Savannah: Bonaventure Cemetery Tour & Little Gracie's Grave

The Graves That Made Savannah Whisper

You walk through Bonaventure Cemetery with a local guide who decodes the Victorian symbols carved into tombs and tells the real story behind Little Gracie's famous statue. The tour covers two hours, moves at a pace that lets you read the stones, and includes the graves of Savannah's most storied figures. Wheelchair accessible, suitable for all fitness levels, and included is the guide's knowledge of the history and legends that make this cemetery more than just a burial ground.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Bonaventure Cemetery's history

• Visit Bonaventure Cemetery
• See Little Gracie's statue
• Decode Victorian tomb symbols
• View graves of famous locals

The experience

You want to know what a place really is, so you go where people stop talking, the cemetery. Bonaventure Cemetery sits just outside Savannah, and it's not the kind of place you visit to feel better. It's the kind you visit because something there won't let you look away. The guide meets you at the entrance, and from the first few steps under the live oaks, you understand why this cemetery matters. It's not neat rows and flat stones. It's a landscape of monuments, some crumbling, some pristine, all of them carved with symbols (roses for love, lambs for children, urns for loss) that people in the 1800s understood without needing words.

The tour moves through the cemetery at a pace that lets you actually read the stones. You stop at Little Gracie's grave, and there's the statue: a child in a marble dress, so detailed you can see the folds, the curls, the expression. She died in 1889, and the story around her death has never quite settled. People leave toys and flowers at her feet. The guide explains what happened, what people believed happened, and why the line between history and legend blurs in a place like this. You're standing in front of a real person's grief, carved in stone, and it changes how you see the rest of the cemetery.

From there, the walk takes you past the graves of Savannah's poets, politicians, war heroes: people whose names appear in history books and people whose names nobody remembers anymore. The guide points out the hidden meanings in the monuments, the way families chose to be remembered, the way death was dressed up in Victorian language and marble. Spanish moss hangs from the branches above, and the light filters through in a way that makes the whole place feel like it exists outside of time. You're not rushing. You're reading. You're thinking about what it means to leave something behind.

The tour takes about two hours, and it's suitable for all fitness levels. The paths are walkable, and if you need a stroller or wheelchair, the cemetery is accessible. Public transportation runs nearby if you're coming from downtown Savannah. If you're bringing a group of 10 or more, you'll need to contact the private and group sales coordinator directly, but smaller groups move through with just the one guide, which keeps the experience intimate. By the end, you've seen a side of Savannah that most tourists miss, not the Spanish moss for the postcard, but the weight of what's underneath it.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a local guide who leads you through Bonaventure Cemetery, explains the history and symbolism of the monuments, and shares the stories of Savannah's most notable figures buried there.
• The guide points out Little Gracie's grave and the Victorian tombs, and decodes the hidden meanings carved into the stones.
• The tour is approximately two hours and covers the main attractions within the cemetery.

Information

Lasts 1h 30m, runs every day at 11:00, from US$ 24.99 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 301 private ›

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.1 with pickup ›

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (2 to 14 years) · Infant (under 2): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Ghost City Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Savannah beyond the tourist postcards: the guide's knowledge of the cemetery's history and legends transforms a walk through graves into a conversation with the past, and the two-hour pace means you're not rushing from stone to stone.

Traveler reviews

4.60★★★★★★★★★★

244 verified traveler reviews

5 ★209

4 ★10

3 ★5

2 ★3

1 ★17

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 14 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Bonaventure Cemetery tour?

The tour takes approximately two hours.

Is the cemetery tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Bonaventure Cemetery is wheelchair accessible. Strollers and prams are also welcome.

Who was Little Gracie?

Little Gracie was a child who died in 1889. Her statue in the cemetery has become one of Savannah's most visited graves, and visitors often leave toys and flowers at her feet.

Do I need to arrange transportation to Bonaventure Cemetery?

Public transportation options are available nearby. The cemetery is located just outside downtown Savannah.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The paths are walkable, and the pace allows time to read the monuments.

What does the tour guide explain about the cemetery?

The guide explains the history of the cemetery, the meanings of Victorian symbols carved into tombs (roses, urns, lambs, weeping angels), and the stories of Savannah's historical figures buried there.

Can I bring a large group?

Groups of 10 or more should contact the private and group sales coordinator directly to arrange the tour.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.