---
title: "Things To Do in Savannah this Year"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/5d6ec5ba-d208-4deb-b628-add06558f15d
source_url: "https://savannahfirsttimer.com/things-to-do-in-savannah/"
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summary: "Savannah First-Timer's Guide provides local insider tips on attractions and activities in Savannah's Historic District, including cemeteries, Black history tours, walking tours, squares, and trolleys. The guide highlights must-see destinations like Colonial Park Cemetery, Bonaventure Cemetery, and significant Black history sites such as the Owens-Thomas House and First African Baptist Church."
tags: "savannah, travel-guide, historic-district, cemeteries, walking-tours, black-history, tourism"
key_entities: "Savannah (location), Erin Clarkson (person), Colonial Park Cemetery (location), Bonaventure Cemetery (location), Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters (location), First African Baptist Church (organization), Sistah Patt (person), Underground Tours of Savannah (organization), Pin Point Heritage Museum (location), Savannah Historic District (location)"
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---

# Things To Do in Savannah this Year

If you’re looking for things to in Savannah, you’ve landed in the right place! I’m always out exploring the Historic District and discovering fun new things to do and see. I’ve come up with a list of my favorite attractions and activities to keep you entertained during your trip. Trust me…Savannah is a city where you shouldn’t ever feel bored! Note: This guide contains affiliate links to my trusted travel partners. If you’re new around here, first of all… welcome! My name is Erin, and I authored the Savannah First-Timer’s Guide . I guess you could say I make my living telling people what to do in Savannah, so I know a thing or two about fun ways to keep busy in the city! Contents Cemeteries | Black History | Walking Tours | Squares | Trolleys | Unusual Cemeteries in Savannah To learn what makes Savannah so special, it’s important to first explore the city’s incredible past. What better way to do so than at one of our beautiful cemeteries? Colonial Park Cemetery Colonial Park Cemetery is located in Savannah’s Historic District. You can easily walk to it or take the free DOT shuttles to be dropped off within one block of its gates. There are 666 Yellow Fever victims buried in the cemetery from the 1820 epidemic. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed post about Colonial Park and see more photos here: Colonial Park Cemetery, Savannah There’s no need to do a guided tour; just read my post about it, and then explore it on your own! Bonaventure Cemetery Bonaventure Cemetery is known for being one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world . It’s located on the outskirts of the city, so you’ll need a ride to get to it. So much history is contained within its gates and the cemetery is so massive that I think it’s absolutely worth it to pay for a guided tour. You’ll get your money’s worth. It’s prettiest in the spring when thousands of pink azaleas bloom throughout the cemetery. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed post about Bonaventure and see more photos here: Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah I consider it one of the top “must-see” places in Savannah ! However, please keep in mind that it is an active cemetery, and always respect anyone who is there visiting loved ones. Recommended Cemetery Tours: Bonaventure Dash Tours Bonaventure Don Tours Savannah Cruzers [mobility-impaired option] Related Reading: These 3 Cemeteries in Savannah are Worth a Visit Savannah Black History Tours There’s no doubt Savannah is a city with a complicated and troubled past. A Black history tour is one of the best ways to understand the vast contributions made by African Americans — both enslaved and freed — to this city. A few of the most significant tours include the Owens Thomas House and Slave Quarters, First African Baptist Church, and Pin Point Heritage Museum. The interior of the Owens-Thomas House is incredibly beautiful. | ©ErinClarkson First African Baptist Church is one of the more historically significant churches in the city. | ©ErinClarkson You’ll need to drive to the outskirts of Savannah to learn about Pin Point, but it’s worth it! | ©ErinClarkson My post about the best Black history tours in Savannah will help you learn more about the many options that are available, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to just choose an option — any option (they’re all good) — and go ! In addition to the places listed above, you can also take a guided walking tour led by one of Savannah’s local historians. Sistah Patt of Underground Tours of Savannah gives an incredible tour. Recommended Guided Black History Tours: Owens Thomas House and Slave Quarters First African Baptist Church Sistah Patt’s Tour Related Reading: 11 Black History Tours to Help You Better Understand Savannah Savannah Walking Tours As long as you’re physically able, the best way to get around Savannah is by foot! It’s so much easier to notice all the incredible details of the city when you’re walking, and it’s better for our environment, too. It’s very common for tourists to tell me they took 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day during their vacations! The majority of the time they’re having so much fun exploring that they don’t even realize how far they’ve walked until they check their step counter at the end of the day. Jones Street If you only have time to stroll down one street, I suggest beautiful Jones Street. It’s considered the prettiest street in Savannah , and it definitely lives up to the hype! Here are some photos as proof: Jones Street is what most people picture when they imagine Savannah’s Historic District. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed post about Jones Street and see more photos here: Jones Street Savannah Many of the homes along Jones Street were built in the mid 1800s and have historic plaques near the front door indicating the home’s age. Factors Walk One of my personal favorite places to take a walk in Savannah is along historic Factors Walk. It’s where you’ll find unique Savannah landmarks like the Old Cotton Exchange building and the mysterious Cluskey Vaults. Read my detailed post about Factors Walk and see more photos here: Factors Walk Savannah Factors Walk looks (and sometimes feels ) rather spooky, and it’s one of the best places to explore in Savannah if you want to feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. River Street Finally, one of the most classic Savannah activities you can do is take a sunset stroll along River Street to watch the cargo ships come into port . Visitors are always surprised to see how the ships tower over the buildings along River Street. River Street is one of the top places to go for a sunset stroll in the city. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed post about River Street and see more photos here: River Street Savannah Check the Marine Traffic website before you go to see when the biggest cargo ships will be coming through the area! Recommended Historic District Walking Tours: Architectural Tours of Savannah Noble Jones Walking Tour Genteel & Bard Historic Walking Tour Related Reading: Savannah Georgia Must-See Spots for First-Time Visitors Squares in Savannah Savannah is built on a unique grid system that includes 22+ “squares” (aka: miniature parks or green spaces) where you can stop to relax and enjoy the shade. Troup Square is a quiet and peaceful square with a beautiful Armillary Sphere in the center. | ©ErinClarkson If you’re doing a walking tour of Savannah, I suggest exploring each square as you pass by. The squares typically contain historic markers that provide interesting facts about the square or the homes and buildings surrounding it. The famous Mercer Williams House faces beautiful Monterey Square. The squares look different with each season, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. I tend to favor the quieter options located in the more residential areas of the city versus the ones closer to the river, but they all have something interesting to offer. Chippewa Square is where Forrest Gump famously narrated the tale about his life. | ©ErinClarkson Thanks to the popular movie, “Forrest Gump,” Chippewa Square is probably the most well-known square in Savannah. Recommended Squares to Visit: Troup Square Columbia Square Monterey Square Chippewa Square ⭐ Insider Tip: The squares also make a great place to do some people watching! Savannah is a known for its eccentric residents and many tend to hang out in the squares. Savannah Trolly Tours If you have mobility issues or aren’t accustomed to the oppressive heat and humidity during the summer months in Savannah, then you might want to try a trolley tour on your first day instead of walking. Trolley tours provide a good overview of the city and will help you get the lay of the land. The hop-on/hop-off tours take all day, but you’ll spend most of your time off the trolley and out exploring the landmarks at each stop. The non-stop trolley tours are the faster option, since they only take an hour to 90 minutes of your time. Read reviews about each type of trolley and view a comparison chart here: Savannah Trolley Tour Reviews Pick your option based on how much time you have available for exploring. Recommended Trolley Tours: Hop-On/Hop-Off Trolley Nonstop Narrated History Trolley “Savannah for Morons” Nonstop Comedy Trolley Haunted Tours in Savannah If you were to ask me about the most popular activity in the city, I’d have to say the ghost tours win by a long shot. It’s practically a rite of passage to do a ghost tour while you’re visiting Savannah! Take a Guided Ghost Tour In fact, there are so many to choose from that I’ve written a separate detailed post about all of the different options: The Best Ghost Tours in Savannah . It lists the top options based on tour type, including walking tours, pub crawls, haunted house tours, paranormal tours, haunted trolley tours , family-friendly tours, and more! There’s plenty of spooky scenery in the city, no matter where you look. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed guide to Savannah’s top ghost tours here: The Best Ghost Tours in Savannah Hunt for Ghosts on Your Own As fun as the guided tours are, you can also explore many of the most haunted locations on your own using my most haunted places in Savannah post to plan your route. You might actually get a little more spooked if you aren’t strolling around amongst a crowd of tourists! That top photo was taken in Colonial Park Cemetery and the bottom is of Mercer Williams House. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read the detailed post and see more photos here: The 11 Most Haunted Places in Savannah, Georgia (Map Included!) Visit a Haunted Mansion Now…if you actually want to venture inside a haunted mansion, the Sorrel-Weed House might be your best bet. It’s one of the only (reportedly) haunted homes in the city that visitors can actually tour. They even offer after-hours paranormal lock-ins, for those of you who are really brave! The interior of the house is a bit worse for wear, but the details are incredibly beautiful. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed post about the house and see lots of photos here: Exploring the Sorrel-Weed House: A Haunted Savannah Mansion No matter which ghost tours you opt to do, they’re all in good fun and are a nice way to meet new people while you’re visiting Savannah. Suggested Ghost Tours: Genteel & Bard Dark History & Ghost Encounter Tour Historic Savannah Theatre 3-Hour Paranormal Investigation Sorrel Weed House Tour Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour [mobility-impaired option] Related Reading: Reader Reviews of the Ghost Tour Trolleys (Are they Scary or Cheesy?) Unusual Things To Do I mentioned the city is known for its eccentric characters, right? Well, eccentric residents create quirky businesses! I’ve written extensively about some of the more unusual things to do in Savannah , and that list is a long one. It includes options like visiting a serial killer museum, taking a cocktail class at an authentic speakeasy, exploring the city with self-proclaimed “morons,” and going on a pub crawl with a drag queen! Explore the Plant Riverside District If you’re traveling with kids, try heading to the west end of River Street to explore the lobby of the JW Marriott Plant Riverside. It’s set up like a natural history museum and has exhibits featuring a unique collection of geodes and historic artifacts. The lobby’s most memorable feature is a giant 135-foot chrome dinosaur! Not gonna lie, the dinosaurs suspended from the ceiling are pretty cool. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read all about the Plant Riverside District and see lots of photos here: What’s Really Worth Seeing in the Plant Riverside District? Plant Riverside District is considered an “Entertainment Zone,” so there are plenty of activities (like free concerts) in the area. See the City from the Water Another popular activity for first-time visitors along the riverfront is a dinner cruise on the iconic Georgia Queen. The steamboat offers a unique way to see the warehouse district from the water, and some of the cruises include dinner and/or drinks. If you go, I suggest the sunset cruise or the Monday Gospel option . The free Savannah Belles ferry is another (much faster) way to see Savannah from the water. It offers a quick round trip from one side of the river to the other. Hang Out in a Bookstore On of my personal favorite Savannah activities is to spend time relaxing in one of the city’s independent bookstores. Books on Bay, The Book Lady, The Stacks, and E. Shaver, Bookseller are four popular options. E Shaver, Bookseller is charming shop filled with unique reads — many by local authors — and they carry souvenirs with a local twist. If you adore cats and you love to read, you’ll want to check out E Shaver, bookseller. | All photos ©ErinClarkson Read my detailed guide to Savannah’s more unusual things to do here: Quirky and Fun Things To Do in Savannah While you’re there, pick up a copy of my favorite locally-authored book, “ Sketching Savannah ” by the talented Ivan Chow. I also love the book, “Savannah Square by Square.” Suggested Unique Tours: Sunset Steamboat Cruise Monday Gospel Dinner Cruise “Savannah for Morons” Comedy Trolley Tour Related Reading: Try These Indoor Activities to Escape the Rain in Savannah Related Reading In case you were too busy reading and missed some of the posts mentioned above, here are a few favorites again so you can circle back: Must-See Spots for First-Time Visitors to Savannah, Georgia These 3 Incredible Cemeteries in Savannah are Worth a Visit 11 Black History Tours in Savannah to Educate and Inspire You Savannah Trolley Tour Reviews: Which Option is Best? A Local’s Take on the Spookiest Ghost Tours in Savannah Savannah Travel Guide If you’re the type of traveler who wants all of your information in one place, my ebook is the best way to go. It combines my top travel tips from this website into a handy downloadable guide. When you purchase the Savannah First-Timer’s Guide , you’ll gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions about your upcoming trip and see photos from others who have recently visited.