Washington DC: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

Ghost stories taste better with a drink. Washington DC’s Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl mixes eight haunted sites with four historic pubs, giving you a lively look at the capital after dark. I like the blend of ghost lore and political scandal, especially the tale of Ulysses S. Grant at Round Robin and the stories tied to prohibition-era bootleggers. I also like that the tour brings history outside the usual monuments.

The main caution is that drinks and food cost extra, and some stops can be busy working bars. One person found the group felt unwelcome in places without reserved space. If you want a quiet, polished tasting event, this may not be your best pick. If you want a social night of walking, drinks, and strange Washington stories, it offers good value at $30.

Key details worth knowing

• Eight haunted locations: The route includes four pubs plus other historic places tied to Washington’s political and criminal past.
• Round Robin and Ulysses S. Grant: You hear the story of the former president’s ghost while visiting a bar linked to old Washington power circles.
• The National Theatre: This stop brings a grisly murder and theatrical hauntings into the evening.
• Four bars, drinks not included: You pay the $30 tour fee, then buy cocktails, mocktails, food, or other drinks as you go.
• Guide quality matters: Anton, Dena, EJ, Mary, Tristan, and John have all earned strong praise for lively storytelling and local history.
• Rain or shine: Wear comfortable shoes and weather-ready clothing. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or anyone under 21.

What this Washington ghost pub crawl is really like

This is not a formal ghost hunt with special equipment or a promise of paranormal proof. It is a two-hour walking tour that uses old pubs, political scandals, murder stories, and local legends to make downtown Washington feel less polished and more mysterious.

You meet your guide at the Old Ebbitt Grill, 675 15th Street NW. Look for a person in a black US Ghost Adventures shirt carrying a lantern. That detail matters, since the area can be crowded and the meeting point sits in a busy part of central Washington.

From there, you walk between eight historic and supposedly haunted locations. Four are pubs, so the evening has a natural rhythm: hear a story, walk through downtown, stop for a drink if you wish, then continue with another tale. The exact bar order may vary, and your spending depends on what you choose to buy.

I would think of this as a history-and-social outing first, and a ghost experience second. You might spot something unusual, but the real reward is the way the guide links old Washington scandals with places you can still enter today.

Round Robin and the ghost of Ulysses S. Grant

Round Robin is one of the most appealing stops because it connects a famous political figure with a functioning bar. The tour tells the story of Ulysses S. Grant’s ghost, and the idea of sharing a brandy with his spirit gives the evening its clearest theatrical moment.

You should not expect a brandy to be included in the ticket. Food and drinks are separate purchases, so decide in advance how much you want to spend at the pubs. You can order cocktails, mocktails, or simply listen while others drink.

This stop works well because it ties the ghost story to Washington’s old habit of handling business over a bar. Presidents, officials, and political insiders have long used such places as informal offices. The setting helps you picture that side of the capital more clearly than a standard monument visit does.

The trade-off is that a working bar is not a private museum. Noise, crowds, and limited seating can affect how well you hear the guide. If you want the best chance of following every detail, stay near the guide and avoid drifting toward the back of the group.

The National Theatre and Washington’s darker stories

The National Theatre adds a sharper edge to the route. Here, the stories include a grisly murder, along with the sort of backstage and political secrets that suit an old theater.

This is where the tour moves beyond friendly ghost anecdotes. The National Theatre gives the guide a place to discuss scandal, death, and the darker side of Washington’s past. You may find these stories more memorable than a simple tale about a room being haunted because they connect a real location with human crime and fear.

The route also touches on scandalous politicians, backroom deals, and whistleblowers. That subject fits Washington unusually well. This city is built around public statements, private bargains, and people who know more than they are willing to say.

The storytelling is the key. Guides such as Anton have been praised for mixing ghost stories with grounded Washington history, while Dena has been singled out for making the walk both informative and enjoyable. A good guide keeps the stories moving and gives you enough context without turning the evening into a lecture.

Bootleggers, Rhode’s Tavern, and political secrets

The tour’s prohibition-era material gives the evening another change of mood. You hear about bootlegging congressmen and the people who moved liquor through Washington when alcohol was illegal. These stories fit the pub setting better than a standard sightseeing stop, since you are hearing about drinking culture while sitting in places built around it.

One memorable location is the site of Rhode’s Tavern. It is not simply another bar stop. The location lets the guide explain how Washington looked and functioned before the modern city took shape.

A particularly useful historical detail concerns the burning of Washington in 1814. The story told on the tour challenges the familiar idea that British forces simply burned every tavern and raided everything in sight. The tale includes British troops taking liquor from White House cabinets before the building was sacked.

That sort of detail is one reason I would choose this tour over a generic ghost walk. You get odd, compact pieces of history that are easy to remember and retell. You also see how alcohol, politics, war, and reputation have been tied together in Washington for a very long time.

Do not expect a full architectural tour of each building. The focus stays on the story attached to the place, not on an exhaustive account of every room or construction date.

Four pubs, cocktails, mocktails, and extra spending

The $30 price covers the guide, the walking tour, visits to eight historic haunted sites, and drinking games. It does not cover food or drinks. That makes this a reasonable admission price for a two-hour guided experience, but your final bill can rise quickly if you order at several bars.

The tour description encourages you to try signature cocktails and appetizers, and the bar stops are part of the fun. Some of the drinks have been praised as delicious, and one person especially enjoyed cocktails at three stops. Still, you should treat those purchases as optional rather than part of the package.

I like that mocktails are included as a possible choice in the experience. That gives you a way to join the social side of the evening without making every stop an alcoholic one. You can also participate in the stories and drinking games without matching the pace of the rest of the group.

The group atmosphere seems to be one of the strongest parts of the tour. It can work well for solo visitors, couples, and groups celebrating a special occasion. One solo participant had a good time even with no other booking companions, while a hen party helped turn another evening into a particularly lively outing.

The drawback is the lack of guaranteed private space. You may enter a busy bar, find limited room, and feel as if you are joining the regular crowd rather than stepping into a reserved tour area. That can feel authentic, but it can also make the group harder to organize.

The guides make or break the evening

The strongest praise is aimed at the guides, not at special effects or paranormal equipment. Anton has been praised for his warmth, energy, and command of Washington history. He also showed people less obvious places, including Rhode’s Tavern, and answered questions beyond the basic subject of ghosts.

Dena received similar praise for combining a pleasant walk with useful stories and good humor. EJ, Mary, Tristan, and John were also singled out for making the experience entertaining and informative. That range of names suggests the company has several guides who can carry the format well.

A guide’s style matters here because the tour relies on spoken storytelling. You are not simply moving through a set of attractions with signs and displays. If the guide is engaging, a sidewalk or pub entrance can become an effective stage. If the guide is less energetic, the same walk could feel like a string of loosely connected stops.

You can help yourself by staying close, asking questions, and treating the tour as a shared evening rather than a private performance. The experience is designed for a group, and the best moments seem to come when people laugh, react, and trade stories along the way.

Walking conditions and practical planning

The tour lasts two hours and runs rain or shine. Comfortable shoes are important because you move between locations on foot. Weather-appropriate clothing matters just as much, especially if the evening is cold, wet, or humid.

The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. The supplied details do not promise step-free access, seating at every stop, or a route designed for limited walking. If those points affect your decision, contact the operator before booking rather than assuming the pubs will provide enough places to rest.

Bring a passport or ID card. Since this is a 21-and-over experience, you should expect age checks at the meeting point or bars. People under 21 cannot join.

Smoking and video recording are not allowed. You can try to capture a ghost on camera, but that does not mean you can film the tour itself. A phone for photographs is still useful, particularly if you want to record the buildings and street scenes, but keep it away during the guide’s storytelling.

The meeting point at Old Ebbitt Grill is central and easy to identify once you find the guide’s black shirt and lantern. Arrive with enough time to locate the guide without rushing. A late start can be awkward when the group is already moving between sites.

Is $30 good value?

For $30, I think the tour offers fair value if you want a guided night out rather than a package of drinks. You are paying for a live guide, two hours of stories, eight locations, and access to four pub settings. Comparable evening entertainment can cost more once you add a guide and several stops.

The value depends on what you want from the night. If you expect four included cocktails, the ticket will disappoint you. If you see the drinks as optional extras and judge the tour by the stories, route, and guide, the price is easier to justify.

I would set a separate drink budget before arriving. You might buy nothing, order a single cocktail, or sample drinks at several stops. The tour lets you choose, but the bar purchases are where the total cost can change.

The 4.2 rating from 73 reviews suggests a solid experience with some variation. Most of the praise centers on entertaining guides, tasty drinks, unusual locations, and the chance to meet people. The main criticism concerns busy bars and the feeling that some groups lacked a reserved area.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend this tour to adults who like local history with a spooky twist. It suits people who enjoy political gossip, old crimes, unusual city facts, and a social bar atmosphere. It is also a good choice if you have already seen the main monuments and want a different way to understand central Washington.

Solo visitors can fit in well, since the group format encourages conversation. Couples and small friend groups will also find plenty to enjoy, especially if they treat the evening as a relaxed night out rather than a serious paranormal investigation.

It may not suit you if you dislike walking, loud bars, crowded interiors, or stories involving murder. You should also skip it if you want a quiet tasting menu, included drinks, or guaranteed seating.

For ghost hunters, keep your expectations sensible. The tour invites you to try photographing a ghost, and the famous Demon Cat earns a mention through a reported pawprint. Still, paranormal sightings are not promised. The historical tales and atmosphere carry most of the evening.

Should you book the Ghosts, Boos and Booze crawl?

Book it if you want a social two-hour walk through Washington’s political underworld, with four pub stops and plenty of stories about ghosts, bootleggers, scandals, and old crimes. The best reason to go is the guide. Anton, Dena, EJ, Mary, Tristan, and John have all shown the kind of energy this format needs.

Skip it if your priority is included alcohol, reserved seating, accessibility, or a quiet setting. Otherwise, $30 is a sensible price for an unusual evening, especially if you keep your drink budget under control and arrive ready for a little noise, weather, and theatrical storytelling.

FAQ

Where does the haunted pub crawl meet?

Meet your guide at Old Ebbitt Grill, 675 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. The guide will wear a black US Ghost Adventures shirt and carry a lantern.

How long does the tour last?

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

Are drinks and food included?

No. The $30 price includes the guide, visits to eight historic haunted sites, and drinking games. Food, cocktails, mocktails, and other drinks cost extra.

How many pubs are included?

The route includes four pubs among its eight haunted historic sites.

Is the tour suitable for people under 21?

No. The tour is not suitable for anyone under 21. Bring a passport or ID card.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, subject to the booking terms.