Walking Tours of Old Savannah

If any city would be more delightful to walk around in than Savannah, I'd like to where it would be. Having been to this exquisite town many times I can honestly say that I would pack up and move there in a second if I had the means. Savannah was totally planned out by Capt. James Oglethorpe in the 1700. He designed the city in a European style, while going even beyond that model to make Savannah more like a civic garden and to make integral neighborhoods with tight communities. Everything's centered around the medley of beautiful town squares that are green havens with gorgeous live oaks, Spanish moss, Jasmine and passion flower vines. Radiating out from each square are streets that connect to other streets. Each square has its own decor, fountain, seating and personality. Some have monuments to a town hero or historical figure. All of them serve as public gathering places where people can enjoy the outdoors and the lush green foliage they provide in the midst of a city. The churches of Savannah are legendary for their splendor and architectural qualities. The public buildings harken back to over two centuries ago and are wonders all by themselves. The homes, needless to say, are splendid. Anyone who has seen the movie, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" has had a glimpse of the homes on the National Historic Register. Savannah is an old town and the city is filled with these architectural and historical gems. Because of this there have been walking tour companies operating tours there for decades. Any of them will be sure to educate and delight visitors who attend one.

http://www.seesavannah.com
See Savannah's tours begin at 10 am and 2 pm. "Each tour includes at least one inn and a view of the Mercer mansion before ending at the fountain in Forsyth Park." Each and every saunter will include a stop at either the Eliza Thompson House, the Gryphon Tea Room, the Forsyth Park Inn, or the Georgia Historical Society. But aside for those common elements, the tours focus on different areas of the city and its society. The Saunter in Savannah highlights the city's rich historical past in both the architecture and in its connection of the Colonial past to the present. The guide points our all features, famous homes, artistic grillwork and the ornate statuary. The Pirate's walk and the Hauntings focus on the history of "buccaneers and searovers" and on the ghostly past, respectively. The fourth tour, Homemade Thunder, explains the role of Savannah in the Civil War and the roles of its generals, and it covers from Colonial times through Reconstruction. All tours take about 1.5 hours. The Saunter Tour is $20 for adults and the other tours are $16. Children get to go for $5 or free under the age of 5. Call to make reservations: 800-574-9255.

http://www.premierwalkingtours.com/
Premier Walking Tours also takes you through Savanna's rich history with experienced guides who narrate along the way. Their tours all begin at the Sorrel-Weed Mansion located at #6 West Harris St. Visitors pass elegant graveyards and churches, mansions and haunted homes, all the while being told of the mysteries that lie behind some of these historic places. This company is the only one in the city licensed to take visitors through the 16,000 sq. ft. Sorrel-Weed Mansion, the first home put on the State's Historic Register and one in which Robert E. Lee stayed. Their tours are on the hour, but the most fun to me would be their candlelight tours through this mansion that was said on the TV show, "Ghosthunters" to be "one of the most haunted homes they'd ever been in." Premier charges adults $13, Scouts $5, and children 6-14 $8. Candlelight tours begin at 7, 8 and 9 and all of them last around 75 minutes. Call them at 866-WALKTOUR.