I visited the most haunted bar in Memphis - it’s not for the faint of heart!

Clutching my friend’s hand tighter I took another step forward. ‘We shouldn’t be here,’ I told her, as the other unsuspecting tourist we’d met walked further into the room ahead of us. We’d just crept up the stairs at a quite obviously haunted dive bar on the hunt for ghosts and while the whisky might have spurred me on, suddenly I wasn’t feeling so brave.

Earnestein and Hazel’s has a reputation as the most haunted bar in Memphis - and rightly so.

We’d only come in for a quick drink but had spent the evening listening to tales from the bartenders about jukeboxes turning on at random and doors shaking all on their own. Added to the fact there had been several confirmed deaths over the years and I was feeling very scared right about now.

‘We don’t mean any harm,’ I said out loud, (I know, I sound ridiculous) into the dimly lit hallway. But there was only eerie silence. What I’d have done if someone had answered I have no idea. Suddenly as I watched the door to one of the rooms start to close all on its own I knew we had to get out of there. When I say we ran back down the stairs I mean we ran!

Back downstairs, as I tried to calm my nerves, we listened to more stories about other former (corporeal!) guests including greats Tina Turner and Ray Charles. But the conversation kept coming back to the supernatural. The bartenders talked about the spirits with real respect calling them ‘the ladies’, explaining the bar was once a brothel and that they always want them to know they are friendly, not like the men they might have encountered before. They don’t seem like they’re pulling my leg, and while I know there will be some who say it’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus, I say, see for yourself - I dare you.

A place for music lovers

It’s not all just ghostly goings on, but throughout Memphis there are glimpses of its past. And in some ways it can feel like you’ve stepped back in time - the neon-lit blues clubs on Beale Street, which runs for almost two miles, saw legends like Louis Armstrong and B.B King perform. And over at Sun Studio (£15, sunstudio.com), known as the birthplace of rock and roll, you can stand in the very same spot that Elvis and Johnny Cash first recorded - and even pose with the microphone they used. Of course Memphis’s most famous attraction, Elvis Presley’s Graceland is a must see. Turns out the hip shaker was partial to a ceiling mirror or two (ooh la la!). Tickets from £62, graceland.com.

Catch a show at the Grind City amphitheatre (grindcityamp.com) as the sun sets or give whisky making a go at Old Dominick.

One thing that’s clear in Memphis is the pride people have for their city - strangers are happy to share memories and it even ranks as the most charitable place in the US. But more importantly, they don’t hide from the rest of its past - Martin Luther King was assassinated here in 1968. Visiting the Civil Rights Museum is sobering but essential. Tickets from £18.

Great eats

At Slider Inn (thesliderinn.com), go for the Jameson slushie and the nachos - they come with chilli and in a crisp packet. Hive (hivebagelanddeli.com) is perfect for breakfast (we went for the corned beef and swiss cheese) and over at Central BBQ (eatcbq.com) - where ‘smoke is our sauce’ no meal is complete without the home cooked pork rinds. The hot chicken at Gus’s (gusfriedchicken.com) hit the spot and was manageable heat-wise even for my wimpy tastebuds. Looking for something fancier? Catherine and Mary’s (catherineandmarys.com) does a mean popcorn shrimp and hidden gem Itta Bena’s (ittabenadining.com) smoked bacon with blueberry compote still has my mouth watering.

Factbox

• Where: Memphis, Tennessee. Rooms at boutique hotel Arrive start at £119; arrivehotels.com.
• Best for: History buffs, ghost hunters, music fans
• Getting there: There are no direct flights from London to Memphis. I flew to nearby Nashville and got the Vonlane Shuttle (vonlane.com). The coach journey took just over three hours and you get to relax with free soft drinks and snacks.
• When to go: I visited in August but it was hot! Visit in April - May or October - November if you prefer a cooler climate, and less humidity.
• Don’t miss: Memphis’s oldest café Arcade (arcaderestaurant.com) - Elvis’s favourite breakfast spot - is an institution. Get the mudslide pancakes along with a Shake it Like the King spiked shake, and don’t leave without chatting to Jeff, the owner. His love for his hometown - and stories about Elvis - will put a smile on your face.
• Insider tip: Don’t forget bug spray. Memphis sits along the Mississippi river and those mosquitoes aren’t playing around!
• For more, visit memphistravel.com