St. Paul Secret Stories Bar Crawl – Hidden Tales & History

St. Paul has more secrets than it lets on. This three-hour walking crawl pairs historic downtown bars with stories of bootleggers, gangsters, corrupt officials, and the city’s backroom deals. I like the focus on places with a past, and I like that guides such as Camille, Dan, and Collin bring the stories to life rather than simply reciting dates. The main catch is price: at $79 per person, only one drink is included, so your final bill can rise quickly if you order at every stop.

You meet your guide in blue outside Cossetta’s restaurant, then follow a route through downtown St. Paul’s older districts. Bring comfortable shoes, cash, and a passport or ID card. This is strictly a 21-and-over outing, and the afternoon schedule may not suit anyone looking for a late-night pub crawl.

Key things to know before you book

• Pig’s Eye Parrant is part of the story: Learn about the bootlegger linked with St. Paul’s early criminal past.
• John Dillinger and Chicago gangsters enter the picture: The bars and back rooms connect St. Paul to famous Depression-era criminals.
• Underground tunnels add a physical sense of secrecy: Stories include tunnel systems used to evade the law.
• Waldmann Brewery is a memorable stop: One rating singled out the brewery as a highlight.
• Camille, Dan, and Collin have all earned strong praise: Their ability to explain local history and tailor the talk to your interests is a major part of the experience.
• One drink is included: Additional beer and cocktails cost extra, so budget beyond the ticket price.

Why St. Paul makes a good setting for a crime-history crawl

St. Paul often gets less attention than Minneapolis, which is part of this tour’s appeal. Its calmer image makes the old stories feel more unexpected. The city’s past includes bootleggers, visiting gangsters, unofficial arrangements, and political corruption, all set against ordinary streets and neighborhood bars.

The tour does not treat history as a list of famous names. It connects people, places, and the city’s tolerance for activities that were not always officially approved. That gives you a better sense of how a community can look respectable while hiding plenty of complicated business behind closed doors.

The criminal figures are familiar names, including John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Barker Gang. But the real interest is not simply spotting famous gangsters in a story. It is learning why St. Paul became useful to criminals from Chicago and elsewhere, and how local officials and law enforcement fit into the picture.

You will also hear about Pig’s Eye Parrant, an early bootlegger whose name adds a distinctly local angle. The stories are not limited to Prohibition celebrities. They reach into the city’s own characters, neighborhoods, and unofficial customs.

Meeting outside Cossetta’s and getting started

Your meeting point is outside Cossetta’s restaurant. Look for the guide in blue, and do not go inside to find the group. That detail matters because a busy restaurant can be confusing, especially if you arrive close to the start time.

From there, the guide leads you on foot through historic downtown St. Paul. The three-hour length gives enough time for several bar stops and storytelling without turning the outing into an all-day commitment. You should expect to spend a good portion of the experience walking between venues, so comfortable shoes are more useful than dress shoes.

The tour is offered in English with a live guide. Access is described as wheelchair accessible, though the route includes multiple historic bars, and older buildings can sometimes have different layouts. If access details matter to you, it is sensible to confirm the current route before booking.

The group uses an express security check and skip-the-line access where offered. That can save time at busy venues, though the main value is less about rushing through a queue and more about keeping the route moving from one story to the next.

Historic bars with more than drinks on the menu

Each bar is chosen for its connection to St. Paul’s past. You are not simply moving from one place to another for a series of beverages. The guide uses the settings to explain how bootleggers, criminals, officials, and local operators worked around the law.

That format gives the tour an advantage over a standard history walk. A street corner can tell you where something happened, but a historic bar gives the story a physical setting. You can sit or stand in a place linked with old deals, hideouts, or neighborhood legends while the guide explains what made it important.

The exact selection of bars can affect the mood of the crawl. Some may feel like working local watering holes, while others may have a more polished craft-beer setting. The information provided points to handpicked downtown venues rather than one fixed list of stops, so you should not book expecting every departure to follow the same sequence.

The drawback is that the stories may interest you more than the drinking itself. If you want a party-focused crawl with generous pours and a loud nightlife atmosphere, this may feel too historical. If you enjoy local history but prefer to learn it in a relaxed bar, the format makes good sense.

Waldmann Brewery and the value of a real local stop

Waldmann Brewery received particular praise as an excellent stop. It gives the route a change of pace from tales of gangsters and corruption, while keeping the focus on St. Paul’s drinking culture.

The experience includes access to craft cocktails and premium beers at award-winning breweries, but only one drink is complimentary along the way. You can purchase more drinks, so Waldmann may be a good place to use part of your drink budget if the selection appeals to you.

I would treat the brewery stops as part of the setting, not as a full tasting tour. The package does not promise a flight, food, or a drink at every venue. The point is to hear the stories in historic places and enjoy a drink as you go.

One useful suggestion is to ask about Schmidt Brewery if your route or timing allows. It is no longer active, but a bar operates inside the old brewery complex. A stop there could add more context about the building and its effect on the surrounding area, though it is not listed as a guaranteed part of this experience.

Gangsters, tunnels, and the darker stories

The most eye-catching part of the crawl is its connection to famous criminals. John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Barker Gang are all tied to St. Paul hideouts or visits. These names give the tour an immediate hook, but the best stories are likely to be the connections between the criminals and the city that sheltered them.

You will hear about Chicago criminals using underground tunnel systems to avoid the law. The tunnels add a physical element to a subject that can otherwise feel distant. You are not just hearing that criminals moved discreetly through the city. You are learning about the concealed routes that helped them do it.

The tour also covers corrupt officials and unofficial arrangements. That is important because it keeps the experience from becoming a simple parade of gangster trivia. St. Paul’s story involves more than outsiders arriving in town. It includes the systems, relationships, and compromises that allowed criminal activity to continue.

The tone should appeal to you if you enjoy crime history but want more context than a list of arrests and shootouts. The material also suits fans of old urban stories, Prohibition, and local political history. It may not suit young children, families with teenagers, or anyone uncomfortable with criminal subject matter, since admission is limited to people 21 and older.

The guides make or break this experience

The strongest part of the experience is the guide. Camille received especially high praise for knowing St. Paul’s history and its local bars, while Dan was praised for both his broad knowledge and his ability to tailor the tour to personal interests. Collin was described as fun and well prepared.

That matters because a bar crawl can easily become a string of loosely connected anecdotes. A strong guide gives the route shape. You should come away understanding why a stop matters, not just remembering that a famous criminal was once nearby.

Dan’s ability to adjust the tour to a participant’s interests is useful if you already know something about Prohibition, gangsters, or St. Paul architecture. If you are new to the subject, a good guide can also keep the material accessible instead of assuming you know the names.

Guiding styles can vary from one departure to another. The positive comments about Camille, Dan, and Collin suggest that the people leading this experience are a major strength, but you should still see the guide as part of the price. You are paying for interpretation and local access, not merely for a drink and a walk.

Is $79 a fair price?

At $79, this is not a cheap bar crawl. The fee covers three hours, a local guide, access to historic bars, one complimentary drink, and the storytelling that ties the route together. Any drinks beyond that are extra.

The value depends on how you measure the experience. If you count only the included beverage, the ticket may feel expensive. If you want a structured introduction to St. Paul’s criminal past, with a guide who can explain the city and lead you into places you might not choose on your own, the price becomes easier to justify.

You should also budget for extra drinks and possibly food, since neither is listed as included. Cash is specifically recommended, and carrying some is wise even if you plan to use a card elsewhere.

The small number of published ratings gives the experience a 4.8 score, with three top marks and one four-star score. That is a strong result, and the praise is consistent about the guides and the enjoyment of the route. Still, a larger range of opinions would give a clearer picture of how the tour works with different group sizes, weather, and bar conditions.

Timing, walking, and what to bring

The crawl lasts three hours and is usually available in the afternoon. That timing shapes the experience. You get a history-focused outing before the city’s late-night scene takes over, but you may not receive the same atmosphere as an evening pub crawl.

Wear shoes you can walk in comfortably. The route moves through downtown and historic districts, and standing in bars adds to the time on your feet. Bring a passport or ID card because the activity is for people 21 and older.

Cash is also on the recommended list. You should bring enough for extra drinks and any purchases not covered by the ticket. The tour includes one complimentary drink, but the rest of your spending is up to you.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which is useful if your St. Paul plans are still shifting. These policies help reduce the risk of booking an afternoon activity in a changeable itinerary.

Who will enjoy this bar crawl most?

I would recommend this to you if you like local stories, historic drinking places, and the less polished side of American city history. It works especially well for adults who want a guided introduction to St. Paul before exploring its bars on their own.

It is also a good choice if you prefer stories with a little edge. The focus on bootleggers, gangsters, tunnels, political deals, and unofficial arrangements gives the tour a different feel from a standard architecture walk.

You may want to skip it if you are mainly interested in craft beer tasting. Only one drink is included, and the experience is built around history rather than sampling a large number of beers.

You should also think twice if you dislike walking between stops, dislike spending extra on drinks, or want a fully predictable list of venues. The route is built around historic bars, but the available information does not promise a fixed stop-by-stop schedule.

Should you book the St. Paul Secret Stories Bar Crawl?

Book it if you want St. Paul explained through its bars, criminals, and unofficial power networks rather than through a standard sightseeing script. The best reasons to go are the local guides, the unusual subject matter, and the chance to hear about places tied to Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, the Barker Gang, and Pig’s Eye Parrant.

At $79, I would book it as a history experience with drinks, not as a bargain night out. Arrive at Cossetta’s early enough to find the guide in blue, wear comfortable shoes, bring ID and cash, and leave room in your budget for additional drinks.

If Waldmann Brewery, local crime stories, and St. Paul’s less tidy past sound appealing, this is a well-focused way to spend three hours. If you only want beer, food, or nightlife, choose a regular brewery visit instead.

FAQ

How long does the St. Paul Secret Stories Bar Crawl last?

The experience lasts three hours and is usually offered in the afternoon.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet your guide in blue outside Cossetta’s restaurant. Do not go inside the restaurant to look for the guide.

What drink is included?

One complimentary drink is included during the route. Additional drinks are not included but are available for purchase.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The tour has a live English-speaking guide.

Is the bar crawl wheelchair accessible?

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Can people under 21 join?

No. The experience is not suitable for anyone under 21.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card, comfortable shoes, and cash.