historic bar tour detroit

Drunks of Antiquity: The Detroit Historic Bar Tour

We’ll stop at some of Detroit’s oldest, most notorious and most interesting bars, sharing stories along the way- over a few pints, of course. This is the longest running and most popular tour in Detroit’s history for a reason — come find out.

Picks up in BOTH Ferndale and Detroit.

Public tour runs 7:00PM on Fridays and 6:00PM on Saturdays. Private tours available.

Have a private group of 20+ people and want your own private group tour? Click here to get a private quote.

Description

• Reviews (24)

What is this Madness?

Simply speaking, it’s a guided bus tour aboard a cool renovated hand-painted bus that hits three of Detroit’s oldest bars. It’s so much more than that though. It’s a way of life. Come and find out.

Ever since Detroit was a mere French missionary outpost, the city’s history has been entwined with the story of its citizens’ drinking habits.

Countless stories have been shared over a pint, and a majority of the city’s major moments featured alcohol front and center: the early frontier day’s wild revelry, through the bloody freewheeling days of the Purple Gang & National Prohibition and beyond. We’ll stop at some of Detroit’s oldest, most notorious and most interesting bars, sharing stories along the way- over a few pints, of course.

Detroit’s got some serious chops when it comes to drinking history. So let’s go to that bar that’s been around since 1874.

Or that one that predates World War One. Actually, loads of Detroit bars are older than your grandparents, and we’re visiting as many as we can in the limited time we have. Some of them are snazzy; one or two may be a little dive-y–but in the best way possible. We like to keep the stops a secret because we don’t wanna ruin the surprise, but we promise you’ll have a great time. Matter of fact, we guarantee it.

The Details:

This tour runs most Fridays and Saturdays now. The tour is approximately three hours long. Book your tickets using the fancy “book now” button near the top of the page.

Pickups: This tour boards both in Ferndale and Detroit. Choose your pickup location at checkout.

The Ferndale pickup is at 6:15PM on Friday and 5:15PM on Saturday in front of One Eyed Betty’s at 175 W Troy, Ferndale.

The Detroit pickup is at 7:00PM on Friday and 6:00PM on Saturday in front of Checker Bar at 124 Cadillac Square, Detroit.

READ THAT AGAIN:  The pickup time is different on Friday and Saturday tours.  🙂

Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens if I miss the bus? Will the bus wait for me if I’m late? If you miss your pickup in Detroit, you can hustle and make the pickup in Ferndale. We can’t hold the bus for you if you’re late, though. Sorry to be so mean about that. There’s a schedule to keep and we want everyone to have a good time.

Can I drink on the bus? Yes, but with great power comes great responsibility. What we mean is take it easy and don’t wear the proverbial lampshade. This is a 21+ tour only. You’re on a starting and stopping bus. No, you can’t pee on the curb. Also, please only bring things with lids; no open cups. Small coolers only, since the big ones are a safety hazard. And it’s just plain illegal to take any open container on or off the bus. Drink on the bus? Sure. At the bar? Absolutely. But no drinks in the no-man’s-land in between the two. It’s the law, dude.

What about food? We are hitting some bars that don’t have a whole lot of food options. We recommend, then, that you fuel up ahead of time and/or bring lots of snacks. Drinking and learning is hard work.

Do the bars take credit cards? Some do, some don’t. It’s probably easiest for everyone if you bring some cash along. It’s quicker anyway, and who doesn’t love making it rain?

What if I can’t show up? Will my friend be able to go instead? Totally. Just let us know ahead of time via [email protected] and we’ll update your tickets with the new name or send them with your printed tickets.

Will you be selling extra seats at the bus? Nope. Sorry. All passes gotta be bought online. There’s a limited number of seats and we want you to have plenty of room – no roof riders no matter how badass that might sound.

What about weather SNAFUs? We live in Michigan. Sometimes Mother Nature likes to throw us a curveball. We keep safety as our highest priority. In case of gnarly weather, you’ll receive an email the day of the event with a raincheck/snowcheck date. If you cannot make the rescheduled date, you’ll get a voucher good for a future tour with us.

Refund Policy: All tickets are non-refundable unless extenuating circumstances apply including our buses not operating due to extreme weather, your flight gets cancelled, and similar. See our terms and conditions for more information.

PSST! We also offer a  private tour  version of this experience. Reach out to us to book for your group.

24 reviews for drunks of antiquity: the detroit historic bar tour.

Chris (verified owner) – August 7, 2016

This was an awesome time. We had a group of 6 , and will.definitely be doing it again. Our tour guide was great, and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend.

Curt Johnson – August 14, 2016

Kudos to Roland and Maurice! Had a blast! Great group of people. Even got my name on the buyers board

Julie Wilkie – September 25, 2016

14 of us did this last night. What a blast!!! Highly recommended. All the bars were fantastic, full of fun and history. Maurice and Roland were awesome.

Robert – October 2, 2016

We booked a tour with the Detroit bus Company. It was a rainy night but the tour and our guide Maurice made up for the weather. It was fun, informative and we had a blast with the folks on board. If you’re in Detroit, don’t miss this tour to see some of Detroits more interesting watering holes.

Gina – October 16, 2016

Who’s your driver? Roland! Who’s your tour guide? Karen! ❤️ Obey the house keeping rules! These two are just awesome! Karen is very informative and fun! Roland, you couldn’t ask for a better driver! Both of them are personable and friendly !Good times! Add this tour to your bucket list!

Darlene Lumma – November 20, 2016

Nov 19, 2016 first freezing cold night of the season. Had a great time with Justin and Roland. Would absolutely recommend it to everyone.

Katy – March 7, 2017

This was an amazing evening! Got to discover some hidden jems while taking a tour through the city.

hcancun – October 16, 2017

This bus company is phenomenal! We had a group outing for the Drunks of Antiquity tour and had an absolute blast. I honestly haven’t found anything quite as unique for team outings and found some new bars to take my friends to.

People who complain about it being a “party” bus instead of a history tour: It is well advertised that this is a drinking excursion, as well as a history tour. We definitely received a healthy balance of both.

People who complain who missed the bus: Don’t miss the bus. You’re not the only customers 🙂

I wish I could remember our tour guide and bus drivers’ names, but our tour was back in February 2017. We’re going on the one this Friday AGAIN because we had such a blast the first time around.

I highly recommend this company, especially for team outings! 5 five, 2 thumbs up, high five.

kkarwowska – December 27, 2017

Seriously, whether you are visiting or a local, you MUST take one of their tours!!!!! I did the “Drunks of Antiquity” tour with friends and it was AWESOME!!! The tour guide and driver were SO much fun! I can’t wait until my next visit “home” to try another of their tours.

Tiffany – December 30, 2017

Awesome time with Maurice and Gail! Can’t wait to do it again!

dandy – January 3, 2018

We’re so glad you had an awesome time! Please consider leaving your honest review on Yelp and TripAdvisor too! Honest reviews help our tiny company survive and thrive.

Denice Brown – January 18, 2018

As a lifelong Detroiter, I appreciate the chance to visit bars that have a history! It’s perfect for visitors to the city. And a chance to find a new hangout place! If you get a chance, take it. Fun!

Brenda – January 21, 2018

Our group of 15 had a fantastic time on this tour! The only thing that was problematic was finding parking in Ferndale as we got on at Rosie O’Grady’s (the meters are only for 2 hours…we finally just parked in the back of the Post Office lot and prayed our car wasn’t going to get towed…It didn’t). The tour was great though and we all thoroughly enjoyed the four bars that we went to (don’t want to list the names as I don’t want to ruin the surprise!). If you are looking for a fun night out and have a group of friends, mark this on your calendar to do!

Jon – April 8, 2018

We had a group of 40 and all had a fantastic time. I’ll be booking this again for my corporate event soon. Very, very cool.

Lori Mabee – April 8, 2018

Went on the tour last night and haven’t had that much fun in a long time!! Absolutely worth every cent…plus the mission of this company is outstanding with their Ride for Ride program. Our guide Monique King was phenomenal both informative and funny. Loved this event!

Jan Wellman – April 22, 2018

Six of us took the Drunk tour on Friday April 20, 2018. All of us agreed that it was a wonderfully fun time! Everyone on the bus was there to have fun and join in the party. Monique was our tour guide, and she was great! Histerically funny! Wonderful on the inside also, as we had the opportunity to speak privately with her. I highly recommend taking this tour. In fact, we are going to try to book a private bus in the future…and we will definitely request Monique! Well done, Detroit Bus Company!!

Dan – April 29, 2018

Excellent time.

Pam – May 20, 2018

Our group of 22 chartered a private Drunks of Antiquity Tour. We hit 4 fun, unique spots… definitely Detroit hidden gems. I won’t ruin the surprise by naming any bars here, but we ended the night at a place with some live music which was absolutely perfect for our dancing queens! Special thanks to Harvey, our driver, and Heather, our guide for helping make this night so much fun. I would highly recommended this bar crawl!

Christie – August 24, 2018

There were about 20 of us who did the tour for my birthday. Monique, our tour guide, was fantastic! Hilarious, helpful and informative! Definitely recommend the tour to anyone interested in getting buzzed up, while learning some Detroit history! Thanks again, Monique!!

Doreen M – November 5, 2018

Calvin was a fantastic guide, and fun was had by all. The bars were all staffed well expecting our arrival!

kwel2016 – November 6, 2018

This is the third time I’ve taken this tour and each time was just as much fun. Calvin our guide was very knowledgeable about the Bars and the city of Detroit. The whole experience was a ton of fun! Highly recommend for birthdays and just good group fun. Best Birthday so far!

larpjr – November 19, 2018

This tour was fun I saw 4 bars I would never know even existed. Tour guide was fun and informative all 4 bars were cool, and I like the amount of time we spent at each one! There was a fund raiser at one of the bars for the high school kids and a program for books, the one in Mexican town, and I won the 50/50 raffle, they were so appreciative when I returned the winnings to the charity I almost cried! That made the trip even more fun! There’s a big huge dog at the bar and he was so sweet and cute. The bar with the band was great too. Take this tour, its fun. The bus was really warm and we had bundled up thinking it would be cold but it was hot. Even on a really cold night, Bus driver did and excellent job and bus was in top condition. I think most people are into the ride and the bars, keep the stories very short.

Emma – February 17, 2019

The tour was so much fun! Our guide was Patrick, and he did an amazing job. He was very knowledgeable, fun, and professional. Will definitely do this tour again.

Kristi – March 11, 2019

Ok Debbie Downer here. Don’t get me wrong. This was a blast! Tons of fun! Loved our guide Monique and our fantastic driver (sorry. Forgot his name). Great bus! Great bars! Great history! I just can’t figure out why we needed to get on in Detroit, drive to Ferndale to pick up four people, then drive back to Detroit to finally hit the first bar an hour after the tour started. ??? Five stars otherwise!

Lisa – October 27, 2019

We had a great time Friday on our private Drunks of Antiquity tour to celebrate a milestone birthday with the fabulous Monique as our guide, and the kind Charlie Brown (Larry) as our driver. Great insight into history, great bar stops, lots of fun. And love the Ride for Ride mission that helps children get to school safely. Members of our group will be back for another ride!

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Oldest Watering Holes in Detroit

Story by lindsay whitman drewes.

Detroit is home to many historic bars; one is even the oldest in Michigan. These bars have been part of the flow of Prohibition alcohol into the city and the entire country. Some were part of the Underground Railroad. All add to the long and storied history of the city.

It's estimated that 75% of Prohibition-era alcohol crossed the Detroit River to enter the United States, making Detroit the boozing gateway of America. The Purple Gang in Detroit largely controlled the movement of alcohol into the states. Before Prohibition, some of the oldest bars in Detroit served as stops on the Underground Railroad . Again, the proximity to the Detroit River and Canada gave Detroit a vital place in history . Step back in time at some of the oldest watering holes in Detroit. Detroit has a rich history of libations. Come along as we discover the oldest bars in Detroit.

Jacoby's German Biergarten Jacoby's German Biergarten was founded in 1904 by William Jacoby, a German immigrant. The namesake, Jacoby, had his wife Mina cooking up authentic Bavarian food from the start, and the two made it a success. It's located close to the courts and many businesses and has a long history of serving Detroit's powerful for much of the last 120 years. Nancy Whiskey Pub Nancy Whiskey Pub is the oldest bar in Detroit and was considered a home away from home to Jimmy Hoffa.

When Jimmy thought his office phone was tapped, he started heading to the phone booth at Nancy's to make calls. The booth is still there, so you can check it out during your visit.

The building was originally opened as a general store (look for the "Digby" mosaic just outside the front door) as early as 1898 before being converted to a pub. Nancy's is a traditional Irish pub set in Detroit's Irish neighborhood of Corktown.

New Hudson Inn New Hudson Inn takes the prize for the oldest bar in Metro Detroit and the entire state of Michigan. It's been in continuous operation since it was built in 1831. The inn was originally a stagecoach stop, and it is rumored to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. The inn has been renovated several times over the years, but it still retains its historic charm. Tommy's Detroit Bar and Grill Head to Tommy's Detroit Bar and Grill and get a tour of the historic basement that played a part in Prohibition boozing and the Underground Railroad. In the basement, you'll find a tunnel that leads to the Detroit River. Here, it's believed enslaved people found safe passage to Canada, and later, it was a route to bring in illegal alcohol during Prohibition. The basement served as a speakeasy during Prohibition. It was under a restaurant called "Little Harry's." It was known to be controlled by the infamous Purple Gang. Al Capone was even photographed outside the building. The amount of history surrounding Tommy's was so immense that researchers spent years uncovering and documenting it.

Two Way Inn The bar has had a long and storied history. It began as a general store, jail and home to jail, general store, and the home of Colonel Norris. A few years later, it turned into a saloon, and it was a popular spot for train travelers coming to or from the Norris Station train station, which operated directly across the street from 1876 to 1932. The building doubled as a dentist's office and speakeasy during Prohibition. It's rumored that the upstairs was also a brothel during this time. Abick's Bar Abick's takes the prize for the oldest, continuously operating family-owned bar in Detroit. It first opened its doors in 1907. Six generations later, it's still a staple in the community. It survived through Prohibition, and prohibition-era bottles and whiskey barrels were found during renovations.

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Detroit Drunks of Antiquity Historic Bar Tour

TICKET PRICES STARTING FROM

Taxes and fees will be calculated at checkout

The most popular bar tour in Detroit’s history is on the road again. We’ll stop at some of Detroit’s oldest, most notorious and most interesting bars, sharing stories along the way- over a few pints, of course. Picks up in BOTH Ferndale and Detroit. Ever since Detroit was a mere French missionary outpost, the city’s history has been entwined with the story of its citizens’ drinking habits. Countless stories have been shared over a pint, and a majority of the city’s major moments featured alcohol front and center: the early frontier day’s wild revelry, through the bloody freewheeling days of the Purple Gang & National Prohibition and beyond. Detroit’s got some serious chops when it comes to drinking history. So let’s go to that bar that’s been around since 1874. Or that one that predates World War One. Actually, loads of Detroit bars are older than your grandparents, and we’re visiting as many as we can in the limited time we have.

Ticket Options

1 Option Available

Detroit Drunks of Antiquity Historic Bar Tour : $62.99

Ticket Information

• Mobile or paper ticket accepted
• One per booking

What's not Included

• Alcoholic Beverages

Cancellation Policy

• All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Additional Info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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