Walking Ghost Tour in Memphis

Memphis saves some of its best stories for after dark. This 90-minute walking ghost tour starts near the Lorraine Motel, visits places linked with strange activity, and finishes inside or near Earnestine and Hazel’s, one of the city’s most talked-about haunted spots. Along the way, your guide connects ghost stories with Memphis history, including tales tied to the Arcade Restaurant, the Green Beetle, and the Orpheum Theater.

I like the small-group format, capped at 20 people, and the fact that guides such as Damon, Matt, and Tonya bring different energy to the walk. I also like the use of K2 and SL2 meters and divining rods, which gives you something to do besides simply listen. The main consideration is that this is a short overview, not an exhaustive study of Memphis’s past, and the 90-minute walk takes place outdoors in all weather.

Key points to know before you book

• The route begins at 8 pm near the Lorraine Motel, when the South Main area takes on a fittingly spooky mood.
• Earnestine and Hazel’s is the final stop, giving the tour a memorable finish at one of Memphis’s best-known haunted locations.
• The tour blends local history with paranormal stories, so you get more than a string of ghost tales.
• Some guides use K2 and SL2 meters plus divining rods, adding a hands-on ghost-hunting element.
• The group size is limited to 20 people, which helps you hear the guide and ask questions.
• The $30 price is fair for a 90-minute guided walk, especially if you value local storytelling and a small-group setting.

Starting at The Broom Closet at 8 pm

You meet your guide at The Broom Closet, at 552 South Main Street, at 8 pm. The start time matters here. You are not walking through Memphis in broad daylight and asking someone to pretend it is eerie. The evening setting does part of the work for you.

The experience is built as a walking tour, so wear shoes you can comfortably use on city sidewalks. The tour operates in all weather, and Memphis evenings can change quickly. Bring a light layer or rain protection as needed, since there is no indoor shelter promised for the route.

The group can include up to 20 people. That is large enough to feel social but still small enough for a guide to speak directly to the group. If you want to ask about a particular building or story, this format should give you a better chance than a large bus tour.

The tour includes local taxes and a local guide. A mobile ticket makes check-in simple, though you should keep the ticket available on your phone before arriving. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and service animals are allowed.

The Lorraine Motel and the weight of the first stop

The first listed stop is the Lorraine Motel, outside the National Civil Rights Museum. You spend about 15 minutes looking around the exterior and hearing stories connected with this historic site.

This opening stop gives the tour a useful change of pace. The night does not begin with a quick attempt to frighten you. Instead, the guide places you in a location with serious historical importance before moving into stories of hauntings and unexplained activity.

I appreciate that the stop takes place outside and does not require a separate admission ticket. You should not expect a full museum visit as part of the ghost walk, however. The National Civil Rights Museum is mentioned as the setting for the stop, but this experience does not include admission or a guided tour of the museum.

That distinction matters when you plan your evening. If you want to visit the museum, allow separate time and budget for it. The ghost tour gives you a short look at the motel exterior and related stories, not the complete museum experience.

The Lorraine Motel also helps create the tour’s central mood. Memphis is not treated as a collection of spooky addresses only. The guide uses places with real historical weight, then adds the paranormal stories that have grown around them.

Stories along South Main Street

After the first stop, the guide leads the group through the surrounding South Main area. The experience description points to Earnestine and Hazel’s, the Arcade Restaurant, the Green Beetle, and the Orpheum Theater as locations connected with famous hauntings or paranormal activity.

The exact amount of time spent at each place is not specified, so I would treat these names as part of the route’s storytelling rather than assume that every location receives a long stop. The clearly stated stop times are about 15 minutes at the Lorraine Motel and 15 minutes at Earnestine and Hazel’s.

That said, this part of the walk is likely where the guide’s style matters most. Damon has been praised for combining Memphis history with the ghost stories, while Matt’s presentation has been described as creepy, sad, and interesting enough to leave people wanting more. Tonya has used ghost-hunting equipment to give the group a more active role.

You should expect a mix of spoken stories, stops for photos, and discussion of places with a reputation for unusual activity. The tour is not presented as a theatrical haunted house. Its appeal comes from walking through real city streets and hearing how local stories attach themselves to familiar buildings.

The historical side is important. If you only want jump scares, this may feel too measured. If you enjoy hearing how a city remembers its past, the mix of history and spirits gives the tour more substance.

Earnestine and Hazel’s, the evening’s final stop

The tour ends at Earnestine and Hazel’s, at 531 South Main Street, only a few steps from the starting point. You spend about 15 minutes here, getting close to one of the city’s most notorious haunted locations.

Ending here is practical as well as atmospheric. You do not finish at an isolated point and then face a long walk back to your starting place. You end near where you began, with the option of continuing your evening in the area.

A particularly appealing detail is that the final stop can include time at the bar. One account describes ending with a drink alongside the guide. That does not mean a drink is included in the $30 price, so plan to pay separately if you choose one. It does mean the night can finish in a relaxed, social way rather than with a quick goodbye on the sidewalk.

This stop also gives the tour a stronger sense of place. You are not simply told that a building is haunted from across the street. The format allows you to get close to the site and hear why it has such a reputation.

Still, keep your expectations sensible. Paranormal activity is not guaranteed, and the tools used during the tour are part of the entertainment and storytelling. The value comes from the setting, the guide, and the stories, not from a promise that a meter will register something unusual.

K2 meters, SL2 meters, and divining rods

Several guides have used ghost-hunting equipment during the walk. The items mentioned include K2 meters, SL2 meters, and divining rods.

This equipment changes the rhythm of the tour. Instead of standing quietly while a guide speaks, you may watch the devices and take part in the group’s search for signs of activity. For many people, that makes the experience more playful and memorable.

The tools also help explain why this tour may appeal to people who have already taken a standard history walk. You are still hearing about Memphis, but the group has an activity that keeps the supernatural theme present.

The guide remains the key part of the experience. A device by itself does not explain a place or make a story interesting. The strongest accounts describe guides who provide plenty to hear and do, respond to the group, and keep the evening moving.

If you are highly skeptical of paranormal equipment, you can still enjoy the historical side. You do not need to accept every ghost story literally to appreciate the mood, the architecture, and the way local legends develop.

How the $30 price measures up

At $30, this is not the cheapest way to spend an evening in Memphis, but the price is reasonable for a 90-minute guided walk with a local guide and a group limit of 20.

You are paying for the guide’s preparation, storytelling, route planning, and ability to connect several locations into one evening. The price also covers local taxes. Admission to the listed stops is free, so you are not paying for major attraction tickets as part of the experience.

The value is strongest if you want a social activity with structure. You arrive at a set time, hear stories tied to actual locations, stop for photos, and finish at Earnestine and Hazel’s. You do not need to plan your own route or research every haunting before you arrive.

The value is weaker if you expect a long tour or a full historical account of Memphis. Ninety minutes passes quickly, and one hour of that time is spent walking or moving between locations. Some people will want more detail, especially after hearing stories that raise further questions.

For me, the fair comparison is not with a museum ticket. It is with other evening activities. If you would enjoy a drink and a self-guided walk anyway, the tour adds context, company, and a guide who knows how to frame the city after dark.

Who will enjoy this Memphis ghost walk?

I would recommend this experience to several kinds of visitors.

First-time Memphis visitors get a quick introduction to the South Main area while hearing stories that are easy to remember. The tour places history and local legends in the same streets, which can help you get your bearings early in a visit.

History fans should appreciate the Lorraine Motel stop and the attention to Memphis’s past. The tone is not only spooky. The stories can also be sad, serious, and tied to the city’s identity.

Paranormal fans will like the chance to use or watch K2 and SL2 meters and divining rods. The equipment gives the group a more active role than a basic storytelling walk.

Couples and small groups may enjoy the evening setting and the final stop at Earnestine and Hazel’s. The walk leaves you near the start, so you can continue with your own plans afterward.

I would be more cautious if you have limited mobility or dislike walking outdoors in uncertain weather. The tour operates in all weather, and the supplied information does not give a route distance or details about seating. Most people can participate, but you should be comfortable with a city walking tour.

Families can attend, but children must be accompanied by an adult. The subject matter may include death, hauntings, and sad historical stories, so parents should decide if that tone fits their children.

Timing, weather, and practical planning

The start time is 8 pm, and the experience lasts about 90 minutes. Plan to arrive before the start rather than trying to find the meeting point at the last moment.

The meeting point is The Broom Closet, 552 South Main Street. The end point is Earnestine and Hazel’s, 531 South Main Street. Since the two locations are only a few steps apart, the end point is easy to remember and convenient for returning to the starting area.

The tour is near public transportation. No parking details are provided, so I would not assume that a dedicated parking space is available. If you are driving, allow extra time to handle the area on your own.

Dress for the forecast. Rain does not automatically cancel the tour, and the experience operates in all weather. Comfortable shoes are the most important choice, followed by a coat or umbrella if conditions call for one.

Mobile tickets are accepted, and confirmation arrives at booking. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 8 pm start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted, so keep that deadline in mind when your plans are still moving.

What the guide can add to the night

The guide is the most important variable in a ghost tour. The information available for this experience names Damon, Matt, and Tonya, and each brings a slightly different strength.

Damon has been praised for explaining Memphis history clearly and for joining the group for a drink at the end. Matt’s approach connects the city’s past with stories that can feel creepy and sad, while still leaving room for curiosity. Tonya has used several pieces of paranormal equipment and kept the group involved.

That variety is worth noting. You are not booking a scripted attraction with one guaranteed performer. The tone may depend on who leads your walk, but the core plan remains the same: local history, haunted places, photo stops, and a finish at Earnestine and Hazel’s.

The overall rating is 4.5 out of 5, with 93 percent recommending the experience. The strongest praise centers on guide presentation, interesting Memphis history, and the fun of using ghost-hunting tools. The main criticism is modest: some people may want more detail than a 90-minute route can provide.

Should you book the Walking Ghost Tour in Memphis?

Book it if you want a short, social evening walk that combines Memphis history with paranormal stories. The Lorraine Motel gives the tour a serious opening, Earnestine and Hazel’s provides a memorable finish, and the small group keeps the guide within reach.

The $30 price is a sensible choice for visitors who enjoy local storytelling and do not mind walking outdoors at night. The K2 and SL2 meters and divining rods are a welcome extra for anyone who wants more than a guide speaking while the group listens.

Skip it if you want a full museum visit, a long historical tour, or guaranteed supernatural activity. For everyone else, this is a well-paced way to see a small part of Memphis after dark, hear stories you might miss on your own, and end the night close to a famous haunted bar.

FAQ

How long does the Walking Ghost Tour in Memphis last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 8 pm.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is The Broom Closet at 552 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Earnestine and Hazel’s at 531 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103.

Is the tour suitable for children?

Children may participate, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations and changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.