A great way to get to know Savannah, Georgia, is with the aid of someone who lives there and knows the city’s history. With the help of traveler reviews and editor analysis, U.S. News selected Savannah’s best guided tours, some of which focus on the city’s architecture, others on its food and some on its ghostly residents. Whether you’re walking through the Historic District or riding a Segway through a storied cemetery, you’ll gain an insider’s perspective on Savannah’s top attractions, culture and folklore on these tours.
Editor’s Pick: Gray Line Savannah – Savannah Land & Sea Tour
Price: Adults from $74; kids from $36
Duration: 3 hours
U.S. News independently paid to send Tanvi Chauhan, a travel writer and book author based in Savannah, on this tour to provide readers with an unbiased, first-hand perspective of what to expect. Gray Line Savannah – Savannah Land & Sea Tour was selected by our team as an Editor’s Pick thanks to its popularity and favorable user reviews.
The combination tour offers an excellent way to both begin and conclude your day in the city. The land tour takes place aboard an open trolley bus, with a driver who also serves as your tour guide. Commencing at the Georgia State Railroad Museum, the tour proceeds through numerous renowned landmarks, including the iconic Forsyth Park, the historic Harper Fowlkes House and the infamous Sorrel-Weed House. You’ll also see attractions featured in the New York Times bestseller “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” such as Clary’s Café, and locations from “Forrest Gump,” like Chippewa Square. The bus tour covers the historic district and a portion of River Street only. Popular districts like the Plant Riverside District, the newly developed Eastern Wharf and nonhistoric areas like Starland are not included on the tour. Guides are expert narrators with extensive knowledge of historical periods, especially in the Revolutionary War, Civil War and slave trade history. Due to the fast pace from one location to another, not much in-depth information is provided about any given landmark, making it best suited for travelers interested in a general overview.
The boat tour offers a unique perspective of the city skyline compared to the bus tour. Onboard the Georgia Queen, visitors receive a narrated tour by the captain, covering the history of the Savannah River, the Fort Jackson National Monument (which is visible along the route) and a deeper exploration of the Savannah port’s economics.
Tanvi Chauhan
Why we love it:
- The tour guide may highlight minute details often overlooked in other, more generic tours. Traveling with guide John, for instance, offers casual learning opportunities about Webb Military Museum, the American Legion, the Kessler Mansion, the Gingerbread House, and the Victorian-style Forsyth Animal Hospital, along with amusing anecdotes about Sir Henry Ellis, after whom the Ellis Square is named.
- While meals are not provided on the boat tour, there is a bar with concessions available on both the inside and outside decks. Plus, opting for the 3:30 p.m. tour increases your chances of spotting dolphins (for free), as they’re more active in late afternoon.
- The optimal way to experience this tour is to begin with a land tour at 9:30 a.m., which concludes at 11 a.m. You can request the driver to drop you off at any point on their loop for lunch at the end of the tour (consider trying the renowned Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, open Monday to Friday only). After lunch, explore the city squares and make your way back to River Street to catch the 3:30 p.m. boat tour. The river tour typically finishes just as River Street and the adjacent Plant Riverside District come alive with live music, seafood restaurants, bars and vibrant activity.
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Old Town Trolley – Savannah Hop-on Hop-off Tour
Price: Adults from $45; kids from $20
Duration: 1.5 hours
Old Town Trolley’s hop-on, hop-off tours allow visitors to explore Savannah’s most popular attractions at their own pace. Trollies make 15 stops in total, including Forsyth Park, City Market, River Street, Madison Square, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and Colonial Park Cemetery. If you choose to stay on for the entire ride, the tour takes about 100 minutes. Drivers provide commentary on the city and its sights – a point of praise for most tourgoers. Reviewers suggested riding the entire route at least once before hopping on and off so you can get a sense for the city’s history and attractions.
Tours begin at 9 a.m. and depart every 20 minutes until 5 p.m. If you book online in advance, you could score discounted tickets. The tour company also runs a popular nighttime Ghost & Gravestones trolley tour.
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Genteel & Bard – Savannah History Tour
Price: Adults from $32; kids from $15
Duration: 2 hours
This walking tour takes visitors to many of the city’s most popular downtown attractions, including the Colonial Park Cemetery, the Green-Meldrim House, Jones Street and Lafayette Square. A local historian and storyteller leads the excursion. Many reviewers enthusiastically praise the guide’s in-depth knowledge and passion. Others appreciate the microphone/earbud system that makes it easy to hear the stories even from 100 feet away.
Reservations are required. Tours are generally available Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m.; an additional afternoon tour may be offered on the weekend, depending on the month. For those interested in the supernatural, the family-owned company also leads a Savannah Ghost Encounter Tour as well as a tour through Bonaventure Cemetery.
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Ghost City Tours – Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl
Price: From $30
Duration: 2 hours
The Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl takes visitors to three bars and pubs deemed the city’s “most haunted.” Over the course of the walking tour through Savannah’s Historic District, guides tell stories about the city’s famously spooky history, as well as its distinct architecture and landmarks. According to travelers, the experience is fun and funny (many recount guides telling jokes along the way). However, some travelers wished the stories were scarier and noted that the guide can make or break the tour. Thanks to the city’s open container policy, visitors can carry their drinks in to-go cups from bar to bar.
Tour-takers must be at least 21 years old. Tours are offered nightly at 8 and 9 p.m.; additional tours may be offered on Friday and Saturday evenings, depending on the month. Ghost City Tours also offers ghost tours suited for families and cemetery tours.
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Footprints of Savannah
Price: Adults from $30; kids from $10
Duration: 1.5 hours
Savannah’s history is inextricably linked to slavery, which you can learn during a tour with Footprints of Savannah. Along the walk, you’ll learn about the slave and cotton trade, a slave mart turned Freedmen’s school and more. Travelers say the guide, Vaughnette Goode-Walker, is knowledgeable and engaging. Plus, Goode-Walker encourages questions and discussions throughout the tour, adding an interactive element that tour-takers enjoy.
Tours are limited to four to six participants. You must call the company to reserve your tour at 912-695-3872.
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Pablo and Britt Photography|Courtesy of Savannah Taste Experience
Savannah Taste Experience – Port City Food Tour
Price: From $77
Duration: 3 hours
Savannah Taste Experience’s Port City Food Tour takes visitors to a half-dozen eateries to sample everything from South African-inspired cuisine to ice cream. The food tours are limited to 14 people. Reviewers say that overall the food is tasty and the guides knowledgeable. However, a few were disappointed in the restaurants chosen.
Tours depart daily up to four times a day in both the late morning and early afternoon. Tour fees may vary depending on the season. Tickets include food, but not adult beverages, which can be purchased separately. For families with young children, the company recommends signing up for its First Squares Food Tour.
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Adventure Tours in Motion – 90-Minuete Segway Tour
Price: From $75
Duration: 1.5 hours
According to reviewers, the best way to traverse Savannah’s Historic District is via a Segway with Adventure Tours in Motion. On this tour, you’ll glide past squares, fountains, Telfair Academy and more while your guide shares historical and architectural facts. Along with the ease of using the Segways, travelers express praise for the guides, who they describe as insightful and funny.
Tours are generally offered daily at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The company also offers shorter tours of the city’s Historic District, as well as a Movie Tour that visits some of the city’s top filming locations.
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Old Savannah Tours – Hop On – Hop Off Tour
Price: Adults from $38; kids from $16
Duration: 1.5 hours
On this trolley tour, visitors can take a ride around the Historic District or hop off to explore at any of the 14 must-see stops along the way, including Savannah City Hall, River Street and the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. Trolleys run every 15 to 20 minutes daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 or 5 p.m., depending on the season. Drivers provide running commentary and actors portraying historical figures appear at some stops – a highlight for many reviewers. Others noted waiting longer at trolley stops than advertised.
If the hop-on, hop-off element of the tour doesn’t appeal to you, the company also offers a continuous version of this tour that doesn’t make any stops. Several ghost-themed tours are also available.
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Southern Flavors Savannah – Taste Tour & Pub Crawl
Price: From $60
Duration: 3 hours
Southern Flavors Savannah’s Taste Tour takes small groups (of no more than 12 people) on a walk through downtown Savannah and along its riverfront with stops at six restaurants. In between samples of Lowcountry fare like pimento cheese and peach cobbler, travelers pass by several of the city’s top attractions, including its famous squares. The food, and the respectable quantities of it, receive fulsome praise from reviewers, as do the tour guides, who travelers describe as personable and insightful.
The excursion starts daily at noon. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the ticket fee. Southern Flavors Savannah also conducts a tour focused exclusively on desserts as well as a haunted pub crawl.
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Savannah Bike Tours – Pedal Through History Bike Tour
Price: Adults from $45; kids from $25
Duration: 2 hours
Savannah Bike Tours offers cycling trips that take visitors to some of the city’s most popular attractions. During the 3-mile ride, travelers pass by several of Savannah’s famous squares, Forsyth Park, the Savannah River waterfront, important places to the Girl Scouts and sites that have been featured in well-known movies. According to visitors, the bike tour allows you to cover more ground than a walking tour and includes insider tips from the local guides.
Tours are offered daily at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.; an additional 6 p.m. tour is generally offered on Friday and Saturday. Tickets include the use of bikes with baskets and bottled water. Helmets, which are optional for adults, but mandatory for children, are also available. Electric bike tours and ghost-themed bike tours are also available.
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Bonaventure Cemetery Tours
Price: From $30
Duration: 2 hours
Along this walking tour, you’ll wander through Bonaventure Cemetery’s 100-plus acres with a storytelling guide. You’ll not only hear stories of the grounds, but also see where famous individuals are buried, such as Johnny Mercer, Conrad Aiken and more. Travelers call guides informative and loved their stories.
Tours run daily at 10 a.m.; an additional 8 a.m. or 2 p.m. tour is added to the calendar depending on the season.
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Noble Jones – Savannah Saunter
Price: Adults from $30; kids from $23
Duration: 2 hours
For a crash course in Savannah history, consider this walking tour led by Noble Jones. As you stroll past top sights like Forsyth Park and River Street, you’ll learn about the city’s Colonial and Civil War history, as well as its modern-day renaissance. You’ll also learn about the city’s architecture, a highlight for travelers. Tourgoers also rave about the guides, who they describe as personable and well-versed in Savannah history.
Savannah Saunter tours are available daily in the morning and afternoon (generally 9:30 or 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.). History buffs may also be interested in the company’s Civil War walking tour, which offers a more in-depth look at Savannah’s role before, during and after the war.
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Explore Savannah – Heart of Savannah – 2hr Walking Tour
Price: Adults from $30; kids from $15
Duration: 2 hours
Hear stories about Savannah’s founding, its reputation as one of the most haunted cities in America and its connection to the Girl Scouts on this walk. Tours begin at Wright Square and end at Forsyth Park. Travelers are impressed with the tour’s pace and the guides, who they say personalize the experience for each group and encourage questions. Some reviewers say this walking tour offers a better history lesson than the city’s popular trolley tours.
Tours are offered twice a day at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reservations are required. Explore Savannah also operates private walking tours.
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Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure
Price: Adults from $28; kids from $5
Duration: 1.5 hours
When you need a break from Savannah’s historic squares and ghost stories, consider heading to Tybee Island for a cruise with Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure. On this ride, you’ll cruise around the coastal waters of the barrier island passing historic lighthouses and Fort Pulaski National Monument while dolphins play in the boat’s wake. Reviewers praise the adept captain and crew, and report seeing an abundance of dolphins. Many travelers say this is a great, family-friendly activity.
Tour times vary by month; there is usually at least one morning departure and one afternoon departure. Boats depart from Tybee Island, about 15 miles east of River Street. Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure also offers a sunset tour, in addition to private tours.
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Hearse Ghost Tours – Public Hearse Ghost Tour
Price: From $35
Duration: 75 minutes
Ride around Savannah’s Historic District in a convertible hearse on this ghost tour. Each hearse, which was used by real funeral parlors for more than 1,000 funerals, can hold a maximum of eight passengers. As you ride around town, your guide will regale you with tales about Savannah’s paranormal activity and the stories behind the famous ghosts that supposedly haunt its streets. Reviewers applaud the entertaining guides and call the experience unique. Though it is a ghost tour, travelers say the guides manage to incorporate a fair amount of levity in their storytelling.
Tour times vary by month; the company usually runs at least two tours a night, starting as early as 5 p.m. Private tours are also available.
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