Spirits With The Spirits, Haunted Pub Crawl

Flagstaff’s haunted past comes with a drink in hand. This 2.5-hour walking tour moves through the old downtown district, linking ghost stories to the Weatherford Hotel, Orpheum Theatre, Hotel Monte Vista, the old train depot, and three historic pubs.

I like the way the tour connects real Flagstaff history with supernatural tales, rather than treating every shadow as a ghost. I also like the mix of outdoor walking and warm pub stops, especially the chance to hear seedy stories while sitting on a patio with a cold drink. The main drawback is simple: you are paying $50 before buying drinks, and the tour is not suitable for anyone under 21.

Key Points to Know Before You Book

• Three historic pub stops: You pause at downtown bars for drinks and more stories, not just a quick walk past them.
• The Weatherford Hotel is a major stop: You visit the historic Zane Gray Bar, beside the Orpheum Theatre.
• Steve has earned strong praise: His storytelling brings Flagstaff’s old ghost tales and local history to life.
• The route is tied to real places: The train depot, Hotel Monte Vista, Dr. Raymond’s former home, and Orpheum Theatre all help frame the stories.
• It begins and ends at the train station: Meet on the south side, track side, and look for southwestern gothic clothing.
• Adults only: You must be at least 21, and you should bring a passport or ID card.

Why Flagstaff Makes a Good Haunted Walking Tour

Flagstaff was once a small railroad settlement beneath Mount Humphreys. Its old downtown still carries the marks of that period, with historic hotels, theaters, homes, and railway buildings close enough to visit on foot.

That compact setting matters. You are not listening to ghost stories in a dark room detached from the past. You are walking beside the buildings connected to the people and events in the tales. A murder story feels different when you are looking at the hotel or street tied to it.

The tour focuses on the odd, tragic, and sometimes grim side of town history. You will hear about robberies, murders, suicides, eccentric local figures, and family tragedy. The tone appears designed to balance chills with humor, so this is not simply a solemn memorial walk.

I like this approach because the best haunted tours use ghost stories as a doorway into local history. The supernatural angle gets you interested, but the old buildings and human stories give the evening more weight.

Meeting Your Guide at the Old Train Station

The crawl begins at the south side of the train station, on the track side. Look for a guide dressed in southwestern gothic attire. That detail should make the meeting point easier to identify, especially if several people are waiting nearby.

The train station is more than a practical starting place. The 1926 depot is part of Flagstaff’s historic railway story and is also known as a supernatural hotspot. Starting here gives the tour a fitting first setting: a place built around movement, arrivals, departures, and the kind of old stories that cling to railway towns.

Your guide leads the walk in English. Steve is specifically praised for his strong grasp of Flagstaff’s history and for making the ghost stories feel alive. The description also promises an eccentric guide, which fits the subject better than a stiff lecture would.

The route returns to the same meeting point at the end. That is useful if you are planning dinner or another downtown activity afterward, since you do not need to arrange a ride from a separate finish point.

The Weatherford Hotel and Zane Gray Bar

The Weatherford Hotel is one of the central sights on the crawl. It was built from the imagination of John Weatherford, who also helped shape the neighboring Orpheum Theatre. These two buildings belong together, both in Flagstaff’s history and in the tour’s storytelling.

Inside the Weatherford, you stop at the historic Zane Gray Bar. The pub stop gives you time to order a drink while hearing more about the people and events linked to the area. It also breaks up the walking, which is welcome during a 2.5-hour tour.

A drink at the bar is part of the experience, but the supplied details do not say that drinks are included in the $50 price. Plan to pay for your own beverages unless the operator confirms otherwise. Bring identification, since the crawl is limited to people 21 and older.

The Weatherford stop should appeal to you if you want a historic bar with a strong connection to Flagstaff’s past. If you prefer a tour that keeps moving without indoor stops, this pub format may feel slower. For most people booking a haunted pub crawl, though, the pause is the point.

Ghost Stories Around the Orpheum Theatre

The Orpheum Theatre sits next to the Weatherford Hotel. It is another building connected to John Weatherford and one of the historic places you pass along the route.

You should not expect a theater performance or a long indoor visit here. The appeal is the setting and the story attached to it. Walking past a preserved theater at night, while your guide explains the people and incidents tied to Flagstaff, gives the tour a stronger sense of place than a generic bar crawl.

The Orpheum also shows how the tour works. It is not only about isolated haunted buildings. The guide uses the downtown streets to connect people, businesses, hotels, and tragedies into one account of the town.

That makes the crawl a good choice for someone visiting Flagstaff for the first time. You get a short introduction to the old center while hearing stories you would be unlikely to find in a standard sightseeing talk.

Dr. Raymond’s Home on Leroux Street

One of the more unusual figures in the tour is Dr. Raymond, described as a beloved but eccentric town physician. His home and offices were on Leroux Street.

This stop adds a welcome change from stories about crime and death. Local history is often shaped as much by odd characters as by famous buildings, and Dr. Raymond gives the guide a chance to talk about the people who made early Flagstaff distinctive.

The supplied information does not specify whether you enter the property, so expect to view the location from the route rather than assume an interior visit. The value is in hearing the story while you are near the place where the doctor lived and worked.

I like this kind of stop because it keeps the tour from becoming a string of haunted hotel claims. A good guide can use an eccentric resident to show how a young town functioned, not just how it suffered.

The Train Depot and Hotel Monte Vista

The 1926 train depot and Hotel Monte Vista are both noted for their historic importance and supernatural reputations. They help anchor the middle portion of the crawl and give the guide two more major Flagstaff sites to discuss.

The depot links the city to its railroad beginnings. Hotel Monte Vista adds the atmosphere of an old lodging house, where many people have passed through over the years. The tour presents both buildings as supernatural hotspots, but the real benefit is that you see them as part of Flagstaff’s development as well.

You might find these stops especially interesting if you enjoy old hotels and railway history more than graphic ghost stories. The tour does include murders and suicides, so the material can be grim. The description also mentions amusing anecdotes, which suggests the guide varies the mood rather than keeping every story dark.

Because the route is on foot, you have time to take in the exteriors and hear the context without rushing from one vehicle stop to another. Wear comfortable shoes and be ready to spend much of the evening outdoors, even though exact walking distances are not provided.

Patio Stories, Cold Drinks, and Three Downtown Pubs

The crawl includes stops at three different historic downtown pubs. At least one stop includes sitting outside on a patio while listening to seedy tales and enjoying a cold drink.

This is where the experience differs most from a standard ghost walk. You are not simply standing on a sidewalk while a guide talks. You get several chances to sit, order a drink, and let the story continue in a social setting.

The pub format also makes the tour a better fit for couples, friends, and adults who want an evening activity rather than a formal history lesson. The pace should feel relaxed, though the walking and bar stops mean you should not expect a tightly timed procession.

Drinks are not listed among the included features, so keep some spending money available. At $50 per person, the tour is not a cheap night out once beverages are added. Its value depends on how much you care about the guide’s stories, the historic settings, and the chance to combine sightseeing with a pub crawl.

If you would visit these bars on your own anyway, the guided stories add useful context. If you are mainly looking for inexpensive drinks, you can likely spend less elsewhere.

The Marie Walkup Story and the Tour’s Darker Side

The story of Marie Walkup and her murdered children is set in 1930s Flagstaff. It is presented as a particularly chilling reminder of how uncertain life could be in the town’s earlier years.

This is an important warning about the tone. The tour includes amusing anecdotes and eccentric characters, but it also deals with murder, suicide, and family tragedy. You should book it only if you are comfortable with difficult historical material presented in a ghost-tour setting.

The strongest stories on a tour like this are usually the ones that connect a real person to a real place. Marie Walkup’s story appears to serve that purpose, giving the route an emotional center rather than relying only on claims of unexplained activity.

A good guide needs to handle such material with care. Steve’s praised storytelling and strong command of Flagstaff history are especially useful here. The tour is built around stories, and the guide’s delivery will shape whether the evening feels thoughtful, spooky, or merely theatrical.

What the $50 Price Really Gets You

The price is $50 per person. That covers the guided haunted pub crawl, the services of an experienced guide, and an introduction to downtown Flagstaff’s history. Drinks are not listed as included, so allow extra money for beverages at the three pub stops.

I see the price as fair for a small evening experience if you want both storytelling and local history. You are paying for the guide’s research and delivery, access to a planned route, and the convenience of visiting several historic places in one evening.

The value is weaker if you only want to hear ghost stories. You can walk through downtown without paying an admission fee, and the bar stops may cost extra. The tour earns its price through the guide and the stories, not through a large attraction or special equipment.

The strongest praise centers on the guide. Steve is credited with making old and newer ghost stories feel alive, and another account says his two-hour presentation passed quickly while the group had a good time. That is a useful sign, since a 2.5-hour walking tour depends heavily on pacing.

Who Will Enjoy This Crawl Most

I would recommend this tour to adults who enjoy local history, old buildings, ghost stories, and a relaxed drink with their sightseeing. It should suit you especially well if you want to see downtown Flagstaff at night while learning about the people behind its historic sites.

It is also a good choice for someone who has already seen the main daytime sights and wants a different angle on town. The stories about John Weatherford, Dr. Raymond, Marie Walkup, the railway, and Hotel Monte Vista give the evening more substance than a simple bar tour.

You may want to skip it if you dislike walking, cannot drink alcohol, or prefer family activities. The experience is restricted to people 21 and older, and the subject matter includes murder and suicide.

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Since the route involves walking through the downtown district and entering historic pubs, you may still want to confirm current access details with the operator if you have specific mobility needs.

Practical Tips for a Better Evening

Bring a passport or ID card. Age checks matter because the crawl is limited to people 21 and older.

Wear shoes suited to a 2.5-hour outing. Exact distances and surface details are not provided, but the tour moves through downtown on foot and includes outdoor stops.

Plan for drinks separately from the $50 tour fee. The experience includes pub visits, but the supplied details do not state that beverages are covered.

Arrive at the south side of the train station, track side. Look for the guide in southwestern gothic clothing, then stay aware of the return meeting point because the activity finishes where it begins.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option also lets you hold a place without paying immediately, which is helpful if your Flagstaff plans are still shifting.

Should You Book Spirits With The Spirits?

Book this crawl if you want Flagstaff history delivered with atmosphere, dark humor, and a drink at hand. The best parts are the walk through the old downtown, the Weatherford and Zane Gray Bar stop, the three historic pubs, and the guide-led stories tied to actual buildings and people.

The $50 price makes sense when you value the storytelling and planned route. Remember to budget for drinks, and do not book it expecting a family-friendly outing or a purely lighthearted evening.

For an adult who likes historic towns, unusual characters, and ghost stories grounded in local events, this is a well-focused way to spend 2.5 hours in Flagstaff. The strongest reason to go is the guide. Steve’s storytelling and command of local history appear to make the difference between a routine pub crawl and an evening you remember.

FAQ

Where does the haunted pub crawl begin?

Meet your guide on the south side of the Flagstaff train station, on the track side.

How do I recognize the guide?

Look for a guide dressed in southwestern gothic attire.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point beside the train station.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts 2.5 hours. Starting times vary, so check availability when booking.

How much does the experience cost?

The price is $50 per person.

Are drinks included in the tour price?

Drinks are not listed among the included features, so the supplied information does not confirm that beverages are covered.

How many pubs does the crawl visit?

The route includes stops at three different historic downtown pubs.

Is the tour suitable for children?

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

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card. The tour is conducted in English, and wheelchair access is listed as available.