My friend read about this tour online and we decided to try it because no money was required up front. This way,if the tour was awful, we wouldn’t have to pay much. We ended up tipping more than we originally planned because Chris, our guide, was THAT good. It was a 2 hour tour that gave history from the formation of the colony to around 20 years ago. There was a bit of ghost stuff, some movie/book locations, revolutionary and civil war stories, and more. I loved it so much I felt compelled to write this review (I don’t review things often). Highly recommend it!
Chris was my funny and informative guide around the Historic District. Not only does he have experience leading tours, he has lived abroad and can relate with tourists from around the world. Highly recommend Free Savannah Tours since you pay what you can and the guides are true tourism professionals.
This is a very informative tour. This is our second year we have taken the tour with Chris. Our group was a mix of European, Australian and Americans, young and old. Chris was able to engage everyone with his knowledge and enthusiasm! Have taken a variety of tours in Savannah and this is my favorite. The guide takes advantage of the shade and benches throughout the tour. Perfect type of tour if you have questions and would like more information. Will do this tour again. Remember these guides only work for tips, that could explain why they are so good!
I scheduled a tour for myself on Friday, but received a text that the 5:00 tour had been cancelled. I also got a phone call from Chris, making sure that I had gotten the text and knew about the cancellation. I was very impressed that he called, and a friend and I ended up rescheduling for Sunday. So glad we rescheduled! Our guide Chris was knowledgeable and entertaining. It was clear that he loves his city and his job. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk through the squares and the stories Chris had for us. He seemed to make a connection with everyone on the tour and was very personable. During the entire time, he did not mention tips at ALL and there was no pressure at the end of the tour- he simply thanked us and bid us goodbye. Of course we thought he deserved every bit of the tips received. This is such a great business model for tour guides, and nothing like the cheesy trolley tours. Keep up the good work, guys!
This was such a fun and informative tour. Our guide was so knowledgeable about Savannah and enthusiastic about the city. He was very friendly and smart and answered lots of questions. This was a walking tour which in the summer was obviously hot, but he knew all the best shaded places along the route. He knew so much history and culture about Savannah and it was a great introduction to the city. I took the trolley tour as well and it was so boring, staged, uninteresting, and not funny so I totally recommend this tour instead!
I was in Savanah for a few days with a friend and I read about the free tours. It was a slow day and it ended up being just my friend and I who showed up.As a matter of fact, I booked this tour that day only 1.5 hours in advance.This was helpful because prior to doing this walking tour, we were just walking around feeling a bit lost and not sure where to go. After this this tour, we felt pretty good about navigating our selves around and I think that is really easy to find your way around in historic Savanah. The tour was awesome, lots of interesting information and beautiful squares and scenery
But probably the best part was our guide Chris. Chris is this twenty something,college educated world traveler. He is cute as can be with his blond pony tail and best of all …..what a free spirt! He is fun and there is some serious entertainment factor hanging out with Chris for 90 minutes.These two middle aged women from Ohio had big fun.And after our tour was done… And not surprising ….that Chris .knows where all the best deals on happy hour are 🙂
The first thing we did in Savannah was take this tour and it was the best decision we made! The tour was close to two hours long. Our guide, Daniel, was very knowledgeable and professional. He made Savannah’s interesting and long history come alive. Daniel helped orient us in a way that formed the rest of our three days in Savannah. We are a family with two teenaged sons. They were engaged as well. Daniel broke the tour up into themes of the history of Savannah. During the tour, Daniel would review the historical themes in a way that kept the tour moving a long and gave us a true historical timeline.
The tour is free but the guides accept tips. I recommend this tour highly. You will learn a lot, be engaged and thirst for more information about this charming city.
A little more about our Historic Free Savannah Walking Tour
We saunter through the streets of Savannah, absorbing the old city and passing thru the squares beneath the majestic Spanish moss of the Live Oaks. Throughout the adventure we will discuss Savannah’s from present day, back to the Colonial times, and our experience thru times of war, prosperity, famine, plague, and stardom. Lasts 90 minutes.
The BEST value tour I have ever taken. We have visited Savannah many times over the years and generally shun guided tours, independent travelers all the way. We decided at the last minute to take a tour w “Free Walking Tours”. We met Daniel, our guide, for the tour in late afternoon that same day. He was a great guide, entertaining, personable, and he certainly knew his history and the city of Savannah. He spoke w great authority and accuracy on people, events, and landmarks. There was no tourist hype or manufactured stories on this tour. What was initially listed as a 90 minute tour ending up lasting more than two hours. Daniel went the extra mile to make sure that the tour was enjoyable and we left feeling that we had received the “Real Deal” and not a tourist hustle. I misplaced my video camera at one of the historic squares and Daniel went as far as to run more than 8 city blocks and back to try to find it for me. That’s going the extra mile for sure. Take this tour. No matter how well you know Savannah, you will learn much more on this tour. The only negative is that we did not tip Daniel enough for the tour and we will correct this error by mail tomorrow.
Great combination of history, funny stories, and attention to details :). 90 minutes walk was fun and entertaining. Very friendly guide, Chris, did a wonderful job of sharing his love for the city with us. All tips about “where to eat/ drink/go after the tour were really appreciated.
This tour was awesome! Since so many people had booked the day we did, they split us up into 2 groups, which I greatly appreciated. Tours aren’t much fun when you’re stuck behind a huge group of people struggling to hear the guide.
Our guide was Daniel and he was awesome. Very friendly and personable, but most importantly, he knew his stuff. We learned tons about Savannah history and landmarks while enjoying the walk around the historic district. This was a really good way to get an ‘intro’ to the city as we had not been before. You could tell that Daniel loves what he does. He never seemed in a hurry to ‘get it over with’ and even hung around for awhile after the tour asking if anyone needed restaurant advice, etc.
This is a free tour, but they do depend on tips. You’ll have no problem tipping as it is well worth it!
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 service is a great thing and I hope they stay in business for a long time.
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!
Must do! 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.
My wife and I took our 5 kids ages 15, 13, 13, 10 and 9 for a day trip from Hilton Head Island to Savannah. We kicked off our day by booking a private tour through this company. I sent an email at 11pm on Tuesday night on the chance that maybe I could still book something for the next day. Chris called me back at 9am Wednesday morning and made the entire process of setting up the private tour that same day extremely easy. Our guide was Daniel and he was wonderful. Daniel is brimming with information and spent two hours taking us around the city making each stop interesting. Starting our day with the tour helped us figure out the city and decide what we wanted to further explore on our own later in the day. These guys are great.
When I looked up free savannah tours online and the site free savannah tours actually came up, I thought this was too good to be true or that it wasn’t actually legit. I did a little research on the website and trip advisor and decided to make a reservation. We met at Johnson Square and Daniel our guide (a true Savannahian) had arrived early. We lucked out and ended up getting a private tour because the other people with reservations never showed up! Daniel was very knowledgable and knew his Savannah history! He was very accommodating and very friendly. I would highly recommend this tour!! You get to see a lot of Savannah and learn all about its history and it’s free! Daniel only mentioned that he gets paid from tips once in the beginning and never brought it up again. I would definitely suggest tipping generously, very good tour!
This is the first time I have ever written a review. However, after taking this tour I am compelled to sing its praises! Support a local, small business and MAKE time for this tour!
Very very pleased with the level of knowledge and professionalism displayed by our tour guide, Daniel. It was very obvious that the tour was being given by someone who was well-educated and meant to work with people. Daniel’s use of appropriate accent and pronunciation added a bit of flair, and his ability to convey large amounts of info in a fluid manner really helped to sustain the group’s attention throughout the tour. Highly recommended!
The last time we were in Savannah, we took one of the paid tours. This time we took the Free Savannah Tour. We called only about an hour before the tour was to start, because we were sort of doing our trip last minute. We hoped we weren’t too late to reserve a spot, but were told it was fine. Our group consisted of about 18 people which the guide said is one of the larger tours he has done. (It was Labour Day weekend so perhaps it was busier than normal in town.) It wasn’t too many people though and you are given every opportunity to ask questions.
We found that our tour guide was just as good as guides on the paid tours and the tour was just as informative. The tour was interesting and covered a little of everything giving a good overview of Savannah. It lasted about 80-90 minutes, and the walk was easy. The guide put us in the shade when possible because it was a hot day.
Of course everyone tips the guide at the end of the tour, but you pay what you can or what you think it’s worth. If you really didn’t think it was good, you could walk away without paying anything. However, it’s a very good tour so bring money to tip.
We found that our tour guide was just as good as guides on the paid tours and the tour was just as informative. The tour was interesting and covered a little of everything giving a good overview of Savannah. It lasted about 80-90 minutes, and the walk was easy. The guide put us in the shade when possible because it was a hot day.
Of course everyone tips the guide at the end of the tour, but you pay what you can or what you think it’s worth. If you really didn’t think it was good, you could walk away without paying anything. However, it’s a very good tour so bring money to tip.
We were in Savannah and wanted to see all the sights in a unique way. Free Savannah tours definitely gave us what we were looking for! Really enjoyed the tour, our guide Chris didn’t just state facts but entertained us throughout. The tour also gave some interesting insights with the guide being a Savannah native. Highly recommend this tour!
We’ve done free tours in a couple other cities (New Orleans, Montreal) and were happy to see a similar option in Savannah. Our guide was very enthusiastic, clearly interested in what he was doing. He was there at the appointed time, and the tour lasted a little over 90 minutes starting from Johnson Square with a roundabout finish in Chippewa Square. It was pretty warm, but the abundant trees provide plenty of shady spots along the way. With no upfront fee to a big tour company, it’s nice to know that whatever you choose to tip at the end goes directly to the guys doing the tours. We fully recommend.
We went in Feb 2015 on a cloudy cold day. It ended up just being the 2 of us. Daniel was our tour guide and did an AMAZING job! We learned so much about Savannah’s history & culture and got a great lunch recommendation. He had so much energy and interest even though he does this tour twice a day every day and it was just for us two! So much better than one of the trolley tours! I would recommend to all my family/friends. Make sure this gets on your itinerary. We ended up tipping $20/person though he surely deserved more!
Our tour guide, Chris, was just getting over Pneumonia, but you couldn’t tell with all of the energy that he had. There were about 20 people on our walking tour, so he had to talk loudly and with lots of actions. Our two elementary aged kids were intrigued with him because he was very animated. He pointed out history, movie sites, paranormal activities, superstitions in Savannah, reasons behind the different building styles in Savannah. It lasted about 90 minutes, from Johnson Square to Forsyth Park’s famous fountain. We felt like it was a great introduction to Savannah. Anyone can learn from him. We were really glad to attend this tour and we did tip him
Daniel was great! I was one of two on this particular tour and let me tell you he was sure knowledgeable of the area and it’s history. Spoke clearly, awesome energy, and even had a Scottish accent when saying names like Lachlan McIntosh! Thumbs up one of my favorite activities during this Savannah trip =] if only he’d been my history teacher in hs!!!
Had a great tour with Daniel. Very knowledgable and passionate about the city, he did a great job of giving an overview of the long history of Savannah without getting to in depth or boring you to death and was able to answer any questions the group had. Daniel was also a great help in offering opinions on where to grab something to eat.
Our guide was Chris, full of knowledge and enthusiasm for Savannah. We met at Johnson Square and moved south from square to square, ending in Forsyth Park. Chris gave us wonderful information about each square and the areas in between the squares, including a very interesting downspout and why the ceilings of porticos were painted a certain color. There was plenty of time for photos, with Chris giving some good spots. Yes, we went past the “Forest Gump” box of chocolates spot. This is definitely the tour to take for a great introduction to the city.
This was a great introduction to the history and culture of Savannah, as it was my wife and I’s first time visiting the city. The tour lasted a little over 2 hours and worked its way through several of the historic city squares, ending in Forsyth Park. Chris was an outstanding guide – informative, funny, and very personable.
Great tour with a knowledgeable, friendly guide. On our first visit to Savannah, we learned a lot, took in the pretty sites, and got to name our price! It was hot and humid, but found the city is totally walkable. Daniel was like a fast-talking friend, excited to tell us about his city. Did not take us to the river or market, but mentioned those and we did the touristy stuff ourselves. Just Do It!
We found out about the walk the day before we left Savannah, and sure, this is an excellent walk on our first day, but also on your last day because it is a wrap! Daniel was our tour guide and he was infectiously enthusiastic about all topics, brimming, yes, brimming with knowledge, and excellent at pacing his information in a totally engaging and I might add, tantalizing, manner. You will learn a lot about Savannah if you take this tour on your first day, and you will get a terrific review if you are on your way out. But you know, it is Savannah, so you will be back. In any case, go Daniel!
My husband and I moved downtown last year and we wanted to learn about the city that we live in. We decided to use this company because many tour guides in historic cities are in for a buck and not about the facts. We were SO impressed. Who knew a human being could memorize so much amazing information?? Our tour guide was so impressive. We plan to try to use a free tour guide company in all future cities because the quality was much superb. Also, many people take the trolly tours, but if you are healthy enough to walk, DO IT!! The city is so much more beautiful by foot and the city is pretty small.
Meet the Guides of Free Savannah Walking Tours
Chris
Guide at Free Savannah Walking Tours
Hi! I’m Chris, a Savannah native and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. After my college days concluded, I found work in Rome, Italy where I got involved leading historical walking tours of Vatican City – and the most fun – Pub Crawls from the Spanish Steps. After spending a few years of moving around and living in various places abroad, the draw of home became too strong. I returned in the Spring of 2013 with hopes of providing my city of Savannah with her first and only Free Walking Tour. Now I ramble around the downtown squares introducing people to my favorite city in the world, Savannah.
Daniel
Guide at Free Savannah Walking Tours
I’m Daniel, a born-and-raised Savannah native, and proud alum of the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!). Not content at first to just stay put in my charming little hometown, I spent a few years living and traveling abroad after college. While traveling to more than 20 different countries, I enjoyed nothing more than the many free tours I took myself! After living and guiding in Philadelphia, I began to miss my childhood home and returned in the summer of 2013. I immediately joined the Free Savannah Walking Tour team. I’m just as excited now to be the one giving the tours as I were to be the one taking them, and as a new member of the Georgia Historical Society I’m always interested in learning even more about my beloved Savannah.
Free Savannah Walking Tours – Frequently Asked Questions
As attractive as our offer is, we know that some people reading this will not respond. And while that’s completely fine with us from a business perspective, it still bothers us personally. We know how much people enjoy our tours. We read their reviews. We get their messages. We talk to them on the phone. So we hate the thought of someone getting confused here because of an error in our explanation. We tried to figure out what may be confusing, we came up with these:
Why Free Savannah Tours?
By offering the tours for no up front cost, we eliminate your risk and make sure we perform and that everyone gets an awesome time. Free Savannah Tours business model would be of little value otherwise.
Do I have to make a reservation?
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.
Do the tours get cancelled for weather?
We will operate in most weather conditions — Hot, cold, and rainy. However, the tour will be called off if we believe the weather conditions are unsafe to conduct the tour. We will let you know in advance, of course.
Will my kids like your tour?
Definitely. Our goal is to entertain everyone in our groups, and that means kids too. We cater each tour specifically to each individual 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 accommodate your group.
Do you offer private tours for individual groups?
Yes. If you’re interested in a private tour, please call us or send us an email with your information, and we would be happy to accommodate you.
Are dogs welcome?
Sure, why not? Savannah is a very dog friendly city. Hopefully your dog doesn’t do a lot of barking, we don’t want the rest of the group to be distracted.
Is the tour really free?
We are unique from all the other tour operators because we offer our service at no up front cost. We depend on tips, so your personal level of satisfaction determines the tour’s value.
What do the tours cover?
We like to give an overall broad view of the history of Savannah, from the Colonial Times up to current day society. There’s a lot to see.
Where does the tour meet?
The Free Savannah Tours organize in Johnson Square. Look for the big central monument, you can’t miss it.
Is there parking?
Parking has been known to be the most challenging part. If you are driving directly to the tour, make sure to factor in a few extra minutes to find a spot. Parking garages in the area are plentiful and very inexpensive to use for the day.
Are all the tours walking?
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.
Do you offer other tours?
Yep 😉 We have another company (not free) – Savannah Ghost Tours. Check it out if you’re in the mood for some ghost activity.
How far will we walk?
You’ll walk for about an hour and a half, normal walking speed, with plenty of stops in between. It’s really not difficult at all, even for older people. And walking is good for you!
Is it handicap accessible?
Absolutely.
When are the tours?
Times vary. Click the ‘Book Now’ button to see our calendar and see what tours are available over the next several weeks.
What if the heat is too much?
It’s usually nice and warm. But if it gets a little hot, we have shaded spots strategically spread all across the tour.
What if people make too much noise as we walk by?
Don’t worry, that was never a problem.
Are there toilets along the way?
Yes.
Free Savannah Tours Meeting Location
As the title says, this was the best free walking tour I have done in comparison to those I did in Australia and South America. The guide, Daniel, was incredibly enthusiastic and informative and I learnt a great deal about Savannah and it’s origins – as a Brit this was especially interesting giving our links with the city. The tour lasted 2 hours, covered a lot of historic ground and was a great introduction to Savannah – I couldn’t recommend this highly enough.
Daniel, having grown up in Savannah, has an encyclopedic knowledge of the area, its culture, and its notable personalities. He is very personable, his energy is contagious, and his character imitations are spot on. This was an excellent choice for an orientation into Savannah and its colorful past.
I’m a big fan of free tours. I’ve done them all over Europe and it has been my experience that the tours are terrific because the guides are working for tips; so it behooves them to do a good job. Daniel was passionate about his hometown of Savannah and had a lot of great information and tips on what to do in town. It meets at Johnson Square and ends in Chippewa Square. At least Daniel’s did; there is another guide, Chris, who ends in Forsyth Park. It’s a terrific service and a great introduction and orientation to the City.
Chris was our tour guide April 23, 2015. He arrived a few minutes early at the designated spot; we sensed it would be a great tour after just watching him interact with the early arrivals. He led us through several of the beautiful squares and we finished in Forsyth Park. The entire walk is flat, easy for young and old. Chris is not a bore, he kept it interesting from the start, in between the squares, all the way to the end. It is obvious he enjoys history, particularly Savannah history – he is a very upbeat story teller. I highly recommend this tour.
I’ve taken other tours of Savannah and no other tour guides had more enthusiasm for the town than this company. I tipped them just as much as I would pay for a regular tour because they deserve it!!! Thank you!!!
Just wrapped up a 2 hour walking tour with Chris. His knowledge of this Beautiful city is pretty remarkable. He described Savanah’s inception, its revolutionary roots, how it managed to survive Shermans march (a story not found in the history books), all the way through its Great Gadsby-esque development through the roaring 20s and beyond. Chris is an extremely friendly guy and put on a solid walking tour. Not to be missed!
We had a small all Canadian group and Daniel was very knowledgeable, entertaining and informative. We had taken one of the trolley tours the day before but this was a nicer pace, you can get closer to the things being talked about and he takes a different perspective, uniting his talk into themes and linking one thing to another. Daniel has high energy and enthusiasm as well as pretty deep knowledge of his subject matter. In comparison, the trolley tour was cheesy. These guys are to be commended.
This tour was all that we hoped for and more. Our guide was a pro! Honestly, we marveled at his knowledge and speaking ease. It was an enjoyable walk and we learned more history than a paid tour we took later in the day. Even if you’re not on a budget, don’t miss this tour!
We included this walking tour on our first day in Savannah. Daniel was very knowledgeable and informative. Well worth the time. Now we know what we want to do and see on the 2nd day.
Our guide Chris was fablous! Our 90 minute tour was filled with laughter, history,and tons of energy.My sister and I felt like Chris was taking us personally on a tour of his town, and was so genuine in his love of the history of Savannah. We started at Johnson Square and ended at Forsyth Park. We walked for about 20 blocks, but I could have walked another 40 more listening to all of the stories of Savannah that Chris knew. I especially liked the ghost stories, and walking around the parks when it was decorated for Christmas just made the city more charming. We have never done a walking tour before- and this will now be a MUST on each vacation. Chris was friendly and personable and we are grateful that we did this tour. The tours are free, but the guides do depend on the tips- and you won’t have any issues offering a tip after taking the tour. Once we arrived at Forstyh Park, Chris asked us if we had any more questions, and offered dining suggestions, etc. He was even willing to take our picture by the fountain. This was a highlight of our trip and credit it to Chris, our guide!
This tour consistently impressed me throughout its entirety. Although we were the only people on the tour, Daniel made us feel completely welcome. His knowledge of the city, style, and charm helped me to truly appreciate the history and architecture of Savannah. I would gladly recommend this tour to anyone looking to learn more about the history of this charming city. Don’t forget cash though because the guides work only for tips.
A must do! Daniel was great. Very informative and friendly. Tip whatever you feel is appropriate. No pressure. Keeps you in the shade on hot days.
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 “sidestories” about eg Forrest Gump makes the tour enjoyable. It is a good way to start your visit in Savannah.
Stumbled across this tour by accident. Just happened to be in Johnson Square at the right time. Our guide was fantastic and gave a very informative but fun tour of the city. The pace and distance were just right given the 100 degree heat and by far the best way to get your bearings in the city. It catered for all ages with plenty of chances to stop and catch your breath. There was no pressure on how much to pay. It was all very relaxed. He was also great for recommendations for places to eat etc. if you find yourself in Savannah, get down to Johnson Square and give it a go!
Very enjoyable 90 minute tour through the squares of Savannah’s Historic District. You start at Johnson Square and make your way to Forsyth Park. Chris, our guide, was knowledgeable, engaging, and energetic. We learned a great deal about the history of Savannah while marveling at the architecture and green spaces. Chris really knows his stuff and we were impressed by the variety of information he provided…..lesser-known stories, juicy gossip of the past, even some ghost stories. Chris even stopped his car to say hello the next day when he saw us walking downtown….what a great guy. Highly recommended! Make sure you compensate your guide with an appropriate tip for the great experience you’re sure to have.
The tour is free, and it is worth far far more than that. The sheer volume of knowledge that he has about Savannah is top notch. I would advise this as your first stop on your trip because it will give you a greater appreciation for the city for the rest of your trip.
This was our first walking tour based on the “pay what you feel like” model and it was just a great experience. The guide is a local who has done these tours in several other countries and his love for history and sharing stories is fantastic.
“The word free scared us at first, but it ended up being the best tour we’ve ever had.”
P.S If you’re looking for a fancy tour with trolleys and boring facts, we’re probably not for you. But if you want an exciting, healthy, educating time with passionate guides — and the best guarantee in the tour business – you’re going to love us. Click this button to book:
Savannah City Historic Savannah Tour
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