Savannah Trolley vs Walking Ghost Tour

There is no single “best” Savannah ghost tour — there’s the best one for you. The three main formats — a seated trolley tour, an on-foot walking tour, and a pub crawl that blends the two — deliver the same haunted history in very different ways. This guide compares them on comfort, scare factor, price, and access, so you can match the format to your group before you book.

The Three Formats at a Glance

All three include free cancellation up to 24 hours before, so the real decision comes down to how you want to spend the evening.

The Trolley Tour: Most Ground, Least Effort

The Ghosts and Gravestones trolley tour is the site’s featured experience and a GetYourGuide “Top pick,” rated 4.3/5 by more than 1,286 guests. Across 80 minutes it covers the most ground of any format — a guided loop past Columbia Square, Wright Square, Telfair Square, Colonial Park Cemetery, the Pirate’s House, and the Olde Harbour Inn.

Its real differentiator is indoor access. The trolley is the only one of the three formats that takes you inside haunted buildings: an exclusive after-hours walk through the Andrew Low House and a visit into the 19th-century Perkins & Sons Ship Chandlery. The $43 starting price is all-inclusive — trolley transport, a storytelling guide, and both indoor stops — so it carries the highest sticker price but bundles the most into it.

Pick the trolley if you: are visiting for the first time, are travelling as a mixed-age group, want minimal walking, prefer a covered ride on a hot or rainy night, or simply want to see and do the most in one tour.

The Walking Tour: Cheapest and Most Immersive

A walking ghost tour trades comfort for atmosphere. On foot, at street level, you notice the details — the worn cobblestones, the moss, the dark windows — in a way a moving trolley can’t replicate. Walking tours are widely considered the more immersive and genuinely spookier format.

At a starting price of $25, the walking tour is also the budget choice. The trade-off is that it covers less ground, runs entirely on foot for around 90 minutes, and tells its stories from the exterior of haunted sites rather than going inside. That’s a fair deal if your priority is mood and value over indoor access.

Pick the walking tour if you: want the scariest, most immersive option, are comfortable on your feet for about 90 minutes, are travelling on a budget, or want to slow down and absorb the Historic District at night.

The Pub Crawl: Drinks With Your Ghosts

The Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour is the social middle ground — a roughly two-hour walking route that swaps cemetery gates for the doorways of Savannah’s haunted pubs and taverns. It pairs ghost storytelling with stops for a drink, and it carries the highest guest rating of the three formats at 4.7/5 from 300 reviews.

It is squarely an adult experience. There’s a moderate amount of walking between stops, and the appeal is the blend of nightlife and history rather than indoor museum access.

Pick the pub crawl if you: are an adults-only group, want to combine drinks with the storytelling, and like the idea of a livelier, more social evening.

Comfort and Accessibility

This is where the formats diverge most sharply. The trolley keeps walking to a minimum — you’re seated for most of the tour, with only two short indoor stops on foot — which makes it the natural pick for anyone who tires easily, is travelling with older relatives, or wants to stay out of summer humidity and rain. Note that the featured trolley tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, and children under 6 are not permitted.

Both the walking tour and the pub crawl require being comfortable on your feet for the full duration. They’re rewarding if you’re physically up for it, and harder going on a hot night or for anyone with mobility limits.

Matching the Format to Your Group

The “right” format often comes down to who you’re travelling with rather than personal preference. A few common situations:

• A group with mixed walking abilities. The trolley is the clear answer — it keeps everyone together without leaving slower walkers behind, and the seated format removes the strain of a 90-minute or two-hour walk.
• Two travellers who want maximum atmosphere. The walking tour rewards a small, focused group; you’ll notice the cobblestones and the shadows in a way a trolley can’t deliver.
• An adults-only celebration or night out. The pub crawl is purpose-built for it, blending storytelling with stops for a drink.
• A family with older kids and teens. The trolley again — short, covered, and humor-balanced — with the bonus of the indoor haunted-house stops to keep the experience varied.

Because all three include free cancellation up to 24 hours before, there’s also low risk in committing early and adjusting later if your group’s plans shift.

So Which Is Best?

There’s no universal winner — match the format to your group:

• First-timers and families → the trolley tour. Most sites, least effort, indoor access, year-round covered comfort.
• Budget travellers and thrill-seekers → the walking tour. Cheapest, most immersive, genuinely spookier.
• Adults who want a social night → the pub crawl. Highest rated, ghost stories with a drink in hand.

If you’re undecided, the trolley is the safest all-rounder — it’s why it’s the site’s featured tour and a “Top pick.”

Ready to Book?

The Ghosts and Gravestones trolley tour is the all-inclusive choice — 80 minutes, exclusive indoor entry to the Andrew Low House and Perkins & Sons Chandlery, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before, from $43 per person. Check tour availability and pick your evening.