Your Guide to Visiting Savannah, Georgia with a Walking Ghost Tour Guide

Savannah Georgia

We decided to go to Savannah Georgia with some friends to visit this quaint little historical town. This town has so much to offer from places to eat, shopping, paid tours or what most people know this town for is its ghosts. We found several places to visit while here and we even made our own ghost tour that we completed at night while walking through the town. See the Ghost Tour route below.

Savannah is known for its southern charm and fresh food right from the coast. It is located on Georgia’s coast and is separated from South Carolina by the Savannah River. From cobblestone streets to oak trees doting the sidewalks in the famous Forsyth Park where the fountain sparkles with streams of water dancing in unison for all to enjoy.

Savannah is one of the oldest cities in the country and its charm will leave you feeling nostalgic and whimsical.

Start your trip in Savannah with good ole southern food from Paula Deen.

The Lady & Sons Restaurant

I use to love to watch Paula Deen on the Food Network as she fixed home style southern food. I enjoyed her personality and charm while she prepared home cooked meals for her family and others. So I knew while we were in Georgia that I wanted to visit her restaurant.

What I really liked about this restaurant was that you have the option of eating a family style meal where you pick multiple dishes on the menu and share it with your entire table. This was a fun way to eat in our group and to enjoy sharing a meal together. The food was good and we were stuffed by the time we left.

Family Style meals vary depending on how many dishes and sides you chose. Lunch prices range from $19.99 to $23.99 per person. (Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm) Refills of food are unlimited. No to-go boxes are allowed. See picture below for some of our food options we chose. Dinner is $24.99 to $28.99 per person. The same foods are offered for lunch and dinner so chose the lunch menu for a cheaper option.

Address: 102 W Congress Street. On street paid meter parking is your option. You do not have to pay the meter after 8pm or on Sundays.

Hours: 11am to 9pm daily

Next door to her restaurant was her small store that sells cookbooks, dishes, cookware, mugs, and many other kitchen wares. Pick up a souvenir to take home.

River Street

Walk down by River Street and see the huge cargo ships carrying hundreds of cargo trailers. Walk along the cobblestone streets and imagine what life was like 200 years ago. This area was once the leader in exporting cotton from the river ports. Walk up and down River Street and find a cute place to shop or a unique restaurant to try. You won’t be disappointed.

Chippewa Square Bus Stop in Forrest Gump

If you have read any of my other blogs, you know that I always like to find unique spots to visit at each place we travel. When we were in Savannah, I knew that I wanted to locate the bench where Forrest Gump sat within Chippewa Square in the movie. The bench is no longer there, but you can still experience the location where he sat. The bench was located on the North side of the square facing Bull Street.

You can also learn about our trip to Utah where we stopped at another Forrest Gump location from the movie HERE.

Cathedral Basilicia of St John the Baptist

Such a magnificently beautiful cathedral in the heart of Savannah. In the late 18th century plans were envisioned to build a congregation by the Roman catholics. Through many tragedies this cathedral continues to be rebuilt for many to enjoy still today. You may visit the Cathedral Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm except during masses, weddings, funerals, or other religious events.

Enjoy 10am Sunday mass at which time tours are not available.

Address: 222 E Harris Street

Self-guided Ghost Tour

We decided last minute that we wanted to do a ghost tour. After doing some research of local ghost tours, many of them were booked, or we didn’t want to pay the price to go as a large group. We decided to complete our own ghost tour by researching through blogs for stories of the surrounding area. I actually really enjoyed doing our own self-guided ghost tour. We could take our time and explore each location as we read the stories of the past.

This “tour” below lists the places we visited and in order in which we stopped for your convenience. Put the addresses into your maps and follow them in order to get the best experience. The list of addresses is listed together at the bottom in order for easy reference.

1st Stop ~ Mercer Williams House Museum

Our first stop was to Mercer Williams House Museum. This house was built in the 1860’s for General Hugh Mercer. Mercer was a little bit of a trouble maker in his younger years. After he was married he started to build this home. He then entered the American Civil War and once he returned he moved to Baltimore instead. He never actually lived in the home before he sold it to John R Wilder. Wilder who died 10 years later. For a while the home was known as Williams-Wilder House. Multiple owners later and for several years it sat empty. One day a young boy, Tommy Downs age 11, went into the vacant home to explore and ended up falling out the second story window onto the metal gate which caused his death. It is assumed he lost his balance while looking for pigeons and fell to his death. There is still a missing piece of the fence on the south side of the house where he fell. Therefore his ghost has been spotted at times throughout the property.

In 1969 Jim Williams purchased the property and finished completing the inside construction of the home to the beauty it is today. In the carriage house, Williams had his antique restoration business. Later, Williams began a relationship with his younger 21 year old assistant, Danny Hansford. They had a volatile relationship and one day during an argument, Hansford pulled a gun on Williams. The gun jammed giving time for the stunned Williams to grab his gun from his desk and shoot Hansford, killing him. After several trials and being found guilty each time, he continued to appeal his conviction four times claiming discrepancies in the police report and more, finally he had his last appeal outside Savannah and it was ruled an acquittal, Williams was set free.

Hansford’s ghost haunted Williams for a year before he died unexpectedly of pneumonia near the same location Hansford was shot. The home is currently owned by Williams sister, Dr Dorothy Williams Kingery. Did the ghost haunt Williams so much that it killed him mysteriously in the same location as Hansford’s death? It has been known that Hansford’s ghost continues to haunt the house today.

With Williams love of throwing lavish Christmas parties it is said that one day each year during December people will still see the lavish party being held with the spirits that continue to haunt the old house. Head over there at night to see if you can spot the spirits for yourself.

Optional Tours are available.

Tours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11:30am to 4:45pm. Tours run every 20 minutes. Fees apply.

Address: 429 Bull Street

Pulaski Monument

General Count Casimer Pulaski started his military career by defining against the kind of Poland. Due to his actions he was condemned to death. He escaped to Paris where he met Benjamin Franklin who persuaded him to join the American cause for liberty. Pulaski was wounded in October of 1779 and died two days later.

In 1852 a monument was erected in memory of Pulaski and Nathanial Greene. Throughout the years several repairs were made on the monument but in 1996, while dismantling the monument they found an old metal box with human remains and a plate with the name Brigadier General Casimer Pulaski. DNA was done on the remains and it was highly probable of being Pulaski’s remains.

During the 226th Siege of Savannah, a proper funeral service and ceremony was held at Monterrey Square for Pulaski. Can his ghost be seen throughout the cemetery? It is unknown.

Address: 4 West Taylor Street

Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home

Flannery O’Connor was know for her short stories, her multiple essays and two novels she wrote. She was a great writer and due to her unique writing style of her characters many thought she was racist. Many of her characters were written in what was seen as a corrupt way. She was known to write stories that depicted what “good Christians” were like maybe implicating others in not such a good way where as it seems she was racist against others who did not live up to her written values.

Flannery’s father died when she was 15 of Lupus. She was later diagnosed with the same disorder which triggered her to continue to write many more stories before her death 13 years later at the age of 39.

She was known around town for her ability to train her chicken to walk backwards. Although this home may not have any visible ghosts, it is still a good place to visit and imagine living in the depression era as she once did during her short life.

Address: 207 East Charlton Street

Hamilton-Turner Inn

This home was built in 1873. This home was a host to many high society residents of Savannah in the past which was owned by then current owner Samuel Pugh Hamilton. Several years after Samuel’s passing the home was sold to Dr. Francis Turner. In 1865 the home was sold to Cathedral of St John the Baptist who was going to tear down the home to make a playground. This was halted by the Historic Savannah Foundation.

Dr. Turner used the home as a boarding house for guests coming through Savannah where he lived with his family. It was also used as a place for nurses to stay who worked at the local hospital.

Stories report many different ghost sightings within this Inn. Previous Hamilton children who lived in the home report seeing other children appearing and disappearing throughout the house when they lived there. Guests in the Inn claim they will often see a confederate soldier sitting or standing at the edge of their bed startling them.

Previous tenant Joe Odom often threw parties in his home and those same sounds are often heard today. Neighbors also reported lights flickering off and on when no one was home for many years.

Many people who have stayed in the home report sightings of ghosts. One is a sighting of a young child who apparently fell to their death on the stairs within the home. People continue to hear footsteps and hear billiard sounds in the home as well.

Today this home stands as a bed and breakfast. You might want to stay here and just see for yourself if all those stories of ghostly sightings are true.

Address: 330 Abercorn St

Old Sorrel - Weed House

This house is historically so haunted that it has even been featured on Ghost Hunters and HGTV’s If Walls Could Talk.

This home was built for Francis Sorrel one of the areas wealthiest shipping merchants. Sorrel and his business partner, Henry Douglass, were also involved in slave trade where they distributed them from Savannah up along the coast.

The family later sold their home to Henry Davis Weed and moved next door. Shortly after, Sorrel’s second wife, Mathilda, discovered that he was having an affair with one of the slaves named Molly. Mathilda was so upset that she jumped out of the upper floor window to her death. Later, Molly became upset with her circumstances and was found hung in the carriage house. Unknown if this was self-inflicted or forced by someone else.

Francis remained in the house and died of a stroke years later.

Some visitors claim to feel evil energy in the home while others claim their cell phones die while touring the home. Check it out and see for yourself what spirits are still roaming in the home.

Address: 6 W Harris Street

Juliette Gordon Low House

Juliette Gordon Low was the founder of Girls Scouts of America. People often report seeing the apparition of Nelly Gordon, Juliette’s mom, sitting at the dining room table in her robe, playing the piano or peering out the window. Upon Nelly’s passing, her already deceased husband was seen greeting her as they walked out the front door together.

Although not as haunted as other homes in the neighborhood, people often report a presence when they enter the home.

Address: 10 E Oglethorpe Ave

17Hundred90

This beautiful Inn and restaurant isn’t original to this spot but has evolved over time to the 14 room Inn it is today. Anna, who stayed in room 204 fell to her death out the window. Many different stories give a varying tale of her death. Was it a married woman who fell in love with a young sailor who left the area and didn’t return, or just a young girl who died of a broken heart when her sailor left and she threw herself out her window to her death?

Staying in room 204 is sure to give you the feeling of being watched. Many employees and guests feel the presence of Anna. Often times pots and pans will rattle for no apparent reason in the kitchen of the Inn by an old chef who once worked at the Inn. But beware, if you chose to stay in room 204, you cannot get your money back if you leave early due to being spooked.

Female guests tend to be spooked the most as Anna tends to mess with their things or touch them unprovoked.

Would you stay here?

Address: 307 E President Street

Kehoe House

This home was built for William Kehoe and his family to include wife, Anne, and 10 children. Years later, after William and Anne passed away, the children would eventually sell the home. It was owned by several people throughout the years. One of those being to a funeral home.

Many report the ghosts of young children in the home. Could it be from the funeral home or one of the Kehoe children that might have passed away during their time in the home? In the early 1900’s medicine was not what it is today so it is likely that one or more of the Kehoe children could have passed away in the home leaving their ghosts behind. Often times guests at the home will report being touched. They will see the lights flash off and on or hear the doorbell ring with no one there. Some hear the voice of a young boy asking to play.

This beautiful historic home is now a bed and breakfast available for you to be their next overnight. Who knows, you might even see William and Anne Kehoe sighings in room 201.

Address: 123 Habersham street

Marshall House

The Marshall house was built in 1851 for Mary Marshall, a well respected businesswoman. The house was built as a hotel for the many travelers this town was seeing. At one point it served as a medical facility for the Union army in 1865.

In 1933 William Gilbert took over the hotel and did a lot of changes to update the indoors several different times. It is one of the oldest buildings in Savannah.

Hauntings have been reported in this house. Could it be from the time it was a medical facility? After it was a medical facility for the army it was later a medical facility when yellow fever became rampant. There are supposedly ghosts of children roaming this house as well. Could yellow fever be what caused the death of some of the Kehoe children also? It is possible.

Some guest report seeing the ghost of Mary Marshall, others report a foul smell such as burning flesh near the bathroom.

Address: 123 E Broughton Street

This is where we ended our tour. It was mysterious to say the least. We did not spot any paranormal activity but we also did not enter any of the buildings. Believe me, I did look hard at each window to try and see something. I also took several pictures hoping to see a “spot” but no such luck. Let me know in the comments if you see one in any of my pictures. There are other “haunted” homes throughout this area you might find through your own research or just enjoy the ones here for an easy walk of the town.

Ghost Tour route

For easy reference add these addresses to your phones GPS:

1. **429 Bull Street - Mercer Williams House Museum

2. 4 West Taylor Street - Pulaski Monument

3. 207 East Charlton Street - Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home

4. 330 Abercorn St - Hamilton-Turner Inn

5. 222 E Harris Street - Cathedral of St John the Baptist

6. 6 W Harris Street - Old Sorrel Weed House

7. 222 Drayton Street - Parker’s Market for snacks and a drink

8. 10 E Oglethorpe Ave - Juliette Gordon Low House

9. 307 E President Street - 17Hundred90

10. 123 Habersham street - Kehoe House

11. 123 E Broughton Street - Marshall House

This is a 2.1 mile walk which would take about an hour without stopping. See pictures below of the walking route drawn from Mapquest.

**Mercer House (A on map below) could be your first or last stop. We made it our first stop and ended near it also at stop 11 (K). If you make (A) your last stop you will have to walk back toward (B) to get back to your vehicle. Your choice.

Parker’s Market

During our tour we stopped at Parker’s Market. This store resembles an old market with working gas pumps in front. This was such a cute store to visit and pick up some snacks after all the walking. I highly recommend adding this to your list of places to stop during your ghost tour. Check out their delicious food and drinks menu on their website. It is listed as stop #7 (G) on the above map.

Address: 222 Drayton Street

Hours: Open 24 hours

Leopold’s Ice Cream

The next day we woke up and headed to Leopold’s Ice Cream shop. This was rated one of the top places to eat in Savannah and we love ice cream so of course we had to check it out. They open at 11am daily but get there early as they always have a line waiting to go in.

They have been open since 1919 and some of their menu has been unchanged since then due to its popularity. With about 19 different flavors you are sure to find the perfect ice cream. Most flavors are familiar but a few are their own unique combinations of Yum!

You can also find other soda fountain type foods such as sundae’s, ice cream sandwiches, banana split, ice cream soda, malts and more. They also serve fresh pastries and soda or coffee’s. There is something for everyone. Don’t forget to pick up a souvenir before you leave. From t-shirts, Christmas ornaments, hats, gift cards, tumblers and more.

Address: 212 E Broughton Street

Forsyth Park

Our final stop was the Fountain at Forsyth Park. This park has so many different things to do from tennis and basketball courts, playground, fragrant garden for the blind, and cafe.

This fountain is an iconic stop in Savannah. This provides a place to sit and relax while chatting with friends or reading a book under a quiet oak tree. This fountain has stood in this spot proudly since 1858.

Fun facts: this fountain was ordered from a catalog and not an original design. Other similar fountains are throughout the US. They also dye the water green in the fountain every year for St Patricks Day.

Address: 1 W Gaston Street

You will love this quaint little town with so much character and history. You could spend a couple days exploring the area while eating, shopping, taking a guided tour or boat ride. The area is small enough you can walk around the town to emerge yourself in the history of the city up close.

Should you take time to stay at one of the haunted Inn’s or a spooky Bed and Breakfast while in Savannah, I would love to hear your stories, especially if you experienced something paranormal. Comment below! I’m anxiously awaiting your reply.

The stories told here are based on research from others who have more knowledge of the towns history. I did my best to reflect the true spirit of the stories. Please note, walking this “ghost tour” is at your own risk. Watch where you are walking as you read about the history of each home to avoid walking into the street or bumping into someone along your path.

I hope you can make it to Savannah sometime. You will enjoy this area and there is so much to do. Until next time….

Enjoy the journey,

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