Portland: Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl

Portland’s Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl turns a short downtown walk into a night of grim tales, old bars, and ghost lore. You begin at the grand Benson Hotel, then visit nine historic haunted sites, including four pubs, with stops at Kelly’s Olympian, Kell’s Irish Pub, and the Shanghai Tunnels Bar. I like the mix of Portland history and supernatural storytelling, and I like that the tour takes you inside actual old watering holes rather than keeping you on the sidewalk. The EMF reader used on some tours adds a playful bit of evidence hunting.

The main caution is that the evening can vary. One Sunday tour did not stop for a drink at the first bar, and another bar was closed. Guides may also walk quickly, and the streets can make it hard to hear every story. Bring good shoes, arrive early, and treat the $30 fee as payment for the guide and walking tour, not for drinks.

Key points at a glance

• Nine haunted sites in two hours: The route links historic buildings and four pubs in downtown Portland.
• Three named pub stops: Kelly’s Olympian, Kell’s Irish Pub, and the Shanghai Tunnels Bar each bring a different mood and story set.
• A lantern at the Benson Hotel: Look for the costumed guide carrying a lantern at the meeting point.
• Drinks cost extra: You can buy beverages at the pubs, but food and drinks are not part of the $30 price.
• A strong storytelling focus: The tour covers pirates, murders, government secrets, and reported paranormal activity.
• Rain or shine: Wear weather-ready clothes and comfortable shoes, and carry valid identification.

What this haunted Portland walk is really about

This is not a bar-hopping night built around drinking discounts. It is a guided history walk with pub interiors woven into the route. The bars give you a place to pause, order a drink if you wish, and hear the darker side of Portland’s past.

The stories cover heartless pirates, ruthless murders, government secrets, and reported ghost encounters. That range matters. You are not hearing the same kind of ghost tale nine times. One stop may focus on a building’s past, another on a murder story, and another on the uneasy legends tied to a bar.

The supernatural claims are presented as part of the entertainment. You can believe every creaking-floorboard story, question all of it, or simply enjoy the odd history behind the buildings. I think the tour works best for the happy skeptic who likes a good story but does not need a ghost to appear on cue.

At $30 per person, the price is reasonable if you want a guide to connect several downtown locations in one evening. It is less attractive if you expect drinks, food, private access, or a formal paranormal investigation. Your payment covers the guide and the visits. You pay separately for anything you order at the pubs.

Starting at the Benson Hotel with a lantern

The meeting point is the Benson Hotel Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton, at 309 SW Broadway. Arrive 15 minutes early and look for the guide in costume, carrying a lantern. That detail should make the meeting point easy to identify, especially near a busy downtown hotel.

The Benson gives the tour an appropriate opening. It has an elegant old hotel atmosphere, and the experience uses its reputation for ghost sightings to set the tone. You begin with a polished Portland landmark, then move into the city’s less tidy stories.

The guide is the key to this first section. A good guide must do more than list dates. The strongest feedback centers on storytelling, and one October tour included private rooms where the group could gather and listen to the spooky accounts. That setup is useful because ghost stories work better when you can hear the details without traffic or bar noise.

The tour is in English and lasts two hours. The exact time at each place can range from about 15 or 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the day and season. That means you should not expect every stop to receive equal attention.

Kelly’s Olympian and the first pub atmosphere

Kelly’s Olympian is one of the main stops and is presented as a place where you can dance with the spirits while having a drink. The wording is theatrical, but the practical appeal is simple: you get to experience a historic Portland bar while hearing the stories connected with it.

The pub stops make this different from a standard haunted walking tour. You are not only looking at facades from the street. You may enter a bar, take in its atmosphere, and decide if you want to order something while the guide builds the tale around the setting.

Keep your expectations flexible. A Sunday tour did not include a drink stop at the first bar, so the schedule may change with opening hours and the day of the week. The tour promises visits to four pubs, but it does not promise a drink purchase at every location.

Drinks are not included. Plan for the cost of your own beverage, and do not assume that the $30 covers a tasting flight or a round for the group. If you are mainly interested in Portland’s bar culture, this arrangement gives you choice. You can order what you want, or skip the drink and focus on the stories.

Kell’s Irish Pub and the ghost-skeptic test

Kell’s Irish Pub is described as a place that has made believers out of skeptics. That gives the stop a clear role in the evening: it is the setting for the tour’s strongest paranormal claims.

You should listen for the difference between documented history and local legend. The value here is not proving that a ghost exists. It is hearing how a pub’s past, stories from staff and visitors, and the atmosphere of an old room combine into a local legend.

One useful detail from the tour feedback is that some groups gathered in private rooms. If your visit has that arrangement, it should make the storytelling easier to follow than trying to hear a guide over a crowded bar. Still, conditions can change by season and day, so you should expect some variation in noise and access.

The Irish pub stop also helps break up the walking. Two hours on city streets can feel longer than it sounds, but the indoor pauses give the tour a better rhythm. You move, listen, stop for a drink if you wish, and then continue to the next site.

Shanghai Tunnels Bar and Portland’s darker stories

The final named stop is the Shanghai Tunnels Bar, a place tied to Portland’s darker waterfront history and an eerie atmosphere. The stop is designed to bring the evening toward its most unsettling material.

The tour description connects the crawl with stories of pirates, murders, and government secrets. At the Shanghai Tunnels Bar, those subjects fit the mood particularly well, though the exact story sequence may vary. You should come ready for historical storytelling with a sinister edge, not a museum-style lecture with every claim fully settled.

The name also points to a side of Portland that is easy to miss during a daytime visit. Downtown can look polished and ordinary in daylight. At night, old bars and stories about coercion, violence, and secrecy create a very different picture. That contrast is one of the tour’s best features.

Do not expect the bar to function like a full attraction with a long scheduled visit. Time at each destination may be as short as 15 or 20 minutes or as long as an hour. The guide adjusts the route to the night’s conditions.

The nine-site route between the pubs

The four pubs are only part of the experience. The tour includes nine historic haunted sites, so several locations come between the drinking stops. Those transitions are important because they connect the stories into a walking portrait of downtown Portland.

You may hear a tale outside a building, then enter a pub where the story becomes more personal and atmospheric. The route gives the guide room to explain how Portland’s port-city past shaped its legends. Pirates, murder stories, and secretive government accounts feel less random when you are moving through the same downtown streets where the tales are set.

The walking also keeps the tour from becoming a series of unrelated bar visits. If you wanted only a pub crawl, you could make your own route. The reason to book this one is the guide’s interpretation of the spaces between the bars.

The tradeoff is pace. One person found the guide hard to hear and too quick on the walk. I would stay near the guide, avoid drifting to the back of the group, and speak up early if you cannot hear. Comfortable shoes are essential, even though the tour is only two hours.

How the storytelling affects the experience

The strongest praise for this experience is aimed at the guide’s storytelling and friendly manner. One June group described the evening as fun, while another particularly liked the way the guide connected spooky stories with Portland history. That tells you where the tour earns its price.

The guide’s performance matters more here than luxury surroundings. The pubs supply atmosphere, but the guide supplies the structure. A good delivery can make a familiar bar feel strange and a routine downtown walk feel charged with possibility.

An EMF reader has also appeared on the tour. It is a fun addition, especially if you enjoy the theatrical side of paranormal activity. Do not treat it as scientific proof. Think of it as a hands-on prop that gives the group something to watch and discuss.

The experience is best for adults who enjoy a little camp with their history. The material includes murder and disturbing subjects, so it is not designed as a gentle family outing. Everyone must be at least 21, and you should bring identification. A copy is accepted according to the tour information.

Timing, weather, and practical comfort

The tour runs for two hours and operates rain or shine. Portland weather can change quickly, so dress for the forecast rather than for the bar at the end. Comfortable shoes are more important than stylish ones.

You should eat before setting out or plan your food separately. Food is not included, and the tour is not presented as a dinner crawl. Drinks are also extra, so set aside additional money if you want to order at the pubs.

Smoking and video recording are not allowed. The recording rule may feel strict if you want to capture the guide’s stories, but it keeps the focus on listening and helps protect the atmosphere inside the historic bars.

The listing says the experience is wheelchair accessible, but it also says it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. Those statements do not fully agree. If you use a wheelchair or have difficulty walking, contact the provider before booking and ask about the route, entrances, street surfaces, and time spent standing.

Who will get the most from the $30 price

I would recommend this to an adult who enjoys ghost stories, old bars, and a guide-led introduction to downtown Portland after dark. It also suits someone who wants a social evening with a clear structure but does not want a nightclub or a large sightseeing bus.

The price works best when you value the guide’s narration. You receive a two-hour route, nine historic sites, four pub visits, and a live English-speaking guide. That is a fair package for an evening activity, especially if you would otherwise spend time researching a self-guided route.

The value drops if you are counting on drinking at every bar. Drinks are extra, one tour had a closed bar, and the first pub stop did not include a drink on one Sunday. Book for the stories and settings first. Consider any drink as an optional addition.

The experience also suits repeat visitors who have already seen Portland’s daytime highlights. The route offers a different way to read downtown, using its darker stories instead of its usual food, shopping, and architecture themes.

What the 4.7 rating suggests

The overall rating is 4.7 from 34 reviews, with repeated praise for the fun atmosphere, friendly guides, and storytelling. Those are the parts I would prioritize when deciding.

The lower score gives you useful context rather than a reason to dismiss the tour. The main complaints concern value, a closed bar, a missed drink stop, fast walking, and difficulty hearing the guide. These are practical issues that can affect your night even if the stories are good.

You can reduce some of the risk by arriving early, staying close to the guide, wearing suitable shoes, and checking the day of the week when booking. If a particular pub matters to you, ask whether it is expected to be open.

Should you book the Portland haunted pub crawl?

Book it if you want a story-led night walk with real pubs, old Portland locations, and a little paranormal theater. The Benson Hotel meeting point, lantern-carrying guide, Kelly’s Olympian, Kell’s Irish Pub, and Shanghai Tunnels Bar give the evening a memorable shape.

Skip it if you want drinks included, a slow route, a guaranteed visit inside every named bar, or a serious paranormal investigation. The schedule changes, the walking pace may be brisk, and the best parts depend on the guide’s delivery.

For most adults with an open mind and sturdy shoes, $30 is a fair price for two hours of unusual Portland history. Go for the atmosphere and the tales. Let the ghosts prove themselves if they can.

FAQ

How long is the Portland Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl?

The tour lasts two hours.

Where does the haunted pub crawl meet?

All tours meet at the Benson Hotel Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton, at 309 SW Broadway, Portland, Oregon 97205. Arrive 15 minutes early and look for a costumed guide carrying a lantern.

How many places does the tour visit?

The tour includes nine historic haunted sites, including four pubs.

Which pubs are included?

The named pub stops are Kelly’s Olympian, Kell’s Irish Pub, and the Shanghai Tunnels Bar. The tour information identifies four pubs in total, but only these three are named.

Are drinks and food included in the price?

No. Food and drinks are not included. You can buy beverages at the watering holes during the tour.

What language is the tour offered in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is the tour suitable for people under 21?

No. The experience is not suitable for people under 21, and you should bring identification. A copy is accepted.

Does the tour run in bad weather?

Yes. Tours run rain or shine, so wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes.