Ghosts and Spirits of St Augustine Pub Crawl Tour

St. Augustine’s haunted side is easier to cover when you are not walking every dark, uneven block. This 90-minute electric-cart pub crawl links the Plaza, Flagler-era buildings, the Castillo de San Marcos, City Gates, Tolomato Cemetery, and several bars, with a guide telling stories along the way.

I like the complimentary first beer at Ancient City Brewing and the small group limit of 10 people. I also like the practical route: you get ghost stories tied to real places without spending the evening on foot. The catch is that this is a short tour, and the drinking stops mean the experience suits adults looking for a light, social evening more than serious paranormal investigation.

Key points to know before booking

• A free first beer starts the evening at Ancient City Brewing beside Plaza de la Constitución.
• An open-cabin electric cart saves your feet while covering more of St. Augustine than many walking ghost tours.
• Chance may be your guide, and the strongest praise centers on his humor, storytelling, and ability to keep a group engaged.
• The route connects major haunted sites, including the former Ponce de Leon Hotel, the Castillo, City Gates, and Tolomato Cemetery.
• You can choose between two bars at the former Surprise Store stop near the municipal marina.
• The small maximum of 10 people keeps the group manageable, but the tour requires good weather and at least one step onto the cart.

Why this pub crawl works for St. Augustine

St. Augustine is compact, but its stories are spread across the Old City. A standard ghost walk can cover only so much ground before the heat, crowds, uneven pavement, or tired feet take over. This tour uses an open-cabin electric vehicle to connect distant points, making the evening more about the stories and less about keeping up with a long walk.

The tone is social rather than solemn. You hear about deaths, military history, burned churches, cemeteries, yellow fever, ghost ships, and reported paranormal activity, but you also get time in local bars. The first beer is included in the $39 price, while later drinks are part of your own tab.

That balance matters. If you want a formal history lecture or a serious attempt at documenting spirits, this may feel too casual. If you want to see much of St. Augustine after dark, hear entertaining stories, and have a drink along the way, the format makes good sense.

The group limit of 10 is another plus. A guide can speak to a small group without a microphone, and you have a better chance of hearing the story from the back of the cart. The electric vehicle also avoids the feel of a large motor coach, while giving you a view of the streets around you.

Starting with beer at Plaza de la Constitución

Meet at 38 Cathedral Place at 7:30 pm. The opening stop is Plaza de la Constitución, the natural center for getting your bearings in the Old City. Your guide gives a short introduction, then takes you across the street to Ancient City Brewing.

The first beer is included. The details of the pour can vary, but the stop is built around an artisanal draft rather than a long tasting session. You should think of it as a welcome drink and a chance to settle into the evening.

Afterward, you return to the Plaza for the first ghost stories before boarding the electric cart. This opening section lasts about 20 minutes, including the brewery visit and introduction. It is a useful beginning because you are not asked to climb straight onto the cart and absorb a flood of names and dates.

This is also where the tour’s mood becomes clear. The guide, rather than the vehicle or special effects, carries the experience. Chance received especially strong praise for being funny, engaging, and able to keep up with a lively group. You cannot assume Chance will lead every departure, but the guide’s personality is clearly important to the format.

Flagler College and the old hotel district

The cart then drives around the former Ponce de Leon Hotel, now associated with Flagler College. The guide shares occult stories connected with the Flagler era and the building’s former life as a grand hotel.

You do not enter Flagler College on this tour. Instead, you see the former hotel from the cart while hearing the stories attached to it. That distinction is worth noting if you are comparing this experience with a daytime campus visit or an indoor ghost walk.

The route also passes the former Alcazar, the Murat House, and St. Francis Inn. These buildings help show how much of St. Augustine’s supernatural storytelling is linked to old hotels, residences, and institutions rather than one isolated haunted site.

This part lasts about 10 minutes. It is brief, so do not expect a detailed architectural tour of every building. The value is in seeing several locations in sequence while the guide connects them to the city’s past.

The cart then heads toward the former Surprise Store. The route description places this near the municipal marina and Bridge of Lions area, where you get another opportunity for a drink. The short ride between stops is part of the appeal: you can cover ground without breaking the evening into long walks.

The Surprise Store and a choice of two bars

The former Surprise Store has an unusually heavy story attached to it. The site was associated with the first Catholic church in the United States, which burned in 1702. The Spanish Military Hospital was next to it, and the area is described as holding many human remains.

You are not simply passing a sign and moving on. The cart parks near the municipal marina, and you enter the former store area for the next part of the evening. You can choose between two bars at this location, giving you some control over the atmosphere and your drink.

This is the longest stop, at about 25 minutes. It is also where the pub-crawl side becomes most obvious. One more drink is available, but it is not described as included, so budget for your own purchases after the opening beer.

The site’s value comes from the mix of documented history and ghost lore. A burned church, a military hospital, and buried remains provide the sort of setting that makes a ghost story feel tied to a real place. You do not have to accept every paranormal claim to enjoy the way the guide links the location’s past with its reputation.

If you are not drinking, the stop still has historical content, but the bar setting is central to the experience. This is one reason I would choose a different tour if you want uninterrupted history or a strictly family-focused activity.

The Castillo and stories of disease and the sea

The cart continues north on Menendez Avenue to the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. It is the oldest masonry fort built in the United States, and even an exterior stop gives the evening a powerful change of setting.

Here the guide talks about ghost ships and the effect of yellow fever, which killed a third of the population in 1821. Those stories widen the tour beyond haunted buildings. You get a sense of how war, illness, death, and the sea shaped St. Augustine’s old neighborhoods.

This stop lasts about 10 minutes. Since the tour moves on quickly, treat it as a story stop rather than a full fort visit. If you want to explore the Castillo’s rooms, walls, and exhibits, plan a separate visit during operating hours.

The route then moves toward cemeteries and City Gates, described as another center of paranormal activity. City Gates is known for orbs appearing in photographs, so you may want your phone or camera ready. Keep expectations sensible: the stop gives you a chance to take pictures, not a guarantee that unusual lights will appear.

The combination of fort, city entrance, and cemetery gives the second half of the tour a darker tone. It also shows why riding is useful. These points are close enough to connect by road but spread out enough that a walking tour would spend more time moving between them.

Tolomato Cemetery and the White Lion Bar

Tolomato Cemetery is identified as the oldest planned cemetery in the United States. Cemeteries are a natural fit for a ghost tour, but this stop is more than a quick spooky backdrop. The guide uses the site to talk about the people buried there and the long record of death in the city.

You should expect to view the cemetery from the route rather than receive a long cemetery visit. The schedule gives this portion about 20 minutes, including the next stop at the White Lion Bar.

The White Lion is presented as one of the city’s most haunted bars. It brings the evening back to the pub-crawl theme after the fort and cemetery. You have heard stories connected to old buildings and burial grounds, then finish with a drink in a setting that carries its own haunted reputation.

The tour ends back at the meeting point. That makes the final location convenient if you are staying in the Old City, since you do not need to arrange a separate ride from an outlying neighborhood. The exact timing can vary, especially if the group takes longer at the bars or weather affects the route.

What the $39 price really covers

At $39 per person, the main value is the combination of transportation, a certified guide, and one included beer. You are not paying for a long walking route or admission to indoor attractions. You are paying to connect several historic sites in a short evening while someone provides the stories and driving.

The first beer helps the price feel fair, especially if you would otherwise pay for a drink before the tour. The electric cart is also useful because it expands the route beyond one central square. A comparable walking tour may offer more time at each stop, but it will not necessarily cover as much ground with the same level of convenience.

Remember that later drinks are not listed as included. If you visit the two-bar stop and the White Lion, your total evening cost will be higher than the ticket price. You should also allow for the possibility that the tour’s entertainment value depends heavily on the guide.

That guide factor is not a flaw unique to this activity. Ghost tours live or die by pacing and delivery. Chance was praised for humor, historical ghost stories, and keeping a group involved, so a guide with that same energy can make the short stops work well. Still, you should not book this as a self-guided history tour where every detail is guaranteed to receive equal time.

Who will enjoy the ride most

I would choose this for adults, couples, and small groups who want a relaxed night out with history and drinks. It also suits anyone who finds a long walking tour uncomfortable or simply wants to see more of St. Augustine after dark.

The tour may work for older visitors who can climb one step onto and off the vehicle. Most people can take part, and service animals are allowed. It is near public transportation, though the activity begins and ends at the stated meeting point.

You should be comfortable around alcohol, bar stops, ghost stories, and references to death and disease. The tone is designed to be entertaining, not frightening in a theatrical haunted-house way.

Families can decide based on their own children, but the drinking venues and subject matter make this more naturally suited to adults. Large groups should call the operator before booking. The standard maximum is 10 people, which is one of the better features for conversation and visibility.

Weather, timing, and a practical booking note

The tour starts at 7:30 pm and lasts about an hour and a half. Arrive ready to begin at the stated meeting point, since the first stop crosses the street and the schedule is fairly tight.

Good weather is required. If poor weather cancels the tour, you are offered another date or a full refund. The activity also requires a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for that reason brings the same choice of another date or a full refund.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund. The policy uses local time, so check your timing carefully if your schedule is crowded.

The open cabin is part of the charm, but it also means you are exposed to the evening conditions. Bring a light layer if needed and keep your belongings secure while the vehicle is moving. Those are simple precautions, but they matter more in an open vehicle than in a closed bus.

Should you book the Ghosts and Spirits Pub Crawl?

Book it if you want a compact, social introduction to haunted St. Augustine with less walking and more variety. The included first beer, small group, electric cart, and stops at major historic sites give you a good mix for $39.

Skip it if you want a long, serious history tour, indoor access to Flagler College or the Castillo, or a fully sober itinerary. The tour moves quickly, and some of your time is spent in bars rather than at monuments.

For most people, the best reason to choose it is the route. You see the Plaza, Flagler-era buildings, the fort, City Gates, Tolomato Cemetery, and haunted bars in one evening without wearing out your feet. If your guide brings the humor and energy associated with Chance, the stories should carry the short stops nicely. Just remember that the experience is entertainment built around real places, not proof that every ghost tale is true.

FAQ

Where does the Ghosts and Spirits of St. Augustine Pub Crawl begin?

The tour begins at 38 Cathedral Place, St. Augustine, Florida 32084. The listed start time is 7:30 pm.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Is a drink included in the price?

Yes. The tour includes alcoholic beverages, including beer. The first beer is provided at Ancient City Brewing. Later drinks at the other stops are not specifically listed as included.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum is 10 participants.

Do I need to walk during the activity?

The electric cart reduces the amount of walking, but you still need to cross to the first brewery and climb on and off the cart using one step.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if poor weather causes the tour to be canceled.