Haunted Memphis Walking Ghost Tour

Memphis gets especially intriguing after dark, when its theaters, bars, old homes, and former burial grounds take on a second life. This 90-minute walking tour follows local ghost stories through downtown, with its most atmospheric stop inside Earnestine & Hazel’s, a former brothel said to house several spirits.

I like the mix of true Memphis history and spooky storytelling, rather than a simple string of jump scares. I also like the small group limit of 24 and the capable guides, including Daniel, Sheena, Liz, and TC, who add humor and local color. The main drawback is that nearly everything happens outdoors, and you walk about two miles on public sidewalks, sometimes uphill.

Key points to know before you go

• Mary at the Orpheum Theatre: Hear the story of Memphis’ best-known ghost outside the theater where she is said to appear.
• Earnestine & Hazel’s is the centerpiece: The tour includes entry to this former brothel, but food and drinks cost extra.
• A history lesson with the scares: Stories touch on love, crime, voodoo, hoodoo, cemeteries, and Memphis’ changing downtown.
• About two miles on foot: Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather, since most stops are outside.
• A small group helps: The maximum is 24 people, giving the guide room to answer questions and adjust the walk.
• Easy before or after a Beale Street evening: The tour begins at Alfred’s on Beale and ends at Earnestine & Hazel’s, about a 10-minute walk from Beale Street.

Why this Memphis ghost walk works

The appeal here is not just finding a dark building and attaching a ghost story to it. Memphis has plenty of complicated places, and the tour uses them to explain how the city’s nightlife, music, violence, religion, old neighborhoods, and memorial sites overlap.

Your guide is the key. Daniel has a gift for mixing ghost tales with useful Memphis background, while Sheena is especially good at presenting facts in an entertaining way. TC brings humor and patience when the group has questions, and Liz has also been praised for making the walk lively. Guides can add bonus stops or adjust the route when the group is very small, though the exact guide and presentation will depend on your date.

The tone is spooky but not grim. You can expect a few laughs along with the darker stories. That balance makes the tour a good choice if one person in your group enjoys history more than ghost hunting.

Starting at Alfred’s on Beale Street

The meeting point is Alfred’s On Beale, at 197 Beale Street. This is a useful starting place if you are already spending the evening around the famous entertainment district. Give yourself time to find the exact meeting spot, especially if Beale Street is busy.

Parking is available in several garages and open-air lots within a few blocks. The closest listed garage is at 149 Peabody Place, between Second Street and B.B. King Boulevard, next to the Hampton Inn. You can also try metered street parking on Second Street south of Beale, on Beale between Front and Second, or along Peabody Place between Front and Fourth.

The tour lasts about an hour and a half, but allow extra time for parking, gathering the group, and walking back afterward. The route ends at Earnestine & Hazel’s on South Main Street, not back at Alfred’s.

Mary waits outside the Orpheum Theatre

The first stop is the Orpheum Theatre, where you hear about Mary, Memphis’ most famous ghost. The guide speaks from outside, so you do not enter the theater as part of this tour. The stop lasts about 15 minutes.

Mary is said to be a 12-year-old girl whose spirit is connected with the theater. The story gives the tour an immediate hook, but the better part is the setting. The Orpheum is one of downtown Memphis’ best-known cultural landmarks, and its past lends itself to a story about memory, performance, and the people who never quite leave.

You will want to listen closely rather than expect a theatrical special effect. The attraction is the guide’s delivery and the building’s atmosphere. A good storyteller can make a familiar facade feel different after sunset.

Because this stop is outside only, the theater’s interior is not part of the ticket. If seeing the Orpheum from inside matters to you, plan that separately.

The John Alexander Austin House and a haunted love story

The walk continues to the John Alexander Austin House, a beautiful old home with a sad love story attached to it. The guide spends about 10 minutes here, again from the sidewalk.

This is one of the more effective changes of mood during the tour. The Orpheum stop centers on a young ghost, while the Austin House story leans toward romance and loss. I like this shift because it keeps the evening from becoming a repeated sequence of violent legends.

The stop is also a reminder that Memphis’ haunted tales are not confined to theaters and bars. A house can carry its own history, and the tour uses the building’s appearance to set up the story. You will not go inside, so your appreciation depends on what you can see from the street and how well the guide fills in the gaps.

Earnestine & Hazel’s, the main stop

Earnestine & Hazel’s is the most substantial stop, lasting about 20 minutes. Admission is included, unlike the other buildings on the route. The place was once a brothel and is now known for its rough-edged bar atmosphere and reports of several spirits.

This is the tour’s strongest setting. You move from public sidewalks into a building with a past that feels closely tied to Memphis’ nightlife. The guide shares stories about the people associated with the place and explains why it has such a strong reputation for hauntings.

Do not expect a polished museum. Earnestine & Hazel’s has a worn, informal character. That is part of the point, and it suits the story better than a neat, carefully restored interior would. The building feels like a working piece of old Memphis rather than a staged haunted attraction.

Food and drinks are not included in the $29.63 ticket. You are welcome to purchase them separately, and you can stay at the bar after the tour. This can be a good way to extend the evening, but budget for the extra cost. The end point is also about a 10-minute walk north on Main Street back to Beale Street, and your guide may walk back with the group.

One practical note: some of the most memorable moments here may come from the guide’s storytelling, not from anything you can reliably photograph. Some people have reported seeing orbs or apparitions in pictures taken at Earnestine & Hazel’s and at the cemetery stop. Treat those as personal impressions, not guaranteed features of the tour.

The Green Beetle and its gangster connection

The next stop is the Green Beetle, described as a haunted gangster’s hideout. The group spends around 15 minutes here, outside only.

This stop adds crime lore to the route. The story gives you another way to think about downtown Memphis, not just as a music and nightlife district but as a place where illicit activity and hard living were once part of the daily scene.

Again, the building itself is viewed from the sidewalk. That is worth knowing if you are expecting a full tour of each location. The route is best understood as a guided city walk with selected interior access, not a series of building tours.

The Green Beetle also helps break up the walk. After the more emotional Austin House story and the enclosed atmosphere of Earnestine & Hazel’s, you return to the streets and keep moving through the downtown grid.

Puck Food Hall and Memphis voodoo and hoodoo

At Puck Food Hall, the focus shifts to voodoo and hoodoo in Memphis. The stop lasts about 10 minutes and takes place outside.

This is a useful part of the tour because it widens the subject beyond ghosts. Spiritual traditions in Memphis have often been mixed together in popular storytelling, and a good guide can explain the difference between folklore, religious practice, superstition, and commercial ghost lore. The quality of this section depends heavily on how your guide handles the subject.

Do not expect to enter Puck Food Hall as part of the tour. The stop is about the story connected with the site and the surrounding city, not about dining there. If you are hungry, you will need to plan food separately, since the ticket includes neither meals nor drinks.

The Lorraine Motel and Morris Cemetery

The final listed stop is the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. The walk spends about 15 minutes here, outside only. The site is linked to Morris Cemetery, described as Memphis’ oldest former cemetery.

This is the most serious stop of the evening. The Lorraine Motel is closely tied to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the surrounding civil rights setting carries real historical weight. The cemetery story adds another layer, connecting the modern city with earlier burial grounds and the people who lived and died here.

The ghost-tour format can make this stop feel different from the rest. You are moving from legends about haunted bars and theaters to a place shaped by documented national history. I appreciate that the route includes it, but I also think you should approach this part with respect. It is not simply another spooky backdrop.

The National Civil Rights Museum itself is not included. You do not enter the museum on this walk. If you want the full museum visit, set aside separate time and admission for it.

What the $29.63 price gives you

At $29.63 per person, the tour is priced like a modest evening activity rather than a major sightseeing ticket. You are paying for a local guide, the storytelling, the organized route, local taxes, and entry into Earnestine & Hazel’s.

The value is strongest if you want an introduction to downtown Memphis at night. In 90 minutes, you hear stories at six locations and cover ground between Beale Street and South Main. You also get a guide who can answer questions and add context that you would not pick up from simply walking past the buildings.

The value is weaker if you expect indoor access at every stop, food and drinks, or a theatrical haunted-house production. Five of the six listed stops are outside only, and gratuities are not included. Plan to tip your guide if the tour earns it, and allow extra money for a drink or food at the final stop.

The small maximum of 24 people matters. A group that size is large enough to create evening energy but still manageable on city sidewalks. If only two people attend, the guide may adjust the walk a little, which can make the route feel more personal.

Walking, weather, and what to bring

The route covers about two miles on public sidewalks, with some elevation. You should be comfortable walking for 90 minutes, standing during stories, and keeping up with the group.

Wear shoes with good support. Dress for the forecast, since most of the tour is outside and the buildings are not available as indoor shelters. Bring a light layer or rain protection when needed, and keep your phone charged if you want to take pictures.

Service animals are allowed. The tour operates near public transportation, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not provided. You will meet the guide at Alfred’s and make your own way there.

Because this is an evening walk through public areas, stay aware of your surroundings and listen for directions when crossing streets. The guide’s job is to tell the stories, but you are still responsible for ordinary city-walking safety.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this walk for a first or second Memphis visit when I wanted something beyond music venues and daytime museums. It is also a good fit for couples, friends, and families with older children who enjoy spooky stories without needing a full horror production.

History fans may like it because the stories touch on theaters, old homes, crime, spiritual traditions, cemeteries, and civil rights. The humor used by guides such as TC and Daniel can keep the mood light when the subject matter gets dark.

This is less suitable for anyone who dislikes walking, needs frequent indoor seating, or wants to tour the interiors of historic buildings. It is also not ideal if you want every story to be documented fact. Ghost tours work in the space between local history, oral tradition, belief, and entertainment.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded, and poor weather may lead to a different date or a full refund.

Should you book the Haunted Memphis Walking Ghost Tour?

Book it if you want a compact, affordable look at Memphis after dark, with a guide who can connect ghost stories to the city’s real past. The best parts are the Orpheum’s Mary story, the unusual access to Earnestine & Hazel’s, and the mix of humor, local facts, and unsettling tales.

Skip it if indoor sightseeing, included food, or a short route matter most to you. For everyone else, the tour makes a good evening opener. Start near Beale Street, walk through the stories, then linger at Earnestine & Hazel’s or return to Beale for the rest of your night.

FAQ

How long is the Haunted Memphis Walking Ghost Tour?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

How far do I walk?

The route covers approximately 2 miles on public sidewalks, with some elevation.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Alfred’s On Beale, 197 Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at Earnestine & Hazel’s, 531 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103.

Do I enter the historic buildings?

The tour is conducted mostly outside, and the listed stops are outside only except for Earnestine & Hazel’s, where admission is included.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks at Earnestine & Hazel’s are not included in the ticket price.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The tour requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you will be offered another date or a full refund.