Savannah: Bonaventure Cemetery History & Film Locations Tour

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Free cancellationExcellent qualityLikely to sell out

1/10

Duration2h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

A Cemetery Where History, Film, and Wildlife Collide in Savannah

You walk Bonaventure Cemetery with a professional guide who covers the graves of Johnny Mercer and Conrad Aiken, the symbolism in burial art, and filming locations from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Along the way, you spot over 100 bird species and learn how the cemetery shaped Savannah's history and culture. The tour lasts 2–3 hours and includes a guide who knows the stories behind every stop.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Bonaventure Cemetery history and art

Meet host Shannon Scott
Stroll historic cemetery sections
Learn stories of famed dead
Observe statues and symbolism
Discover burial rites and plant life
Visit gravesites of Johnny Mercer and others
Explore Midnight In The Garden filming locations

The Experience

You walk into a cemetery expecting quiet, and instead you get a story that won't stop talking. Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah isn't a place to rush through — it's the kind of place where Shannon Scott or one of his guides will stop you in front of a grave and suddenly you're learning about Johnny Mercer's life, or the symbolism carved into a stone angel's wings, or why a particular moss-draped oak shows up in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The cemetery has been a filming location since the silent film era, and Ken Burns chose it for his American Journeys Tour Series, which tells you something about the weight of what's buried here.

What catches most people off guard is how alive the place feels. Over 100 bird species move through Bonaventure on any given day — owls, hawks, eagles, and if you're lucky, foxes along the river or even dolphins in the water beyond the grounds. Your guide will point out the plants, the burial rites, the esoteric and religious symbols that most visitors walk past without seeing. Little Gracie's grave, Conrad Aiken's plot, the stories of the people who shaped Savannah — they're all here, and the guide doesn't just name them, they explain why they matter. It's part history lesson, part art history, part nature walk, and somehow it all fits together in a way that makes sense by the end.

The tour runs in all weather, so bring layers or an umbrella depending on the season. The cemetery is wheelchair accessible, though there are uneven surfaces, and the paths wind through moss and shade. Most people find it takes about two to three hours, and by the time you leave, you'll have a completely different relationship with the place — it stops being a cemetery and becomes a kind of open-air museum where the dead are still teaching you something about Savannah, about art, about how a landscape can hold so much meaning at once.

What’s included

Your tour includes a local professional guide (many with art history expertise), detailed stops at historic gravesites including Johnny Mercer and Conrad Aiken, explanations of burial art symbolism and religious iconography, locations connected to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and wildlife spotting opportunities throughout the cemetery grounds.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Bonaventure, Historic Savannah, Low Country & Private with Shannon Scott Tours

Is this one for you?Best for history buffs, photographers, and film fans who want to understand Savannah's past through its most significant burial ground — the guide's expertise means you leave knowing the stories, not just the names.