Must Do Savannah: The Complete Guide to Cemeteries, History, and Nighttime Fun

Must do Savannah experiences include touring Colonial Park or Bonaventure Cemetery, taking a Black history tour, and finishing the day with a ghost tour or a sunset cruise on the river. Between the moss-draped squares and the sheer number of historic sites packed into one walkable downtown, most first timers underestimate just how much ground there is to cover here.

Colonial Park or Bonaventure Cemetery: Which Should You Visit?

Both, ideally, but they deliver very different experiences and are worth understanding before you pick.

Cemetery	Location	Best Approach
Colonial Park Cemetery	Historic District	Self-guided, free DOT shuttle access
Bonaventure Cemetery	Outskirts of the city	Guided tour recommended, requires a ride

Colonial Park Cemetery sits right in the Historic District, an easy walk or a quick ride on the free DOT shuttle, which drops visitors within a block of the gates. This is Savannah’s oldest cemetery, and locals recommend simply reading up on its history beforehand and exploring on your own rather than booking a formal guided tour, since the site is compact enough to navigate without one. It’s a sobering place too, home to 666 victims of the devastating 1820 Yellow Fever epidemic, buried together in one section. Bonaventure Cemetery, by contrast, sits on the outskirts of the city and requires a car or organized tour to reach. Its sheer scale and depth of history make paying for a guided tour genuinely worthwhile here, since a self-guided wander risks missing most of what makes the site special. Spring is consistently cited as the best season to visit, when thousands of pink azaleas bloom throughout the grounds. Both cemeteries remain active burial sites, so keeping a respectful distance from anyone visiting a loved one matters at either location.

What Black History Tours Are There in Savannah?

Several genuinely significant options exist, and choosing between them matters less than simply committing to one. The Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters offers an unusually well preserved look at both the grand main residence and the enslaved workers’ quarters on the same property, giving visitors a fuller, more honest picture than touring the main house alone. First African Baptist Church holds real historical weight as one of the oldest Black churches in the country, with a story deeply tied to the congregation’s role in the city’s history. Pin Point Heritage Museum sits further outside downtown, centered around the former A.S. Varn and Son Oyster Factory, and while reaching it requires a drive, it delivers a genuinely worthwhile look at a distinct Gullah Geechee community’s history. For a guided walking tour led by a local historian, Sistah Patt’s Underground Tours of Savannah consistently earns strong recommendations for weaving these threads together into one cohesive, powerful narrative.

What Are the Best Walking Tours in Savannah?

Savannah is best explored on foot, and locals note it’s genuinely common for visitors to rack up 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day without even realizing it until they check their phone that evening. Jones Street, lined with homes largely built in the mid 1800s and marked with historic plaques noting each building’s age, consistently earns the title of the prettiest street in the city. Factors Walk, home to the Old Cotton Exchange building and the genuinely mysterious Cluskey Vaults, has a distinctly atmospheric, almost eerie feel that makes it a favorite for anyone wanting to feel like they’ve stepped back in time. River Street rounds out the essential walks, and a sunset stroll here to watch massive cargo ships glide past the Talmadge Bridge remains one of the most classic Savannah activities, with the ships towering surprisingly high over the riverfront buildings.

What Are the Squares in Savannah?

Savannah’s historic district is built on a distinctive grid system containing more than 22 squares, small park-like green spaces scattered throughout downtown where visitors can pause in the shade and read the historic markers detailing each square’s story. Troup Square stands out for its quiet, peaceful atmosphere and a striking Armillary Sphere at its center. Monterey Square holds particular fame as the setting for the Mercer Williams House, while Columbia Square offers another worthwhile stop along a walking route. Chippewa Square remains the most recognizable of them all thanks to the Forrest Gump connection, where the film’s famous narration scene was set. The squares change character with the seasons, and locals tend to favor the quieter, more residential options over the busier ones nearer the river, though each genuinely has something worth pausing for.

Should You Take a Hop-On-Hop-Off or Nonstop Trolley Tour?

Trolley Type	Time Commitment	Best For
Hop-on-hop-off	All day	Flexible exploring, stopping wherever interests you
Nonstop narrated	60 to 90 minutes	A quick overview, mobility or heat concerns

Both trolley formats work well depending on your energy level and how much time you have. The hop-on-hop-off option technically runs all day, though most of that time is actually spent off the trolley exploring each stop rather than riding, making it the better choice for travelers wanting real flexibility. The nonstop narrated trolley delivers a faster, more condensed overview in just 60 to 90 minutes, which suits travelers with mobility concerns or anyone visiting during Savannah’s brutal summer humidity who’d rather stay in air conditioning than walk the full Historic District on day one.

What Is There to Do at Night in Savannah?

Ghost tours consistently rank as the single most popular activity among Savannah visitors, and it’s practically considered a rite of passage during a trip here. Options span walking tours, pub crawls, haunted trolley rides, and paranormal investigations, so there’s genuinely something for every comfort level, whether you want a family-friendly overview or something more intense. For travelers wanting a quieter, self-directed version of the same thrill, visiting some of the city’s most reportedly haunted spots without a guided group can feel genuinely more unsettling than touring with a crowd of fellow tourists. Beyond ghost tours, a sunset dinner cruise or an evening stroll along River Street to watch the cargo ships pass under lights both make for a memorable, lower-key nighttime option if the paranormal side of Savannah isn’t quite your thing.

Is the Sorrel-Weed House Worth Touring?

Yes, particularly for anyone wanting to actually step inside a reportedly haunted building rather than just hearing stories from the street outside. This is one of the few haunted homes in the city that visitors can tour the interior of, and while the house shows real wear in places, the architectural details throughout remain genuinely beautiful. For travelers wanting to push the experience further, the property even offers after-hours paranormal lock-ins for anyone brave enough to spend real time inside after dark.

Is the Georgia Queen Dinner Cruise Worth It?

Yes, and it offers a genuinely different perspective on Savannah compared to exploring the streets on foot. This steamboat cruise along the riverfront lets you see the warehouse district from the water, with several options including dinner and drinks built into the experience. The sunset cruise consistently earns the strongest recommendation for the views alone, while a Monday evening gospel dinner cruise adds live music and a distinctly different atmosphere for anyone visiting on that specific night of the week.

What Is the Free Savannah Belles Ferry?

For travelers wanting river views without the cost of a dinner cruise, the Savannah Belles Ferry offers a free, much faster round trip across the Savannah River. It won’t deliver the dinner, drinks, or live music of the Georgia Queen, but as a quick way to see the city from the water at no cost, it’s genuinely hard to beat, and pairing a ferry crossing with a River Street sunset walk covers the same water views for free.

What Are Unusual Things to Do in Savannah?

Savannah’s reputation for eccentric residents has produced an equally eccentric lineup of quirky businesses and experiences. Families traveling with kids should head to the west end of River Street to explore the lobby of the JW Marriott Plant Riverside, set up like a natural history museum complete with a genuinely striking 135-foot chrome dinosaur and pterodactyl statues hanging from the ceiling, plus free concerts throughout the surrounding entertainment district. For a slower, more relaxed activity, Savannah’s independent bookstores, including Books on Bay, The Book Lady, The Stacks, and E. Shaver, Bookseller, all make for a lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon, with E. Shaver in particular known for its charming resident shop cat and its selection of locally authored titles.

Final Thoughts

Checking off the real must do Savannah list comes down to pacing yourself across a genuinely dense Historic District rather than trying to see everything in one rushed day. Pick Colonial Park for a free, self-guided cemetery visit or splurge on a guided Bonaventure tour, choose a trolley format that matches your energy and the season, and save room in the evening for a ghost tour or a sunset cruise along the river. Whether it’s wandering Jones Street at golden hour or watching a cargo ship glide past River Street after dark, the best must do Savannah experiences reward travelers willing to slow down and actually explore.

FAQs

Is Savannah walkable?

Yes, extremely, and it’s genuinely common for visitors to log 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day exploring the Historic District, so comfortable shoes matter more than almost any other packing decision.

What is the prettiest street in Savannah?

Jones Street consistently earns this title, lined with mid-1800s homes, brick sidewalks, and magnolia trees that match exactly what most people picture when they imagine Savannah’s Historic District.

How do you watch cargo ships in Savannah?

Head to River Street around sunset and check the Marine Traffic website beforehand to see when the largest cargo ships are scheduled to pass beneath the Talmadge Bridge for the best viewing timing.

Are Savannah’s ghost tours family-friendly?

Many are, since options range from lighthearted, family-friendly walking tours to more intense paranormal investigations and haunted trolley rides, so checking the specific tour’s tone before booking helps match it to your group.