birthday groups, and people who prefer a relaxed crawl to a formal museum tour.

It is also a good first-night activity. The route gives you a feel for several central historic areas, and the pub stops leave you with ideas for where to spend more time later.

I would think twice if you need guaranteed indoor entry at every bar, a large number of dramatic hauntings, or a tightly controlled small group. The mixed feedback makes clear that the evening can be less satisfying when the guide is weak or when access to Richbrau and other establishments is limited.

Should you book it?

Book Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze if the mix of local history, haunted places, and optional drinks sounds better than a pure paranormal investigation. At $37, the value is reasonable when the guide is engaging and the pub stops operate as planned.

Choose it with comfortable shoes, extra money for drinks, and flexible expectations about entry into each business. If you can request Mars, do so. If you want a guaranteed museum visit or a serious ghost-hunting experience, choose a different activity or visit the Poe Museum separately.

FAQ

Where does the Richmond Boos and Booze tour begin?

It begins at McCormack’s Irish Pub, 12 North 18th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23223.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 6 p.m.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour end?

It ends back at the meeting point at McCormack’s Irish Pub.

Are food and drinks included in the price?

No. Food and drinks are not included, so you pay separately for anything you order at the pubs or brewery.

Is the tour open to people under 21?

No. The activity is limited to people aged 21 and older.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made within 24 hours are not refunded, and changes during that period are not accepted.