Bonaventure Cemetery Is Forever Tour
5
Bonaventure Cemetery Is Forever Tour
By Shannon Scott Tours
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About
Learn about Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery on this guided tour with historian, author, and artist Shannon Scott or one of his assistants. The cemetery, which dates back to the mid-18th century, is the final resting place for many famous Savannah residents, and a tour provides a look at the southern city's history. Plus, find out about the symbolism and burial traditions of the Victorian Age and beyond.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 30 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- Explore Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery with a trained historian
- Spot references from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
- Hear stories about the famous people buried in the cemetery
- Wear comfortable shoes as there's a moderate amount of walking
- Professional guide
- Professional art historian guide
- Local guide
- Entry/Admission - Bonaventure Cemetery
What's not included- Gratuities
- DVD (available to purchase)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Signed Poster Art (Available For Purchase)
- Meet your guide Shannon Scott (or one of his trained guides) at Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery for a walking tour of this historic property, which was established in 1846. As you wander, learn about the Bonaventure Plantation and the famous residents of Savannah who are buried in the cemetery, including songwriter Johnny Mercer, poet Conrad Aiken, maritime hero Josiah Tattnall, and more. In addition, hear about the symbolism and burial traditions of the Victorian Age. Plus, fans of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil will recognize elements of the cemetery that are prominently featured in the book and movie. The tour ends at Bonaventure Cemetery where it began.
- Start:
- 2XR4+R6 Savannah, 2XR4+R64 Savannah, GA, USABonaventure Cemetery Visitor Parking Area 330 Bonaventure Rd, Thunderbolt, GA 31404, United States https://maps.app.goo.gl/jTPBc7XsDuXZ1mdQA
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Pushchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 16640P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please check your Parking & Meeting Instructions
- Wheelchair accessible, but there are uneven surfaces that may require a helper
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 16640P1
From
AU$48.65
per adult
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Itinerary
- 2XR4+R64 Savannah, GA, USABonaventure Cemetery Visitor Parking Area 330 Bonaventure Rd, Thunderbolt, GA 31404, United States https://maps.app.goo.gl/jTPBc7XsDuXZ1mdQA
- 1Host Shannon Scott or his highly-rated protégé stroll you through Bonaventure Cemetery's most coveted historic sections with detailed stops covering stories of the famed dead, statues, symbolism, burial rites, plant life and much more. Gravesites generally include Johnny Mercer, Conrad Aiken, Little Gracie, and locations particular to setting for Midnight In The Garden of Good & Evil.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Suppressortools0 contributionsExcellent Tour!My boys and I brought their friends along and thoroughly enjoyed it! Lady Lavinia is very talented in delivering her narration and the stories she shared are very engaging. I cannot recommend this tour enough. Any of Shannon Scott Tours are VERY worth your time and money. Bonaventure, Historic Savannah, Low Country & Private with Shannon Scott Tours (912) 319-5600Written 9 February 2025
- kaywM9292KZ0 contributionsGreat tour!I enjoyed this ghost tour so much! Janine has a calm demeanor and sultry voice that draws you in when she tells a story. I have done lots of ghost tours in my day and this one was exceptional.Written 7 February 2025
- DuaneWright1250 contributionsAn evening well spent!I've been on a few ghost tours, but I liked this one the best because it was based on actual historic facts. I highly recommend!!!Written 7 February 2025
- 556terril0 contributionsA ghostly good time in SavannahI have experienced Shannon Scott Tours a few times. This company never disappoints. Dr. Buzzard's Goodtime Ghost Tour is a great time. Our guide, Lady Lavinia, was fun and interesting. She was wonderful. I love getting a blend of historical facts along with spooky stories. Walking through the squares at night listening to haunted tales is eerie, but awesome. I love the added touch of the gris gris bag. Everyone needs one! Highly recommend this tour.Written 5 February 2025
- LoriLynn130 contributionsAmazing!Another wonderful tour offered by an amazing company. This tour has a bit of everything: history, mystery, intrigue, and ghost stories. Will definitely do the tour again on my next visit!Written 5 February 2025
- willothewisps0 contributionsA Good Time Ghost Experience Indeed!I've done some ghost tours in the past, and some haunted experiences as well in both New Orleans and Savannah, but this one takes the cake! Our guide, Janine, was well versed in all the haints and haunts that Savannah has to offer, and kept us engaged as we wandered over so much of the city. My friends and I visit Savannah frequently, but we still learned some things about downtown Savannah that we never knew before! We also enjoyed the little gift bags at the end - that was a really cool touch. Thanks Janine!Written 3 February 2025
- lovetotravelr0 contributionsFun and informativeMy wife and I were amazed at the knowledge of the history of Savannah our guide had. We learned much about the early history and the spooky dude of Savannah! I never knew that the secret societies, specifically Freemasons has so much influence on colonial America. You will not want to miss this tour!Written 2 February 2025
- Freedom539290735550 contributionsWorth your afternoonThis is an amazingly beautiful and informative tour. A tad long if you have younger children along or if you have somewhere else to get to, but for those wanting to fill your afternoon, this is a must do. Paschal is incredibly knowledgeable and made the trip very memorable for us.Written 28 December 2024
- angelalanders0 contributionsExcellent guide and fascinating tourBonaventure is a beautiful, peaceful place in the daytime, so we wanted to learn more. I thought it might be spooky at night, but it wasn’t. We had also taken a Savannah ghost tour where 90% was completely fabricated and good people’s reputations were besmirched by lies and it was important to us that the truth- whatever it was- was told. Shannon addressed my concerns and I felt he was truthful and sincere. We visited 6 different plots in the Cemetery for information. It’s totally interesting material- lots of Masonic stuff, rich people crazy, and characters. Shannon was very knowledgeable and prepared for questions. I love history and appreciate people who truly love going down the rabbit holes of it all. Highly recommend this tour. It’s not Halloween ish or silly, it’s fascinating trivia and I’d love to go again to different parts of the Cemetery on tour with him as a guide.Written 1 December 2024
- 714cheryld0 contributionsAsk for Ken RimesWe had a wonderful tour of Savannah with historian Ken Rimes. He brought the history of true Savannah to life! Having grown up in the city, he knows all the back stories and even showed an original print of the first lay out of the city showing the original squares and tithing lots. He is an exceptional guide.Written 17 November 2024
- maddiel5960 contributionsA Fun, Amazing and Informative Tour!We had Kenneth as our tour guide, he was so amazing! Very knowledgeable and patient with all of our questions. Would recommend him as your tour guide for any of the Shannon Scott Tours. We ended up having just our small group on the tour and that was really nice.Written 14 November 2024
- Naomi M0 contributionsGreat eclectic/in depth tourPaschal went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. The two hours flew by while we learned about several of the famous former Savannah residents who were buried there. His depth of knowledge and story telling was great. The access we received to things we would have missed on our own added to the interest level. Highly recommend this tour. Oh did I mention how personable and funny Paschal was??? It made for a great time.Written 4 November 2024
- mah08260 contributionsInteresting Tour That Was Well Done!Great tour. Interesting subject matter and relevant stories. They provided lanterns for walking in the dark. My wife and I enjoyed it. It was the highlight of all the tours we took.Written 2 November 2024
- Stephen D0 contributionsMust do while in Savannah!Shannon is the real deal! We did the Halloween evening tour. Very educational and interesting insight as to Bonaventure. Highly recommend!Written 2 November 2024
- samsimon20240 contributionsShannon Scott Bonaventure Tour Savannah, GaAttended the evening tour of Bonaventure Cemetary with my wife and it did not disappoint! The historic cemetery is huge and has beautiful stonework and landscaping. Shannon is an outstanding guide, his passion for the history of Savannah shined through in stories he told. We had a great time and will do it again when we return. Shannon provided flashlights, lanterns, and bug spray for the attendees which was greatly appreciated.Written 29 October 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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5.0
516 reviews
Excellent
481
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riptide
Bluffton, SC160 contributions
Apr 2024 • Friends
Thank you to Rich, our tour guide, for a captivating oration of the history and happenings at the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA. There are several tour operators providing cemetery tours and it would be hard for me to believe any one would have done a better job. Rich's experience showed as his stories were abundant with detail, humor, and historical antidotes. He was also respectful of the time spent at each plot so not to hold up approaching visitors and other guides. The tour began and ended on time. I would recommend Shannon Scott Tours and the next time I have visitors who want a Bonaventure tour - I'll be calling this company.
Written 20 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jackie A
Miami, FL14 contributions
This is the 2nd time that we have taken the Bonaventure After Dark tour and the 5th time that we have taken a tour with this company, and they are always excellent! All of the guides are extremely knowledgeable but a tour with Shannon Scott is always the best part of our visit to Savannah. He truly brings Bonaventure to life, and we always leave wanting to know more about the people and places that he introduces us to. He is a unique storyteller with a style that is unmatched! Do yourself a favor and take this tour. It will be one of your favorite memories of Savannah!
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elena
29 contributions
Mar 2023 • Solo
The tour was fascinating. Our guide was very knowledgeable, teaching about the various symbols on sculptures and monuments. He was a native of Savannah with a family plot at Bonaventure. It was interesting to hear his stories. He was also generous with time. Took me to the Jewish section of the cemetery after the main tour had ended. My one word of advice: If you are not driving your own car, it’s worth it to take a taxi there. Easier to find the meeting place, since it’s not a formal address. Uber fine on the way home.
Written 4 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol B
Southport, NC20 contributions
I visited Bonaventure Cemetery for a group tour with Shannon Scott on 9/28/2022 and would rate his tour as the highlight of our visit to Savannah. Don’t miss it. Oddly, his cemetery tour made the history, culture and very spirit of Savannah come alive. Mr. Scott’s knowledge of Savannah and its people, art and culture is as deep as it is broad. I can’t speak to the quality of any Bonaventure Cemetery tours given by other guides, but Shannon Scott’s is outstanding. Book it.
(Side note: I’m not a fan of most “guided tours” because I think it’s rare to come across a tour guide that’s this good. Shannon Scott is one of only two tour guides in my experience who has made a visit to a historical site truly memorable, the other being Malcolm Miller, who has given guided tours of Chartres Cathedral for more than 50 years. If you’ve been, you know).
(Side note: I’m not a fan of most “guided tours” because I think it’s rare to come across a tour guide that’s this good. Shannon Scott is one of only two tour guides in my experience who has made a visit to a historical site truly memorable, the other being Malcolm Miller, who has given guided tours of Chartres Cathedral for more than 50 years. If you’ve been, you know).
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LandoCotton
Monroe, LA50 contributions
Oct 2024 • Solo
I was "sold" on this particular walking tour by the website and how Shannon Scott became an expert on Bonaventure Cemetery. So when I arrived at the tour and was greeted by tour guide Jon Cohen, I was disappointed. I'd already had another "switcheroo" on a tour in Savannah - apparently this is a Savannah thing - and I lowered my expectations. In fact, my first impulse was to just walk away and get on Trip Advisor to give a bad review. I'm including all this information because I seriously think Savannah needs to be held accountable for the many things they get wrong about tourism - and deception is a big one.
HOWEVER, Jon was fantastic. He has a charm that kept me from walking away and quickly turned me into an attentive fan. The tour was extremely enjoyable. I learned so much about the people buried in Bonaventure, the artist who created the many magnificent tombstones and even some "behind the scenes" stories about Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. He was very attentive to every one of us on tour and was the best tour guide I experienced on my two weeks in the Low Country. I highly recommend taking this tour ... and try and get Jon as your guide.
HOWEVER, Jon was fantastic. He has a charm that kept me from walking away and quickly turned me into an attentive fan. The tour was extremely enjoyable. I learned so much about the people buried in Bonaventure, the artist who created the many magnificent tombstones and even some "behind the scenes" stories about Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. He was very attentive to every one of us on tour and was the best tour guide I experienced on my two weeks in the Low Country. I highly recommend taking this tour ... and try and get Jon as your guide.
Written 30 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Lando! Wow that's an incredible testimonial and we are grateful for the candidness and candor of you're retelling of everything! Firstly, I'm touched by the desire to tour with me personally so let me say this to anyone reading right out of the gate. After 25 years of hoofing it in Bonaventure, my world has expanded into a plethora of private touring that ranges from up to 7 cemeteries in a day, yes, you read that correctly, to now 8 to 12 hour journeys over our bridge here, covering 3 counties in South Carolina. And as October is the busiest month of year, my dance card stays very full nevermind nearing Halloween. Fogitaboutit. However, if there are people determined to absolutely have my personal services past private tours, they're most likely best to catch me on Bonaventure After Hours on Saturday evenings where 99.9% of time I am the guide, otherwise Megan Morgan, my equal if not superlative is on deck. As you yourself experienced, as advertised, I keep a small stable of the absolute best Storyists on my team who meet my standards vs., just filling a role or a tour like so many companies in this game. If they didn't meet my criteria I'd rather just not have them or do certain tours at all or for the sake only. Like myself, my company is as good as it's own word and we practice what we preach and we do what we say we're going to do. We're not perfect but aim for it with what we have to offer. I thank you for remaining open and fair and that Jon Cohen served you well and sent you away from the experience with such good feelings. Take care and hope to meet you on a return visit!
Written 31 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melissa M
Alpharetta, GA41 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
The cemetery is a beautiful place with live oaks and the amazing monuments and sculptures. Having Paschal to guide and and tell us about the stories of the people buried there and the symbolism of the art work made it much more meaningful. If you plan on visiting, I would definitely book a tour!
Written 4 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarinaJavy
New York City, NY2 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
We were lucky and our tour was turned into a private one. Highly recommend our guide, Jon, he was very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. We recommend taking the earliest tour possible as it gets really hot and don’t forget to bring a bug spray.
Written 2 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marina, we cannot thank you enough for being a client on what we call The Gate Opener Tour, praising your guide Jon Cohen, and then of course, taking some extra time out of your life to share with others and to make suggestions that are helpful down South inside of an old Victorian landscape like Bonaventure! It all means the world to us and makes a difference in our lives and spurs us all on to keep doing good work!
Written 3 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
susancarini
Atlanta, GA2 contributions
Apr 2022
Suzanne was our tour guide; she was quite excellent: wholly knowledgeable and with a delightful sense of humor. Beyond making us more aware of the fascinating stories of the people interred there, she taught us so much about changing mores regarding conceptions of death and burial. She also shared so much Georgia history beyond that which affected the evolution of what became Bonaventure Cemetery. One small recommendation: we finished our tour at the front gate, which was a pretty fair stretch from where our cars were parked. Given the long walking tour, it would have been nice to offer a shuttle back to our cars.
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan P
Madison, WI7 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
We had a wonderful tour through Bonaventure Cemetery. I can’t remember our guide’s name but we were on the 10:00 tour on March 16. We called your office to report that we had traffic problems and would be late. He was graciously entertaining the rest of the group with undoubtedly wonderful information. We learned many interesting facts about the cemetery, Savannah history, and got a real sense of what makes this city unique. I would book another tour with this company!
Written 17 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ambassador649248
1 contribution
Mar 2023
We were very lucky to have Paschal as our guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable and provided information about the history and art/sculptures in the cemetery, and he made sure to check in with us to make sure he was providing information related to our interests. Paschal was very personable, respectful, and prepared--he even had bug spray for us!
Written 11 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is the Shannon Scott "Gate Opener" tour different than the tours that start at 10:00 and 2:00? I'm assuming that it starts at 8:00 a.m.? There is no description for that one. Thank you!
Written 1 September 2019
I imagine the 8:00 am tour would be similar to his regular tours since he describes his specialized tours separately. I also believe that if his earliest tour has very few people, he would suggest you book the 10:00 am tour.
Written 6 September 2019
Hi! Would like to book but it doesn’t have the tour times! Can you please provide your times so we can plan accordingly! Thank you!
Written 26 June 2019
I know he has day and evening tours. I recommend that you take the 10:00 am tour because it gets extremely hot as the day progresses. I hope this helps.
Written 29 June 2019
Is this a daytime or evening tour?
Written 22 June 2019
Most of the tours are offered during the day (morning and afternoon), I believe they do offer an "After the gates are locked" tour in the evening.
We did the morning tour and it was very good.
Written 23 June 2019
Hi
Could you please advise how long the tour lasts?
Kind Regards
Nicola
Written 16 August 2018
I slotted 2 hours for the trip but it wasn’t quite enough. The tour length can extend if there are more questions from the group or a large group. 3 hours is a safer estimate.
Written 16 August 2018
hi, we would like to visit the cemetery but is there an option to just pay a few bucks to come in and skip a guided tour? my kids are younger and the whole listening to the history for 30+ mins never works to keep their interest
Written 8 July 2018
Depends on the ages of your children, ours 11-14. You will definitely get more out of it with this guide. Well worth the money spent. Words of advice wear bug spray...
Written 9 July 2018
Hi there. I am interested in your tour and I did rent a car. Do I have to drive from River Street Inn to the cemetery or is it walking distance? Thanks!
Written 10 April 2018
Welcome to the South! Yes, you will need a vehicle. We rented an Uber which is really less expensive and much quicker than a taxi. We had our cars but didn’t want to have to drive because of traffic! Hope you enjoy Bonaventure and Shannon Scott as much as we did!
Written 11 April 2018
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