Historic Savannah Tour on the Blue Trolley

Historic Savannah Tour on the Blue Trolley Photos (12)

Board the Historic Savannah Trolley Tour, and travel through the charming southern city's historic district to showcase the changes that the city of Savannah has undergone over its winding history.

Savannah visitors will have the opportunity to compare and contrast the city's current environment with its atmosphere at the turn of the century as they ride along in this distinctive blue trolley. With a state-of-the-art monitoring system, the trolley will take you all around this beautiful historic district, making twelve stops (aside from the tour starting points) throughout the area. You can enjoy the 1.5-hour narrated tour, or you can take advantage of the hop-on hop-off privileges for the entire day in order to explore the sights further. 

Detailed Tour Itinerary

STOP 1

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Wesley Monumental Methodist Church

STOP 2

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 Drive By  International Seamen's House

STOP 3

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 Drive By  Independent Presbyterian Church

STOP 4

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 Drive By  Historic Savannah Theatre

The historic Savannah Theatre first opened it's doors in 1818 with a performance of "The Soldier's Daughter". The original building was designed by William Jay, who is also the designer for the Telfair Mansion and the Owens-Thomas House, both in Savannah. In 1898 a hurricane hit the original structure and tore sections of the roof off of the building and flooded the auditorium. Two fires in 1906 and 1948 led to several overhauls to the building, and after the 1948 fire, the style of the theatre was changed to Art Deco. Today, the Theatre is a popular venue for live performances and productions, and has served as both a live venue and movie theater.

STOP 5

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 Drive By  Harper Fowlkes House

The Harper Fowlkes House is a stunning 19th century Greek Revival mansion in the historic district of Savannah. It was built in 1842 features many design and architectural wonders both inside and out, including an elliptical opening that can be viewed from the lower and upper levels of the entryway and stairwell. The interior of the historical home is filled with antiques and unique artworks, paintings and sculptures that boast the culture and design of the 19th century. The property is owned by the Society of the Cincinnati in Georgia, an organization made up of men who are descendants of George Washington's officers during the American Revolution.

STOP 6

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 Drive By  Fragrant Garden

Originally started in 1959 by the Garden Club Council of Chatham City, the Garden of Fragrance in Forsyth Park was designed by Georges Bignault and is surrounded by three wells to assist in containing the fragrance of the scented plants. The fourth side is an ornamental iron fence, and the entrance is an iron gate erected in the memory of Frances Smith Littlefield by her friends and members of her garden club. In 2002, the garden underwent renovations, and new fragrant plants were added by the Park and Tree Department, Trustees Garden Club and Junior League.

STOP 7

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 Drive By  Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home

Built in 1856, this historic home rests on Lafayette Square and was the birthplace and childhood home of Flannery O'Connor, an American writer and essayist that lived from 1925 to 1964. During her career, O'Connor wrote a total of two novels and thirty-two short stories, as well as reviews and commentaries. Flannery often wrote in a Southern Gothic style, with regional settings and grotesque characters, and her stories typically reflected her Roman-Catholic faith. Today, the house is staffed by volunteers and funded by donations, and is open for exploration to the public, including a parlor level decorated with twin fireplaces, chandeliers, lace curtains and heavy furniture reminiscent of the period in which O'Connor lived.

STOP 8

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 Drive By  First Jewish Cemetery

The Old Jewish Burial Ground, or Jewish Cemetery Memorial, was established in 1773 by Mordecai Sheftall and founded by General James Oglethorpe. It was stated that the cemetery would only be used as a Place of Burial for those professing the Jewish religion. It was used as a place of rallying in 1779 during an attempt to recapture Savannah from the British by French and American forces. The cemetery settled in the central point of the Georgia colony from it's beginnings, serving as a refuge for those fleeing religious persecutions. On the back of a monument to the cemetery, some names of those buried at the cemetery are carved into the stone.

STOP 9

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 Drive By  First Baptist Church of Savannah

STOP 10

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 Drive By  Factors Walk

This historic iron and concrete walkway is lined with aged red brick buildings that house a diverse array of pubs, restaurants, specialty shops and old-fashioned inns. The walkway connects the buildings to the bluff just above the River Walk. In the past, this area of Savannah was originally the Cotton Exchange where cotton factors or brokers worked.

STOP 11

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 Drive By  Emmet Park

Named for Irish orator Robert Emmet, the park features the Old City Exchange Bell and numerous memorials and monuments, including the Irish Monument, Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, and Hussars' Memorial. Emmet Park remains a prominent center for ceremonial congregations for Savannah residents of Irish descent.

STOP 12

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 Drive By  Cotton Exchange Tavern & Restaurant

The Cotton Exchange Tavern is housed in an 18th century cotton warehouse that brags worn stone and brick walls. It's located on the bayfront River Street, the oldest section of Savannah. Today, the popular restaurant serves up mouthwatering seafood, steak and other southern favorites but it is also rumored to be a highly active paranormal site. A majestic stone lion statue stands directly across from the front of the restaurant on East River Street and compliments the age-old, weathered brick walls.

STOP 13

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 Drive By  Confederate War Memorial Monument

Completed in 1879, the Confederate Monument stands in the center of Forsyth Park and is a large column with a bronze soldier adorning the top. The monument is dedicated to those who fought for the Confederacy, and stands in the same park space where the Confederate men were drilled before being sent off to join the fight.

STOP 14

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 Drive By  City Hall

Savannah's majestic City Hall was constructed in 1906 on the site of the Old City Exchange and was the first structure built entirely for the use the municipal government. The historic building's dome boasts a large tower clock and bells and paper-thin 23-karat gold leaf that shines and sparkles in the sun. Inside, stunning mosaic tiles, mahogany and oak banisters and an elegant statue.

STOP 15

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 Drive By  King-Tisdell Cottage

STOP 16

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 Drive By  Leopold's Ice Cream Parlor

Founded in 1919, Leopold's Ice Cream Parlor is world famous for its delicious ice cream. Three immigrant brothers from Greece opened the original location on the corner of Gwinnett and Habersham streets in Savannah where many streetcar riders would be enticed to enjoy a delicious, cool treat before hopping back on the streetcar. Although the original location closed in 1969, the son of one of the Leopold brothers reopened the business in 2004 and still uses some of the original fixtures from the old parlor including a black marble soda fountain and wooden interior phone booth.

STOP 17

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 Drive By  Lucas Theatre For the Arts

This restored 1920s theatre is a gorgeous historic landmark that houses a variety of performers and entertainment such as opera, orchestras, traveling repertory companies, country stars and film series. After the decline of the theatre era, the Lucas Theatre for the Arts closed in 1976 and was on track to be demolished and turned into a parking garage. A group of Savannah citizens banned together to save the theatre and the whole restoration process took almost 14 years and $14 million. For the most part, the historic detail and design of the theatre remains intact to this day.

STOP 18

 Drive By 

 Drive By  United States Customs House

The United States Customs House was built to house the offices of the United States Customs Service in 1848. The building was constructed to be fireproof and features primarily gray granite. Located at the corner of Bull and Easy Bay streets, this historic building is supported by six columns that weigh an estimated 15 to 20 tons each.

STOP 19

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Trinity United Methodist Church

One of the oldest churches in Savannah, Trinity United Methodist Church is one of the city's many beautiful, historic landmarks. The cornerstone of the church was laid in 1848 and was purchased for $8,500 which was a large sum of money in those days. The sanctuary and educational building were designed by John B. Hogg, a famous architect and construction was finished by 1850. The church walls are made of "Savannah Gray Brick" that are finished with dense stucco and two large, stately pillars support the front of the building. The oldest Methodist church in Savannah, Trinity United Methodist Church won a preservation award from the Historic Savannah Foundation in 2005.

STOP 20

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Tomochichi Monument

STOP 21

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 Drive By  The Waving Girl Statue

The Waving Girl statue depicts real life Savannahian, Florence Martus, who was born in the late 1860s. The story behind the statue? Florence and her loyal collie began a tradition of welcoming sailors into the harbor by waving to them from the shore of the Savannah River. She continued welcoming sailors like that for 44 years. Although no one knows the reason behind her waving tradition, it is estimated that she welcomed more than 50,000 ships into the harbor. The Waving Girl Statue is located at the eastern end of River Street on a bluff that surveys the river.

STOP 22

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 Drive By  Temple Mickve Israel

STOP 23

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 Drive By  Telfair Museums Jepson Center

Telfair Museums is the oldest public art museum in the southeast. It opened in the 1800s and now houses about 4,000 American and European artworks from the 18th-21st centuries. The museum is located in the historic district of Savannah and is made up of the Telfair Academy, Owens-Thomas House and the Jepson Center, a modern museum that houses an interactive gallery geared toward children and other paintings and photos.

STOP 24

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 Drive By  Site of Fort Wayne

STOP 25

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 Drive By  Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

This museum houses 18th and 19th century vessels in a home that is almost 200 years old. The Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum features nine galleries of ship models, artifacts and maritime paintings. The museum space is filled with models of steamers, navy ships, colonial vessels and more and each one brags realistic, meticulous detail. The museum is located in historic downtown Savannah.

STOP 26

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 Drive By  SCAD Museum of Art

This museum was founded in 2002 and showcases artists' work from all over the world. The SCAD Museum of Art has hosted the work of Jane Alexander, Uta Barth, Alfredo Jaar, Fred Wilson and Liza Lou. The building itself is actually a National Historic Landmark. Constructed in 1853, it was transformed into a modern museum 158 years later. The museum is also an outlet for SCAD students who attend workshops, lecture series, film screenings, academic classes and more at the SCAD Museum of Art.

STOP 27

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 Drive By  Saint John's Episcopal Church

STOP 28

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 Drive By  Olympic Cauldron

The Olympic Cauldron is a historic monument that towers high above the ground in Morrell Park. It was erected in 1996 and proudly displays five columns that are meant to represent the five Olympic rings. The sails surrounding the cauldron's flames depict the 1996 Olympic yachting events that were held in Savannah.

STOP 29

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Old Harbor Light & Oglethorpe Bench

The Old Harbor Light & Oglethorpe Bench is located on Bay Street, along the shoreline of the Savannah River. The cast iron fountain was erected by the United States Lighthouse Board in 1858 and stands 25 feet high. It was originally used for navigation in Emmet Park on East Bay Street. The historic beacon marks the sight of General Oglethorpe's 1733 landing and founding of the colony that would later become the state of Georgia.

STOP 30

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Lutheran Church of the Ascension

STOP 31

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 Drive By  Christ Church Episcopal

The Christ Church Epsicopal was established in 1733 and is often referred to as "The Mother Church of Georgia." America's first Sunday School was started at this church and the church's minister, Rev. John Wesley published the first English Hymnal in America. One of the three founding parishes of the Diocese of Georgia, Christ Church Episcopal was the first church in historic Savannah.

STOP 32

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Chatham Artillery's Washington Guns

These two bronze cannons were a gift from President Washington to the Chatham Artillery in 1791. Te British Gun has an inscription that reads "surrendered by the capitulation of New York Town Oct. 19, 1781." The French gun was made in 1756 and has a Latin inscription on it that means "Last Argument of Kings. Many people have come to see Washington Guns including James K. Polk, James Monroe, William H. Taft and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

STOP 33

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 Drive By  Ellis Square

STOP 34

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 Drive By  Mercer House

STOP 35

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 Drive By  Davenport House

STOP 36

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 Drive By  Forsyth Park

STOP 37

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 Drive By  Washington Square

STOP 38

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 Drive By  Franklin Square

STOP 39

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Telfair Academy

The Telfair Academy is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and a designated U.S. National Historic Landmark. The academy features a collection of decorative arts displayed within furnished period rooms throughout the buildling. Telfair Academy, also known as Telfair Mansion, was originally a family townhouse and became a free art museum in 1886.

STOP 40

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 Drive By  Roundhouse Railroad Museum

STOP 41

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 Drive By  Massie Heritage Museum

STOP 42

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 Drive By  Andrew Low House

STOP 43

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 Drive By  Columbia Square

STOP 44

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 Drive By  Charles H. Morris Center Trustees Garden

Between 1733 and 1748, the Trustees' Garden was used to grow essentials to silk culture, including peaches, rice, flax, hemp, indigo, and mulberry trees. One of the gowns for Britain's Queen Caroline was made from Savannah silk. The Garden has seen numerous changes, from residential lots, a seamen's tavern, the Kehoe Iron Works, and more. Today, the Trustees' Garden serves as a popular venue for events such as business functions, weddings and receptions, and several musical festivals and performers.

STOP 45

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 Drive By  Armstrong House

Built between 1916-1919 for George Ferguson Armstrong and his family, the Armstrong House has gone through a series of interesting transformations, housing numerous causes such as a college, senior college, antiquity shop, and law firm. To this day, it houses a powerful law firm but has kept it's original Italian Renaissance style, and combines the beaux art style with elaborate, worldly, and classical elements.

STOP 46

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 Drive By  Wright Square

STOP 47

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 Drive By  Thomas Square Historic District

STOP 48

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 Drive By  Monterey Square

STOP 49

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 Drive By  Johnson Square

STOP 50

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 Drive By  Green-Meldrim House

STOP 51

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 Drive By  First African Baptist Church

STOP 52

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 Drive By  Owens-Thomas House

STOP 53

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Mansion of Forsyth Park

Built in 1888, the two-story Victorian Romanesque Mansion was the original structure of what is now Mansion of Forsyth Park. This area has been completely restored, and a new four-story building was added and designed in the same architectural style as the original mansion home. Featuring the Grand Bohemian Art Gallery, the Mansion is one of historic Savannah's lavish hotels.

STOP 54

 Drive By 

 Drive By  Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

This Roman Catholic cathedral is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah. Although the colonial charter initially prohibited Roman Catholics from settling in Savannah, today the Savannah Roman Catholic Diocese includes 90 counties in middle and southern Georgia. The church itself has fabulous architecture and artwork for visitors to view during your tour.

STOP 55

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Colonial Park Cemetery

As the main cemetery in Savannah from the mid-1700s to mid-1800s, the Colonial Park Cemetery has over 600 headstones still intact. You can visit the graves of royal governors, members of the First Continental Congress, Georgia's first newspaper publisher, and Button Gwinnet, one of the three Georgian signers of the Declaration of Independence.

STOP 56

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace

At this historic house own by the Girl Scouts, you can discover the fascinating story of how Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts in 1912 and became one of the most significant American women of her time. This location was Savannah's first National Historic Landmark and is the setting for a remarkable family story woven through the history of the city, state, and nation.

STOP 57

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  The Pirates' House

Initially built for seafarers around 1750, the Pirates' House quickly became a rendezvous point for pirates and sailors. Now, this location is a most intriguing restaurant, offering delicious foods that have been acclaimed for over three decades. This is a perfect place for a quick bite to eat during your tour.

STOP 58

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Reynolds Square

Originally laid out in 1734 as Lower New Square, the square was later renamed for Captain John Reynolds, governor of Georgia in the mid-1750s. The square contains a bronze statue honoring founder of Methodism John Wesley, which was installed in 1969. It is also the site of the Filature, which housed silkworms in an attempt to establish a silk industry in the Georgia colony.

STOP 59

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Old City Exchange Bell

The oldest bell in Georgia, the Old City Exchange Bell was constructed in 1802 and hung in the bell tower of the City Exchange Building. Now, it is located in a replica of the tower in a park just east of City Hall.

STOP 60

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront

The Bohemian Hotel sits like a jewel above the historic 18th century cobblestone street along the Savannah River. This Savannah hotel's design is contemporary in style with a vintage allure, reminiscent of the era when British maritime settlers first landed on the Savannah River in 1733.

STOP 61

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Dockside Seafood

Located in Savannah's Historic District, Dockside Seafood Restaurant and Steakhouse offers guests an extensive seafood menu with a spectacular view of the Savannah River. Inside the restaurant, you can admire the exposed wood beam construction, tables supported from the ceiling, and views of the beautiful river.

STOP 62

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 Tour Stop at  City Market

First started in 1755, the City Market quickly became the place for fishermen and farmers to bring the wares for the public to purchase, and although the original City Market was destroyed, it has since been rebuilt and is still thriving today. Here, you can explore and discover anything from dining, entertainment, shopping, to art and culture.

STOP 63

 Tour Stop at 

 Tour Stop at  Savannah Visitors Center

The Savannah Visitors Center is the perfect place to end your tour of the downtown area. Housed inside an historic Central of Georgia Railway Passenger Station, this visitors center gives you all the information, brochures, and refreshments you could desire from the eager staff.

Stops may change due to traffic, weather, maintenance, etc.

The blue trolleys stop at each of the tour sites approximately every 20 minutes, and trolleys set out from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day, allowing you to hop off and back on at any of the sites for a convenient way to explore the city in-depth. This trolley tour is the perfect way to explore the culture of Savannah!