Halloween in the Highland Pub Crawl Review
Wondering if you should do the Halloween in the Highland Pub Crawl this spooky season? Read my review of the Virginia Highlands Halloween pub crawl before you make your decision.
Note: This Halloween in the Highland review is from 2016, and while many of the bars listed below either don’t exist anymore or aren’t on the circuit this year, I still would not recommend this bar crawl. I obviously haven’t been back to try it again because I didn’t enjoy it the first time, hence why I haven’t updated this review.
Feel free to continue reading even though it’s an old review, or just jump down to my Final Thoughts section. Cheers!
Halloween in the Highland Pub Crawl
To celebrate Halloween, a group of friends and I decided to go on a pub crawl in the Virginia Highlands to get the most out of our Halloween partying. I love checking out seasonal events around Atlanta, so I was excited to give this a try.
In the end, we decided this might not be the way to go next Halloween.
We didn’t think the price was worth it, the event didn’t seem well organized, and the drinks and specials included weren’t very good.
Tickets for this pub crawl were $25. Registration said that it was across the street from Dark Horse Tavern, but in reality it was down the street a little, far enough that it wasn’t obvious that it was there and we had to ask the bouncer.
At registration we were given maps and wrist bands with removable tabs numbered 1-5 to be exchanged at venues for their different drink specials.
Most bars didn’t charge a cover, so we basically paid to get discounted Jello shots and drinks we probably wouldn’t normally order.
Keep reading to see all the bars we visited and what we encountered at each one.
J&J’s Bourbon Bar
We started off at J&J’s Bourbon Bar. The drink special here was a complimentary Jello shot that didn’t seem to have any alcohol in it.
This was a good place for dancing, and we made our way back here for that later in the night.
But their bathroom situation was awful: one bathroom for guys and one for girls and no way to make a line meaning there were people dancing right in front of the bathroom and it was a frustrating free-for all so you were never sure when it would be your turn.
Hand In Hand
Our second stop was Hand In Hand where the drink special was another complimentary shot.
This one was much better than the previous Jello shot.
There was also the opportunity to sit down as this is an actual pub; it was just difficult to score a table. Kevin and I shared a Blue Motherf*cker and relaxed for a bit admiring the costumes and chatting with friends.
Diesel
The next stop for us was Diesel where there was a 3-2-1 special. Most of our party opted for the $1 shot.
This was a small place and the specials table was set up on the back patio, which was right in the way of a ton of football fans trying to watch the Auburn game who yelled at everyone as they passed. As an Auburn fan, I understand needing to keep an eye on the team so they don’t lose their 20+ point lead; but they might want to consider a bar that’s not part of a giant Halloween pub crawl next time.
We then had to walk a few blocks to our next destinations, which is fine earlier in the night before shoes start hurting and before some people start getting too drunk to walk. But it gets harder as the night goes on. Venturing out this far would have been better done if we were planning on staying that way instead of all the back-and-forth we did.
Highland Tap
Highland Tap had another 3-2-1 special, or at least that’s what the event map claimed.
But when we got there, the bartenders said they hadn’t been informed they were a part of the pub crawl and that they were not serving specials.
Kevin and I shared another Blue Motherfucker and then our party made it’s way next door.
Fontaine’s Oyster Bar
Next door was Fontaine’s Oyster Bar where they had $3 shots and $2 drafts.
The bar service here was really slow. They only had two bartenders for the Halloween crowd. We did finally get our drinks though.
We left a little while after that, but we made our way back by the end of the night to take advantage of their plentiful outdoor seating and for some of our group to go a little crazy with the shots.
Final Thoughts on the Halloween in the Highland Pub Crawl
In the end, we decided this would be more worth while to come to without having bought a ticket. The Halloween in the Highland ticket price said it included entry into each bar, but none of the bars were asking cover charges.
Since most bars didn’t charge a cover anyway, you’re basically paying to get discounted Jello shots and drinks you probably wouldn’t normally order.
You could come and get into every bar just as easily without a ticket and just buy whatever you wanted instead of trying to fit the drink specials into your decisions.
Then you can still get in on the Halloween party and be much happier with what you’re drinking.
Top Atlanta Tours
A guided tour is always a good way to get to know a city! Check out these top Atlanta tours.
- 90-Minute Guided Sightseeing Tour by E-Car
- Atlanta’s Black History and Civil Rights Tour
- Midtown Atlanta Food & Cocktail Tour
Where to Stay in Atlanta
Find the perfect place to rest your head on your Atlanta vacation!
- My Favorite Stay: Westin Peachtree Plaza
- Top Hotel: The Candler Hotel
- Great Value: Hampton Inn & Suites Perimeter Dunwoody
- Unique Stay: Stonehurst Place
Craving More Atlanta Activities?
If you need more things to do while visiting Atlanta, check out these top posts:
- The Best Rooftop Bars in Atlanta, Georgia
- Visiting The Roof at Ponce City Market
- Gettin’ Tipsy at Atlanta’s Urban Tree Cidery
Ready to visit Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Get Familiar With the City: Check out my Ultimate Guide to Atlanta to help plan your trip!
- Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Booking.com.
- Save on Attractions: Save 46% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.
Cheers!
Paige
How did you spend your Halloween? Let me know in the comments!