The Spooky Portland Tour Beer Lovers Need To Experience This Fall

Known for its vibrant and ever-evolving beer scene, Portland is a haven among beer connoisseurs, thrifty groups looking for a budget-friendly bachelor party destination, and craft brew enthusiasts on the hunt for their next great sip. As one of the best U.S. cities for beer lovers, and with more than 80 breweries dotted across the city — each one offering a unique atmosphere and ethos — there's no shortage of options in Portland. From hoppy IPAs to rich stouts, Portland's brewers continuously push the boundaries of beer crafting — and it's precisely this passion for quality and innovation that has earned Portland its well-deserved nickname: "Beervana."

With this in mind, it makes perfect sense that visitors traveling to Portland would want to include a brewery tour in their itinerary. After all, it's a quintessential Portland experience. However, beyond the classic tasting rooms and guided visits, there's a special experience that's the perfect complement to the fall months — when leaves start changing colors, the weather begins to dip, and the nights start to get a little more ... spooky. Enter: Portland's Haunted Pub Tour.

Boasting the perfect blend of spirits — both the liquid and ethereal kind — the Portland Haunted Pub Tour takes you through the city's historic districts, combining ghost stories and local lore with samples of Portland's finest craft beers. From visiting supposedly haunted pubs to learning about the city's darker history, it's an exciting way to experience the city's beer culture and get in a fright or two at the same time.

Blending local history with ghostly tales, the Portland Haunted Pub Tour will take you on a 2.5-hour spine-tingling journey through the city's dark past. Guided by local historians and ghost hunters, the experience involves a combination of local exploration, spooky storytelling, and (of course) beer. From listening to tales about the infamous "Shanghai Tunnels" — the most popular urban legend in Oregon, which smugglers used to kidnap and transport unsuspecting victims into forced labor — to delving into tales about Portland's former underground world of opium dens, brothels, and speakeasies, the tour offers a unique perspective into the city's shadowy history.

One of the most notable stops includes a visit to Kells Irish Pub and its downstairs cigar room, which is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of David Campbell — a firefighter who died in the line of duty. Along with his apparition, other unexplainable events happening in the basement include the piano playing music by itself, chairs being randomly rearranged, TVs turning on and off, various shadow sightings, and patrons who have reported hearing the sound of heavy breathing over their shoulder — even while no one else was around. Along with Kells, guests will also enjoy a stop at Old Town Pizza & Brewing. Built directly above the city's tunnels, the space is said to be haunted by Nina — a prostitute who was murdered after being pushed down an elevator shaft when the building operated as a hotel.

Running Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m., tickets are on sale through the tour's official website and cost between $35 and $39 per person. In terms of drinks, ticket holders are entitled to five beer samples.