Ghosts and Spirits of St Augustine Pub Crawl Tour

St. Augustine keeps its best ghost stories moving. This $39 evening tour combines local ghost tales, historic sites, and pub stops with an open-cabin electric cart, so you can cover more of the Old City without spending the night on foot. I like the included first beer at Ancient City Brewing and the way the route reaches sites from Flagler College to Castillo de San Marcos.

I also like the small group size, capped at 10 people, and the chance to hear guide Chance, who gets especially high marks for humor and audience involvement. The main drawback is that the tour lasts only about 90 minutes, so some stops are brief, and the weather-dependent operation can create uncertainty.

Key points to know before booking

• A first beer is included: You begin at Ancient City Brewing, with one beer covered in the $39 price.
• The cart saves your feet: An open electric vehicle connects several parts of St. Augustine’s historic center.
• Chance is a memorable guide: His humor and ability to keep a lively group involved are major strengths when he leads.
• The route covers serious history: Expect stories connected to fires, yellow fever, military hospitals, cemeteries, and the old Flagler-era hotels.
• It is a small-group evening: The maximum is 10 people, with a 7:30 pm start and return to the original meeting point.
• Weather matters: If storms force cancellation, you can choose another date or request a full refund.

Why this pub crawl works better than a standard walking tour

St. Augustine is compact in the center, but its ghost stories are not confined to one block. A walking tour can tell good stories, yet it may leave you covering the same streets while missing sites farther along the historic district.

This experience uses an open-cabin electric cart and a designated driver to connect the stops. That is the central selling point. You get a broader look at the city while avoiding a long evening walk, which is useful in hot weather, after dinner, or if your group includes someone who tires easily.

The cart is not fully enclosed, so you should dress for the evening conditions. You also need to climb on and off using one step. Most people can manage that, but it is worth knowing if anyone in your party has serious mobility limits.

The small maximum of 10 people gives the guide a better chance to talk with everyone. It also suits visitors who want a social evening rather than a large procession behind a flag. The tone appears to be lively and informal, especially with Chance. His appeal comes from more than facts. He keeps the group laughing and handles playful behavior without losing control of the story.

That combination matters on a pub crawl. A dry lecture can make even a haunted cemetery feel like homework. A guide who can tell a story, read the group, and keep the pace moving gives the evening more life.

Starting with beer at Plaza de la Constitucion

Meet at 38 Cathedral Place at 7:30 pm. The opening stop is Plaza de la Constitucion, a useful place to get your bearings in the center of town before the evening shifts into ghost-story mode.

The group crosses the street to Ancient City Brewing for the first beer. It is included in the ticket price, and the brewery gives the tour an easy social start. You are not immediately asked to listen to a long string of dates and names. Instead, you have a drink in hand before returning to the plaza for the introduction and the first tales.

I see real value in this opening. The ticket costs $39, and the included beer helps soften the price compared with paying separately for a guide, a drink, and transportation around town. The beer is also a natural way to break the ice in a group of strangers.

Do not expect a full brewery visit or a meal. The information describes a tasting of an artisanal draft, not a brewing demonstration or food pairing. If you need dinner, plan to eat before the start or afterward.

The plaza section lasts about 20 minutes, including the brewery stop and the opening stories. That is enough time to set the mood, but not enough for a long historical talk. You will want to listen closely because the later parts move along quickly.

Flagler College and the old hotels

The electric cart then carries you past Historic Tours of Flagler College. The former Ponce de Leon Hotel provides the setting for stories connected to the occult and the era of Henry Flagler, whose grand hotel helped shape St. Augustine’s late nineteenth-century identity.

This stop is mainly about the guide’s storytelling. You are not scheduled for an interior tour of Flagler College, so you should not book this expecting access to the building’s rooms or formal architecture tour. Instead, you hear about the former hotel from outside while the cart moves through the district.

The route also passes the former Alcazar, the Murat House, and St. Francis Inn. Each place adds another layer to the evening, even if the cart does not stop for a long examination of every building. This is one reason the vehicle is useful. You can connect several landmarks without spending half the tour walking between them.

The listed time here is about 10 minutes. That is short, so the experience favors atmosphere over detailed architectural study. If you want extensive background on Flagler College or the surrounding buildings, book a separate daytime visit. If you want quick stories with a spooky angle, this section fits the evening well.

The cart then heads toward the former Surprise Store. The route links the polished Flagler era with older religious and military stories, which gives the tour a wider historical range than a simple haunted-pub outing.

The former Surprise Store and the first church site

At the next location, you enter the former Surprise Store near the municipal marina and Bridge of Lions. The building is tied to the site of what the guide presents as the first Catholic church in the United States, which burned in 1702.

The story becomes darker because the Spanish Military Hospital was located nearby. The guide discusses the possibility that human remains still lie beneath this block. That idea gives the stop its force. You are not hearing a ghost story in an empty setting. You are hearing one connected to fires, illness, worship, military life, and burial ground.

This is also the main drinking section of the tour. You can choose from two bars at the location and have another chance to order a drink. The information confirms beer as part of the included offering, but it does not say that every later drink is included. I would budget for additional purchases rather than assume the $39 covers the rest of the evening.

The stop lasts about 25 minutes, making it the longest scheduled pause. That gives you time to enter the bar, order something, and hear the stories without being rushed from one doorway to the next.

The tradeoff is that a bar stop can split attention. Some people will enjoy listening with a drink in hand. Others may find conversation, ordering, and background noise make the ghost stories harder to follow. Stay near the guide if the details matter to you.

Castillo de San Marcos and the city’s grim stories

The route continues north on Menendez Avenue to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. This is the oldest masonry fort built in the United States, and it gives the tour one of its strongest historical settings.

The guide covers ghost ships and the effects of yellow fever, which killed a third of the population in 1821. That statistic shifts the tone. The evening is not only about mysterious photographs and haunted bars. It also points toward the real causes of fear in an old port city: disease, war, death at sea, and crowded burial grounds.

The fort stop lasts about 10 minutes. You will not have time for a complete tour of the Castillo, and the fort may be viewed mainly from the outside during this evening route. Think of the stop as a dramatic backdrop for stories rather than a substitute for admission and a daytime visit.

The itinerary also refers to a location described as the center of much of St. Augustine’s paranormal activity, followed by the City Gates, where orbs are said to appear in photographs. The exact timing for these two brief stops is not clearly separated in the schedule, so the pace may vary depending on the guide and the evening.

Bring your phone or camera if you enjoy this part of ghost lore. You may be encouraged to take pictures at the gates. Keep your expectations sensible, though. A camera orb is not proof of a spirit. It can be dust, moisture, or light. The fun is in the possibility and the story surrounding the place.

Tolomato Cemetery and the final haunted bar

Tolomato Cemetery provides the final major historic stop. It is described as the oldest planned cemetery in the United States, which makes it a natural setting for a paranormal tour.

Cemeteries can feel more powerful than theatrical haunted attractions because the setting is genuine and the stories connect to real people. Here, the guide’s job is to explain the site respectfully while giving you a sense of why it has become associated with unusual activity.

The stop lasts about 20 minutes, followed by the White Lion Bar, described as one of the city’s most haunted bars. That ending returns the tour to its pub-crawl theme after the heavier material about disease, burial grounds, and military history.

The schedule indicates a final visit to the White Lion, but it does not give a separate duration or confirm that a drink there is included. Plan to pay for anything beyond the first included beer unless the guide tells you otherwise.

Ending in a bar is a practical choice. You can continue your evening in the historic center, order another drink, or head back to your accommodation. Since the tour returns to the original meeting point, you are not left across town at the end.

What the $39 price really covers

At $39 per person, this is priced as a short guided experience rather than a full evening of food and drinks. Your ticket includes the certified guide and storyteller, the electric-cart transport, and at least the first beer at Ancient City Brewing.

The designated driver adds value. You can enjoy the pub element without arranging a car between stops, and the route reaches more of town than a walking tour can comfortably cover in 90 minutes.

The price is strongest for people who want a compact introduction to St. Augustine’s haunted side. It is less compelling if you mainly want to drink at several bars, because later purchases appear to be extra. It is also not the best choice if your priority is a long, detailed history lesson at each landmark.

The three available ratings produce a 3.7 average, but that figure rests on a very small sample. The clearest positive pattern is the guide’s personality. Chance is praised for being funny, engaging, and able to keep an energetic group involved. One booking dispute involved severe weather and conflicting date details. The operator stated that tours are canceled with passenger contact and refund options when conditions require it, but I would still check your confirmation carefully before setting out.

Timing, weather, and who should book

The experience starts at 7:30 pm and lasts about an hour and a half. That makes it easy to fit after an early dinner, but the short duration means you should arrive ready to begin. The meeting point is at 38 Cathedral Place, and the tour ends there.

The maximum group size is 10. Service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. Most people can participate, but everyone must climb on and off the cart using one step.

This tour suits you if:

• You want ghost stories without a long walk.
• You enjoy adding a beer and a few bar stops to a history outing.
• You prefer a small group and a guide with a playful style.
• You want to see several historic areas in one evening.
• You are comfortable with stories about death, cemeteries, disease, and possible paranormal activity.

It may not suit you if you want a serious paranormal investigation, a full tour of the fort, or long visits inside every historic building. The itinerary is a moving sampler. Its strength is range, not depth.

Weather also matters. The tour requires good conditions, and an outdoor electric cart is not a sensible place to be during strong storms. If poor weather cancels the experience, you can receive a different date or a full refund. The same applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund, so leave some room in your plans if the forecast looks uncertain.

Should you book the Ghosts and Spirits pub crawl?

Book it if you want a lighthearted haunted history evening with transportation, a first beer, and several different settings. The cart makes the route more varied than a standard walk, while the small group and Chance’s reported comic timing can turn a short tour into a lively night out.

Skip it if you want a deep historical tour or a carefully structured paranormal investigation. The stops are brief, later drinks may cost extra, and the weather can affect operation.

For most visitors, the best reason to choose this tour is simple: you get a quick look at St. Augustine’s haunted stories without wearing out your feet. Arrive early, confirm the date and weather status, budget for extra drinks, and stay close to the guide when the bar gets noisy.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at 38 Cathedral Place, St. Augustine, Florida 32084.

What time does the tour begin?

The scheduled start time is 7:30 pm.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Is a drink included?

Your first beer at Ancient City Brewing is included. The tour also visits other bars, but the provided information does not confirm that later drinks are included.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 10 people.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if the tour is canceled because of poor weather.