A walk through Savannah always beats staring at a map. This 2-hour historical walking tour strings together the city’s most recognizable squares, key landmarks, and local ghost stories in a tight, easy route you can handle on foot. You’ll start at Chippewa Square and end near Madison Square, with plenty of time at each stop to ask questions and connect names to places.

I especially like the way this tour works as an orientation. In two hours, you see how downtown Savannah is organized—square after square—so the rest of your day makes more sense. I also like that you’ll hear alleged haunted stories tied to specific spots, not vague spooky talk.

One thing to consider: it’s a walking tour, and in summer Savannah can be brutally hot and humid. The tour isn’t recommended if you struggle with sustained walking for at least two miles, and the schedule can feel harder when it’s humid out.

Key things I’d pay attention to

• Small group size (max 10) means you can actually ask questions and hear the details
• Mobile ticket keeps things simple when you’re moving from square to square
• Forest Gump bench sighting at Chippewa Square is a fun, fast photo win
• Original city gate, town hall, and cemetery references help you picture downtown’s layout
• Haunted-house and cemetery legends are treated as stories tied to place, not just jump scares
• Colonial Park Cemetery gives you names you can connect to American history quickly

Savannah’s Squares in Two Hours: What You’re Really Buying

This is a focused historical walking tour designed to give you bearings fast. For $35 per person (GST included), you’re paying for guided storytelling plus a route that hits major downtown squares without wasting time. The pace is built around short stops—typically 10 to 20 minutes—so you get context and then move on before your legs (or your attention span) tap out.

What makes this one feel practical is that it’s not trying to cover everything. It’s trying to make Savannah’s layout click. Once you understand how the squares relate to each other—who’s named for whom, what buildings used to be where—you’ll wander the rest of your trip with more confidence.

One extra plus: it’s offered in English and uses a mobile ticket, so you’re not hunting for paper. Service animals are allowed too.

Chippewa Square: Forest Gump Bench and the Tour’s “Start Here” Energy

Chippewa Square is where the tour begins, and it’s a smart choice. This square acts like an on-ramp to the whole historic district. You’ll spend about 20 minutes here, and the guide anchors the area with major references you can’t miss afterward.

At this stop, you’ll hear the story behind the square’s name tied to the Battle of Chippewa during the War of 1812. Then the tour brings in a set of landmarks that help you connect the square to real buildings you’ll see again as you walk around.

Expect to hear about:

• James Oglethorpe’s monument
• The Eastman-Stoddard House
• The First Baptist Church
• The Savannah Theater
• The original location of the Forest Gump bench

The Forest Gump bench detail is the kind of thing that makes the tour feel fun without turning it into a movie-only stop. It’s also helpful: it gives you an easy mental marker for where you are in the city.

Practical tip: if you want the best photos, pause for a quick shot early in the stop. Squares can get busier as the day goes on, and you’ll likely keep moving for the rest of the tour.

Wright Square: Tomo-Chi-Chi, the Boulder Monument, and Town Hall Clues

Wright Square is where the tour starts getting more layered. It’s named for James Wright, the last Royal Governor of Savannah, and the stories you’ll hear here connect the city to people whose names show up in history books but aren’t always linked to specific places.

You’ll spend about 15 minutes, and you’ll encounter:

• Resting place details connected to Tomo-Chi-Chi, chief of the Yamacraw people, and a friend of James Oglethorpe
• A boulder monument honoring James Wright
• A monument tied to William Gordon, founder of the Central Georgia Railroad and father to Juliette Gordon Low (Girl Scouts founder)
• The original Town Hall, which is now a courthouse
• A key point about the original cemetery location inside the southwest building (this is the kind of detail that helps you understand how the city reused space)

This stop can be a highlight because it turns “old buildings” into a map of social life and power. It’s also one of the stops where questions work well. If you like asking how one person became important or why an area changed, this is a good moment to slow down and ask.

Consideration: Wright Square includes multiple monuments and building references. If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed in places full of names, focus on just 2 or 3. That way you’ll carry the story with you instead of trying to memorize everything at once.

Oglethorpe and Columbia Squares: Founder Energy and the First City Gate Trail

Next you’ll move to Oglethorpe Square (about 10 minutes). It’s named for James Oglethorpe, founder of the colony of Georgia and the city of Savannah. This stop keeps things tight—short on time, heavy on meaning—so you’ll leave with a clearer sense of where Savannah’s identity starts.

After that, you’ll head to Columbia Square (about 10 minutes). This one plays a different role: it’s more about structure than biography. You’ll hear why the square’s name connects to a nickname for the American colonies, and you’ll also get place-based references that are useful later when you’re exploring on your own.

At Columbia Square, you’ll look for and learn about:

• The Kehoe House
• The Davenport House
• The first Savannah city gate
• The Wormsloe Fountain
• The Historical Society House

If you’re the type who wants to know why people keep pointing at certain spots, Columbia Square is part of that answer. You’re essentially seeing the city’s “edges” and “entries,” even though downtown now feels fully grown and settled.

And yes—this is also the sort of stop where the haunted legends can make more sense. When you know where the city gate and older civic buildings were, stories about the past feel grounded instead of purely spooky.

Colonial Park Cemetery: American Names, Past Pain, and the Most Moving Stop

The longest stretch on the route aside from the opening square is Colonial Park Cemetery (about 20 minutes). This is where the tour shifts from orientation to atmosphere with a side of reality. You’ll hear about graves connected to:

• A signer of the Declaration of Independence
• Revolutionary War heroes
• Politicians and artists
• And yellow fever victims

It’s not just a list of famous people. The cemetery stop helps you understand that Savannah’s downtown squares weren’t only for celebrations and politics. They were also tied to disease, survival, and loss.

This stop is often the one people remember later because it feels different from the rest. If you like history that carries weight (not just dates), you’ll probably find yourself slowing down a bit here.

Practical note: cemetery areas can feel more exposed to sun and humidity. If you’re touring in warmer months, pace yourself and bring water.

Lafayette Square and Madison Square: Mary Musgrove Plaque, Churches, and Downtown Anchors

At Lafayette Square (about 10 minutes), the tour ties Savannah to international connections through the name Marquis de Lafayette. You’ll also hear about the Flannery O’Conner childhood home and the Andrew Low house, plus a plaque honoring Mary Musgrove, noted as a translator for James Oglethorpe and Tomo-Chi-Chi.

That Mary Musgrove detail matters because it highlights how Savannah’s story isn’t only European founders and American presidents. It includes Indigenous relationships and the people who helped communication happen in real time.

Then you’ll finish at Madison Square (about 20 minutes). This is a strong ending point because it combines:

• The monument honoring Sergeant William Jasper, a Revolutionary War hero
• St. John’s Episcopal Church
• The Green-Meldrim House
• The Sorrel-Weed House
• The Desoto Hotel

By the time you reach Madison Square, the tour has effectively built a downtown mental grid for you. You’ve seen major squares, learned what each was named for, and matched that to buildings you can point out again when you walk away.

The Haunted Legends Angle: Why It Works Here

This tour includes stories of alleged haunted cemeteries, houses, and parks. The key is that the ghost talk is attached to the physical place you’re standing in and the historical references you’re hearing.

That approach helps. Instead of treating haunting as pure entertainment, you’re hearing it alongside civic history, burial grounds, and how the city changed. If you enjoy light spooky stories with context, this tour hits the right balance.

And if you prefer to keep it grounded, you can treat it as folklore and local storytelling—still fun, and still tied to real Savannah landmarks.

Pace, Questions, and the Small-Group Benefit

The tour caps at 10 travelers, and that small size is a big deal. In practice, it means less waiting around and more back-and-forth with the guide. The experience is built around short stops, but the best part is that you can ask what you’re actually curious about—why a building matters, how a square was used, or what a name means.

In the end, the most useful outcome is confidence. You finish with a route you can replay on your own, and you know what to look for when you see another plaque, gate, or historic façade.

What to Expect Logistically (Without Making It Complicated)

You’ll start at Chippewa Square in downtown Savannah and walk a route that ends near Madison Square, about four blocks from where you start. The whole thing runs about 2 hours.

A few things to plan for:

• The route involves regular walking between squares.
• If you can’t comfortably walk at least two miles, this isn’t the best fit.
• In hot, humid summers, it may feel tougher than you expect. Savannah weather can turn a “short walk” into a sweaty slog.

If you’re balancing this tour with other plans, it’s a great morning or early-afternoon activity—especially on your first day—so the rest of downtown feels easier to navigate.

Price and Value: Is $35 a Good Deal?

For $35, you’re getting a guided walk with multiple landmark stops and enough time at each stop to actually understand what you’re seeing. It’s not a long bus tour where you get five minutes at a stop. It’s more like a guided downtown circuit with storytelling as you go.

Value is strongest if you want:

• A quick way to learn Savannah’s square system
• Place-based stories you can remember
• A route that helps you explore independently afterward

Value is weaker if you’re only chasing a single type of attraction—like you only care about movie references or only want one cemetery focus. In that case, you might prefer a more specialized tour.

Who This Tour Fits Best

This tour is ideal for you if:

• You like walking, and you enjoy history tied to real spots
• You want a first-day orientation
• You enjoy spooky stories when they come with context
• You like asking questions and getting answers on the spot

It may be less ideal if:

• You need a mostly seated experience
• You struggle with heat and humidity
• You’re not comfortable with sustained walking

Should You Book Behind the Plaques?

I think you should book this tour if you’re arriving in Savannah and want your day to feel organized. It’s a smart use of time: you get major downtown anchors, cemetery context, and a few surprises like the Forest Gump bench and the original city gate references. Plus, the small-group cap makes it easier to get real answers instead of just hearing a script.

If you’re the kind of traveler who loves reading plaques alone, you’ll still benefit—but you’ll likely love it most if you want a guide to connect the dots while you walk.

If the weather is mild and you can handle the walking, this is an easy yes.

FAQ

How long is the Behind the Plaques walking tour?

It lasts about 2 hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $35.00 per person, and GST is included.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Chippewa Square in downtown Savannah and ends near Madison Square (about one square south of Chippewa, roughly four blocks).

Do I need to buy a ticket in advance?

You receive confirmation at the time of booking, and the tour uses a mobile ticket.

Is the tour mainly walking?

Yes. You should have a moderate physical fitness level, and it’s not recommended if you can’t walk for at least two miles.

Is it offered in English?

Yes, it’s offered in English.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed.

What’s the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time.