iElvis Presley was alive today, he would blow out 90 candles on his birthday cake. Probably of the peanut butter and jelly variety. It’s hard to believe that in the 48 years since King left the building for good, the number of visitors to his beloved Memphis home hasn’t dwindled. Graceland still averages 600,000 tourists a year, making it the second most visited private home in America, beaten only by the White House.

As a huge Elvis fan, I have contributed to Graceland’s visitor numbers over the past two decades and have visited the mansion about 40 times. I’m so familiar with the treasure trove of indoor waterfalls, snarling ceramic tiger sculptures and sand carpets lavishly strewn across floors, walls and ceilings that a visit now feels more like calling in for tea. An aunt’s house is strange. So when I heard that Graceland had unveiled its Presley for a Day experience—a behind-the-scenes tour that pulls back the velvet curtain of the previously off-limits corners of Elvis’ palace—I was intrigued and fired up. It’s southwest Tennessee.

Arriving at the iron gates of Graceland, the white-columned Colonial Revival house that Elvis bought at the age of 22, I was greeted by my personal guide for the day, Amanda Robichaud. At seven hours long, Presley is a marathon, not a sprint, for an exciting day, but Amanda is on hand to fill us in with her insider knowledge of gold dust. “Everybody knows Elvis in a suit or a cover-up. But not everyone knows Elvis who had 247 pairs of pajamas. This is the Elvis that we will discover today.” Amanda calls over her shoulder as we take the secret side entrance and roll around the 13.8 acre property on a golf cart like Elvis and his friends.

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First stop is Graceland Stables, where Elvis kept a herd of horses, which he was fond of riding while on the Hollywood film set. Riding horses was therapeutic for Elvis, his ex-wife Priscilla explains via video of him running in the barn. The superstar can often be seen riding horses in Graceland, stopping by the side of the road to get autographs and being snapped in his cute cowboy outfits. A Stetson hat sat on his head and a silk scarf was tied around his neck. I follow in Sam Elvis’ footsteps by turning in the saddle and running into the front paddock for a photo opportunity, the Great Mansion looming in the background. Riding through sun-drenched fields with white picket fences, it’s easy to see how Elvis’s pastimes gave him respite from the pressures of his unprecedented fame.

After lunching on Elvis’ favorite Southern cuisine, served in the newly renovated barn where his daughter Lisa Marie once kept her horse, we’ll shake our feet and visit the archives. White gloves at the ready, I’m shown a carousel of Graceland curiosities usually hidden from guests on the standard tour. There are cufflinks with diamonds the size of a silver dollar that a petrified Elvis wore on his wedding day, a Las Vegas cape with a dazzling burnished gold fabric, and a paper trail that ranges from ordinary bills to a $560 barber’s bill and an expensive $560 bill. Handwritten letter of appreciation from singer Johnny Cash, all carefully recorded by Elvis. father

“Vernon Presley never saw a piece of paper he didn’t want to keep,” said Graceland archivist Dee Dee Antell of the hoarding tendencies that clearly ran through Elvis. This astonishing collection captures the story of Elvis’ life in a concise and concise manner. From the battered old trunk he used to transport his impoverished family’s belongings from their log cabin in Mississippi to the showman’s flamboyant wardrobe of 88 custom-designed suits. “If Elvis liked something, he got it in any color,” says Beekeeper Dee Dee, who has spent the past 27 years organizing the King’s worldly possessions.

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Before we leave the archives, DD has one last thing to show and tell. “This is a poem called A priceless gift Elvis ordered for his daughter’s fourth birthday. When Elvis presented the finished script, he was so emotional that the words were smeared on the page after tears.

Our tour culminates with an after-hours tour of Graceland’s interior, where we have the house to ourselves. Stepping into the plush lobby, all is quiet. Without guests lining up behind the ropes, there’s plenty of time to linger on details, from the chandelier damaged by one of Elvis’ enthusiastic karate moves to the privacy panel at the top of the staircase the singer uses. Before entering a grand entrance, spy on the people around it.

On Elvis’ moonlit tombstone, I think for a moment. Little is known about the star who lives her life in the public arena. Each and every one of her lips captured with a magnificent technique. Every hip turn was witnessed by the frenzied crowd. Instead, this epic tour offers a glimpse into the man behind the legend—a poor boy on the wrong side who couldn’t rely on his newfound fame and fortune, instead piling up pajamas, nightgowns, and letters of praise. A martial arts fan who is trying to master his back kicks will be kidnapped one day. An emotional father who shed tears with a poem he wrote for his child. It is comforting that Elvis is still living in his Graceland home 90 years after his birth.

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how to do it

The Presley tour costs $6,000 (£4,800) for a day for a group of up to four people, including a personal tour guide, an after-hours visit to the mansion and a $450 (£358) luggage bag. A portion of the proceeds from each tour goes to support local Memphis charities through the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation.

where to stay

The guesthouse at the Graceland Hotel is just a five-minute walk from the Graceland Mansion and features two on-site restaurants, a theater, and an outdoor pool and bar.

Four more places to visit in Memphis for Elvis fans

Lansky brothers

Housed inside the Peabody Hotel, this tailor’s house has kept Elvis in the limelight throughout his career. For Elvis’ 90th birthday, they released a limited-edition rockabilly-inspired t-shirt and poster designed by illustrator Betty Harper. lanskybros.com

Everton Park Shell

Elvis burst onto the scene at this iconic music venue in 1954 and changed the course of rock and roll history forever. The one-hour, no-access tour takes visitors backstage to the Green Room, where everyone from Carl Perkins to ZZ Top has performed. overtonparkshell.org

Lauderdale Courts

Sleep in Elvis’ teenage bedroom by renting this two-bedroom apartment. A night’s accommodation costs $250 / £200 and can be booked by contacting the management company directly.

Arcade Restaurant

Hold the booth at the end of this dinette – Elvis’ favorite seat in the house. This photogenic hangout has been a regular since Elvis was featured in a variety of films including company and Walking the line; arcaderestaurant.com

See for more information memphistravel.com.