FREE SAVANNAH WALKING TOURS
Your mind blown in 90 minutes, or you don’t pay a dime
So, you’re coming to our beloved Savannah. If you’re like most visitors, coming just for a few days, your time here is limited and precious.
You need a tour.
But, how will you know you’re not wasting your money, or signing up for boring time? How can you ensure the tour you’re taking isn’t crappy?
The truth is – you can’t. Tours in Savannah don’t guarantee anything. And this is why we created the Free Savannah Walking Tours.
Our tours are amazing, because we don’t get paid if they’re not.
Note: there’s a $2.85 fee when you book. The city of Savannah enforces a tour tax for each person (and a limit of 30 people per group), so we ask each participant to pay the tax to avoid over-bookings & no-shows. The tour itself is free and operates on a name-your-own-price-basis. Once you book, we’ll send all the details (starting location, etc) to your email.
5/5 on Yelp, TripAdvisor and Google
“Informative, entertaining tour. It was a really large and somewhat unwieldy group of about 25 people, but the tour guide did a great job of herding everyone. He seemed very knowledgeable about Savannah history. We all thought it was a great way to spend the afternoon. Highly recommend. (We had five in our group and we tipped him $80. Well worth it.)”
Audrey E.
Chapel Hill, NC
“Great walking tour of Savannah’s history! Chuck, our tour guide in this hour and a half tour, was a wealth of knowledge. He took us back to England in the late 1600’s and provided a colorful description of how this beautiful city evolved since Oglethorpe’s arrived in these shores mixing wit and humor in his delivery. I highly recommend this tour for a crash course in history and fun facts while walking through the many parks and monuments of this beautiful city. Keep in mind this is a tour where you decide how much value you get out of it. Ask for Chuck for an added valuable experience.“
Sergio S.
San Diego, CA
“I’m not sure if these tours are always this incredible but my Guy Joe did a great job on the morning of April 26th!!!! That guy seriously killed it. You could hear the passion and love for the city as we walked around. He is very animated and appropriately alters the inflection in his voice to both emphasize key points but also maintain the audiences engagement. You can tell that he is going to be a great guide from the minute he starts his introduction. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the city, and as a local was able to toss in some fun facts from his own family’s stories. He even offered some tips for great restaurants to stop at for food. Plus, he called us to make sure we were still coming, because we were that group that walked up exactly on the hour. Would highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Savannah, and if you can book Joe!”
Abou K.
Los Angeles, CA
“Do not pay for another tour! My husband and I actually purchased ticket to another walking tour in Savannah and it was cancelled last minute. The night prior I looked up the free walking tours and thought we would give it a shot. Our tour guide Chuck was great! He was so knowledgeable of the city and the history of Savannah. I highly recommend this tour and appreciate the tour being free (only pay the cost of taxes) and giving the tour guide a larger gratuity.”
Jill D.
Talleyville, DE
“A great tour that gave bits of info about Savannah. Topics ranged from history, flora, landmarks, and pop culture. Perfect duration, very informative. Large tour group size, but I believe everyone was able to hear the guide without difficulty. Loved the business model as it allowed all our party members to enjoy the tour without worrying if it would “feel worth it” to everyone.”
Pamela B.
Homestead, FL
“We decided to opt for a walking tour rather than a trolley tour whilst visiting Savannah. Daniel our tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the tour interesting. The tour covered appx 1 mile of the historic district and Daniel found good shady places for us to listen to his narrative. The tour is free but the guides rely on your tips to earn a living average $10-$20 per person, and worth every cent. Daniel was also keen to answer any other questions that we might have about Savannah, after the tour finished. Great walking tour.“
Mel V.
Birmingham, England
“This is the best tour in Savannah. We had Daniel (Chris is the other guide available). He was wonderfully charismatic and overall fantastic. He packed our tour with tons of historical info and fun tidbits of information. Great for anyone including kids and families. Loved the stops along the way including most of the “squares”. If you’re trying to figure out which tour to take look no further. Don’t let the fact that it’s free dissuade you. It was a quality tour that’s completely worth your time. The only money they make comes from the touring visitors so tip accordingly.“
Lauren H.
Chapel Hill, NC
“We really enjoyed this tour of Savannah. Chris was super knowledgeable and kept us interested the whole time. It’s a great way to get yourself acclimated to the city.“
Rob D.
Cranford, NJ
“My friend Stacy and I took a Free Savannah tour on the Martin Luther King holiday. Our guide was Daniel. We were hemming and hawing about whether to do this or take one of the trolley tours. At the last second we opted for this. Yes the free price tag is nice but we’re not above paying for a solid tour, so it was more about wanting a unique, up close and intimate experience with Savannah, our guide and the overall tour. And we got it. Daniel was awesome. He is whip smart, friendly, passionate and very patient and kind. We happened to have a small group on the afternoon tour, but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have mattered if we had had 50 people. He went out of his way to make sure that everyone was following and encouraged questions. He’s also got a natural ability to explain history and culture and will have you laughing in the process. He knows so much about Savannah and seems to love it, which was infectious. The essence of his tour that he gave us was about a surprisingly progressive city in the south that has seen dark times and tragedy and been down on its luck but has always retained a strong resilience and hope for better days ahead. And a sense of its cultural and historic fabric that makes it so unique and charming. We packed a lot in to the 2 hours (we went over a tad bit which was just fine with us) and saw and learned a bunch but not so much that it was exhausting or overwhelming. Cannot say enough about Daniel. He was one of the highlights of this trip. We tipped him what we thought was a fair tip and it was still less than one those trolley tours would have been. You should go. Bring comfortable shoes and water and show up at Johnson Sq. a few minutes early. This is my second free walking tour (did one also in Vancouver) and they’ve both been awesome. So personal and informative. And great way to see and learn more than you otherwise would.“
Phillip G.
Los Angeles, CA
“The Free Savannah Walking Tour was entertaining and interesting. My boyfriend and I had been wandering around beautiful Savannah and began to look for tours so we could learn more. Savannah is such a walk-able city and I am so glad we chose to do the walking tour with Dan. We walked through the squares, learning about the monuments and the history of Savannah. One thing I loved about this tour (and the previous ‘free walking tours’ I have done) is that they are never dry. Dan did an amazing job of making sure the historical facts were presented in a fun and interesting way. My boyfriend and I came out of the tour with tons of fun facts about Savannah that we shared with our friends who were also visiting. Thanks Free Savannah Tour for a great afternoon!”
Kala R.
Waterville, VT
“What a fantastic tour. Last 1.5 hours and it’s filled with education and a big dose of comedy to make it interesting. Chris was really great. My suggestion would be for him to bring up money. Never be afraid to ask for money. This is a free tour and he should make a comment at the end that tips are accepted. I would highly recommend.“
John S.
Jacksonville, FL
Book Your Free Historic Savannah Walking Tour
We’ll stroll through Savannah and absorb the old city, the historical squares, and the Spanish moss of the Live Oaks. Throughout our adventure we will discuss Savannah from present day, back to Colonial times, and through times of war, prosperity, famine, plague, and stardom. The tour lasts 90 minutes.
Tours often get fully booked way ahead of time, so book your spot(s) now if you’re interested. What do you have to lose? You won’t pay a dime if you didn’t like it (won’t happen!).
“What an excellent tour. We stumbled upon this by accident (good luck really) and it was one of the best things we did while we were in Savannah. Our guide, Chris, was everything a guide should be: engaging, funny, and enthusiastic. He kept me wanting to learn more about Savannah and history in general. I have done paid tours that were not as good as this one. The tour is free but don’t forget to tip!!”
Edith G.
Astoria, NY
“Great walking tour – Chris was an amazing tour guide. He provided history in an interesting manner and interacted well with all of the people on the tour. It is an amazing value for a brief overview of the downtown area of Savannah.“
Hope B.
Holt, MI
“Chris took us around Savannah on a fun walking tour. You tip whatever you feel at the end and at least on our tour there was no pressure. We got to know Savannah, some history, and plenty of insider info about where to go (e.g. where to get cheap and delicious drinks). Chris was friendly and informative! I love free walking tours all over the world and I’m so glad they are now in the US!“
Kate H.
Brooklyn, NY
“We did a walking tour with Daniel on our first day in Savannah and loved it. We had originally booked a 1pm tour but these all got cancelled due to the heat so after a couple of emails to sort things out we ended up with the late afternoon tour and even then it was still pretty hot. Good decision guys – it would have been unbearable at 1pm. Daniel took us on a ramble through the squares of Savannah and it gave us a great introduction to the city. He was knowledgeable and funny at the same time (although if you are reading this Daniel you DO need to work on your Scottish accent when talking about Lachlan McIntosh!). He gave us lots of information about the history, famous people, and landmarks of the city. It really helps that your guide knows and enjoys his stuff, especially in a beautiful city like Savannah … it served as a great launchpad for the next 4 days of our trip as we could use the info we got from Daniel to decide which sights we wanted to go back and see again in more detail ….. As others have said … please make sure you tip. It is definitely worth it. We were on a similar ‘free’ tour in Paris on a previous trip and in both cases the tour guides were more passionate (and knowledgeable) than others who demand that you pay up front and sometimes just go through the motions … presumably because in this business model their income depends on how well they do and how much you enjoy the tour. Daniel worked hard on this tour and even at the end was happy to hang back for a while and give a few pointers or suggestions on various things we had questions about. We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this tour.”
Scott M.
Toronto, Canada
“This tour is a must is you are visiting Savannah! Chris was funny, friendly, and highly entertaining. When we signed up for this tour we figured that it would either be really great, or so boring that we would use our preschooler as an excuse to get out of it early. Thankfully it was really great.“
Nydia M.
Miami, FL
“Fantastic!! Chris was our tour guide and he was super funny and very helpful. Excellent tour and very informative about the history of the city. He will also help you navigate and give suggestions on places to go to. He even said hi to us when we ran into him later on. It is very hot, so remember to bring water. He was also considerate and checked on how everyone was feeling throughout the walk. Be sure to tip because they really do a good job and deserve it!“
Jas S.
Suwanee, GA
“Yes, definitely the right choice! My bf and I only had about 24 hours in Savannah and this was the way to go! 1) Easy meeting spot 2) Chris was super friendly and funny 3) Good balance of anecdotes and info 4) Good balance of walking and stopping 5) Strategically ends by right a bathroom–smart. We didn’t do any of the paid tours, so I can’t compare… But this seems like a great free option! I love history and felt pretty satisfied with the amount we learned. And it didn’t feel rushed which was nice. ALSO, most free tours in other cities just end up taking you to stores that sponsor them and make you wait there for 10 minutes so you can “have a look around.” That’s how they get you. But none of that here!! Just free fun times. Definitely recommended.”
Krina S.
Philadelphia, PA
“Chris did a great job of bringing the historic district and city squares to life with insightful stories, anecdotal information and of course the history of beautiful Savannah. The length of the tour was just right as my two kids (14,12) were just hanging on. All in all a very good experience overall.”
Chris K.
Richmond, VA
Forget expensive tours, you want this one
Again, if you’re not absolutely delighted with us, you don’t pay a dime. The only way we get paid is if you’re so amazed by our tour that you feel motivated enough to tip us. No other tour company offers such a guarantee.
So, what are you waiting for? If you’re looking for a fancy tour with trolleys that keep you static, we’re probably not for you. But if you want an exciting, healthy, educating time with passionate guides — and the best guarantee in the business – you’re going to love us. Click to book:
“Super, excellent tour! We really and truly enjoyed this tour! History, funny and lots of good walking. Tour guide was also owner of company, and he was simply amazing! This is a must! Excellent!!!!”
Debbie L.
Caldwell, NJ
“My husband and I did a free walking tour on a Saturday morning while we were in town. I can’t recommend it enough. Not only was it free, it was better than pretty much any other tour in town. We overheard a lot of tours, and none compared; especially those trolley ones that don’t really let you experience the city.”
Samantha M.
Washington, DC
“Had a great, educational tour of Savannah with Chris! Learned a lot about this beautiful city that we would never know just walking around by ourselves. Walked through many of the squares, learned about some military history, pop culture (Forrest Gump filming locations), and about the architecture. This was a great stop on our year long tour of the US!“
April R.
Charlotte, NC
“A lasting impact that made our trip better. Chris was a fantastic tour guide. He had so much energy and was great at tell stories of the past. I really liked all the “taboo” stuff that he shared. Even if you have already walked around the city, you will have a much better time with the tour. We learned about “keeping up with the Jones” and so much more. It was funny that the guide was reading my face when he was telling one of his many interesting stories because I was so caught up in the moment that he pointed out..” you didn’t expect that uh, that was quite a twist of faith. ” I was really amazed that he never asked for a tip or said anything about money. If you do decided to do the tour, please give what you can. Free Savannah Tours is a great thing and I hope they stay in business for a long time.”
Tiffany E.
Nashville, TN
“Had an amazing time learning about Savannah history, culture, and architecture on our tour. Chris was awesome and did a great job of making everyone feel welcomed. We saw a lot of interesting places and it was great to hear about some of the history of this beautiful city. Couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant experience!“
Jessica B.
Orlando, FL
Frequently Asked Questions
By offering the tours for no upfront cost, we eliminate your risk and make sure we have the pressure to perform. Free Savannah Tours business model would be of little value otherwise.
Reservations are not required, but keep in mind that the city of Savannah has a maximum of 30 people allowed on any walking tour. Certain times of the year are quite busy, so make a reservation if you would like to play it safe.
Definitely. Our goal is to entertain everyone in the group, and that includes kids. We cater each tour specifically to the group, so if your kids are more interested in the legends of the city, let your guide know and he would be more than happy to adjust.
Yes. If you’re interested in a private tour, please send us an email with your information (link at the bottom of this page).
dog isn’t aggressive, or barks a lot for no reason, you are more than welcome to tag it along.
We like to give a view of Savannah’s history, from the Colonial Times up to current day society. There’s a lot to see.
The Free Savannah Tours organize in Johnson Square. Look for the big central monument, you can’t miss it.
If you are driving directly to the tour, make sure to factor in a couple extra minutes to find a spot. Parking garages in the area are plentiful and very inexpensive to use for the day.
Yes. By avoiding highly expensive overhead — such as a trolley or a bus — we retain the ability of offer the tours at no up front cost. Plus, it’s way more fun, active and healthy that way!
You’ll walk for about an hour and a half, normal walking speed, with plenty of stops. Not difficult at all, even for older folks.
Absolutely.
It’s usually nice and warm. If it gets a little hot, we have shaded spots strategically spread all across the tour.
“All the other reviews are true! Enjoyed all the usual pleasures of a weekend in Savannah, but my trip didn’t feel complete without knowing more about the history of this wonderful city. Free Savannah Tours took care of that! In an hour and a half walking tour that flew by, I learned so much interesting information about Savannah’s history, architecture, and it’s people. Made me appreciate the city so much more. Highly recommend for all the history, war, and architecture buffs.“
Kendall K.
Wake Forest, NC
“Perfect intro to this beautiful city! Having never been to the South before, my wife and I knew we wanted a good tour of this beautiful city to capture not only a bit of Savannah but a sense of historical life under the Mason-Dixie. I browsed a few tours and after reading a few reviews both here and other sites I thought we’d be in good hands with either of the two guides from Free Savannah Tours. Was I right or what?! Daniel was excellent. It ended up being a private tour because of a threat of rain. Daniel went above and beyond giving us “bonuses” and “free tangents” (as he liked to call them) which were very informative and made me smile because I could feel the love he had for his city. My wife and I are self-proclaimed history nerds and asked a plethora of questions to which he quickly and thoroughly answered. We also got to discuss elements of the Colonial and Civil War period where there was fun banter between the three of us. In the end, we had a two hour (plus!) tour, of which he had guaranteed an hour and a half (our questions and chatting took it past that!) of fun stories, interesting tidbits and great historical facts all while getting a good walk and feeling like we had made a new friend in Savannah. Thank you Daniel!”
Joey D.
Flagstaff, AZ
“We recently took the Historic Savannah Tour, with Bob as our guide. We were torn with which tour company to reserve with, but thanks to Yelp and these great reviews, we selected Free Savannah Tours, and we’re very glad we did! Bob was super laid-back and funny, very informative without inundating us with too many details, and we covered a lot of the sights and history of Savannah. Another great thing about Bob is that he kept the tour about the sights and history, rather than pushing his own agenda, or making the tour about him (which we’d previously experienced, elsewhere). We booked this tour during the front-end of our trip, which is something I recommend. Gives you time go back and revisit anything you’d like, in more detail. The owner(?) of the tour company, Chris, was also fantastically helpful in setting up our tour and helping secure the date/time we wanted.”
Brenda “Raaaaaah-chester” K.
Rochester, NY
“Excellent tour. I am a huge fan of ‘free tours’; I have taken several of them in Europe (Amsterdam, Vienna, Krakow, etc.) and have always been impressed with both the enthusiasm and knowledge of the local guides. This was no exception. Chris was an excellent guide, clearly enjoyed and knew his local history, and interacted effortlessly with everyone on the tour. A bright and engaging tour guide makes all the difference, and Chris certainly fit the bill. Please remember that the tour guides on these types of tours make their income from tips, and they work very hard to deliver a quality service. Well done, Chris!”
John L.
Grand Bend, Canada
“Historical Savannah Tour with Madelyn – UNBEATABLE! We met our tour guide Madelyn in Johnson Square, with a “full” group of 30 people which did not bother us as it still felt very intimate. Madelyn began with an incredible amount of interesting history there, and as we made our way down Bull Street stopping in each square, we learned more and more as the city became newer chronologically. Madelyn is a SCAD student in architecture and history (I think?!) – SO knowledgeable, well spoken, witty, and overall just fantastic. We couldn’t have wished for a better tour or guide!“
Sarah S.
Austin, TX
“They say the best things in life are free – this is definitely true with the Free Savannah Tour. Chris is a wonderful, friendly guide. You get a good idea about the history of Savannah and the “side stories” eg Forrest Gump makes the tour enjoyable. It is a good way to start your visit in Savannah.“
Dee D.
Ghent, Belgium
Would you like to contact us?
Chris, the owner, is available on email:
For anything technical (regarding the website), contact Reggie. If you’d like a premium, adult-only tour, we also operate Savannah Ghost Tours.
© 2024 Free Savannah Walking Tours | All Rights Reserved