Spirits With The Spirits, Haunted Pub Crawl

Flagstaff keeps its ghosts close. This 2.5-hour walk mixes the town’s railroad-era past with stops at three historic downtown pubs, giving you old buildings, local drinks, and unsettling stories in one evening. I like the route’s focus on real places, especially the Weatherford Hotel and Orpheum Theatre. I also like that the guide brings in both famous characters and lesser-known tragedies, rather than relying only on standard ghost-tour thrills.

The main drawback is that this is a walking tour built around bars, not a seated storytelling show. You need to be 21 or older, bring photo ID, and allow time for drinks at the stops. The $50 price is reasonable if you value a guided history walk plus three pub visits, but check whether drinks are included before you arrive.

Key points to know before booking

• Three historic downtown pub stops: You will pause for a drink at three different bars, including the Weatherford Hotel’s Zane Gray Bar.
• A tour rooted in Flagstaff history: Stories cover robberies, murders, suicides, eccentric locals, and the town’s early railroad years.
• A memorable meeting point: Find your guide on the track side of the train station, dressed in southwestern gothic clothing.
• Several famous haunted buildings: The route passes the Orpheum Theatre, Hotel Monte Vista, the 1926 train depot, and other old downtown sites.
• A strong guide can make the difference: Steve receives especially warm praise for bringing Flagstaff’s ghost stories and history to life.
• Easy booking terms: The tour is in English, wheelchair accessible, and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Starting beside Flagstaff’s old train station

The crawl begins on the south side of the Flagstaff train station, on the track side. Look for a guide in southwestern gothic attire. That detail matters because the station area can feel busy, especially when trains and downtown foot traffic compete for your attention.

The 1926 train depot is more than a meeting point. Flagstaff grew as a railroad settlement, and the depot helps explain why this mountain town became an important stop in northern Arizona. Starting here gives the tour a useful sense of place before the ghost stories begin.

You should arrive with a passport or ID card. The experience is for people 21 and older, so your identification is not an afterthought. The tour is conducted in English, and the activity ends back at the station, which makes the route easier to manage than a one-way pub crawl.

The starting time changes according to availability. I would choose a departure that gives you enough daylight to find the station without rushing, while still leaving the evening free for the bar stops. Exact times are not fixed in the information provided, so check the schedule before building dinner plans around it.

Why Flagstaff makes a good ghost-tour town

Flagstaff’s old center has a clear link between its buildings and its stories. This is not a tour set in a modern entertainment district with a few spooky decorations added for effect. The route uses hotels, theaters, shops, homes, and the train depot as its setting.

The town began as a sleepy railroad settlement at the base of Mount Humphreys. Its early residents included builders, shopkeepers, railroad workers, doctors, gamblers, and criminals. That mix gives the guide plenty to work with, from everyday hardships to violent incidents that left a mark on the community.

I like the way this setting lets you hear history in small pieces. A building might first appear as an attractive old facade, then become the setting for a robbery, a death, or a strange account of unexplained activity. The best part is the contrast between the preserved downtown streets and the rougher stories connected to them.

The tone also appears to be more entertaining than grim. The stories include amusing anecdotes as well as murders and suicides. That balance is important. A night filled only with tragedy can become heavy, while a tour that treats every ghost story as a joke loses its sense of place.

The Weatherford Hotel and Zane Gray Bar

The Weatherford Hotel is one of the main stops and one of the most important buildings in the crawl. It sits next to the Orpheum Theatre, and both were created from the imagination of John Weatherford. That connection gives the two buildings a shared chapter in Flagstaff’s downtown story.

Inside the Weatherford, you stop at the historic Zane Gray Bar for a drink. This is where the pub-crawl format earns its keep. You are not only hearing about an old hotel from the sidewalk. You get a chance to sit in one of the historic buildings tied to the tour.

The bar stop also changes the rhythm of the evening. Instead of walking continuously while trying to remember every name and date, you get a pause to listen, drink, and take in the setting. If you prefer tours with regular breaks, this will be a welcome feature.

Still, you should keep your expectations realistic. The available information does not promise a private room, a reserved table, or a specific drink menu. The stop is part of a public bar setting, so the experience may feel more casual than a formal history presentation.

The Orpheum Theatre and downtown’s old buildings

The Orpheum Theatre sits beside the Weatherford Hotel and is one of the notable buildings on the route. Even if you only pass by it, the theater helps show how Flagstaff developed a social life beyond the railroad and its businesses.

The tour also takes you past other historic structures in downtown Flagstaff. The guide uses these places to connect the town’s physical streets with stories of people who lived, worked, suffered, and died there. That approach gives you more than a list of haunted addresses.

You might find the building-focused parts most rewarding if you enjoy architecture and local history as much as ghost stories. The experience is not only about detecting spirits. It is about understanding why certain hotels, theaters, homes, and public buildings remain part of Flagstaff’s identity.

The route’s central setting also keeps the night practical. You remain in historic downtown rather than traveling by vehicle between far-flung sites. That means less time spent in transit and more time hearing stories or stopping for drinks.

Dr. Raymond’s home on Leroux Street

One of the more unusual characters connected to the walk is Dr. Raymond, described as a beloved but eccentric town physician. His home and offices were on Leroux Street.

This kind of story can add texture to the crawl. The doctor is not presented simply as a victim or a ghost. He was a working figure in the community, remembered for his personality as well as his profession. That gives you a glimpse of the people who shaped early Flagstaff outside the better-known hotel owners and criminals.

A stop connected to Dr. Raymond also helps break up the darker stories. The crawl covers robberies, murders, and suicides, but it also includes eccentric personalities and amusing moments. I prefer that mix because it makes the town feel lived-in rather than staged as a permanent crime scene.

You will likely hear the story while walking past or near the former home and offices. The available details do not promise entry inside, so treat this as an exterior history stop rather than a house tour.

The train depot and Hotel Monte Vista

The old train depot and Hotel Monte Vista are both called supernatural hotspots. The depot is also where you meet and finish, giving the crawl a strong beginning-to-end structure.

Hotel Monte Vista adds another hotel to the evening’s story. Along with the Weatherford, it shows how lodging houses became central to Flagstaff’s early life. Hotels gathered strangers, workers, entertainers, gamblers, and people passing through town. That constant movement provides a natural setting for stories about misfortune and unexplained events.

I like the use of both hotels because they offer different ways to think about the town. The Weatherford connects to John Weatherford and the Zane Gray Bar. Hotel Monte Vista brings another set of supernatural associations into the route. You get a wider picture than you would from focusing on a single famous building.

The depot and hotel also make useful landmarks for your own downtown wandering later. Even after the tour ends, you will know which structures carry the most story weight. That is one of the better values of a local walking tour: it gives you a map of what to notice when you explore on your own.

The Marie Walkup story and the darker side of Flagstaff

The crawl includes the tragic story of Marie Walkup and her murdered children, set in 1930s Flagstaff. This is among the heaviest material on the route, and it is worth knowing that the evening is not limited to playful ghost tales.

Stories like this can be difficult, especially when they involve children and murder. The account is presented as a reminder of life’s uncertainty, not just as a spooky anecdote. I appreciate that distinction, but you should decide for yourself how comfortable you are with true-crime material before booking.

The inclusion of this story gives the tour a wider time range. You are not hearing only about the earliest railroad settlement. The route moves through different periods of Flagstaff’s past, showing that difficult chapters continued long after the town’s first years.

A good guide needs to handle this part with care. Steve is praised for bringing both ancient and more recent ghost stories to life, and his strong command of Flagstaff history appears to be a major part of the experience. His job is not simply to point at a building. It is to explain the people and events connected to it.

What the three pub stops add

The crawl includes three different historic downtown pubs. One is the Zane Gray Bar at the Weatherford Hotel, and another stop lets you sit outside on a patio while listening to seedy tales from Flagstaff’s past.

The patio stop sounds especially useful for pacing. You can get some fresh air, sit down, and listen without trying to keep up with a moving group. It also gives the tour a more social feel than a standard history walk.

Keep in mind that the pub stops are part of a working downtown bar scene. The experience may vary depending on the time, the crowd, and the space available. You should be ready to order and pay attention in a public setting rather than expect a private storytelling session.

The information provided confirms that drinks are enjoyed along the route, but it does not state that the $50 fee covers them. I would budget extra for beverages and confirm the arrangement when booking. This small check can prevent an unpleasant surprise at the first stop.

The three stops also give you a chance to compare different historic spaces. Instead of visiting one bar and hearing a few stories, you move through several downtown settings. That variety is a key reason the price can make sense for visitors who already planned an evening out.

How the $50 price compares with the experience

At $50 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend two and a half hours in Flagstaff. You are paying for a guide, a planned route, local history, and access to a pub-crawl format that would be difficult to organize on your own.

The value improves if you want structure. You could walk past the Weatherford Hotel, Orpheum Theatre, train depot, and Hotel Monte Vista without learning the stories that connect them. A guide gives you the background and keeps the evening moving between locations.

The price is less attractive if you mainly want drinks. In that case, you can visit downtown pubs independently and skip the tour fee. It is also not the best match if you dislike ghost stories, crime accounts, or walking between several stops.

Steve’s praised ability to make the stories feel alive is important here. A pub crawl depends heavily on the guide. Strong storytelling turns a drink in an old bar into a memorable local experience. Weak storytelling would leave you paying mostly for a series of ordinary stops.

Before booking, check what the fee includes, especially the drinks. The listed inclusions cover the guided haunted crawl, the guide, and the history lesson. They do not clearly state that beverages are included.

Who will enjoy this Flagstaff haunted pub crawl

I would recommend this experience to adults who like local history with a spooky edge. It suits you if you enjoy old hotels, downtown architecture, true stories, and relaxed stops where you can sit with a drink.

It is also a good fit for a first evening in Flagstaff. The route introduces several central buildings and gives you a practical sense of how the historic district is arranged. You finish where you started, so the crawl does not leave you searching for a ride across town.

You may want to skip it if you want a quiet museum visit, a family activity, or a tour with no serious crime stories. People under 21 cannot join, and the material includes murder and suicide. The 2.5-hour length also means you should be comfortable walking through downtown and spending time in bars.

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, which is useful information when planning. Since the tour involves several historic buildings and downtown streets, I would still confirm any specific access needs before arrival.

Practical details for a smoother evening

Bring a passport or ID card. Because the tour is for people 21 and older, identification is an essential part of the evening.

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suited to a 2.5-hour downtown walk. The supplied details do not specify the walking distance, so you should not assume every stop is immediately next door.

Meet on the south side of the train station, on the track side. Look for the guide’s southwestern gothic clothing rather than waiting at a general downtown landmark.

The tour runs in English and ends back at the meeting point. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now while paying later. Those terms help if your Flagstaff schedule is still shifting.

Should you book Spirits With The Spirits?

Book it if you want Flagstaff history served with a drink and a few chills. The strongest reasons are the downtown route, the Weatherford Hotel and Zane Gray Bar, the three pub stops, and the guide’s praised storytelling, especially Steve’s ability to make the town’s past feel immediate.

Skip it if you want a family-friendly activity, dislike dark subject matter, or plan to spend the evening drinking without a guided history component. Also confirm the drink costs before you commit to the $50 price.

For the right audience, this is a lively way to meet Flagstaff’s old buildings and difficult stories in the same evening. It gives you more context than a casual bar visit and more atmosphere than a standard daytime history walk.

FAQ

Where does the haunted pub crawl begin?

Meet your guide on the south side of the Flagstaff train station, on the track side. The guide wears southwestern gothic attire.

Where does the activity end?

The crawl ends back at the train station meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The activity 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 $50 price?

The tour includes stops at three historic downtown pubs where you can enjoy drinks, but the provided details do not confirm that beverages are included in the tour price. Confirm this before booking.

Can people under 21 join?

No. The activity is not suitable for people under 21 years old.

What identification should you bring?

Bring a passport or ID card.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide conducts the experience in English.