Shanghai Tunnel Ghost Tours

Claim
marker

120 NW 3rd Ave
Portland, OR 97209

marker
(503) 622-4798
Incorrect info? Correct your listing
Related categories:

Activities

Reviews
( 6 )
( 2 )
( 3 )
( 3 )
( 10 )

Best

If you paid $28.00 for a tour or went to only 1 room underground you did not take your tour with the Cascade Geographic Society. The tour group that leaves from Hobo's is with the...

Worst

I was introduced to the Shanghai Tunnel Tour by my mother. A group of her coworkers were going on a tour and she invited me along. All I knew going into it was that it was suppose...

Editorial review from Citysearch 10/27/2012

yea, definitely not as spooky as I had hoped, but it's halloween time, our tour was sold out, and they took down groups of like 34 people. It's a smaller tour than I thought, and didn't really like the fact that she didn't talk more about the ""artifacts"", looked mostly like rubble. The fact that children under 12 were with us kind of set the tone...definitely stuffy, not sure why it was so important to force everyone to stand together...that just made it worse. Some definitely lost interest and began talking in the background...a little distracting...and there was one area off limits...maybe unsafe? work area? Glad I went, I believe it's the only tour where you actually get to walk around part of the tunnels...but it definitely has it's drawbacks. I applaud Michael and his volunteers though, they've done some amazing work and this tour is definitely worth hearing the history...here's my tips: more

If you paid $28.00 for a tour or went 12/26/2011

If you paid $28.00 for a tour or went to only 1 room underground you did not take your tour with the Cascade Geographic Society. The tour group that leaves from Hobo's is with the Cascade Geographic Society. If you went down else where you didn't go with the right group. more

RIP OFF CULT TOUR 10/18/2010

This tour was so weak it's not even funny. First off, it is not worth $28. It's not even worth $5. I should have known it was going to be weird when I saw how serious the tour guides were in their creepy cloaks and top hats. Apparently laughing and having a good time is not allowed. One of the guides was watching my group the entire time like a stalker. I thought she was going to shank one of us and put us in a cell in the tunnel. The above ground part of the tour was worthless due to the loud surroundings and tour guide practically whispering his made up stories. The underground part wasn't scary at all and if u don't stay right by the tour guide he'll wig out on you. He considers the tunnels sacred. Which is so creepy because they were used to kidnap people and use them as slaves. We didn't even stay the whole time because the tour guides were douchers and we had enough. Bottom line, skip the tour and just drink at Hobo's or Boiler room. I definitely would have rather spent my $28 on drinks than hanging out with schizos. Dooooneee!! more

DONT WASTE YOUR TIME!! JOKE OF A TOUR!! 10/17/2010

Myself and 15 others thought it would be a GREAT to do something ""different"" for fun around halloween instead of a haunted house. First off we started off at the skidmore fountain. Which was creepy at 10pm at night. We were told to get there 10 mins early. The ""tour guides"" didn't show up till 5 mins AFTER 10. We were well over 20 mins early. STRIKE ONE. more

Not exciting but glad I did it 3/26/2010

As others have noted, the tour takes place in a very limited area of the tunnels -- really a dusty basement below Hobo's restaurant. It's not a walking tour and seriously not appropriate to take kids. However this part of Portland's history is interesting. The tour guide I had was informative and entertaining. If you like to listen to a good story or two it's worth going, but don't do it if you need a big dose of adrenaline to feel entertained. Pros: Fascinating history lecture Cons: Didn't really see the tunnels more

Tour of a basement 6/21/2009

It is obvious that all of the people not close friends or part of this tour operation have a clear unified unbiased opinion of this tour. You cannot have a shanghai tunnel tour without tunnels. Was it really necessary to take us into a stuffy basement to tell us the history of Portland. I would have been just as content reading a book or watching a documentary. I am not saying this as a personal attack on the people who run this tour. i know they are passionate about what they do and have the best intentions. They claim this is not a business, but they were willing to take our money and should feel obligated to provide some value for it. Create a museum of artifacts, and or a documentary. This tour really does nothing to help there cause and the sooner they realize it and change it the better off they wil be. Pros: I only feel cheated 12 dollars Cons: That there were no tunnels more

If you go, don't say you weren't warned and enjoy! 2/22/2008

I was introduced to the Shanghai Tunnel Tour by my mother. A group of her coworkers were going on a tour and she invited me along. All I knew going into it was that it was supposed to be a walking tour of Portland's underground. Pros: Pre-Tour drinks at Hobo's Cons: Lack of walking, too hot and stuffy, too long more

Average 11/25/2007

I went on the tunnel tour before Halloween this year. I was expecting a longer walk, but we ended up only shuffling around under Boiler Room and Hobos. It would've been more fun if we had climbed into a short bus and drove around the city to other tunnels and Haunted places. The Shanghai tour was very interesting and entailed a lot of information. Mike and the other volunteer did a GREAT job, but it was just too boring to only walk around in 1 block. Pros: Mucho information and great tour guides Cons: Only walk one block walk...too short more

Shanghai Surprise? Not! 11/1/2007

We booked this tour with a group of 12 people. We waited for the group to assemble at Hobo's where we had a fabulous time with a cocktail in the company of Darcelle and some of her beauties. As directed, we dressed warmly in comfortable shoes expecting to explore hallways and rooms of Portland's underground and to gain knowledge of the history of the Shanghai tunnels and crimes that occurred therein. I would guess that we went in with a total of 40 people with at least 8 children under the age of 10 in attendance (always a bad sign in my opinion.) It was boiling hot and we walked a total of 50 feet. Basically we got a great tour of a basement. The host of the tour was a very good speaker and knowledgeable, however, for a person who admittedly ""doesn?t believe in ghosts"", he spoke endlessly about the ghosts he and others had seen in the tunnel. So much so that, in addition to the lack of ground covered, the disappointment among the entire group was palpable. In fact, 1/3 of the group left after the first 15 minutes. There was absolutely no sign of the paranormal and very little substance to the information presented. We could have walked through the basement, then gone back up to Hobo's to listen to stories with a cocktail or two and had a much more satisfactory experience! more

Portland Underground ""I was Shanghia'd"" Tour 7/16/2007

The Underground Tour was the absolute worst thing I have ever paid money to do. The staff involved are clearly a bunch of ghost hunters using the ""Shanghia Tunnels"" as a way to fund their pastime. By the way, there are no ""Shanghia tunnels"". The whole tour takes place under Hobo's restaurant in their basement which is no larger than 1500 sq/ft. The temperature in the basement ranged from 100-140 degrees and that is the honest truth! If you take the time to look behind all the canvas curtains they have hanging off the beams you will see all of the hot water heaters and duct work running everywhere for the restaurant above. Pros: Absolutley none. Cons: They are selling a ""Pet Rock"" more

The Shanghai Experience. Lost in time 7/5/2007

This is in response to the ""lame lame lame"" review. i think it's LAME of you to post a review that so blatantly slanders someone who has worked to restore and share a piece of Oregon's history. my advice to you,sir, is to DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE you take another tour. as for the remark about michael, i have met him several times and found him to be polite and i have never seen the man drunk. i went on my first tour last month and would love to take my mother. all in all it's a $12 experience that is well worth it. the money goes toward other projects of restoration for the history of Oregon. i would like to see more of these projects turn out so well. thank you Michael and team for your hard work and dedication to the forgotten history of Oregon and for bringing it to the public. KUDOS TO YOU!!! And on a personal note: The smell from the pizza place turned my stomach Pros: polite and energetic tour guides more

Get educated about Portland's true dark history! 6/29/2007

I first took this tour two years ago when I came here to visit. I enjoyed it so much that I signed on as a volunteer as soon as I moved up here. I would like to relate my experiences and thoughts more

Stay away or be shanghai'd... 6/2/2007

Warning: the positive reviews on here are probably by staff members of the company.... they're around the same date and about the same length and writing style. more

You've got to be joking. Lame, lame, lame! 5/22/2007

I wish I read the reviews here beforehand. I was able to book reservations with no problem, but this tour guide (Mike) was drunk as a skunk when he showed up. He reeked so bad that no one wanted to be near him. Pros: Good pizza around corner Cons: Overpromise, underdeliver. more

Hauntingly good time! 8/7/2006

Getting on the reservation list did require a bit of patience, but these folks are VOLUNTEERS! Once there, I thought the tour was fabulous. The tour guide (Mike) is a born story teller, and the history and information that he imparted was fascinating. I would recommend this to anyone that may be interested in Portland history, ghosts, or just neat old stuff. I enjoyed the hell out of it! more

Two thumbs down 5/11/2006

I must agree with the other ""less than complimentary"" reviews here. This was a tour of the basement under Hobo's. The tour guides were nice enough. Unfortunately, by around the fifth ghost story things started to sound quite repetitive. It's not a big deal that the stories are not true, I could handle a good story-teller. But this was not worth the $12 per person price, to wander around a basement with a few contrived props for two hours. Pros: storyteller: C+ Cons: contrived more

Poor Customer Service 5/3/2006

Tried for 2 weeks to make a reservation. Finally got a call the guy I talked to was very rude. He curtly answered my questions and kept referring me to a waiver and rule webpage. I have been on walking tours around the country - never found a group so rude and inflexible with booking a tour. Because I'm not traveling with my 2 year, I asked if there was a way we could cancel in case of an emergency. I was told that ""If you are not ABSOLUTELY sure you can do this tour you will be taken off our list. We have a lot of people who want this tour!"" I was appalled. I wished I gave this guy a piece of my mind and told him personally what he could do with his tour. I emailed him instead and told me to take me off the list. Cons: Inflexible Staff, Poor Customer Service more

I loved this tour 11/3/2005

Several of my freinds have taken this tour and throughly enjoyed going after I went and told them about it. My grandfather who used to drive an ice wagon in that area had told me about the tunnels. It was exciting to see and hear the history in such detail. I have been to the underground tour in Seattle and felt the Portland tour was superior. Pros: Inexpensive, Historical Cons: uneven ground more

Portland Underground-Remember Where You Are 11/2/2005

The Portland Underground is is an archeological dig. The tunnels being a series of ""connected basements"" does not surprise me. With all the changes over the years, I'm amazed that anything remains of the notorious labyrinth. When I went, it was overcrowded--a bit frustrating but tolerable. However, what I found intolerable was the behavior of some of the tourists. Many were heckling, banging on pipes to get a rise, and wandering around intoxicated and loud. They made it difficult for everyone else. You get out of the tour what you put into it. If you go in closed minded or with mischief in your heart, you will feel disappointed. But going in with curiosity and appreciation of Portland's history yields many treasures. The CGS has no control over the layout of the dig and tunnels; that's the whole point. It is what it is. more

I have enjoyed every tour I have been on. 11/2/2005

I just seen the review from waitingallday. I am so shocked about the total outright __ that was posted. Pros: Educational, Inexpensive, Fun more
< Previous 1 2 Next >
Summer SALE!!!:
15% OFF all yearly plans
Use year15 at checkout. Expires 1/1/2021
Editorial
  • Definitely not for kids (and arguably not for teens either), the North Shanghai Tunnel Ghost Tours are more about entertainment than fact...

  • 10/4/2012 Provided by KidScore
Additional information
  • Hours: Fri-Sat by reservation only
  • Neighborhoods: Old Town - Chinatown, Neighbors West - Northwest
badge