Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

The dead have good taste in Richmond. This two-hour Boos and Booze pub crawl mixes local ghost stories with old pubs, a brewery, Poe lore, and some of the city’s hardest history. I like the compact route and the chance to hear stories tied to real buildings rather than wandering through a generic haunted attraction. I also like the small-group limit of 15 people, at least as advertised.

The strongest guides, especially Mars and Bob, make the evening social and lively. You will walk steep streets, though, and drinks cost extra. Access to every pub or brewery may also vary, so you should not book this expecting a guaranteed bar crawl at each stop.

Key points before you book

• Three drinking stops: Rosie Connolly’s, Richbrau Brewing, and Patrick Henry’s Pub are built into the route, but food and drinks are not included.
• Richmond history with a ghostly edge: Stories touch on the Railroad YMCA, the old red-light district, Civil War casualties, the War of 1812, and Edgar Allan Poe.
• Guides make the difference: Mars is animated and good at getting the group involved, while Bob earns praise for making Richmond’s past feel alive.
• Expect a lot of walking: The route includes steep roads, outdoor storytelling, and several historic sites viewed from the street or nearby public areas.
• Ages 21 and older only: The tour begins at 6:00 p.m. at McCormack’s Irish Pub and returns there.
• Book with sensible expectations: The ghost stories are the focus, but the experience also functions as a social history walk with drinks along the way.

What the Richmond ghost pub crawl is really like

At $37 per person, this is priced more like an evening walking tour than a full dinner outing. That is fair if you want two hours of guided stories and a chance to buy drinks at selected stops. It is less attractive if you expect included tastings, reserved seating, or a drink in hand at every location.

The tour begins at McCormack’s Irish Pub, 12 N 18th Street, at 6:00 p.m. You meet the guide there, get introduced to the group, and then move through central Richmond on foot. The route ends back at the same meeting point, which makes the start and finish easy to manage.

I would allow extra time before the tour to eat or use the restroom. The listed stops include pubs and a brewery, but food and drink are not part of the ticket. One past experience also reported that the guide did not allow drinking or smoking and that the group never entered the establishments, so you should treat bar access as subject to the night’s conditions rather than a promise.

The official group limit is 15 people. One unhappy account described a group of more than 20, so if crowd size matters to you, confirm the current arrangement when you receive your booking confirmation.

Rosie Connolly’s and Richmond’s old red-light district

Rosie Connolly’s Pub Restaurant occupies a building that once housed the Railroad YMCA. The setting gives the opening stop a useful sense of place. You are not simply hearing that a bar is haunted. You are hearing how the building fits into the working life of an older part of Richmond, once known as the city’s red-light district.

The ghost story here centers on the idea that an unseen hand might help pour a drink. It is a playful way to begin, especially if your group arrives ready for a little theater and banter. I would not expect a scientific investigation or elaborate effects. The appeal comes from the building, the story, and the possibility of sharing a drink while you listen.

You receive about 20 minutes at this stop. The ticket covers the storytelling, not your beverage. If you want to keep the evening affordable, check the menu before ordering and remember that several small purchases can quickly push the total above the $37 tour price.

JewFro and the curse of Richmond’s oldest commercial building

The next stop, JewFro, brings a different kind of ghost tale. The business occupies Richmond’s oldest commercial building, a structure that has seen many companies come and go. Repeated business failures have led some people to call the building cursed.

The story of Daniel Denoon adds a named figure to the legend. That detail matters. A ghost tour is easier to follow when the spirits have names, locations, and a connection to the place around you. At the nearby Smith and Foundry, African wines are available for tasting, giving this stop a cultural and drinking angle that is different from the Irish pub setting.

Again, the drink is extra. The tour is not a tasting package, so think of the available wine as an option rather than part of the admission price. If you prefer old buildings, business lore, and local personalities to gruesome tales, this may be one of the more interesting stops.

The Masonic lodge and its hospital past

Another building on the route is one of the world’s oldest Masonic lodges still in operation. During the War of 1812, it served as a hospital. The tour uses that shift in purpose to explain why paranormal stories gathered around the site.

The material here seems to lean on reported activity in the building, including incidents that have persuaded some doubters. That makes the stop a good test of your own expectations. If you enjoy hearing how a place acquired its reputation, you should find something to chew on. If you want constant ghost action, this may feel more like a history stop with a supernatural conclusion.

The supplied details do not promise interior admission at this location. You may hear the story from outside or in a nearby public area. That distinction is important because the tour’s descriptions name several buildings but do not guarantee entry into each one.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Richmond connection

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum gives the route its most recognizable literary stop. It occupies the oldest surviving building in Richmond and sits near places connected with Poe’s time in the city, including his home and workplace.

Poe’s ghost is said to appear in several parts of the house. The usual explanation is his attachment to personal belongings kept there. Even if you do not accept the supernatural claim, the stop gives the evening a stronger literary focus and connects the ghost story to a documented person rather than an unnamed apparition.

You should also understand that the pub crawl is not the same as a full museum visit. The information provided places the museum on the route, but it does not say that admission is included or that the group gets a private tour inside. The guide may discuss the building and Poe’s connection from outside or nearby.

For me, this is one of the route’s best ideas. Richmond’s Poe connection is specific, memorable, and easy to connect with. It also gives the group a change of pace between drinks and darker tales.

Richbrau Brewing and the 14th Street Horribles

Richbrau Brewing is the route’s brewery stop and a natural place to talk about beer in the United States. After the history lesson, you can try a house brew if the stop operates as planned.

One specific drink mentioned in the evening’s experiences is the 14th Street Horribles sour ale. That makes it a useful choice if you enjoy tart beers and want something tied to the brewery rather than a standard lager. Food and drinks remain separate from the tour price.

This stop has also been a weak point on some evenings. One person enjoyed the tour but was disappointed that Richbrau was not visited, while another account described a night with two pubs and one brewery. In practical terms, that means you should see Richbrau as an intended stop, not an absolute guarantee. Hours, access, group rules, or the guide’s route may change.

The beer theme also shows the tour’s wider balance. This is not purely a ghost walk. It is part local history lesson, part pub outing, and part group social event.

Richmond’s first church and its cemetery ghosts

The route then turns to an old church described as the first built in Richmond. Its cemetery and churchyard have witnessed repeated disasters over the years, and the guide tells stories about four ghosts said to remain there.

This is the kind of stop where atmosphere does much of the work. A churchyard after dark, a long record of loss, and several named or counted spirits give the guide material to build suspense without needing props. You may find the setting more effective than a bar because the story and the place are closely joined.

The details do not state that you enter the church or cemetery. Plan on hearing the story from a public spot unless the guide tells you otherwise. Wear shoes that can handle uneven walking and Richmond’s steep streets.

The former tobacco store turned Civil War hospital

One of the route’s most sobering stops was once a tobacco store and later served as a hospital during the Civil War. More than 300 soldiers died there. The ghost stories here grow directly from that grim use.

This is where the tour can move beyond playful bar-room hauntings. The point is not only to ask if spirits remain. It is also to remember what a hospital meant during the Civil War, when illness, injury, and death filled buildings that had been designed for entirely different purposes.

I would expect this section to work best with a guide who tells the story clearly and gives the facts room to land. Two accounts found the tour too light on ghosts or too awkwardly paced, while the strongest experiences praised guides for making Richmond’s past feel immediate. That difference is worth keeping in mind. The same stop can feel moving with a good storyteller and flat with a weak one.

Patrick Henry’s Pub and the final drink

The last named drinking stop is Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille. Here the suggested taste is Farmhouse Dry Cider, a drink linked to what colonists consumed in everyday life.

That choice helps connect the pub stop to early American food and drink rather than treating it as a random bar break. If you notice something out of the corner of your eye, the story suggests it may not be the alcohol. It is a light, fitting way to finish a night built around old buildings and uneasy memories.

You buy the cider yourself. Since the route takes about two hours and includes several optional drinks, you can control both your budget and your pace. You do not need to drink at every stop to enjoy the tour, and you should not feel pressured to do so.

The guides can make or break the evening

The most important variable here is the guide. Mars receives especially strong praise for being friendly, animated, courteous, and good at encouraging the group to share experiences. One enjoyable evening included stops at two pubs and one brewery, with Mars adding spooky details about several locations along the way.

Bob is also singled out for his storytelling and command of Richmond’s past. His style appears to help strangers relax and talk with one another, which matters on a pub crawl where the social side can be as important as the ghosts.

The less successful accounts describe a guide who seemed unsure, left too much dead time at bars, or offered too few ghost stories. Another person found the tour boring and awkward. I would read that as a warning about consistency, not proof that the route itself lacks potential. Ask for Mars if guide requests are accepted, but understand that requests cannot always be guaranteed.

Walking, group size, and the practical details

You need a moderate level of physical fitness. The route involves walking between stops, and Richmond has steep roads. Comfortable shoes are more important here than dressing for a costume party.

The tour is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. The activity is restricted to people 21 and older, which fits the pub setting.

Confirmation arrives within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the 6:00 p.m. start time. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

The rating sits at 4 out of 5 from 30 reviews, which reflects a genuinely mixed but generally favorable experience. The pattern is clear: strong guides and an open, friendly group can make the night memorable, while weak storytelling or missing bar access can leave you disappointed.

Who will enjoy this $37 Richmond experience?

I would recommend it most to adults who enjoy local legends, historic buildings, and a casual evening with other people. It suits a couple looking for something different after dinner, an out-of-town family group with everyone over 21, or friends who want a guided introduction to Richmond at night.

You should be comfortable with these trade-offs:

• Drinks are extra, so the final cost depends on what you order.
• The route may change, and a planned pub or brewery may not be visited.
• The ghost content varies in impact, depending on the guide and group energy.
• Walking is part of the experience, including some steep streets.
• The setting is social, not quiet or private.

If you want a polished theatrical scare show, this may feel too informal. If you want a serious paranormal investigation with equipment and long indoor sessions, it is not that either. The better description is a guided Richmond history walk with ghost stories and optional drinks.

Should you book the Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze crawl?

Book it if the idea of hearing about Poe, old hospitals, a former red-light district, Masonic history, and Civil War deaths while walking between pubs sounds appealing. At $37, the value is solid when the guide keeps the stories moving and the planned stops are available.

I would book with two safeguards. Wear comfortable shoes, and keep your expectations flexible about entering every establishment. If possible, request Mars or another guide with a strong storytelling record. If you want the best chance of enjoying the evening, bring curiosity for Richmond’s past, not just a hunger for jump scares.

FAQ

How much does the Richmond Ghosts Boos and Booze tour cost?

The tour costs $37 per person. Food and drinks are not included, so your total evening cost will be higher if you order at the pubs or brewery.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts about two hours.

Where does the tour begin?

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

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 6:00 p.m.

Where does the tour finish?

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

Is the tour available in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

Are drinks included in the ticket price?

No. Food and drinks are not included. Optional drinks are available at stops such as Rosie Connolly’s, Smith and Foundry, Richbrau Brewing, and Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille.

Can children join the tour?

No. The activity is for people aged 21 and older.

What is the cancellation policy?

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