My family wanted to do a tour so we did- I was surprised at how many people were on this tour- place was packed. Really interesting to learn the history of the site, kind of a whole twist and turn of story that is unexpected. There are actors who provide the tour. If you are someone who likes history, this would be great for you! read more

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Very awesome tour, Led by Mary/Rosie the Riveted. What a fun night! Loved the outside views and old cars. They decorated the entire place. The tour was an hour long and very story focused which was so fun. Hot tip: Very dark so watch your step or bring small flashlight. I tripped a few times. So be careful! Hot tip: beautiful view of St. Paul capitol nearby! Hot tip: go to Cosettas for dinner after! read more

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I was really looking forward to the Wabasha Street Caves tour, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations. At $15 per person, I expected more than what turned out to be a rushed experience. The tour was advertised as an hour but barely lasted 40 minutes. We spent a significant amount of time sitting at round tables in regular rooms, which felt like filler. With punny jokes from the tour guide. Out of the entire tour, we were in the actual caves for maybe 20 minutes at most. We spent some time discussing the benches were used for mushroom growth. Then Dillinger's favorite car was inside the cave which really felt like a garage. That we walked right by with no mention of. Then there was small hallway that was filled with trash at the end that was the entrance to an old speakeasy. I have to say it's not bad if you're looking to kill time but you can easily skip this stop. While the history shared was interesting, it felt like we didn't get the immersive experience we were hoping for. Overall, it wasn't worth the price, and I left feeling disappointed. There is a small private parking lot for the caves. It seems most people do the tour and the gangster tour together. read more

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This place is full of history and the tour guides are extremely knowledgeable. If you're debating on whether or not to go here, do it. You won't be disappointed. read more

Wabasha Street Caves - Historical Tours Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This was our first time and we didn't quite know what to expect! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was a great story teller! His stories were funny and very entertaining! The history on the origin of the caves was very interesting! What a fun experience! read more

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What a cool place and such an entertaining and informative tour! My friends and I learned so much cool history about St Paul on this fun tour. Neat to learn that this cave went from a silica/sandstone mine to a mushroom farm, a casino, a restaurant and a gangster hot spot during the 1920's Prohibition Era. If you're in the area stop by to check this cave out. They do a couple of tours including a gangster tour but also events such as swing dancing in the evenings and even weddings! read more

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Went in for a Friday afternoon historic cave tour. Check-in/ticket pickup is outside of the cave in the coffee/merch shop. There was a decent amount of parking but am sure more is needed when they are having bigger events. Our tour guide Brett was phenomenal, a great story teller and made sure to keep the tour interesting! The tour was definitely worth the $10 (if you pay cash) or $11 via card. Lots of history regarding the events that occurred inside the caves and it is fascinating to hear the story of the venue evolving over time! read more

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Great tour. Very animated guide. Would recommend. Didn't go on the longer bus tour, just the tour of the caves.

This was a lot of fun. Our tour guide definitely loved his job and made sure to give us a lot of information. This was really cool. I was very surprised about the space and seeing pictures of the wall with it filled, not sure how they fit so much in there! The open areas where changes occurred from owners and the information given was great. A one-hour tour was definitely enough and perfect. The people getting you checked in were not the nicest, that is my only complaint. read more

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The tour guide was exceptional. It was a tour to appeal from school age on up! Easy to do and very interesting!

The two of us didn't know what to expect but the experience is totally worth the $11/pp. The tour guide has worked there since 2000 and LOVES his job. His enthusiasm and sweet sense of humor makes this tour great. We are from out-of-town but he gave it both local flavor and how the caves were tied to national events and early 20th century crimes. Highly recommended for all ages. read more

Wabasha Street Caves - Through the front door... - Historical Tours Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Fun tour with Ellie! Great entertainment. Will highly recommend to others. We've also been for dancing on Thursday nights and it's a fun, different atmosphere with a large band. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect when I booked this tour, but I'm SO glad that I did. Our tour guide (John Dillinger actor) was hilarious! I don't think I've laughed that hard on a tour in a long time. The people on the tour with me were hilarious as well. A good group can really make or break these trip, and my group was incredible. I was traveling solo so I loved all the group engagement. Ok enough with the laughs :) The tour itself was also full of interesting information about the gangster history in St. Paul. I was coming into this tour with zero knowledge and I feel like I learned so much. I ended up getting to the bus tour an hour early so I joined the cave tour as well. The cave tour had less and laughs and informations, but it was still really cool to see - especially for only $10. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a rainy, cold day activity in St. Paul. It's also something totally different than what you will get visiting a museum or historical house. read more

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My friend and I were in Minneapolis/St. Paul for Memorial Day weekend, and a tour of Wabasha Street Caves was our very last fun thing before heading the airport to go home. We did the 1-hour historic cave tour. The tour - just like the caves themselves - is so unique! The caves aren't really caves - well not natural caves; they're caves created as a result of mining. But that's now why they're famous or a must tour. The caves' history is what makes them a must visit! They were used a speakeasy during prohibition and home to a restaurant/nightclub after the end of the prohibition. They were allegedly host to many gangsters and famous big band groups! Our guide Ryan was hilarious and clearly loves his job. We learned so much about St. Paul (and its being a safe haven for gangster for decades of the early 20th century), the various use of the caves over the 20th century (nightclub, mushroom farm, storage). It was such a great tour. I'd love to visit again - for a special tour (they offer a 2-hour gangster tour and a lost souls (ghost) tour, for swing dancing night (every Thursday), or other special events they offer! Such a unique place and great tour. A must visit for anyone who's interested in local history, ghosts (it's considered one of the most haunted places in Minnesota), swing dances, fun tours, Prohibition,....! Definitely check it out. read more

Great place for social dancing on Thursday nights! The parking lot fills up quickly, so come early. Free lessons are available when doors open at 6:15PM and the love band starts at 7PM. In the summer, it's pretty busy and hot, but I hope to be back! read more

I tried the gangster tour of St Paul. 2 hours in a bus with no AC We did not get out of the bus at all. Imagine a guide talking for 2 hours telling you amazing stories about the gangster of St Paul but you don't get a chance to visit or explore any of the location the guide mentions. Too bad... this has so much potential! I feel like it would be best as a virtual tour since the guide is really fun and knowledgeable. read more

Was a great time and learned a lot! Definitely should try to go to the bathroom before the bus tour, but there is a bathroom on the bus. Loved this, great activity to spend time read more

The swing dance nights are quite nice, no food sold but plenty of free water and admission is affordable. The tours are expensive but fun. The staff are friendly and patient people. The exterior and interior of the place is beautiful and quite educational! The bands they get to perform are perfect and overall the caves are a terrific place! read more

I did the 1-hour tour. It was amazing! Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. If you have a knack for history, this is an awesome place to go and learn more about the era itself and the cave's involvement. Also, it was a fair price for two people attending which made this experience even better! read more

We took a tour of the caves because it was reccomend to us by a local. It's great that they have local public transportation that took us there. We had a bit of a wait but the tour we had was 45 minutes which wasn't all that bad. There's a couple of interesting things to that you learn if you love history. I felt like there was more to explore in this place and other parts aren't actually original to this place. The tour felt rushed and didn't feel like too much of an experience. read more

Wabasha Street Caves - Historical Tours Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This was one of the most comprehensive, interactive, and entertaining tours I have ever been on! Lasting ~45 minutes, there was ample time to see the caves and learn interesting details about the history events that occurred there. I was surprised that the temperature inside the caves was not cold, so no need for a heavy coat or boots, and that they are not true caves since they are man-made. Highly recommend this tour and would definitely bring friends or family who are visiting the area. read more

Wabasha Street Caves - Outside view of the entrance - Historical Tours Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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We took the one hour cave tour. The tour was a great introduction to different owners and lives of the caves, plus stories and information from within them. Our tour guide, Blake, was excellent. He knew his material and the script was well done - so that the tour didn't feel scripted. After a small taste of his character (Parker) for the more role play events, we were pleasantly surprised that it felt genuine. I could see the in-character themed evenings being a blast, and not a cheesy one! (Coming from NYC theatre scene and working in live entertainment myself, that was a concern going in that I am pleased to say was assuaged!) We learned interesting facts about the time period and the city. The hour went by very quickly as we spent the perfect amount of time in all the different rooms and caves. The story about Dillinger and the story/theory of the fireplace were highlights for us. Wish we were in town for a swing night (Thursdays) - would LOVE to dress up and swing to a live band in such a historically relevant spot!!! Also, before we chose this tour, we thought about doing the 2 hour bus tour of the city. It just seemed too long and too pricy. However, after taking this tour with Blake, we agreed that while it is expensive, the mob history in St. Paul is clearly substantial enough to fill two hours! If we're back in the city, we'll be back for that! My two suggestions are that I'd like more history in the tour (more on the mobsters in particular). It makes sense if the owners don't have access to that information, but if they do, they should imbibe the tour with more stories and tidbits on the individual mobsters that patronized the caves. That would be fascinating. Also, there should definitely be a gift shop. read more

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What an awesome adventure. We booked the combo cave tour and Gangster Bus Trip and I highly recommend it. Starting with the cave tour, the guide 'John Dillinger' was very engaging and funny. He included everyone in the tour, added great tidbits of information along the way and sprinkled jokes liberally throughout. We were lucky to also have 'John' for our Bus tour guide. He and his sidekick driver Leftie made a great pair. I learned more about the historic buildings in St Paul then ever before. If you have an opportunity.. I highly recommend seeing this. We will likely be back for the other tours they offer. read more

This is a diamond in the rock. Literally such a treat to take a tour of the caves - you have to go if you appreciate history and cheeky tour guides. We loved it and wish we could go for a jazz night sometime if we lived in the area! read more

Excellent tour, filled with fascinating history and a healthy sprinkling of humor. Never would have guessed a few caves carved into the side of a hill would have held such far-reaching impact on the Twin Cities and beyond. read more

Our 13 yo is learning about the St. Paul gangster scene-as in the 1920's. We took him and our 9yo to the caves for the basic tour. The woman tour guide was funny, had good stories and didn't ramble. You know those tours where they ramble on and on? This was just the right amount of story telling drama. The tour was about 45 minutes-some standing and sitting which was a perfect combo. I don't want to give anything away so I'll give some pointers -Kids under 8 or 9 probably won't like it or understand it. -There are bathrooms once you get inside. They have a swing dancing night which sounds fun. A dance lesson beforehand followed by live music and dancing. If the decor was true to the period, this place would really shine. The fake flowers and pearls in vases are pretty cheesy. The basic tour is a must for out of town visitors! read more

We did a gangster tour that left a lot to be desired. The bus driver seemingly was not given a route to drive so the guide "Edna" gave him directions over the microphone the whole time (very odd) with several wrong turns. She read often from her notes. You get off the bus once, but there seems to be no reason to, as you do not actually see anything at this stop. I got a few fun facts from the tour but not a good sense of history or gangster culture in general in St. Paul read more

I am writing this review based of a event that was held at this fabulous venue. I attended a themed party called Flappers and Fedoras a 1920s theme. The St. Paul Jaycees hosted a fabulous fundraising event here. Upon arrival I was impressed that the Wabasha Street caves had staff helping you park. I always appreciate this when the parking lot doesn't have defined lines, I loathe being blocked in. Staff also directed us to the entrance. We were greeted by 1920s flappers we presented our tickets and we're given information about tonight's event. I did expect to walk inside a cave but everything was quite finished in the main areas. The entrance was set up with silent auction items and a fun photo booth. I didn't feel the need to use props as I was already in costume. The largest room held a full brass band and humongous dance floor. They were very loud but casted a 1920s a vibe throughout the whole place. Venture to the right through a small opening you'll find a long wooden bar and a large table with catered food for the event. The iconic fireplace that is riddled with bullet holes from the 1920s era is a interesting site to see. My date and I signed up for the 9 o'clock cave tour. The cave tour was lead in costume character. We were shown historic photographs and learned the ways of prohibition held in the caves. I was ready to start meandering for miles in the caves but they limit it to a short area. read more

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When reading these reviews, keep in mind, there are several things offered at this location; 1) A 1 hour guided tour of the 'caves' 2) A bus tour covering "mob" related sites of interest in the area 3) A catering hall I only am discussing item #1. I showed up here about 15 minutes early and talked with the friendly staff. I thought I would be the only one on the tour, but within a few minutes of 11AM, approximately 10 more people showed up for the tour. Our tour guide was knowledgable, energetic, and loud enough for the whole group to hear. His presentation was very interesting and quick-moving. It really didn't feel like we were there for a whole hour. There's some talk about a mob hit, ghosts, and other blood-n-guts topics, so just beware if you are sensitive to that kind of stuff (though the guide did ask parents of young children if it would be OK before he got into it). After having done the tour once, I don't see a need to do it again for myself, but if I come back to the area with my kids, I would bring them... And the cost is only $6! read more

Super neat tour and pretty cool history. It would be cool to come on a Thursday for the 5 pm tour & stay for swing night at 7 pm. The tour guide was nice but super paranoid about people taking video when they are in fact taking a simple photo. Other than that I loved this place. read more

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The swing dancing is always extraordinary here! I love the swing beat band (last week of the month usually). The crowd is a great mixture of timely old folk and high school swing clubs. Why didn't I do swing dance club in high school, how cool is that? Anyway, if you're feeling brave enough to do this as a first date, it's actually a super fun idea! A heads up, no credit cards are accepted, cash only!! Doesn't scare me away, it shouldn't to you either. I'll be sure to check out the tours sometime too. read more

Interesting place. Pretty cool if you're into local history. It's a series of underground caves that are built into a bluff. The tour guide was awesome and enthusiastic,knowledgeable, and humorous. He provided a thorough history of the origin of the caves all the way until its present day ownership as well as the different uses for it... Gangsters, ghosts, nightclub, are just some of the types of venues it's been turned into over the past close to 200 years. Currently hosting salsa lessons and salsa night Thursdays and a site for historical tours as well as wedding and an event venue. They also host ghost tours, and a gangster bus tour around the city of St Paul. Overall it was a good time and nice to get some history on my current hometown. Pretty interesting; a must-see if you're a resident! and of course if you're a tourist.! read more

Absolutely beautiful venue! Went here for the Red Bull Crashed Ice Welcome Party and had an absolute blast. They even included the Gangster Cave Tour, which was really cool! Its so interesting learning about the history of a building/ location and this was no different. The tour was really great and the tour guides were so knowledgeable and fun! The atmosphere of the caves is beyond perfect. I can see why it is used as a wedding reception venue. I would easily do a proper historical tour here when it isn't booked out for a private event. If you look at their website they have different activities throughout the months so there is always something to give you a reason to get down there and check this place out! I am from Plymouth so it is a bit of a drive to get over there, but I can tell you the drive was well worth it. read more

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Wabasha Street Caves had an interesting tour and I learned some thing about St Paul that I probably wouldn't have known otherwise (unless I spent some time researching). Why if it was interesting and informative did I give it 3 stars? There wasn't much to see in the caves. They are man-made caves carved in the sandstone hills. I think the tour is worth the $6, especially if it's a cold, rainy day in the Twin Cities. If it's a nice day, you can probably find better ways to spend your time. Also, make sure you have cash! They do not accept credit cards bc they can't get an Internet connection inside the cave. They do have an ATM outside if you need it, though. read more

Wabasha Street Caves - This is the street view of Wabasha Street Caves. You can't post inside pictures without permission. - Historical Tours Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We did the street cave tour: 45 minutes long, 8$/person (CASH only) probably one of the coolest tours I've ever been on, a lot of history, exciting ghost stories of the gangsters that once used these caves as a speakeasy and nightclub in the 1930's. Our guide was interactive with everyone in the group and brought a lot of humor and history with it. Would highly recommend it, had a blast! read more

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An easy hour was spent touring the caves. The guide was wonderful - full of knowledge and enthusiasm. Everything worked smoothly, with a small crowd waiting for the ticket sales to begin, and as promised, right on time! The caves were not what we expected but enjoyable none the less. The price was appropriate. It's a "one time" kind of tour but I would recommend it to others looking for an interesting hour in downtown St. Paul. read more

I went to Wabasha Street Caves thinking it would be like most other caves I have been to, not that that's a bad thing. I was surprised to see this cave is very different. It may not be as pretty as the other caves, but what these lack in beauty, stalagtites and stalagmites, it makes up for with its stories and history. These caves started out as a mine, then a mushroom farm, then a speakeasy frequented by gangsters. At this point, the stories the guides have make the place come alive. Today, the caves are carpeted with stucco walls. The guides tell you about the fascinating history of the caves, and they show you each of the caves. Eventually you see some less developed caves, then the tour ends. It was enjoyable, and I'd recommend going on the tour. read more

Meh.... we went on the cave tour and it wasn't what we were really expecting. It didn't look much like a cave since it was man made and there was a lot of catering junk laying around. And wait for it... a garage door that opens into the cave...what the ??? I wouldn't recommend it if your looking to impress out of town guests. If your really into history then check it out but it wasn't impressive to me. The guide was funny and good but there just isn't much to say about it and the gangster stories weren't that interesting... I'd say it's a pass unless your really into this sort of stuff. read more

This review is for the venue only - a lot of reviews I'm reading for hosting an event here seem to mix-up venue staff versus catering staff. Our caterer was D'Amico's, and they were also amazing.We hosted our non-traditional wedding here, and I think utilized most of their offerings. So this review will be thorough. We couldn't rave enough about them! Planning/pre-wedding: Email responses for planning were a bit slow, but any time you got the coordinator on the phone she answered every question she could on the spot. I do think the venue could use a second coordinator for all their tours versus the wedding/events. Setup/take down of your decorations is on your own (unless the caterer offers to help), but 2 hours before and 1 hour after is sufficient with some help. Entertainment: We started the evening events with the 3 person improv. We provided them with fun details about people who then participated on stage, and it had everyone in stitches! We even had one gangster do a mock ceremony for us to exchange personal vows. It was funny and touching (and we loved the little geek reference he put in there too). Then we had a cave tour, which people were really surprised how much they enjoyed learning all the history of the caves. Our tour guide was hilarious, another gangster from the improve, so that is probably why it was so enjoyable. Finally we had swing dance instruction before we started the open dance, which was once again enjoyed by many people. Staff: Only staff present all night is the bartender and parking attendant. The tables were exactly where we'd discussed via the floor plan with the coordinator and moved to clear the dance floor after the show too. Caterer provided linens/settings. Our bartender was very friendly and helpful. People were very pleased with his service. The man in the parking lot was very prompt with his umbrella, as there was rain during out event. He helped with rearranging the tables too before the dance. I would highly recommend Wabasha Street Caves for a unique venue. We are a week out from our wedding and still beaming and laughing over the fun we had. read more

I found myself at the Wabasha Street Caves during a professional conference, our closing banquet was held within Caves 1 and 2 of the historic Wabasha Street Caves. Historians and lovers of old stuff alike will love the unique history and atmosphere of the caves. We started our event with a cocktail hour in the bar area, which provided ample space for mingling and conversation in the cozy, dark, space. The dinner itself was catered and overall was above average and the catering staff was very good. We enjoyed our table being located right next to the historic fireplace - which turned out to have quite the story of its own. After our dinner, we had the full tour experience. I have to admit, our group of historians liked to keep our tour guide sharp by asking all kinds of random questions. But, he was extremely knowledgeable and I can honestly say it was one of the best historic site tours I've experienced. I would highly recommend the Wabasha Street Caves for an event... especially for those who enjoy learning about history! read more