Memphis has a second, darker soundtrack. This 90-minute haunted walking tour from Backbeat Tours lines up some of the city’s oldest haunt stories with real, walkable landmarks, starting at the Orpheum Theater and its famous presence, Mary.

I especially like the way the tour mixes stage, storefront, and street legends. The big payoff is going inside Ernestine and Hazel’s, a spot the tour calls the most haunted building in Memphis, with stories that include a haunted jukebox and multiple ghosts.

One thing to keep in mind: it is a fast, story-forward walk. If you want a lot of plain historical facts about Memphis beyond the hauntings, the time can feel a bit tight.

Key highlights you should plan around

• Mary at the Orpheum Theater since 1921: A long-running performance story anchors the first stretch of the tour.
• Ernestine and Hazel’s inside entry: You do not just look from the sidewalk, you go in, which makes the experience feel more real.
• John Alexander Austin House and star-crossed lovers: The Victorian mansion stop turns romance into tragedy and back again.
• Green Beetle tavern stop: You get a look at Memphis’ oldest tavern tied to two long-fighting spirits.
• Your guide drives the tone: The highest-rated guides in the reviews were enthusiastic and clearly love the stories.
• Not for low fitness: It is a walking tour, and it is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Memphis Haunted Walking Tour, Orpheum Theater to Ernestine and Hazel’s

If you like your travel with a chill factor, this Memphis haunted walking tour delivers. It is built around a tight route that threads the city’s darker legends through landmarks you can actually see and picture. The overall vibe is part storytelling, part “wait, that building really looks like that,” and part, what did I just hear?

The tour’s value comes from focus. You are not paying to wander around randomly or chase haunted rumors on your own. Instead, you get a guided route that hits a handful of well-known Memphis sites tied to vice, ghosts, and the kind of local lore that sticks around because it sounds too specific to be invented.

And yes, this is a walking tour, so you will want to treat it like an active evening plan. Expect stops, short walks, and a guide who keeps the pacing moving for the full 1.5 hours.

Price and time, what you really get for $30

At $30 per person for 90 minutes, the ticket price makes sense when you factor in two things: a live local guide and entry into Ernestine and Hazel’s. Many “haunted” tours are mostly external photos and sidewalk legends. Here, you get indoor time at the most haunted building stop on the itinerary.

You also get a clear time commitment. It is 1.5 hours, with starting times depending on availability. That matters in Memphis, where you might otherwise end up with a half-day of sightseeing plans that are hard to stitch together.

If you are on a budget, I think the tour feels fair because you are paying for interpretation, not just access. Your guide turns landmarks into a story you can follow, and the indoor entry helps justify the cost more than a pure photo-walk would.

Meeting at Alfred’s Patio, then walking into the stories

You meet at the Backbeat Tours podium at the Patio Bar at Alfred’s. Look for the red podium inside the patio fence, with a neon light-up ghost. That detail helps, because late arrivals are the enemy of a tour like this. When the group forms, the guide usually has to start right away to keep the whole schedule working.

Timing matters because the tour is only 90 minutes. You will be walking between a few older parts of downtown, and the guide packs each stop with enough story to feel satisfying without running out of time for the next location.

The tour also has a built-in “stay or go” ending. It concludes at Ernestine and Hazel’s at 531 S. Main St. The info says it is about a 10-minute walk back to the departure location. You can hang around and enjoy a drink or food, or join the guide for the walk back toward Beale St.

Orpheum Theater and Mary, a haunting that started with performances

The tour kicks off at the Orpheum Theater, where the story centers on Mary, who the tour ties to haunted performances since 1921. This is one of those details that makes the haunting feel less like a modern gimmick and more like a long-running urban legend.

Even if you are not trying to prove anything, you will get a lot out of this stop because the Orpheum is built for people to watch, react, and get pulled into a show. That stage energy fits perfectly with the idea of a performer presence lasting through time. The guide’s job here is not to scare you on command. It is to make you notice how a theater can hold onto stories.

What you should watch for: pay attention to how the guide connects the haunt to the theater atmosphere. When it lands well, the Orpheum stop becomes the tone-setter for the whole tour.

John Alexander Austin House, Victorian romance with a dark twist

Next comes the John Alexander Austin House, described on the tour as a Victorian-era mansion haunted by star-crossed lovers. This stop is different from the theater. Instead of a stage with an ongoing performance story, you get a home, built in a style that already looks dramatic and a little severe.

The star-crossed lovers angle is key. It gives the haunting a human shape. You are not just hearing about ghosts as abstract trouble. You are hearing about people and emotion, which tends to make the story stick.

A practical note: this is still a walking tour stop, not a long interior exploration. You will want to listen closely during the outdoor or entry moments you get, because the pacing is designed to keep the route moving.

Ernestine and Hazel’s, the most haunted building in Memphis

The biggest centerpiece is Ernestine and Hazel’s, called the most haunted building in Memphis on this tour. The tour includes entry here, which is a big difference from many “haunted city” experiences. You are stepping into a former brothel tied to several ghosts, plus a haunted jukebox.

This is also where you can feel the tour’s strength in storytelling. Indoor spaces change everything. A room gives your imagination something to do with shadows, corners, and sound. Add in the haunted jukebox detail, and the guide has an easy way to keep the group engaged.

What I like: the tour does not just point at the place and move on. It frames the building as a layered setting, with people, nightlife, and ghost lore overlapping in one space. That makes the experience feel like it has texture rather than being a single “boo” moment.

When the tour ends here, it is also a natural transition. You have the option to stay and have a drink or food. That helps if you want to keep the evening going without jumping right into another activity.

Green Beetle Tavern, Memphis’ oldest stop for two fighting spirits

The Green Beetle is another anchor stop. The tour describes it as Memphis’ oldest tavern, and it ties it to two long-fighting spirits.

This stop feels like a nice change of pace from the heavier, story-heavy locations. A tavern in an old city is a classic container for folklore because people gather, gossip, drink, and argue. That is exactly the kind of environment where ghost stories can develop and grow legs.

As you listen, try to pay attention to how the guide links the spirits to the idea of ongoing conflict. It is not just spooky names. It is a tale about a repeated pattern, which is how good urban legends usually work.

What makes the tour worth it: the guides actually shine

In the reviews, the guides get praised for two things: enthusiasm and clear, fun delivery. Names you might hear include TC and Liz, Jana, Jess, Hannah, Daniel, Talia, and Brian. That lineup matters because a haunted tour depends on pacing and voice as much as it depends on any legend.

For example, one review highlights how TC was enthusiastic and made it fun, while another credits Jess with being helpful and knowledgeable and clearly enjoying paranormal stories. Others call out guides like Daniel for being funny, and Brian for his passion for the city. In practice, that kind of energy usually means you get better story flow, not just facts dumped quickly.

At the same time, there is one fair caution I would share. A review noted that adults might want more straight Memphis history during the tour. So if you are the type who likes dates, people, and context as much as ghost lore, you may want to pair this with one other Memphis history stop the same day to round it out.

Who this haunted walking tour fits best

This tour is a good match if you:

• Want a focused, guided route through downtown Memphis instead of trying to DIY spooky stops.
• Enjoy ghost stories tied to specific places, like theaters and taverns.
• Like tours where the guide’s personality and enthusiasm shape the experience.

It may not be ideal if you:

• Have low fitness needs, since it is not suitable for wheelchair users and it involves walking.
• Want a long indoor museum-style experience at each location, because the route is designed to cover multiple sites in 90 minutes.

If you are traveling with teens, this kind of tour can also be a fun shared event, since it is built around suspense and story rather than lectures.

Practical tips so the tour feels comfortable

Come prepared for walking and listening. The tour recommends comfortable shoes and a camera. I agree, especially because the stops are in older downtown areas where you will want to capture exterior architecture and signage.

Also think about your comfort level with dark stories. This is a haunted tour, and the theme includes vice, voodoo, phantoms, ghosts, and lost souls. If you are sensitive to that kind of tone, you will still be fine with the experience, but I would mentally brace for darker themes rather than a light comedy ghost show.

And keep it simple with what you bring. The tour says weapons or sharp objects are not allowed, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed. If you are traveling as a group, plan to match those rules to avoid last-minute issues.

Should you book the Memphis 90-minute Haunted Walking Tour?

I would book this tour if you want an efficient way to see several famous Memphis locations and hear their haunting legends with a live guide. The $30 price feels justified because you get entry into Ernestine and Hazel’s, not just a sidewalk pass.

I would skip it if you need step-by-step accessibility support or you already know you prefer long, factual history tours over story-driven experiences. Also, if you are expecting a slow, sit-down ghost investigation, this is not that. It is a walk, it moves, and the guide keeps you moving through the stories.

If you like your Memphis with a little danger and a lot of place-based storytelling, this one is a solid evening plan.