Denver Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl

Ghost stories taste better with a drink nearby. This two-hour Denver walk pairs haunted mansion tales with stops at local bars, giving you a social night out rather than a museum-style history tour. I like the mix of old houses and modern cocktail spots, and I like that the group is capped at 20 people. The main catch is that the quality depends heavily on your guide, and drinks cost extra.

You meet at Pub on Penn at 6 p.m., then walk through the Millionaires Row area and around Cheesman Park. Guides such as Jessica, Kirk, Kevin, and others have earned praise for humor, research, and friendly storytelling. Still, one poorly prepared guide reportedly gave short, flat talks and left the group with an unpaid drink tab, so the experience is not perfectly consistent.

Key points to know before booking

• Haunted mansions are the real focus: Much of the tour takes place outdoors near historic homes, with stories about former residents, workers, and lingering spirits.
• Four bar stops shape the evening: Pub on Penn, Bar Nun Denver, City O’ City, and Bang Up to the Elephant are included in the route, but you pay for your own food and drinks.
• The tour begins and ends at Pub on Penn: You do not need to arrange a ride between stops, though you should expect a fair amount of walking.
• Small groups help the storytelling: The maximum group size is 20, which is easier to manage than a large pub crawl.
• The $36 price is fair if you value the guide: You are paying for the walking route, local history, ghost stories, and organization, not a package of drinks.
• The tone is social and relaxed: It suits people who want a casual evening with spooky tales, not a serious paranormal investigation.

What the $36 price really covers

At $36 per person, this is priced like a guided city walk with drinks added on your own tab. The fee includes a local guide, researched historical material, and the organized route between the bars and mansion sites. It does not include alcoholic drinks, food, or transportation.

That distinction matters. If you order a cocktail or beer at each stop, your final bill can rise quickly. You should think of the tour as a paid storytelling experience with pub stops, not as a prepaid bar package.

I find the price reasonable for a two-hour evening if your guide is lively and the group stays together. You are getting access to a route that would be hard to shape on your own, along with background on several private homes. If you mainly want cheap drinks, you can spend less by visiting the bars independently.

The tour’s best value comes from combining several things in one outing: Denver architecture, local history, a little ghost lore, and a chance to meet other people. That mix works especially well for a first evening in the city or a weekday night when you want a planned activity without committing to a full dinner event.

Starting at Pub on Penn and Millionaires Row

The meeting point is Pub on Penn, at 1278 Pennsylvania Street. You begin with about 15 minutes inside, where you can order a drink and hear stories connected to Millionaires Row.

This opening stop gives the group time to meet the guide and settle into the evening. It also places the tour in one of Denver’s historic residential areas, where the old mansions provide a fitting setting for stories about wealth, death, and strange happenings.

The bar itself has received mixed impressions. One particularly positive account praised the overall tour but found the Pub on Penn staff unpleasant. Another older account said the bars did not always seem prepared for the group. I would arrive with patience and avoid expecting a reserved private table.

You should also budget time to order at the start. Since your drink is not included, you can choose whether to have something here or wait for a later stop. The tour does not require you to drink alcohol, but the pub setting is central to the format.

Bar Nun Denver brings cocktails into the route

The second bar stop is Bar Nun Denver, where the group spends about 20 minutes. It offers heated outdoor seating, bar food, and inventive cocktails.

This is a useful pause after the first walking segment. You can warm up outside, grab a snack, and talk with the group before the mansion stories continue. The menu has enough range to suit different tastes, at least according to the details provided, but food and drinks remain your responsibility.

Bar Nun has been one of the more consistently praised stops. Jessica’s tour received particular approval for its ghost stories, and Bar Nun was singled out as a favorite part of that evening. I would treat this stop as a chance to order something small rather than plan a full meal, since the schedule allows only about 20 minutes.

The short timing is worth noting. A busy bar could make ordering slow, so do not expect a leisurely dinner. This is a pub crawl, not a restaurant tour.

Cheesman Park and the Dunning Benedict House

After the early bar stops, the route turns toward Cheesman Park and the Dunning Benedict House, once owned by Walter Scott Cheesman, the namesake associated with the park.

Here the focus shifts from drinking to Denver’s past. The guide explains why Cheesman Park has a reputation for being haunted and connects the area to the house and its former owner. This part gives the evening a stronger sense of place because the stories relate to actual buildings and a recognizable Denver neighborhood.

You should expect to hear the story from outside rather than enter the home. No interior admissions are listed, and the tour does not promise access to the houses. That is not necessarily a weakness. Historic homes are often private, and hearing about their past while standing in the surrounding streets keeps the walk moving.

The quality of this section depends on the guide’s preparation. Jessica, Kirk, and Kevin have been praised for explaining the buildings well, showing photos or videos, and answering questions. One account specifically praised Kirk for having several stories for each building. That kind of detail makes a major difference here.

Croke-Patterson-Campbell House and the mansion stories

The Croke-Patterson-Campbell House is described as one of the most haunted homes on the route. The guide shares unsettling encounters connected with the property.

This is where the tour’s spooky side should be at its strongest. The stories are tied to a particular house rather than delivered as vague tales about Denver in general. You get a clearer sense of how local legends form around a building and how stories change as they pass from one person to another.

Still, you should keep your expectations in check. This is a ghost-story walk, not proof of paranormal activity. Some stories may feel eerie, while others may strike you as theatrical or thin. One older experience found the tales silly and not especially convincing. If you need every story to be historically verified or genuinely frightening, this may not satisfy you.

For most people, the appeal is the setting and the delivery. A well-prepared guide can use the house, street, and night air to create atmosphere. A rushed guide may reduce the same stop to a memorized paragraph.

Sheedy Mansion and the spirits of household workers

At Sheedy Mansion, the focus turns to alleged encounters with ghostly workers from earlier days. This adds a different angle to the usual mansion story.

Rather than concentrating only on wealthy owners, the tale brings servants and workers into the picture. That can make the history feel more human, since grand houses depended on many people whose lives rarely receive as much attention as those of the owners.

This is also a good point in the walk to listen for how your guide handles the line between documented history and local legend. The tour promises researched history and authentic local ghost stories, but those are not always the same thing. A strong guide should make clear when you are hearing a known fact and when you are hearing a reported haunting.

The houses are viewed from public areas, so comfortable shoes matter more than formal clothing. The tour lasts about two hours, but you will spend much of that time walking and standing outside.

The Whitehead home and the Cottage House

The route continues to another historic home where strange events reportedly began after Whitehead moved in. The guide shares first-person accounts and explains the darker reasons linked to the house’s hauntings.

First-person stories can be the most effective part of a ghost walk because they give the tale a personal voice. They can also be the least reliable, so I would enjoy them as local lore rather than treat them as settled fact.

The Cottage House offers a change of scale. Unlike the large mansions nearby, it was one of many smaller cottages in the area. The main spirit is thought to be a woman named Madge, whose story gives the stop its identity.

That contrast is valuable. The tour is not only about grand homes and wealthy families. The Cottage House shows how the neighborhood once included a wider mix of housing. If your guide explains that change well, the stop adds useful social context alongside the ghost tale.

The schedule may not allow every house to receive equal attention. One experience found that several advertised stops were skipped because of time. You should view the route as a selection of outdoor storytelling points rather than a guarantee that every named property will receive a full talk.

City O’ City offers a mid-tour reset

The third named bar stop is City O’ City, where the group spends about 15 minutes. You can order a craft beer or cocktail, with options intended to suit different tastes.

This stop works as a reset. After several outdoor stories and mansion views, you have time to sit, order something, and chat. It also keeps the outing from becoming a nonstop history lecture.

The 15-minute limit is short, so order quickly if you want a drink. Because all beverages are extra, this is another point where the final cost depends on your choices. You can keep spending modestly by ordering one drink over the whole tour, or turn the evening into a full bar crawl.

The group format is important here. A small group can make the stop feel social without becoming chaotic. The maximum is 20 people, and one weekday account specifically liked the smaller size. If you want a crowded party atmosphere and many rapid bar stops, this tour may feel too calm.

Bang Up to the Elephant closes the night

The final stop is Bang Up to the Elephant, a bar and restaurant known for quirky drinks. The guide wraps up the tour here, and the activity then ends back at the meeting point according to the supplied tour details.

The bar has earned warm praise for its atmosphere and was described as a strong finish. It is a good place to continue the evening if you want more food or drinks after the formal tour ends.

There is a small point to clarify before booking: the route description names Bang Up to the Elephant as the last stop, while the meeting information says the activity ends back at Pub on Penn. Ask the operator about the exact end arrangement when you book, especially if you have a dinner reservation or a ride waiting.

A guide should also clearly explain the final tab and departure plan. One negative experience involved the guide leaving suddenly and leaving the group with her drink tab. That sounds unusual, but it is a useful reminder to settle your own purchases and confirm the group’s end point before walking away.

Guide quality makes or breaks this experience

This tour has received strong praise for several guides. Jessica was described as friendly, prepared, and happy to answer questions. Kirk was praised for humor and multiple stories at each building. Kevin received approval for his delivery and ability to connect with the group.

Those details tell you what to hope for: a guide who can add context, show photos or videos, invite questions, and keep the pace relaxed. The best guides make the houses feel like part of a larger Denver story instead of a list of addresses.

The experience has also shown some inconsistency. One account described a guide who never introduced herself, offered little historical material, and relied on short memorized remarks. That kind of performance would make the $36 fee feel high.

I would book this with the understanding that guide quality is the main variable. The company promises professional local guides and researched material, but individual delivery can differ. If you are especially interested in history, ask questions during the walk and pay attention to which details are documented and which are legend.

Walking, timing, and practical comfort

The tour begins at 6 p.m. and lasts about two hours. Transportation between stops is not provided because the route is designed as a walking pub crawl.

You should wear comfortable shoes and prepare to stand outdoors. A moderate level of physical fitness is advised. Heated outdoor seating is available at Bar Nun, but the mansion portions take place outside, so weather can affect your comfort.

The route is near public transportation, which helps with arrival. Since the tour starts and ends in the same general area, you may find it easier to use transit than to deal with parking. Service animals are allowed.

The tour is offered in English only. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Inside that window, refunds are not provided and changes are not accepted.

Who will enjoy this Denver night out

I would recommend the tour to couples, solo visitors, and friends who want an easy social activity after dark. The small group size makes it easier to meet people, and the combination of bars and stories gives solo visitors something to do besides sit alone at dinner.

It also suits people who enjoy local architecture and urban legends more than jump scares. The haunted material is tied to homes, former residents, workers, and neighborhood history. The tone is usually laid-back and conversational.

I would be more cautious if you want a carefully timed bar crawl with reserved seating. The bars may not always have a dedicated area ready for the group, and one older account described a crowded stop that forced the guide to change locations. I would also skip it if you want all drinks included or need guaranteed access inside the mansions.

Should you book the Denver Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl?

Book it if you want a moderately priced evening that blends Denver ghost lore, historic homes, and local bars. At $36, it offers fair value when the guide is prepared and engaging, especially for first-time visitors who want an organized night walk.

Go in expecting to buy your own drinks, walk between stops, and hear a mix of history and legend. If possible, choose a date when you can keep the rest of the evening flexible, since the route and final stop may not run with perfect precision.

My call: book this for atmosphere and storytelling, not for a guaranteed scare or a drink package. The best guides make it a memorable night. The weaker ones leave you wishing for more history and better organization.

FAQ

How much does the Denver Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl cost?

The price is $36 per person. Alcoholic drinks and food are not included, so you should budget extra for anything you order at the bars.

How long does the haunted pub crawl last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 6 p.m.

Where does the tour begin?

You meet in front of Pub on Penn at 1278 Pennsylvania Street, Denver, Colorado 80203.

Where does the tour end?

The tour information says the activity ends back at the meeting point. The route description also names Bang Up to the Elephant as the final bar stop, so confirm the exact end arrangement when booking.

Which bars are included?

The named stops are Pub on Penn, Bar Nun Denver, City O’ City, and Bang Up to the Elephant.

Are drinks included in the ticket price?

No. Alcoholic beverages are not included, and you pay for your own drinks and food.

How large is the tour group?

The maximum group size is 20 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

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