Savannah, Georgia sits where the Savannah River meets the coastal plain, and the city's layout — an 18th-century grid of streets organized around open public squares — has shaped how visitors move through it for nearly three centuries. Most of what Savannah is known for concentrates in or near the Historic District, which means a walking tour can cover a surprising amount of ground in a single day. A handful of sites require a short drive, but the core of Savannah's landmark experience is genuinely pedestrian-friendly.
What follows covers the landmarks that Savannah is most commonly associated with, explains what makes each one worth the stop, and sketches how they connect geographically so you can piece together a sensible route.
The Squares
No landmark in Savannah exists in isolation from the squares, so it makes sense to start here. When General James Oglethorpe laid out the city in the 1730s, he organized each neighborhood around a central open space, with lots reserved for civic buildings on the east and west and residential plots flanking them to the north and south. Twenty-two of these squares survive today, and walking among them remains one of the more distinctive urban experiences in the American South.
Each square has its own character. Johnson Square, the oldest, sits near City Hall and has served as a public gathering space since the colonial era. Chippewa Square, on Bull Street, is probably the most photographed — the scene from *Forrest Gump* in which Tom Hanks's character waits at a bus stop was filmed here, though the bench prop from that production has since been moved inside the Savannah History Museum. Monterey Square, farther south on Bull, is surrounded by some of the most intact 19th-century architecture in the district.
The live oaks that shade most of the squares, draped in Spanish moss and forming a canopy over the sidewalks, are part of what gives the district its particular visual character.
Forsyth Park
At the southern edge of the Historic District, Forsyth Park is a 30-acre green space best known for its white cast-iron fountain, which dates to the mid-1800s. The fountain has become one of the most recognized images associated with Savannah, and it serves as a practical meeting point for visitors orienting themselves in the southern end of the district.
The park itself draws a steady mix of locals and visitors throughout the day and connects naturally to a walk north through the squares. If you're staying anywhere in the southern Historic District, the park is likely within easy walking distance of your accommodations.
River Street and Factors Walk
Walk north from the Historic District core and you'll reach the Savannah River bluff, where River Street runs along the waterfront on cobblestones made from the ballast of old sailing vessels. The warehouses that line this stretch once held cotton and other goods moving through what was, in the 19th century, one of the busiest ports on the Atlantic seaboard. Most have been converted into shops, restaurants, and bars.
Factors Walk, the series of iron bridges, ramps, and alleys connecting the bluff-level streets to River Street below, is distinctive to Savannah and worth a slow pass on foot. The multi-level geography here — one street running above another along the river's edge — reflects the practical realities of a working cotton port and doesn't have many direct comparisons elsewhere in the country.
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
On Oglethorpe Avenue in the eastern part of the Historic District, the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low — who founded the Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912 — is one of the more commonly visited historic houses in Savannah. The 1820s house is preserved as a museum and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Tour schedules and admission details change periodically, so checking the official site before visiting is the most reliable approach.
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
On Lafayette Square, the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist is a French Gothic Revival structure with twin spires visible from several blocks away. The current building dates to the late 1800s — the original was destroyed by fire — and features elaborate stained glass windows and detailed interior stonework. It is an active parish, which means interior access may be limited during services. The architecture is significant enough that the building draws considerable foot traffic on its own terms, independent of religious interest.
Colonial Park Cemetery
Adjacent to the Historic District, Colonial Park Cemetery is one of Savannah's oldest burial grounds, with sections dating to the early 1700s. It served as the city's primary cemetery for roughly a century and a half, and the weathered tabby and stone markers document that long span of use. The city maintains it as a public park. Respectful behavior is expected — it remains a historic site, not a public green space in the conventional sense.
Mercer Williams House
Back on Monterey Square, the Mercer Williams House is an Italianate mansion completed in 1868 that became widely known outside Savannah through John Berendt's 1994 book *Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil* and the film adaptation that followed. The house was the residence of art dealer Jim Williams at the time of the events the book describes. Museum tours are offered regularly; current hours and admission policies are best confirmed through the official site before making the trip.
Bonaventure Cemetery
About three miles east of the Historic District, Bonaventure Cemetery occupies a bluff overlooking the Wilmington River. The Victorian-era cemetery is known for its elaborate stone monuments, the dense canopy of live oaks along its lanes, and views of the tidal marsh from its eastern edge. It also came to wider public attention through *Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil*, particularly through the Bird Girl statue that appeared on the book's cover — the original of that piece is now at the Telfair Museums' Jepson Center.
Bonaventure remains an active burial ground as well as a public park, and respectful behavior is expected throughout. Getting there from the Historic District requires a car or rideshare; it is not a practical walk from downtown.
Wormsloe Historic Site
South of the city along the Isle of Hope, Wormsloe Historic Site is a Georgia State Park built around the tabby ruins of a fortification constructed by colonist Noble Jones in the 1730s, making it one of the oldest surviving structures in Georgia. The entrance drive — a long avenue lined by roughly 400 live oaks — is among the most photographed corridors in the state and immediately distinctive even if you have no particular interest in colonial history.
Current hours and entrance fees are managed by Georgia State Parks and can change seasonally; their official site is the right place to confirm before the trip.
Fort Pulaski National Monument
About 15 miles east of Savannah on Cockspur Island, Fort Pulaski National Monument is a National Park Service site protecting a 19th-century masonry fort that played a pivotal role in the Civil War. In April 1862, Union forces using rifled artillery breached the fort's seven-foot-thick brick walls in under two days — a result that effectively demonstrated the obsolescence of masonry fortifications and changed military engineering going forward.
The monument includes the fort, surrounding marshlands, and interpretive exhibits. Hours, entrance fees, and any fee-free days are listed on the National Park Service website.
How These Landmarks Connect
The practical advantage of Savannah's Historic District is that nearly everything in it is walkable from nearly everything else. A reasonable route starts at Forsyth Park, heads north on Bull Street through Monterey Square (Mercer Williams House), Chippewa Square, Madison Square, and Johnson Square, then turns toward the river to reach Factors Walk and River Street. Side streets along the way bring you close to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Colonial Park Cemetery, and the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace without significant detours.
Bonaventure Cemetery and Wormsloe Historic Site are both worth treating as separate half-day excursions; neither is within walking distance of downtown. Fort Pulaski is the farthest afield and works best as a dedicated trip, particularly for visitors with an interest in Civil War or military history.
For a structured version of this route with meals and timing built in, the Savannah 1-Day Itinerary sequences these stops efficiently if you're short on time. The Savannah 3-Day Itinerary spreads things out with more room for Bonaventure and Wormsloe. The Best Things To Do in Savannah covers a broader range of activities beyond the landmark list, and Where to Eat in Savannah covers the dining scene around the Historic District when you're ready for a break.
A Few Practical Notes
Street parking is available throughout the Historic District but can be competitive on weekends and during peak travel periods — check posted signs carefully, as time limits and enforcement vary by block. Rideshare services operate in Savannah and are often the most straightforward option for reaching Bonaventure Cemetery, Wormsloe Historic Site, or Fort Pulaski.
For current hours, admission policies, and any seasonal closures, go directly to each attraction's official website rather than relying on third-party listings, which can lag behind changes. The Savannah FAQ covers common logistical questions, and the Savannah Travel Guide is a useful starting point if you're still in the early stages of planning a visit to the city.