Chicago Private Booze and Boos Tour

The Private Booze and Boos Tour is a 2.5-hour walking tour of historic Lincoln Park with stops at three or four haunted bars. At each one your group settles in for a drink while the guide tells you about the regulars who stopped paying but never stopped showing up, then you head back out through the neighborhood for the stories between: the park's dark past as the city cemetery, the nearby alleys with names earned the hard way and the buildings where tenants report company they did not sign a lease with.

Companies book this for team-building, client nights and holiday parties, and friends book it for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette weekends and the out-of-town cousin who thinks Chicago is all deep dish and Cubs. Because it is private, you set the terms: most tours start between 6 and 9 pm but afternoons work too, you can drop a stop to shorten the night, skip drinks altogether or have the guide meet your group where you are finishing dinner. If your hotel is near the route, lobby pickup may be available.

Pricing starts at $350 for up to 10 guests, with additional tickets from $30, and rises to $400 from mid-September through mid-November. One guide handles 15 to 20 people depending on the date; groups of 15 or more book by email and larger groups are split across guides. Everyone must be 21 or older with ID. Parking in Lincoln Park is scarce, so take a ride-share or the train to Fullerton Station, a short walk from the start.

What's included

• 2.5-hour private haunted pub crawl, your group only
• Costumed guide and professional storyteller
• 3-4 stops at haunted Lincoln Park bars
• Customizable start time, stops and meeting point
• Possible hotel lobby pickup near the route
• Not included: drinks, food, taxes, fees and gratuity