Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour

Savannah gets stranger after sunset. The Ghosts & Gravestones trolley tour mixes dark local stories, theatrical guides, and two after-hours stops in a way that feels more like a small night show than a simple sightseeing ride. I like the easy one-hour-15-minute format, and I especially like the rare chance to enter the Andrew Low House and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery after dark. The main drawback is that the tour cannot enter Savannah’s cemeteries at night, so the name promises a little more gravestone time than you actually get.

I also like the balance of history and humor. Guides such as Billy, Emmaline, Lin, Madame Bella Rouge, and August have earned praise for bringing energy and clear storytelling to the ride. Still, the style can vary: some people enjoy the acting, while others find it too silly or want more solid history and less performance.

• After-hours access: Visit the Andrew Low House and River Street’s Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery at night.
• A moving history lesson: Hear stories of murder, strange deaths, and Savannah’s haunted past from a costumed narrator.
• No cemetery entry: City rules prevent access to cemeteries after 8 p.m., so this is not a graveyard walking tour.
• Short and focused: The ride lasts about 75 minutes, making it easy to fit into an evening.
• Smallish group size: The trolley holds no more than 32 people, which helps the narration feel personal.
• Family limits: Children under six are not permitted, and the tour carries a PG-13 tone.

What the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Tour Actually Feels Like

The tour begins at 301 East River Street, where you board Old Town Trolley’s trolley of the doomed. You are not signing up for a serious paranormal investigation. This is a narrated sightseeing ride with spooky stories, period costumes, staged scenes, and a few theatrical surprises.

The trolley format works well in Savannah. You get a look at the city after dark without walking the full route, and your guide can connect different streets and buildings to tales of murder, disease, betrayal, and restless spirits. The stories focus on Savannah’s darker side, but the tone is usually playful rather than grim.

I would rate the scare level as moderate. The tour is officially aimed at a PG-13 audience because some stories cover mature subjects, but it is not designed as a haunted-house attraction. You might feel a shiver during the indoor scenes, but you will also hear jokes, see comic acting, and share the ride with people who are there as much for Savannah’s past as for ghosts.

The quality depends heavily on your narrator. Billy has been praised for a strong command of the stories and an easy way of telling them. Emmaline, Lin, August, and Madame Bella Rouge have also received warm praise for their energy and presentation. One particularly useful detail from the feedback is that Lin spoke clearly and at a comfortable volume, which matters on a moving trolley where engine noise and street sounds can interfere.

The Trolley Ride Through Savannah After Dark

The ride is the backbone of the experience. While you sit inside the trolley, the narrator describes sinister characters and unsettling events tied to Savannah. You may hear whispers of murder, mayhem, unexplained sightings, and the city’s reputation as one of America’s most haunted places.

This portion is best viewed as a guided introduction to Savannah’s spooky folklore. It gives you a sense of how the city’s old squares, homes, waterfront, and churches have collected stories over generations. You will not receive a full academic lecture on every building, but you will get a series of memorable tales that can add a new mood to places you may have already seen during the day.

The ride also lets the guide use humor to keep the material from becoming oppressive. That balance is one of the tour’s strengths. Several guides have been praised for being animated, friendly, and entertaining, while one person felt the narration became repetitive and relied too much on secondhand ghost stories.

That split is important. If you want a carefully documented study of Savannah’s past, you may find parts of the ride light on detail. If you enjoy storytelling, costumes, and a spooky frame around local history, the trolley section should suit you better.

The driver also has a role beyond simply moving the vehicle. Brenda, Alice, Brandy, and Mr. Larry were singled out for safe, pleasant service, and one person enjoyed Mr. Larry’s extra comments about Savannah and boats along the coast. These touches can make the ride feel more like a local introduction than a basic transfer between stops.

Andrew Low House After Hours

The Andrew Low House is the tour’s most distinctive historic stop. Built on a trust lot facing Lafayette Square, the house offers a look at nineteenth-century Savannah domestic life, complete with its original mid-nineteenth-century garden.

The connection to Juliette Gordon Low adds real local importance. She was born in Savannah on October 31, 1860, founded the Girl Scouts of the USA, and died in the Andrew Low House on January 17, 1927. That gives the building a strong human link to the city, even for people who are not especially interested in ghost stories.

You spend about 20 minutes here, with admission included. The after-dark setting changes how the house feels. Rooms and stairways take on a more dramatic mood, and the guide can frame the building through stories of its former residents and reported supernatural activity.

Do not expect a long museum visit. Twenty minutes is enough for a focused presentation, but not enough to explore every room at a slow pace. You also need to be ready for stairs. One person with limited mobility found the stairs challenging, and the tour is not recommended for anyone who cannot safely navigate them.

I like this stop because it gives the tour a solid historic anchor. Even if you remain skeptical about ghosts, the house itself is worthwhile. You are seeing a Savannah residence with a direct connection to one of the city’s best-known figures, presented at a time of night when its old interiors feel especially atmospheric.

River Street and the Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery

The River Street stop shifts the mood from elegant residential Savannah to the waterfront. River Street has long been linked with trade, shipping, warehouses, and hard working lives, making it a natural setting for stories about spirits and violent events.

The special access is to Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery. A ship chandlery traditionally supplied vessels and sailors, so the building’s waterfront purpose fits the tour’s maritime tone. After dark, the narrow interiors and old commercial setting provide a stronger theatrical backdrop than the open trolley route.

This is also where the tour seems to reach its most dramatic point. Some people enjoyed the warehouse presentation, a costumed character, and the chance to use paranormal equipment. Others found the warehouse section slow, pointless, or too heavily acted. Your reaction will depend on how much you enjoy interactive theater.

The stop is not only about ghosts. It gives you a glimpse of the working riverfront and reminds you that Savannah’s past was shaped by shipping, commerce, and people passing through the port. If you have already toured River Street during daylight, the nighttime visit still offers a different mood.

Plan for some walking and indoor movement at the stops. The tour begins and ends at the same River Street meeting point, which makes dinner planning simple. You do not need to arrange a separate return ride unless you choose to continue elsewhere after the tour.

Why You Cannot Visit the Cemeteries

The title includes Gravestones, but the tour does not enter Savannah’s cemeteries. A change in city ordinance prohibits cemetery access after 8 p.m., and most departures take place later than that.

This is the single most important expectation to set before booking. If your main goal is to walk among old tombstones at night, this tour will disappoint you. Instead, you will hear cemetery-related stories as part of the narration and visit historic buildings and the waterfront.

For a cemetery visit, plan a separate daytime outing. The Ghosts & Gravestones trolley tour works better as a nighttime history and theater experience, not as a cemetery exploration.

How Much Value Do You Get for $39.54?

At $39.54 per person, this is not the cheapest way to hear ghost stories in Savannah. You are paying for a branded trolley operation, a guide, a driver, local taxes, and entry to two locations that are not presented as ordinary daytime stops during this outing.

The value improves if you want several elements in one short evening:

• A narrated ride through Savannah
• A costumed storyteller
• Two indoor stops
• After-hours access to the Andrew Low House
• A waterfront setting
• A return to the original meeting point

The price is harder to justify if you want a serious history lecture or a long walking tour. One person felt a separate walking tour provided more information. That makes sense: walking guides can spend more time at each square and building, while a trolley tour must keep moving and fit its stories into a fixed schedule.

I see this as a good value for couples, friends, and families with older children who want an entertaining introduction to Savannah at night. It is less appealing for a person who has already taken several Savannah history tours and wants new, detailed research rather than a theatrical retelling.

The tour usually fills about 12 days ahead of time, so I would not leave it until the final evening of a busy visit. A mobile ticket is convenient, and you should check in at least 15 minutes before departure. The maximum group size is 32, which is fairly manageable, though the trolley setting still means you are part of a shared production rather than a private tour.

The Guide Makes or Breaks the Evening

The strongest praise is aimed at the guides. Billy has been described as a gifted narrator, while Emmaline has been praised for being both pleasant and well informed. Madame Bella Rouge received especially warm attention for her theatrical presence, and August was noted for being friendly and able to explain the material clearly.

That range tells you what to expect from the best departures. A strong guide does more than recite ghost stories. The guide sets the pace, explains the city’s past, knows when to let a pause build suspense, and uses humor without turning every moment into a joke.

But the experience is not perfectly consistent. Some people found the acting forced, and one person wanted a better storyline. Another felt the narrator talked too much about what someone else supposedly saw, which made the supernatural claims less convincing.

I would treat the tour as folklore with historical settings, not as proof of paranormal activity. You may enjoy the stories more if you do not need every haunting to be verified. The best payoff comes from the atmosphere, the buildings, and the way Savannah’s real past blends with local legends.

Who Should Book This Tour?

I would recommend it to you if you want a short evening activity with a mix of sightseeing, storytelling, and light scares. It fits especially well after a daytime tour of Savannah’s squares, since the nighttime ride gives familiar places a new mood.

It is also a good choice for:

• Couples looking for an easy evening outing
• Friends who enjoy theatrical ghost stories
• Families with children aged six and up
• People who want to visit the Andrew Low House after dark
• First-time visitors who want a broad introduction to Savannah’s haunted folklore
• Anyone who prefers riding to a long nighttime walking tour

You may want something else if you are looking for a serious paranormal investigation, a cemetery walk, or a detailed architectural tour. The tour is also a poor fit if stairs are difficult for you, since the historic stops require movement through old buildings.

Food and nonalcoholic drinks are allowed, but alcohol is not. Service animals are permitted, while pets and emotional support animals are not. Most people can take part, but infants and toddlers are not recommended, and children under six cannot join.

Weather matters because this experience can be canceled in poor conditions. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Inside that window, changes and refunds are not accepted unless the operator cancels because of weather, in which case you are offered another date or a full refund.

My Verdict: Book It for Atmosphere, Not Gravestones

I would book the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour if you want a polished, easygoing night of haunted stories with real historic stops. The Andrew Low House and Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery give the outing more substance than a trolley ride alone, and a strong narrator such as Billy, Emmaline, Lin, August, or Madame Bella Rouge can make the evening memorable.

I would skip it if the cemetery portion is your main reason for going. You will not enter a graveyard after dark, and the theatrical style may feel too broad if you prefer sober, source-heavy history.

For most people, the best way to think about this tour is as a Savannah history ride with spooky theater, not a hunt for hard evidence of ghosts. At $39.54, it earns its price when you value the two indoor visits, the nighttime setting, and the convenience of seeing several parts of town in about 75 minutes.

FAQ

Where does the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour depart?

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

How early should I arrive?

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

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Does the tour enter Savannah cemeteries?

No. A city ordinance prevents cemetery entry after 8 p.m., and the tour does not enter cemeteries during its nighttime departures.

Are children allowed on the tour?

Children under six are not permitted. The experience has a PG-13 rating because some stories involve mature subjects, and infants and toddlers are not recommended.

Is the tour accessible for people who have trouble with stairs?

The tour is not recommended for people who cannot safely navigate stairs. You should contact the operator at least 24 hours ahead if you need an arrangement to be considered.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted, unless the tour is canceled because of poor weather.