Denver Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour – Lower Downtown

Old Denver still has a few secrets. This evening walk pairs ghost stories with historic bars, taking you through Lower Downtown, Larimer Square, the former red-light district, the Oxford Hotel, and Union Station. The costumed guide sets the mood, but the tour is not only about scares. You also get a lively look at Denver’s rougher early days.

I especially like the small group limit of 10 people, which makes it easier to hear the guide and ask questions. I also like the mix of indoor stops and outdoor storytelling, since you are not left wandering city streets for two and a half hours. The main drawback is that drinks are not included, and the ghost material centers heavily on a few bars. If you want a serious paranormal investigation or a broad survey of Denver history, this may feel light.

Key points to know before booking

• Small groups keep the stories personal: The tour allows no more than 10 people, a useful advantage in crowded downtown bars.
• The route connects several historic addresses: You visit Larimer Square, the Celtic on Market, Nola Jane, the Oxford Hotel, the Cruise Room, and Union Station.
• The tone is spooky but social: Expect theatrical storytelling, local history, bar stops, and time to buy your own drinks.
• You need to walk for about two and a half hours: Comfortable shoes matter, and you should be ready for outdoor stretches between venues.
• Bring valid identification: You must be at least 21. Vertical IDs may not be accepted at every bar, so alternate identification is worth carrying.
• The tour finishes near Union Station: The end point is a couple of blocks from the start, and the guide can walk you back if requested.

Why this LoDo ghost tour works well at night

The setting does much of the work. Lower Downtown, usually called LoDo, has old commercial buildings, historic drinking spots, former brothels, and busy evening streets. You get the polished downtown Denver of today alongside stories from a much less respectable past.

The tour begins at 7:30 p.m. at 1400 Market Street. That timing gives the experience a natural after-dark mood without making it a late-night event. You finish around 10 p.m. near Denver Union Station, so the tour can fit neatly into an evening out.

I like that the walk is not built around a bus or van. You move between locations on foot, see the streets firsthand, and get a better sense of how close these old addresses are to one another. The walking also helps break up the bar visits. This is a social night out, but it is still a city walk.

The cost is $37.59 per person. That is a reasonable price if you would otherwise pay for a guided walking tour and spend the evening visiting bars on your own. Still, you need to budget separately for drinks. Since alcohol is available for purchase rather than included, the final cost depends on how much you order.

Larimer Square begins the story

Larimer Square is the first major stop, with about 30 minutes devoted to its spooky tales and past. This is a strong opening because the area gives the guide plenty of historic architecture and atmosphere to work with.

You will hear stories connected to the square while looking at the buildings and surrounding nightlife. The experience is less about special effects and more about placing old stories in real locations. That approach suits you if you like a little historical context with your ghost tales.

The nearby former red-light district adds a more scandalous side to the evening. You will see historic sites and architecture while hearing about the people and businesses that shaped early Denver. Several people who enjoyed the tour singled out this side of the city’s past as especially entertaining. It is not the version of Denver you usually get in a standard daytime sightseeing walk.

One point to keep in mind: outdoor storytelling depends on the group staying close and paying attention. City noise, evening crowds, and traffic can compete with the guide. The small group helps, but you should still expect a real urban setting rather than a quiet haunted house.

The Celtic on Market brings the basement stories

The Celtic on Market receives about 30 minutes and serves as one of the tour’s main stops. The group explores the bar and goes down to the basement, where the guide shares stories about the building and its reported ghostly activity.

This is the sort of stop that makes the experience different from a basic downtown history walk. You are not just looking at a building from the sidewalk. You get inside, spend time in a working bar, and hear stories in the very place connected to them.

The Celtic also gives you a chance to order a drink. The menu and prices are not included in the tour cost, so plan to pay for anything you choose. One practical frustration is that some people may expect at least one drink to be part of a booze tour. It is not. Think of booze as an opportunity to buy drinks along the way, not as an included benefit.

The basement visit may be the highlight for you if you enjoy atmospheric settings. It also gives the guide room to use a more dramatic delivery. Guides such as Josh, Brynn, Tammy, Rachel, and Noah have all been praised for making these tales lively, funny, and easy to follow. The exact guide matters because much of the enjoyment comes from storytelling style.

The Oxford Hotel and Cruise Room

The route passes through the Oxford Hotel, one of Denver’s historic properties. You get to see the lobby and the Cruise Room, the hotel bar known for its design and ghost stories.

The Cruise Room stop lasts about 15 minutes. It is shorter than the Celtic and Nola Jane visits, but that is probably the right pace for a bar that remains open to regular customers. You hear about the location, look around, and get a taste of its reputation without turning the stop into a long lecture.

This is also a good example of the tour’s main balance. You are visiting real businesses, not private attractions closed just for the group. That makes the evening feel more authentic, but it can also mean interruptions, background noise, or limited space.

If you enjoy architecture, the Oxford adds more than a ghost story. If you are mainly seeking frightening encounters, the stop may feel brief. The guide focuses on the building’s past and reported hauntings rather than staging an event.

Nola Jane offers the longest bar stop

Nola Jane Restaurant & Bar receives about 30 minutes. The group explores both levels of the historic building while the guide explains its reported paranormal activity. You also have time to buy a drink.

This stop works well because it combines movement, storytelling, and a pause in the evening. After walking through downtown, you can settle in for a drink while still staying part of the tour. Several people have especially enjoyed the bar selection and the chance to socialize with the group.

The two-level layout gives the guide more to point out than a single-room stop. It also creates a change of pace from the street and the earlier basement stories. If you are on a date, meeting friends, or traveling alone, this is the sort of stop where the group may begin to feel more relaxed.

The limitation is the same as at the other bars. You are visiting active restaurants and bars, so the experience cannot guarantee complete quiet or a private room. You will need to order and pay for your own drink, and you should not assume that every stop requires a purchase.

Union Station closes the walk

The final storytelling stop is Denver Union Station, with about 15 minutes devoted to ghost stories. It is a fitting ending because the station is one of downtown’s best-known public places, yet many people pass through without considering its darker tales.

The tour ends at 1701 Wynkoop Street, a couple of blocks from the starting point. If you do not know downtown Denver well, that point matters. You are not left far away from where you began, and the guide can walk you back upon request.

One particularly useful feature is the chance to use Union Station for a bathroom break near the end of the evening. A long walking tour with several drinks can make that more important than it sounds.

Union Station is also a place where the ghost stories meet ordinary city life. Commuters, diners, and late-evening visitors continue moving around you. That contrast can be fun, but it means the stop is more about storytelling and atmosphere than a controlled paranormal setting.

What the guides do best

The guide can make or break this kind of tour. The strongest feedback has focused on guides who tell stories with energy, explain the historical setting, and answer questions without losing the group’s attention.

Josh has been praised for his humor, pacing, and ability to bring the stories to life. Brynn has received similar praise for animated storytelling and for explaining Denver’s more scandalous past. Tammy has been described as fun and well informed, while Rachel has been noted for bringing early Denver to life.

Those details matter because the tour does not rely on large props or elaborate performances. The guide is the main attraction. A strong guide can make a familiar bar feel strange and a short stop at Union Station memorable. A less engaging guide could make the same stories feel repetitive.

The experience seems best when you treat it as a guided night out rather than a test of whether ghosts exist. You will hear reports of hauntings, but the value lies in the way the guide connects them to real addresses, old businesses, tunnels, brothels, and Denver’s early social life.

Ghost tour or history walk?

It is both, but neither in a serious academic sense. You get history about LoDo, early Denver, the former red-light district, and the buildings along the route. You also get ghost stories tied to several bars and public places.

The emphasis is strongest on the individual venues. If you want a detailed account of Denver’s growth, politics, architecture, or Indigenous history, this is not the right tour. The historical material supports the ghost stories rather than taking center stage.

That focus can be a strength. You do not need to concentrate on a long lecture while walking. You get short pieces of local history, then move into a spooky story or a bar. The format keeps the evening informal and easy to follow.

Some people may find the tour too light on general Denver background. The route offers more than three bars, but the stories are still centered on the places you visit. If you have taken several ghost tours in older cities, you may find Denver’s material less intense or less extensive.

Who will enjoy the two-and-a-half-hour experience?

I would recommend this tour for:

• Adults seeking a social evening activity in downtown Denver
• Couples looking for an unusual date night
• Friends who enjoy drinks, local stories, and a little theater
• Solo visitors who want an easy way to meet a small group
• Locals curious about LoDo’s brothels, bars, tunnels, and early scandals
• People who prefer reported ghost stories over haunted-house effects

The tour is less suitable if you want a quiet historical walk, a family activity, or a fully included drinking experience. You must be at least 21 and carry valid photo identification. Service animals are allowed, and the route is near public transportation.

You should have moderate physical fitness. The tour lasts about 2.5 hours and includes walking between stops. Wear comfortable shoes, especially if you plan to enjoy the whole route without discomfort.

Practical value, timing, and cancellation

At $37.59, the tour offers fair value for a small-group evening experience with a costumed guide and access to several historic bars. The group limit of 10 is important here. It gives you a better chance of hearing the guide in busy places and makes it easier to ask questions.

Because drinks cost extra, set a personal spending limit before you start. You do not need to buy alcohol at every stop, and the tour is still available as a history-and-ghost walk. The bar visits are part of the setting, not a requirement to keep ordering.

The tour is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Confirmation arrives when you book. It is often reserved about 20 days ahead, so advance planning is sensible if your Denver dates are fixed.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. Poor weather or failure to reach the minimum number of participants can lead to cancellation, in which case you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book the Denver Booze and Boos tour?

Book it if you want a fun, social introduction to Denver after dark, with real bars, local scandals, and ghost stories delivered by a costumed guide. The small group, central route, and mix of indoor and outdoor stops make it easy to fit into a Denver evening.

Skip it if your priority is a serious paranormal investigation, a broad history of Colorado, or included drinks. For most people, the best way to judge this tour is to see it as a lively LoDo walk with spooky storytelling, not as proof of the supernatural.

Bring comfortable shoes, a valid photo ID, and enough money for any drinks you want. If that sounds like your kind of night, the tour offers a memorable way to see a side of Denver that daytime sightseeing usually misses.

FAQ

How long is the Denver Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour?

The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour starts at 7:30 p.m.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is 1400 Market Street, Denver, Colorado 80202.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour ends at 1701 Wynkoop Street near Denver Union Station, a couple of blocks from the starting point.

Can the guide walk me back to the starting point?

Yes. The guide can walk you back to the starting point upon request.

Are drinks included in the tour price?

No. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase, but drinks are not included.

How old do I need to be?

You must be at least 21 years old and bring valid photo identification.

Is a vertical ID accepted?

Vertical IDs may not be accepted at every bar. Bringing alternate identification is advisable.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum of 10 participants.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather cancels the experience, you will be offered a different date or experience, or a full refund.