Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnel Tour with Brewery Tastings

Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels are less a sprawling underground city than a compact, atmospheric section beneath Old Town Pizza & Brewing. You’ll hear how Portland’s waterfront businesses once connected with underground spaces, then learn about crimping, the brutal practice of forcing or tricking men into work aboard ships. The tour also brings in Nina, the building’s resident ghost, but its strongest material is historical.

I like the combination of serious local history and a beer finish. Guides such as Skippy, Natasha, Doug, and Kaitlin have earned praise for making difficult subjects understandable without losing the human story. I also like the easy format: 90 minutes, a small group capped at 15 people, and a full pint after the underground portion.

The main caution is that this is not a long tunnel expedition or a pure ghost tour. You may spend more time hearing stories in a basement area than walking through connected passageways, and the physical setting is demanding. Expect narrow stairs, low pipes, uneven dirt floors, and dark subject matter.

Key points to know before booking

• The underground area is compact: You visit a surviving section beneath the Old Town building, not a vast network of open tunnels.
• Crimping is central to the story: The tour covers forced recruitment, maritime labor, trafficking, violence, drug use, sex, and death.
• Ghost content is part of the tour, not the whole tour: Nina and other haunting stories appear alongside Portland history.
• Beer is included at the end: You receive three tasters and one full pint of Old Town beer, though tasting portions are small.
• Physical access is limited: Narrow doors, stairs, pipes, obstacles, and uneven dirt floors make sneakers or sturdy walking shoes essential.
• Guide style matters: Skippy, Natasha, Doug, and Kaitlin have all been praised for warmth and storytelling, but the tone can vary by guide.

What you actually explore beneath Old Town

The tour begins at Old Town Pizza & Brewing at 226 NW Davis Street. This is more than a meeting point. It is also where you return for the beer portion, and you can add pizza before or after the tour if the timing works.

From the restaurant, your guide takes the group below Portland’s streets. The underground rooms and passageways are tied to the old waterfront district and to businesses that once needed access toward the Willamette River. The surviving spaces are atmospheric, but keep your expectations in check. You are not walking for miles through a giant underground city.

The strongest part of the visit is the setting beneath an active Old Town building. Pipes, low ceilings, narrow doorways, and rough floors make the space feel immediate. Props may appear in the underground rooms, and some sections feel arranged for storytelling rather than preserved as untouched archaeological remains. That does not make the visit worthless, but it does mean the experience works best when you treat it as a guided history tour in an old basement and tunnel area.

Your guide controls the pace and mood. Some guides lean into the spooky side, while others spend more time explaining Portland’s past. Natasha has been praised for combining humor with strong local knowledge. Doug is known for making the tour lively and approachable. Skippy has received high marks for entertaining storytelling, and Kaitlin has been praised for clearly explaining how the underground spaces were used.

The history behind Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels

The phrase Shanghai Tunnels refers to underground spaces associated with Portland’s old waterfront and the practice known as crimping. In the nineteenth century, sailors were needed for ships leaving port, and some men were forced, drugged, deceived, or otherwise coerced into service. The term shanghaied comes from this practice of taking people for work at sea.

This tour does not treat the subject as a colorful pirate tale. The material includes human trafficking, violence, drug use, sexual content, and death. That warning matters. You should not book this as a light family outing unless everyone attending is comfortable with adult historical topics.

The tour’s value lies in connecting the rooms to the people affected by this system. You hear about the men taken from Portland and the harsh conditions they could face once placed aboard ships. The underground spaces give the story a physical anchor, even if the walking portion is fairly short.

I appreciate that the best guide presentations do not rely only on spooky effects. They explain why an underground area existed, how Old Town’s waterfront economy worked, and how people could disappear into a system that treated labor as something to seize. If you want a better understanding of Portland’s darker nineteenth-century past, this is the part to focus on.

How much ghost story should you expect?

The tour is sold as haunted, and Nina is presented as the resident ghost. You’ll hear stories of strange encounters and unexplained activity connected with the building and tunnel area. The setting certainly supports the mood: it is dark, cramped, old, and full of corners that invite a ghost story.

Still, I would not book this expecting nonstop paranormal investigation. Several parts of the experience are historical explanations with only a little supernatural material. Some people find that balance ideal. You get context instead of a string of unrelated scares. Others may feel shortchanged if they want a classic ghost tour with many hauntings and dramatic effects.

The guide makes a major difference. A strong storyteller can move naturally from the facts of crimping to the tale of Nina, then let the room do some of the work. A guide who pushes too hard into theatrical jokes may make the experience feel awkward. The most successful tone appears to be warm, respectful, and slightly spooky rather than a full haunted-house performance.

If your group includes people who do not believe in ghosts, that is fine. The historical material carries the tour. If everyone wants a serious paranormal experience, look carefully at the departure time and tour description before booking, since the supernatural portion is not the main focus for every guide.

The beer tasting changes the rhythm

After the underground portion, you return to Old Town Pizza & Brewing for the included beer. The package provides three tasters and one full pint of Old Town’s award-winning beer. This gives the tour a pleasant second half: after a dark and sometimes heavy subject, you can sit with a drink and talk about what you just heard.

The tasters are small. One account described two beer samples of roughly a quarter cup each, so you should think of the tasting as a sample flight rather than a full brewery visit. The advertised package includes three tasters, but the practical value is still in trying a few styles before choosing or enjoying the pint.

Specific beers may vary. One especially memorable option mentioned by name is a candy cap mushroom beer, which gives you an idea of the brewery’s more unusual approach. You do not need to be a serious beer fan to enjoy this part, but the beer adds real value to the $48 price.

The pint also makes the experience feel less abrupt. You are not simply paying to look at an old room for an hour. You get a drink at the end, and the starting restaurant offers pizza if you want to make an evening of it. Check the timing if you book a late tour, since the restaurant may close not long after the tour ends.

Is $48 a fair price?

At $48 per person, the price is reasonable if you value three things together: access to an otherwise restricted underground area, a guided account of Portland’s darker past, and the included beer. The tour lasts about 90 minutes, and groups are limited to 15 people. That cap should make it easier to hear the guide and move through the tight spaces.

The price is less attractive if you expect a long walk, a large underground complex, or a major ghost investigation. The physical route is relatively short, and part of the value comes from the guide’s ability to tell the story. A superb guide can make the compact site feel worthwhile. A weak or overly theatrical presentation can leave you feeling that the beer did too much of the work.

I would compare it with the cost of a standard city walking tour and remember that the beer is included here. The full pint helps, but the tour is not a brewery tour with a brief history talk. Its focus is the underground setting and Portland’s past.

For a first visit to Portland, this makes sense if you want something unusual in Old Town and enjoy dark local stories. If your priority is food, beer, or a broad introduction to the city, another tour may give you more ground and more tasting time.

The physical demands are real

You need a moderate level of fitness. The route includes climbing up and down stairs, passing through narrow doorways, ducking under obstacles, and moving between pipes near the ceiling and floor. Parts of the floor are uneven dirt.

Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip. Sneakers are the sensible choice. High heels are a poor fit, and anyone with mobility issues should think carefully before booking. The old building is not described as wheelchair accessible, and the tight spaces would be difficult for many mobility devices.

The low obstacles are easy to underestimate. You may need to bend or duck several times, and the combination of darkness, uneven surfaces, and narrow passages means you should not rush. Keep your hands free if possible so you can steady yourself.

There are no babies, infants, or children under 12. Most departures are for people 21 and older, though the 2pm and 3pm tours allow teenagers. Check the age rule for your chosen departure before paying, especially if your group includes anyone under 21.

Adult themes and the right audience

This tour suits adults who want a frank account of Portland’s past. The content includes sex, drug use, human trafficking, violence, and death. The guide may present these topics within a ghost-story format, but they are not softened into a harmless adventure tale.

I would choose this for a date night, a small group of friends, or a solo afternoon when you want an unusual city experience. The beer and pizza make it easy to turn the tour into a relaxed evening. It can also work for history-minded families with older teenagers on the permitted afternoon departures.

I would skip it for young children, anyone uneasy with confined spaces, and anyone seeking a polished museum presentation. The setting is old and rough. That is part of its appeal, but it also means the experience is not comfortable in the usual sightseeing sense.

Timing, meeting point, and cancellation details

You meet at Old Town Pizza & Brewing, 226 NW Davis Street, in central Portland. The activity ends back at the same location, and the starting point is near public transportation.

Arrive early. The operator states that there are no refunds for late arrivals or same-day cancellations. Standard cancellation is free if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes made inside that 24-hour window are not accepted.

The tour may be canceled if poor weather affects the experience or if the minimum number of participants is not reached. In those cases, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund. Confirmation is provided when you book, and mobile tickets make the arrival process simple.

Because the tour averages being booked around 12 days ahead, I would not wait until the last minute if your Portland schedule is tight. A small group can fill quickly, especially around Halloween and other busy travel periods.

Should you book the Shanghai Tunnel tour?

Book it if you want a compact, unusual Portland experience that mixes difficult local history, a few ghost stories, and beer. The strongest guides, including Skippy, Natasha, Doug, and Kaitlin, can make the underground rooms feel connected to real people and real events rather than treating them as a prop-filled scare stop.

Skip it if the word haunted makes you expect a full paranormal tour, or if you want miles of tunnels. The route is limited, the beer tasters are small, and the underground setting requires careful movement. At $48, the tour earns its price through the guide, the exclusive access, and the included pint.

My practical call: book it for the story and atmosphere first, and treat Nina and the beer as welcome extras. Wear sturdy shoes, arrive early, and plan for an adult subject matter. That approach gives you the best chance of enjoying what this experience does well.

FAQ

Where does the Shanghai Tunnel tour begin?

The tour begins at Old Town Pizza & Brewing, located at 226 NW Davis Street, Portland, Oregon 97209.

Where does the activity end?

The tour ends back at the meeting point at Old Town Pizza & Brewing.

How long does the tour last?

The activity lasts approximately 90 minutes.

What is included with the tour?

The package includes the 90-minute underground tour, access to the Shanghai Tunnels, three beer tasters, and one full pint of Old Town beer.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Babies, infants, and children under 12 are not allowed. Most departures are for people aged 21 and older, while the 2pm and 3pm tours allow teenagers.

Is the tour physically demanding?

Yes. You will climb stairs, pass through narrow doorways, duck under obstacles, and move around pipes. The route also includes uneven dirt floors.

What should I wear?

Wear comfortable walking shoes with closed toes. Sneakers are recommended, and high heels are not suitable for the underground areas.

What subjects are discussed?

The tour includes Portland’s dark history and may discuss sexual content, drug use, human trafficking, violence, and death. Ghost stories about Nina are also part of the experience.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not refunded or accepted.