Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour

The dead still have stories to tell. Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones combines a warm trolley ride through Savannah with dark local tales, theatrical guides, and after-hours entry to the Andrew Low House and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery. I like the mix of history and humor, and I like that the tour gets you inside historic buildings instead of leaving you on the street. The main catch is that you do not enter a cemetery after dark, so the name promises slightly more gravestones than you will actually see.

I also appreciate the short 1-hour-15-minute format. It gives you a taste of Savannah’s haunted side without consuming your whole evening. Guides such as Madame Rouge, Billy, August, Emmaline, and Barnaby have earned praise for their energy and storytelling, though the tone can vary. Some performances feel spooky and fun, while others may seem too theatrical or light on historical detail.

Key points to know before you book

• After-hours access is the star feature: You enter the Andrew Low House and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery at night, when the old rooms and warehouse feel far more atmospheric.
• The tour does not enter cemeteries: A city ordinance prevents cemetery access after 8 p.m., which affects the Gravestones part of the name.
• The trolley keeps the evening easy: You ride between stories and stops rather than walking through Savannah for the entire tour.
• The tone is PG-13, not a haunted house: Expect murder, strange deaths, and ghost stories, with jokes and period-costumed performances mixed in.
• Guide quality matters: Strong narrators such as Billy, Madame Rouge, Emmaline, Lin, and August have been praised for clear delivery and lively storytelling.
• The price is reasonable for the access: At $39.54 per person, the tour makes the most sense if you value the two indoor stops as much as the trolley ride.

What the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones tour is really like

This is not a serious paranormal investigation, and it is not a quiet history lecture. It is a staged evening tour built around Savannah’s reputation as one of America’s most haunted cities.

You begin at 301 East River Street, near the waterfront. Check in at least 15 minutes before departure. The group can include up to 32 people, so this is small enough to feel organized but not intimate. You board the trolley of the doomed, then settle in for narrated stories about murder, mayhem, suspicious characters, and unexplained happenings.

I would set your expectations early. The trolley ride is warm, easy, and entertaining, but the stories are presented as folklore and reported hauntings rather than hard proof. One guide may create a strong mood with a measured voice and period dress. Another may lean into jokes, acting, and crowd interaction.

That variety is part of the charm, but it also explains the mixed response to the experience. Several guides have been praised for clear voices, good timing, and strong local knowledge. A few people have found the narration too theatrical, too repetitive, or not spooky enough. If you want polished entertainment with historical background, this fits. If you want a restrained, evidence-based account of Savannah’s past, you may prefer a walking history tour.

The trolley ride through Savannah’s darker side

The trolley is more than a ride between stops. It gives you a broad look at Savannah after sunset while the narrator connects streets and buildings to tales of violence, death, and ghosts.

This format works well if your feet are tired from exploring the historic district. You can sit back, stay warm in cool weather, and hear stories without stopping every few minutes. A driver handles the route while the narrator performs, which gives the evening a clear rhythm.

The best guides make the ride feel like live theater with Savannah as the set. Billy has been praised for his storytelling and easy way of sharing local facts. Lin has been described as animated and clear, an important point if you have trouble hearing. August, Emmaline, Barnaby, and Madame Rouge have also received strong praise for keeping the group interested.

I would not book this expecting every minute to be packed with scares. The ride is designed to build atmosphere and introduce stories before the indoor stops. Some tales may feel secondhand or hard to believe. One poor experience described the narration as a long series of claims about what someone supposedly saw, with too little suspense. That is a fair warning for anyone who prefers a stronger storyline.

Still, the trolley is a useful way to cover ground at night. It gives you a look at Savannah’s streets and waterfront without requiring a long walk in the dark. The driver may also add local information. One particularly praised driver, Mr. Larry, shared extra facts and kept the ride comfortable and safe.

Andrew Low House after dark

The Andrew Low House is one of the tour’s most valuable stops. Built on a trust lot facing Lafayette Square, it offers a glimpse of upper-class Savannah life in the nineteenth century, with an original mid-nineteenth-century garden adding to the setting.

The house also has an important connection to Juliette Magill Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA. She was born in Savannah on October 31, 1860, and died in this house on January 17, 1927. That connection gives the stop genuine historical weight beyond its ghost stories.

At night, the house takes on a different mood. Rooms that might feel formal and elegant during the day become more unsettling when the guide talks about death, spirits, and events linked to the building. You receive admission for about 20 minutes, so this is not a full house museum visit. Think of it as a focused after-hours presentation using the building’s real history as a backdrop.

The stairs matter. The tour is not recommended for anyone who cannot safely manage them, and a few people have found the steps difficult, especially older visitors. If stairs are a concern, call the number on your ticket at least 24 hours ahead to ask about arrangements.

I like this stop because it adds substance. Even if you do not believe the ghost accounts, you are seeing an actual Savannah house with an important connection to the city and to Juliette Low. That makes the evening more than a string of spooky claims.

River Street and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery

The second major stop takes you to River Street, where you enter the Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery after dark.

A ship chandlery supplied ships with the practical goods needed for life at sea. The building’s old commercial setting gives the guide a different stage from the refined Andrew Low House. Here, the mood shifts from genteel rooms and family history to a rougher waterfront atmosphere tied to sailors, trade, labor, and danger.

The stop is one of the most theatrical parts of the evening. You may encounter a costumed performer, a dramatic retelling, or a presentation involving paranormal equipment, depending on the program and guide. Some people have enjoyed the warehouse setting and the chance to use paranormal tools. Others have found the warehouse portion slow, silly, or not especially frightening.

That difference comes down to taste. If you enjoy ghost stories with acting and audience participation, this may be the highlight. If you want a tightly argued historical account, it may feel padded.

The setting itself is worth noticing. River Street can be atmospheric at night, and the tour gives you access to a place you would not simply pass through on a standard trolley route. The building, the darkness, and the guide’s performance do much of the work. You do not need to believe every story to appreciate the unusual setting.

Why the cemetery detail matters

The most important practical correction concerns cemeteries. Despite the tour’s name, the current route does not enter a cemetery after dark because of a city ordinance barring cemetery access after 8 p.m.

This catches some people off guard. If your main goal is to walk among graves at night, this is not the right experience. You can visit Savannah’s cemeteries during daytime hours on your own or choose a daytime tour that includes cemetery access.

The absence of a cemetery does not make the tour worthless. The Andrew Low House and Ship Chandlery provide indoor locations with their own historical character. But you should book this for haunted buildings, trolley narration, and theatrical storytelling, not for an after-dark cemetery walk.

How scary is it?

The tour carries a PG-13 rating. The material includes murder, death, disturbing events, and other mature subjects, but the experience is not designed as a full haunted-house attraction.

The fear comes mostly from the setting and the stories. A dark historic room, a costumed narrator, and a tale about a restless spirit can create a pleasant shiver. The humor keeps the mood from becoming grim.

That balance suits many families with older children, couples, and groups of friends. Children under six are not allowed, and infants and toddlers are not recommended. You should also consider how your children respond to stories about murder and ghosts before booking.

The performances are a matter of personal taste. Madame Rouge has been singled out for her energy, while other guides have been praised for being warm, clear, and engaging. A few people have felt that the acting was forced and more comic than frightening. You may love the showmanship, or you may wish the tour spent more time on documented history.

Price, group size, and overall value

The price is $39.54 per person. For a tour lasting about 75 minutes, that is not the cheapest way to hear ghost stories in Savannah. The value depends on what you count as the product.

If you are paying only for a trolley ride and narration, the price may seem high. If you also value nighttime access to two historic buildings, a driver, live guides, and a short route through Savannah, it becomes easier to justify.

The maximum group size is 32 people. That is large enough that you should not expect a private experience, but it is more manageable than a huge coach group. Arrive early if you want to settle in without a last-minute rush.

Food and nonalcoholic drinks are allowed, though alcohol is not permitted. The tour ends back at the same meeting point on River Street, which makes it easy to continue your evening nearby.

The experience is booked about 12 days ahead on average. I would not wait until the last night of a busy Savannah visit, especially if you need a particular evening. You receive a mobile ticket, and the tour is offered in English.

Weather, stairs, and who should book

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather forces a cancellation, you will be offered another date or a full refund. For comfort, plan around the forecast rather than treating this as a fully weatherproof indoor activity. You still board and leave a trolley, and parts of the evening take place outside.

The tour is near public transportation, and most people can take part. Service animals are allowed, but emotional support animals, pets, and animals in training are not permitted.

I think this tour suits:

• Couples who want an easy nighttime activity with a bit of theater
• Friends who enjoy ghost stories and playful scares
• Families with children old enough for PG-13 material
• First-time visitors who want a broad evening look at Savannah
• Anyone who prefers sitting to walking for most of a sightseeing tour

I would choose something else if you want a cemetery visit, a serious history lesson, or a long paranormal investigation. I would also think twice if stairs are difficult or if theatrical acting irritates you.

My take on the guides and storytelling

The strongest part of this experience is the human element. The same route can feel very different depending on who holds the microphone.

Good guides make the stories easy to follow, speak clearly, and balance fact with folklore. Emmaline has been praised for being pleasant and well-informed. Billy is known for an engaging delivery. Madame Rouge brings a bold character to the evening, while Lin has been noted for clear volume and animated storytelling.

That matters on a trolley. You cannot easily move closer if you cannot hear, and a flat narrator can make even a good story drag. If you have hearing trouble, tell the staff when you check in and try to sit where the narrator is easiest to hear.

The driver is part of the experience, too. Brandy, Alice, Brenda, and Mr. Larry have all received positive comments for safe, friendly service. The driver may add useful local facts between the staged segments.

Keep in mind that guide assignments change. Do not book solely because you hope for one particular performer. Treat those names as examples of the level of energy and care you might encounter.

Should you book Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones?

Book it if you want a short, easy evening tour with a spooky theme, two unusual indoor stops, and a healthy dose of showmanship. The Andrew Low House is the strongest reason to go, while the Ship Chandlery adds a darker waterfront setting. At $39.54, the package offers fair value if you enjoy both history and theatrical ghost stories.

Skip it if the cemetery is your main goal, or if you want every story to be tightly documented and genuinely frightening. For the best experience, arrive 15 minutes early, wear comfortable shoes for the stairs, check the weather, and approach the tour as haunted history with live performance rather than proof of the supernatural.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Inside that window, the cost is not refunded, and changes are not accepted. That simple rule makes it worth checking your evening plans before booking.

FAQ

Where does the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones tour depart?

The tour departs from 301 East River Street, Savannah, Georgia 31401. It also ends back at the same meeting point.

How early should I arrive?

You must check in at least 15 minutes before departure. You may arrive earlier if you want extra time to find the meeting point and board without rushing.

Does the tour enter cemeteries?

No. Due to a city ordinance, cemeteries cannot be entered after 8 p.m., and the evening tours do not go inside them.

How scary is the experience?

The tour is rated PG-13 and includes stories about murder, death, and other mature subjects. It is not designed as a haunted-house attraction, and humor is mixed with the darker material.

Are children and pets allowed?

Children under six are not permitted. Service animals are allowed, but pets and emotional support animals are not allowed on the tour.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience begins. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted, and no refund is provided.