Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour

Savannah’s trolley of the doomed offers a lively look at the city after dark, then gets you inside two atmospheric sites that are normally experienced in daylight. You will hear stories of murder, strange deaths, wandering spirits, and old Savannah characters while moving between the stops by trolley.

I like the after-hours access to the Andrew Low House and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery. I also like the mix of history and humor, which keeps the 75-minute ride from becoming a grim lecture. The main thing to consider is tone: the theatrical scenes please some people and feel too silly or thinly scripted to others.

Key points to know before you book

• Two indoor stops add substance: You do more than ride around town. The Andrew Low House and River Street’s Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery provide short, atmospheric visits after dark.
• No cemetery visit: City rules prohibit cemetery entry after 8 p.m., so the name Ghosts & Gravestones is more about the subject matter than an actual nighttime graveyard walk.
• The guides shape the evening: Guides including Billy, Emmaline, Lin, Madame Rouge, August, Barnaby, Jojo, and Bella Rouge have received especially warm praise for their energy, storytelling, and period-style presentation.
• The ride lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes: That makes this an easy evening activity, but it also means the stories move quickly and the indoor visits are brief.
• Plan for stairs: The tour is not recommended for anyone who cannot safely use stairs. The Andrew Low House can be difficult for some older visitors.
• The tour is PG-13: The subject matter includes murder and other dark events, but this is not designed as a full haunted-house scare attraction.

Savannah after sunset, with a trolley full of ghost stories

This experience works best when you want a taste of Savannah’s spooky side without committing to a long walking tour. You sit aboard a trolley while a narrator in period clothing presents stories about the city’s darker past. The driver handles the route, and the narrator provides the main performance.

The trolley is useful here. Savannah’s historic district covers a good deal of ground, and you can see more of it without spending the whole evening on foot. You also get a warm, sheltered seat, a detail that matters on a cool or rainy night.

The route is not simply a sightseeing loop. The narration points toward Savannah’s reputation as one of America’s most haunted cities, with accounts of murder, mayhem, unexplained happenings, and restless spirits. Some stories are presented as local lore rather than hard fact, so you should expect atmosphere and storytelling more than a history seminar.

That distinction matters. If you want careful dates, architectural detail, and a full account of Savannah’s past, a daytime walking tour may serve you better. If you want a brisk evening show that folds local history into ghost tales, this trolley tour is a good fit.

The trolley narration: history, humor, and a little theater

The quality of the evening depends heavily on the narrator. Strong guides make the stories easy to follow and give the ride a sense of occasion. Billy has been singled out for his storytelling and command of Savannah’s past. Emmaline, Lin, August, Barnaby, Jojo, Madame Rouge, and Bella Rouge have also been praised for keeping the group involved.

The best version of this tour balances three elements:

• A clear account of what happened, or what is said to have happened
• A sense of place as you pass Savannah’s old streets and squares
• A touch of theatrical presentation without turning every story into a skit

Some guides lean into the performance more than others. Period dress and dramatic delivery help set the mood, and several guides use humor to keep the material from becoming too heavy. That approach works well for families with older children and groups of friends who want an entertaining night out.

It can also miss the mark. A few people find the acting too broad, especially when the guide relies on repeated claims about something heard from someone else. If you prefer restrained storytelling and documented history, you may find the narration less convincing.

The ride itself is generally easy to manage. Check in at least 15 minutes before departure at 301 East River Street. The group can contain up to 32 people, so this is smaller than a large sightseeing bus but not an intimate private tour.

Andrew Low House after dark

The Andrew Low House is the first major indoor stop, with about 20 minutes set aside for the visit. The house faces Lafayette Square and sits on a trust lot with its original mid-19th-century garden. Its rooms offer a look at the polished urban life of Savannah’s well-to-do residents.

The building also has a strong connection to Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA. She was born in Savannah in 1860 and died in this house in 1927. That connection gives the stop more weight than a generic haunted building. You are seeing a real historic home tied to an important American figure, while also hearing about its supernatural reputation.

The after-dark setting changes the feel of the place. A house that might seem refined and formal by day becomes more suggestive at night, especially when the guide links rooms and residents to stories of spirits or unusual events. You are not simply looking at furniture and architecture. You are asked to picture the house as a lived-in place with family tensions, illness, death, and memory.

Allow enough energy for stairs. The tour is not recommended for people who cannot safely navigate them, and one practical warning is worth taking seriously: older visitors may find the stair sections challenging. If you use a wheelchair or have mobility concerns, call the number on your ticket at least 24 hours ahead to ask about arrangements.

The 20-minute stop is enough for an introduction, not a full house tour. You will get the setting and the main stories, but you should not expect a detailed architectural study or a long period to explore each room.

River Street and the Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery

The second important setting is River Street, an area tied to Savannah’s port activity and its long working past. Here, you enter Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery after dark. A ship chandlery traditionally supplied vessels with equipment and provisions, so the building’s purpose fits naturally with stories about sailors, commerce, danger, and life along the river.

This is often the most theatrical part of the evening. One stop includes a dramatized scene, and some versions of the tour use paranormal equipment or a costumed character to add a stronger scare element. The warehouse-like setting gives the guide room to create suspense in a way that is harder to achieve aboard a moving trolley.

For many people, this is the point when the tour feels most like a ghost attraction. For others, the performance feels forced or goes on too long. Your reaction will depend on how much theater you want. The stop is not a quiet historical visit. It is designed to make the stories immediate and entertaining.

River Street also gives the tour a useful change of scene. Instead of hearing every story from a seat on the trolley, you step into locations connected with Savannah’s past. That break helps the 75-minute experience feel more varied.

Keep your expectations in check about actual ghost sightings. The tour presents haunted stories and paranormal themes, but there is no promise that you will see a ghost. If you want documented supernatural investigation, this is not that kind of activity. If you enjoy spooky storytelling with a live performance, the warehouse stop may be the highlight.

Why the cemetery detail matters

The title can create a false expectation. Despite Ghosts & Gravestones in the name, the tour does not enter Savannah cemeteries after 8 p.m. because of a city ordinance. Most departures take place after that time, so you should plan on hearing about graveyards and the people connected with them rather than walking through one at night.

This is one of the most important booking details. If your main goal is an evening cemetery visit, this tour will not provide it. A daytime cemetery visit or a separate daytime sightseeing tour would be a better choice.

The restriction does not remove all of the historical value. Savannah’s stories of death, burial, epidemics, war, and family loss still form part of the narration. You simply experience those stories from the trolley and the two indoor stops.

How much value do you get for $39.54?

At $39.54 per person, this sits in the moderate range for a hosted evening activity. The price includes the narrated tour and local taxes, but not food or drinks. Since the experience lasts about 75 minutes, the cost is not low if you measure it only by time.

The value improves because you receive more than a trolley ride. The price covers transport around the historic district, a live narrator, and nighttime entry to the Andrew Low House and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery. Paying for those stops separately, along with a stand-alone ghost walk, could take more planning and time.

I would see it as a good use of money for a first evening in Savannah, especially if you want an easy introduction to the city’s darker stories. It is less attractive if you have already taken a detailed historic walking tour and want new information rather than a performance.

The group size, up to 32 people, also affects value. You get a shared experience, not a private guide who can adjust every story to your interests. Sit where you can hear clearly. One useful strength of the tour is that some narrators, including one praised by a visitor with hearing difficulty, speak at a clear and comfortable volume without shouting.

Timing, weather, and practical planning

Arrive at 301 East River Street at least 15 minutes before departure. The tour ends back at the same meeting point, which makes it easy to plan dinner or another activity nearby afterward.

The trolley provides shelter, but weather still matters. This activity requires good weather, and poor conditions can lead to a new date or a full refund. Rain can also make the outdoor portions less pleasant and make stairs or pavement more difficult, so a dry forecast is worth prioritizing.

Food and nonalcoholic drinks are allowed aboard. Alcohol is not permitted. Service animals are accepted, but pets and emotional support animals are not allowed.

Children under six cannot join the tour. The PG-13 rating is a useful guide for the rest of your group. The material concerns murder, death, and disturbing events, though the presentation is meant to be frightening fun rather than a full fun-house attraction.

The tour is offered in English only. Most people can take part, but the stair issue at the Andrew Low House deserves more attention than the short booking details usually suggest.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would recommend it to couples, friends, families with older children, and first-time visitors who want a low-effort evening activity. The trolley lets you cover ground, the indoor stops break up the ride, and the humor keeps the mood from becoming relentlessly grim.

It is especially suitable if you enjoy guides who perform their material. Madame Rouge, Bella Rouge, Billy, and the other named narrators have shown how much personality can change the experience. A strong storyteller can make a familiar ghost tale feel fresh.

You may want something else if you prefer serious history, quiet museum visits, or a long walking tour. One person who combined this with a walking tour found the walking guide more informative. That is a fair comparison: the trolley tour gives you selected stories and theatrical moments, while a good walking tour often offers more detail about buildings, streets, and documented events.

It is also not the best pick for anyone expecting a cemetery walk or a guaranteed paranormal encounter. Book it for the storytelling and atmosphere, not for proof of the supernatural.

Should you book Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones?

Book this tour if you want a compact Savannah night out with a warm trolley ride, two after-dark indoor stops, and a lively guide. The Andrew Low House gives the experience real historical grounding, while Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery supplies the strongest spooky setting.

At $39.54, I think the tour offers fair value when you treat it as a short live show with local history, rather than a deep historical study. Choose a clear evening, arrive early, and be ready for stairs and theatrical humor.

Skip it if you mainly want a cemetery visit, a quiet history lesson, or a more serious ghost investigation. For everyone else, this is a pleasant way to meet Savannah’s shadowy side without giving up your whole evening.

FAQ

Where does the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour depart?

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

How early should I arrive?

You should check in at least 15 minutes before the tour begins. You may check in earlier if you prefer.

Does the tour enter Savannah cemeteries?

No. Because of a city ordinance, cemeteries cannot be entered after 8 p.m. Since most tours take place after that time, the experience does not include nighttime cemetery entry.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The Andrew Low House portion lasts about 20 minutes, with the remaining time spent on the trolley and at the other stop.

Are children and pets allowed?

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

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded. If poor weather causes the operator to cancel, you will be offered another date or a full refund.