DC Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl By US Ghost Adventures

Washington’s haunted past has an unusually political setting: this walk links ghost stories to presidential watering holes, a Prohibition-era liquor supplier, and buildings near the heart of government. The route begins at Old Ebbitt Grill and ends at The Hamilton, with time at several bars along the way.

I like two things about the plan: the small group cap of 15 should make it easier to hear the guide and ask questions, and the Gin Rickey stop ties a drink to a specific Washington story. One point to weigh is that drinks cost extra, and the ghost stories may feel less substantial than the history for some people.

• A two-hour evening walk starts at 6:00 pm at Old Ebbitt Grill and finishes at The Hamilton.
• Eight stops connect bars and city lore, including the National Theatre and the John A. Wilson Building.
• The Gin Rickey is a featured stop at Proper 21, described as the drink’s place of origin.
• Groups are limited to 15, but the experience is still a walking tour, not a seated pub crawl.
• The $36 ticket excludes drinks, so plan your bar spending separately.
• Guides make a real difference: past tours have included Anton, John, and Dena.

A ghost walk with a Washington accent

This is a bar crawl with a historical spine, not a sequence of haunted-house effects. The guide tells stories tied to real places, from Old Ebbitt Grill to the National Theatre, and the route gives you a nighttime look at central Washington while you move between stops.

That mix is the tour’s appeal and its main risk. If you like local history, political anecdotes, and a little ghost lore with your drink, the format should work well. If you want a highly theatrical scare tour or a drink included at every stop, this is a less certain fit.

The stories include alleged hauntings linked to Mark Twain, two workers killed in a fire, a jealous actor, and a man in a green hat associated with supplying alcohol to members of Congress during Prohibition. The tour presents these as stories and reported hauntings, not as proof of the supernatural. I would go ready to enjoy the tales as local folklore, while appreciating the real buildings and history around them.

Old Ebbitt Grill sets the tone

The meeting point is Old Ebbitt Grill, at 675 15th Street NW. The restaurant is described as one of Washington’s oldest, with presidents among its past patrons. You have about ten minutes here, and any drink or other purchase is not part of the ticket price.

This is a fitting place to begin because it puts the tour’s central theme on the table: Washington’s bars are not just places to order a drink, but settings for stories about power, politics, and the people who moved through the city. If you arrive early, allow time to find the group and settle in. The tour starts at 6:00 pm.

Rhodes Tavern and Mark Twain’s ghost

The next stop is on 15th Street NW, at the reported site of Rhodes Tavern. The building is linked to a haunting attributed to Mark Twain, giving the guide a chance to connect a familiar name with a more specific piece of local lore.

There is no admission charge listed for this stop, and the group spends around ten minutes there. It is a brief visit, so think of it as a story stop rather than a chance to explore a historic interior. The interest lies in the location and the tale attached to it.

The Occidental Grill’s political past

At the Occidental Grill, the guide points to a place associated with important political deals and lingering spirits. The setting suits the tour’s subject: in Washington, a bar can be part of the city’s political memory as much as its dining scene.

You have roughly ten minutes here. The stops are short, and the precise experience may depend on the guide’s storytelling and the group’s pace. If you hope to sit down for a full meal or spend a long time in each bar, this itinerary is not designed for that. It is a walking tour with brief pauses, not a dinner crawl.

The Round Robin Bar and President Grant

Inside the Willard Hotel, the Round Robin Bar is said to have been frequented by President Grant. This stop offers another link between Washington’s drinking culture and the people who shaped national politics.

The tour allows about ten minutes here. Drinks are not included, so decide in advance whether you want to order one. The bar’s connection to a president gives the guide a clear historical hook, though the stop itself is brief. If you prefer not to buy a drink at each bar, you can still focus on the stories and the places, but the tour’s name does signal that alcohol is part of the atmosphere.

The John A. Wilson Building’s fire story

The route continues to the John A. Wilson Building, on the site of a former streetcar power station. The ghost story here concerns two workers said to have died in a fire, a more somber tale than the political bar stories.

The stop is listed at about ten minutes, with admission not included. The information provided does not describe an interior visit, so expect to hear the story at or near the site rather than tour the building. This is one of the stops where the city’s working past comes into view alongside the better-known stories of presidents and politicians.

A jealous actor at the National Theatre

The National Theatre adds a stage-door tale to the itinerary: it is associated with the spirit of a jealous actor. This stop is not given a time allowance in the route details, so its length may depend on how the walk unfolds.

The theatre story gives the crawl a different kind of local color. Instead of a bar, the subject is a performance venue and the people who have worked there. As with the other hauntings, the appeal is in hearing how the guide ties a ghost story to a real place. If you want firm evidence or a long theatrical presentation, keep expectations measured. If you enjoy a good tale in the setting it concerns, this is a natural pause in the route.

Proper 21 and the Gin Rickey

At Proper 21 on F Street, the group stops for a Gin Rickey, described as the drink developed at this location. The stop is one of the clearest reasons to choose this particular crawl over a general ghost walk: it gives you a drink with a local claim attached to it.

The stop lasts about ten minutes, and drinks are extra. That means the advertised $36 covers the guided experience, not the bar tab. You can decide how much to spend, but it is sensible to budget for at least one drink if you want to take part in the Gin Rickey element. If you do not drink alcohol, the stop can still be a chance to hear the story, though the tour’s pub-crawl feel may be less central for you.

The Hamilton and the man in the green hat

The walk ends at The Hamilton, at 600 14th Street NW. Here, the guide tells the story of the Man in the Green Hat, described as a man who supplied alcohol to members of Congress during Prohibition.

The final stop gives the tour a neat Washington ending: politics, alcohol, and a ghostly figure all meet in one story. The tour ends here rather than returning to Old Ebbitt, so plan your onward trip from The Hamilton. Transportation is not included.

What the $36 price buys

At $36 per person, the cost is for a professional guide and a two-hour route with researched stories and reported accounts of hauntings. The group cap of 15 is a useful feature at this price: a smaller crowd can make it easier to hear the narration and interact with the guide. The price is easier to justify if you value the combination of city history and ghost tales, rather than expecting a substantial drink package.

The extra cost to watch is the bar tab. Drinks are not included, and some stops may be in pricey venues. You do not need to treat every stop as a full round, but you should not mistake the ticket price for an all-in pub crawl. For an evening out, the guided history and route may be good value; for a simple drink tour, you may prefer to spend the $36 directly at a bar.

The experience is rated 4 out of 5 from 57 reviews, which suggests a generally positive but not uniform response. The strongest experiences hinge on the guide. Guides named Anton, John, and Dena have been associated with lively, engaging storytelling and strong local history. On the other hand, some tours have felt shorter than two hours when the group was very small, and some people found the ghost material thin or forced. That contrast is useful to keep in mind: the history may be the more dependable part of the evening, while the scare factor depends on your taste and the guide’s delivery.

Walking, timing, and practical details

The tour begins at 6:00 pm at Old Ebbitt Grill and finishes at The Hamilton after approximately two hours. The listed stops are mostly timed at about ten minutes each, but the route also includes the National Theatre, with no time specified. Expect to walk between central Washington locations; transportation is not provided.

The tour is near public transportation, and service animals are allowed. A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather, since the experience is a walking tour and includes outdoor stops. The maximum group size is 15, though a smaller turnout is possible.

Confirmation is provided at booking. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time; cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded. The tour is often booked about 27 days ahead on average, so it is sensible to plan ahead if you have a fixed evening free.

Who should book this crawl

I would recommend this tour to you if you enjoy city history with a supernatural twist, like seeing bars and landmarks after dark, and are happy to buy your own drinks. It also suits couples or friends looking for a guided evening activity that is more conversational than theatrical. The small cap and the chance to ask questions are practical advantages, especially if you like a guide who can move between ghost lore and broader Washington history.

I would think twice if your main goal is a frightening experience, a long stop at each bar, or drinks included in the price. The ghost stories are tied to real places, but the format is a walking talk with brief bar visits, not a staged haunt or a night of hosted drinks.

Book it if the history matters as much as the hauntings. Go in expecting political anecdotes, reported spirits, and a Gin Rickey you pay for separately. If those ingredients sound like a good Washington evening, the route offers a personable way to see familiar central-city places through a more curious lens.

FAQ

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

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

What time does the tour start?

It starts at 6:00 pm at Old Ebbitt Grill, 675 15th Street NW.

Where does the tour end?

The crawl ends at The Hamilton, 600 14th Street NW.

Are drinks included in the $36 ticket?

No. Drinks are not included, including the Gin Rickey at Proper 21.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour is capped at a maximum of 15 participants.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the experience starts. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded.