90 Minute Historic Savannah Walking Haunted Bar Pub Crawl

Savannah’s past gets particularly eerie after dark, when this 90-minute haunted walk leads you from Colonial Park Cemetery to old squares, theaters, homes, and taverns. The stories range from yellow fever and grave pits to murders, wartime suffering, haunted apartments, and a grocer who apparently never left.

I like the mix of serious local history and ghost storytelling, and I like that the route passes through some of Savannah’s prettiest historic areas rather than keeping you in one bar. Guide Craig has earned strong praise for his humor, personal stories, and pacing. The main catch is that the pub crawl may include only three or four bar stops, and the walk can run well beyond its advertised 90 minutes.

Key things to know before you go

• Colonial Park Cemetery sets the mood: You hear about yellow fever, mass graves, duels, wartime damage, and Savannah’s grim burial customs.
• Craig is a memorable guide when scheduled: His storytelling, humor, and local anecdotes are among the tour’s strongest features.
• The pub portion is modest: Plan on roughly three or four tavern stops, not a nonstop drinking tour.
• You buy your own drinks: Alcohol is not included, so the final cost depends on what you order.
• The route covers major historic squares: Chippewa Square, Madison Square, and the Cathedral area give you a good nighttime orientation.
• The tour can run long: It is advertised at about 90 minutes to two hours, and some outings have stretched past two hours.

Starting at Chippewa Square after dark

The tour begins at Chippewa Square at 7:15 p.m., a useful start point in the center of Savannah’s historic district. You will meet your certified guide there before setting out on foot. The group can reach 30 people, so this is not a private ghost walk, though the compact route keeps the experience fairly easy to follow.

Chippewa Square is a fitting place to begin. The square is tied to Savannah’s wartime and paranormal stories, and the opening section explains how repeated fires, killings, suicides, and wars helped give the city its reputation as a place built upon the dead. You will also hear about ghostly sightings and orbs, along with stories of bodies hidden in the walls of a local bed-and-breakfast.

This opening stop also connects Savannah’s supernatural reputation with its physical setting. The city’s squares, old buildings, cemeteries, and churches are close together, so you can move through several centuries of history without a bus ride or long transfer. I find that helpful if you are new to Savannah and want a quick orientation before spending more time exploring on your own.

Colonial Park Cemetery and Savannah’s uneasy ground

The first major stop is Colonial Park Cemetery, Savannah’s last remaining above-ground cemetery from the Colonial period. You spend about 10 minutes here, though the subject matter gives the stop more weight than the clock suggests.

The guide covers yellow fever epidemics, large burial pits, and the damage that nearly came from Sherman’s troops. You will also hear stories of duels, doomed romances, and people supposedly buried alive. The point is not simply to frighten you. It is to show how disease, war, violence, and poor medical care shaped everyday life in old Savannah.

The cemetery is also a good place to understand the city’s relationship with the dead. Children once played among the graves, and later changes to the city helped create the strange possibility that people could be walking over burial sites without realizing it. Pay attention to where you step, both for practical safety and because the guide makes that warning part of the story.

If you prefer ghost tours that focus only on dramatic apparitions, this stop may feel more historical than supernatural. I consider that a strength. The unsettling material works better when it is tied to actual conditions rather than presented as a string of spooky claims.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

From the cemetery, the route continues to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the United States. The stop lasts about 15 minutes and adds a strong architectural and religious note to the evening.

The cathedral is also linked to Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day traditions, when Mass begins there. That detail helps show how the building remains part of the city’s living public life, not simply a handsome backdrop for a ghost story.

The tour does not include a stated admission charge at this stop. You should think of the cathedral visit as an exterior historical stop unless your guide tells you otherwise. As with the other locations, the value comes from the guide’s explanation and the way the building fits into the city’s wider story.

Hamilton-Turner House and literary ghosts

The Hamilton-Turner House brings the tour into the world of Savannah’s grand homes, old families, accidental deaths, and murder stories. You spend roughly 15 minutes here, learning about the house’s connection with Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and the spirits said to remain nearby.

This is one of the better stops for visitors who know Savannah through its books and films. The house connects the city’s polished historic image with darker stories behind its doors. You are not simply looking at old architecture. You are hearing how domestic spaces became part of tales involving grief, violence, and unexplained activity.

The stop also shows why a walking tour works well in Savannah. You can stand outside an important home, hear its story, and then move directly to the next square or building. There is little wasted time on transportation.

Madison Square and the city’s war stories

At Madison Square, the guide turns to the Siege of Savannah and Sergeant William Jasper, a Civil War hero honored by the statue in the square. The square sits across from the former home associated with Francis Sorrel and near the DeSoto Hotel, so several stories come together in one compact area.

You will hear what General Sherman did while staying at the Green-Meldrim House in 1864. The tour also covers the unhappy fates of Francis Sorrel’s three wives, along with stories of suicide, hangings, and voodoo connected with the Sorrel-Weed House.

This section gives the walk more historical range. It is not only about ghosts in old buildings. It also deals with military conflict, social power, family tragedy, and the way famous homes collect stories over time. If you like your haunted tours with a solid dose of Savannah history, this is one of the more useful parts of the route.

The downside is that the subject matter is heavy. Children or anyone sensitive to stories of suicide, murder, disease, and burial practices may find the evening too grim. The experience is entertaining in tone, but the material itself is often bleak.

Original Pinkie Masters and a real Savannah bar

The route includes Original Pinkie Masters, a well-known local bar with a political connection. You hear about the friendship between former President Jimmy Carter and owner Pinkie Master, as well as the bar’s place in Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day tradition.

A morning Bloody Mary at Pinkie’s is described as a local custom, which gives this stop a more social flavor than the cemetery and haunted houses. It is a chance to see how Savannah’s ghost-tour route also passes through ordinary places where residents gather, drink, and celebrate.

This is where expectations matter. The experience is a walking tour with pub stops, not a package that supplies drinks or guarantees a long stay at every bar. You are responsible for buying your own alcoholic beverages. If you want a drink, budget for it separately and keep your order practical, since you will be walking again.

McDonough’s and the ghosts of an old business

The final stop is McDonough’s Restaurant & Lounge, where the guide explains how the building has served as a bar, restaurant, grocery store, and Civil War hospital since 1850. The hospital history gives the stop a particularly grim edge. You are asked to picture wounded soldiers, blood, and the difficult conditions of wartime medical care.

The story then shifts to a dissatisfied grocer and to Billy Lee, who operated the Savannah landmark for 40 years. Billy eventually built an apartment for himself on the third floor, where even he reportedly became frightened. That detail gives the building a human scale. A person who knew the place well still felt uneasy living above it.

This stop lasts about 15 minutes and helps explain the appeal of Savannah’s haunted bars. The buildings are not empty stage sets. They have changed use many times, and each use adds another layer of death, work, business, and memory.

How much pub crawling should you expect?

The tour’s name may lead you to expect a bar-heavy evening, but the actual balance leans toward walking and storytelling. The route includes several historic locations and roughly three or four pub stops, with the amount of time in each place varying.

That is good news if you want to see Savannah at night and hear local stories while having a drink. It is less suitable if your main goal is a full evening of bar hopping. One outing stretched past two hours because the guide continued the tour beyond the planned 90 minutes, while another assessment found that the pub count felt low.

I would plan for history first, drinks second. Wear shoes that are comfortable for city walking, and avoid ordering anything that is difficult to carry or finish quickly. The tour is mobile, so you will not simply settle into one tavern for the evening.

Guide style, group size, and pacing

The guide is the heart of this experience. Craig receives especially strong praise for storytelling, humor, personal connections to the stops, and a relaxed pace. He also shares inside details that may not be part of the standard tourist script.

The pacing can vary. Some outings have been described as well paced, while another moved more slowly than expected. The tour may also last longer than the stated 90 minutes. If you have dinner reservations or another nighttime activity, leave a generous buffer after the scheduled finish.

The maximum group size is 30 people. That is small enough for a walking tour to feel manageable, but large enough that you may need to stay near the guide to catch every story. The experience is offered in English, and most people can participate. Service animals are allowed, and the meeting area is near public transportation.

One practical concern deserves attention: there has been at least one serious booking and communication failure, involving a guide who did not have the reservation recorded. That appears to be an exception rather than the normal experience, but it is a reason to keep your confirmation handy and check the meeting details before heading out.

Value, timing, and who should book

The tour’s value depends on what you want from a night in Savannah. You are paying for a guided route through major historic areas, local storytelling, and access to a handful of tavern settings. Since drinks are extra and no attraction admission is included, the guide’s stories and the route are the main product.

I think it works well as a first-night activity. The short format gives you a useful look at several squares, historic buildings, and bars without taking over your entire evening. It also leaves you with names and places to revisit later in daylight.

You should book it if you:

• Like ghost stories supported by war, disease, architecture, and local history
• Want a compact nighttime introduction to Savannah
• Prefer walking between bars instead of staying in one place
• Enjoy guides who add personal anecdotes and humor
• Have flexibility if the tour runs longer than planned

You may want another option if you want a serious paranormal investigation, a large number of pub stops, a quiet historical lecture, or a guaranteed tightly timed 90-minute outing. The stories include murder, suicide, disease, and burial, so this is not a light cocktail walk.

The experience can be canceled up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. That policy is useful if your Savannah plans remain uncertain.

Should you book the Savannah haunted pub crawl?

Book it if you want Savannah’s dark side with a real walking route and a few drinks along the way. The strongest parts are the cemetery, Madison Square, the historic taverns, and the storytelling, especially when Craig is leading the group.

Go in expecting a history-heavy ghost walk, not a bar marathon. Bring comfortable shoes, buy drinks only when you want them, stay close enough to hear the guide, and allow more than 90 minutes. With those expectations, this is a reasonably priced way to see central Savannah after dark and hear why its old streets inspire so many ghost stories.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Chippewa Square in Savannah, Georgia.

What time does the tour begin?

The scheduled start time is 7:15 p.m.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at 332 Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia.

How long does the tour last?

The listed duration is about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. Some outings have lasted longer than two hours.

Are drinks included?

No. Alcoholic beverages are not included, and you are responsible for buying your own drinks.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 30 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund.