Mercer Williams House at Monterey Square in Savannah GA

15 Most Spooky & Haunted Places in Savannah

Are you wondering what the most haunted places in Savannah are? For all of our paranormal pals out there, we got you. When you visit Savannah, you realize pretty fast that this place is full of spooky places and ghost sightings. And you can visit the most haunted places in Savannah all year-round! Savannah is considered one of the most haunted cities in the US, and it’s really popular with ghost shows and lovers of haunted places.

It’s not really a surprise, with so much gruesome history. The city is full of tragedies surrounding slavery, Native American burial grounds, deadly epidemics, and bloody war battlegrounds. It’s not unusual to hear stories of emotionally charged poltergeists and ghost sightings.

Haunted Savannah is also full of centuries-old homes, churches, and other structures that have seen dark days. These are common places where you can find all kinds of different fun and chilling ghost tours to experience.

If you’re interested in some of the spookiest places to visit in Savannah, check out these sites and best sure to check out one of the best-haunted tours of Savannah while you’re in town or on a Savannah weekend getaway.

Haunted Savannah Spots to Check Out:

Mercer Williams House

Mercer-Williams-House-at-night-in-Savannah-Georgia

The Mercer Williams House is considered one of the most haunted houses in Savannah. The real-life story surrounding this mansion of scorned lovers inspired the popular novel and movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. After a man shot and ended the life of his partner, a local male escort, during a heated argument in the 1980s, he also died under mysterious circumstances about a year later.

missing spike at the Mercer Williams House fence in Savannah on Monterey Square

And in the 1960s, a boy named Tommy lost his balance and fell from the roof, becoming impaled on the spike fence that surrounds the house below. There’s even a missing spike on the fence to this day that many say marks the spot where Tommy landed.

Ghost hunters say upon entering the house, they feel the angry presence of the murdered lover seeking justice for his death. Others say they see the 2 men in the rooms where they each died. And if you pass by the house, look through the windows. You might see Tommy exploring or standing high on the balcony near where he fell.

This haunted Savannah site is located on Monterey Square, and in addition to being a spooky stop on ghost tours, you can also visit inside the house by joining a guided tour or visiting the museum which is housed here.

Hamilton-Turner Inn

the haunted and beautiful Hamilton Turner Inn on Lafayette Square in Savannah Georgia

If you want to visit one of the most haunted houses in Savannah, check out the beautiful Hamilton-Turner Inn off the equally as haunted Lafayette Square. Some say the house was the inspiration for Disney’s Haunted Mansion. It was also named one of the best Bed and Breakfasts in the country by Better Home and Gardens and was one of the first houses to have electricity in Savannah.

There are several different ghosts and hauntings experienced around the house. But one of the most famous is the cigar-smoking ghost. He’s been seen countless times in rooms all over the inn, just smoking and silently watching you! There’s a theory that the house was built over an old cemetery and that the man is a Confederate soldier who was buried there.

If you’re looking to stay at one of the haunted hotels in Savannah, the Hamilton-Turner Inn would be a great pick. Beyond the cigar-smoking ghost guests have reportedly heard the sounds of children laughing, billiard balls rolling across the floor, and even sightings of a Civil War soldier.

Foley House Inn

exterior of Folley House Inn near Chippewa Square in Savannah

The Foley House Inn was built in 1896 on the spot where the earlier house burned down in the Great Savannah Fire of 1889. Everything seemed normal for another century until the family home was renovated and human remains were found in the walls in 1987.

It’s a mystery who this person was or what happened to them, although there are theories one involving a guest of the inn who may have mixed up with the wrong people to who he owed money to. You can guess that eventually, the home would be named one of the most haunted hotels in Savannah.

You are welcome to stay at this beautiful home-turned-inn. You might join the ranks of guests and staff that over the years have heard strange noises or seen chilling things. Guests have felt a cool wind where there shouldn’t be one. And there’s a ghostly character in a top hat often seen walking around Foley House Inn!

Olde Pink House

The Olde Pink House Restaurant in Savannah Georgia

Reserve a table at the Olde Pink House, if you can, one of the most popular restaurants in the city that’s pretty hard to get a reservation to but if you can dine here, it’s worth it. This beautiful old mansion has a long history and many ghostly residents.

Since the house was finished in 1789, there have always been suspicious circumstances connected to it. The owner of the Olde Pink House, James Habersham Jr., passed away about 10 years later and there’s some dispute over how he left. There’s a legend that he hung himself in the basement, where today you can enjoy a drink or dinner at The Planters Tavern. You might even see a shadowy figure hanging down there.

Also, there are many reports of a man in colonial-era clothes conversing with patrons, enjoying a drink, and even lighting candles on dining room tables! Some people see or hear a crying woman walking around, and ghostly children are known to play tricks on guests and staff alike.

It is said, that all of the paranormal activity that has been reported here has only been through the months of October and March. Which gives reason for those to believe it is the spirit of Habersham Jr. as he always wanted to escape the heat of the summer.

Some ghost tours stop here, but we recommend trying to get a dinner reservation here. As mentioned, is incredibly tough to get as this is one of the best places to eat in the city. If you can’t get a reservation, don’t worry you can still enjoy the same menu in the Planters Tavern, where much of the paranormal activity is said to take place! You just have to arrive right when they open and try to get a table – it fills up fast so it doesn’t hurt to get here a little early.

The Owens-Thomas House

Owens Thomas House and Slave Quarters on Oglethorpe Square in Savannah

Truly one of the most haunted places in Savannah is the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters, which is now a Telfair Museum with a storied past. It’s over 200 years old and went through some of the most tragic times in Savannah’s history. Perhaps all that horror has trapped some lost souls on the grounds.

No one knows why, but many ghosts are haunting the property and there are all kinds of chilling encounters recorded! Most people see a man in the parlor with Victorian-era clothing and long black hair. After looking around the room, he eventually disappears by walking through a wall.

But that’s just the beginning at Owens-Thomas House. Objects around the house are known to move or fly across the room. You might hear footsteps, see eerie shadows, or hear strange noises in the room next door. There’s even a report of staff smelling smoke and seeing a flame in a dark room. But some of the creepiest are the photos visitors end up with showing orbs, odd faces, and even a little ghost girl in a blue dress!

It is even said that Jim Wiliams, of the Mercer-Williams haunted house in Savannah and the main character in the real-life story of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil also witnessed a ghost here when he was alive while visiting a friend who was staying here as a guest. His friend, also had a strange encounter a week after Williams claimed to see a ghost which resulted in him being so spooked he stopped staying here.

Calhoun Square

night photo of savannah on our haunted ghost tour

There’s a huge negative vibe and energy around Calhoun Square. In early 2000, hundreds of human remains were dug up from the square. One of the last Savannah’s historic squares to be built in the 1850s, it seems that the square had unceremoniously been built over a slave burial ground. You can feel the unsettled energies of those buried here.

Calhoun Square is unique because all of the original buildings around the square are still there. One of these buildings was home to a judge whose son was dating a bootlegger’s daughter and both fathers weren’t happy. After a night out with his girlfriend, the young man was horribly murdered by her father. He was left hung and mutilated on the porch overlooking the square! Sometimes, early in the morning, the ghost of the son can be seen returning home after spending the night with his girlfriend.

view of 432 Abercorn Street a very haunted house in Savannah on Calhoun Square

432 Abercorn Street off the square also has several horrendous stories attached to it, as one of the most haunted places in Savannah. The home is connected to tales of mass murders, daughters tortured to the end, and even disappearing college students.

Moon River Brewing Company

Moon River Brewing Company in Savannah Georgia

The Moon River Brewing Company is a favorite spot with ghost hunter shows because it’s so haunted. Erected in 1821, the building had many lives before becoming a brewery. It was most notably a hospital during yellow fever outbreaks where hundreds of people, mostly children.

Over the years, the building has been connected to untold violence, from untimely deaths and torture to the tragic deaths of suffering children. Every floor of the Moon River Brewing Company has a different haunted experience, from the basement on.

People report seeing ghosts, objects being thrown, or even being pulled by an unseen hand. But the top floor is the worst. It has dark energy that makes everyone who visits feel unwelcome and even hopeless. This is the floor where most of the children died from yellow fever, which makes sense.

The Pirates House

The Pirate's House in Savannah Georgia

One of the oldest buildings in Savannah, The Pirates House is full of rich history and has many stories of being haunted. It’s also a famous restaurant for being the place where Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island and one of the most popular things to do in Savannah.

In the 1700s, it was an inn and restaurant that boarded sailors and pirates. There were tunnels dug underneath the building for quick escapes and terrible deeds done by unruly characters. Soon The Pirates House became known for crime and danger.

Perhaps all the destruction connected to the inn has led to souls that can’t pass over. Staff and guests have heard heavy boots on the stairs and seen things falling in the dining hall. They’ve even heard yells deep in the tunnels under the house!

Eliza Thompson House

Eliza Thompson House on Jones Street in Savannah GA

For tragically haunted places in Savannah, head to the Eliza Thompson House. You can stay in this haunted hotel in Savannah today, but you’ll have company. The house has been visited by all kinds of ghost hunting experts and is said to be home to several different spirits.

The story goes that Joseph and Eliza Thompson built the house in the 1840s to raise their seven children. Joseph died suddenly from a horse kick to the head in 1855 and Eliza went on to raise their children alone.

Today, there are records of people hearing children in the house, including a girl in white. And some have seen the ghost of a Confederate soldier looking out a window. Most of the paranormal activity seems to be in room 132, where people feel someone sitting on the edge of the bed!

Kehoe House

The-Kehoe-House-on-Columbia-Square-in-Savannah-GA

William Kehoe built this gorgeous home for his family in the 1890s. Today, the Kehoe House a luxury bed and breakfast where you can make reservations to stay at one of the most haunted hotels in Savannah located on Columbia Square.

Sadly, some of Kehoe’s children passed away in the home. This is probably why most of the hauntings experienced here involve children’s ghosts. People often hear children playing nearby or smell old perfume in the halls or rooms.

If you decide to stay in this historic inn, know that the hauntings seem to be harmless, but intense. The most heart-racing stories are about an entity that seems to interact with guests. Some people report waking up because they felt someone touching their face or arm in their sleep!

Madison Square

Sorrel Weed House at Madison Square in Savannah Georgia

Perhaps Madison Square is so darkly haunted because of the violent Revolutionary War battle that took place there, the Siege of Savannah. Some say a few soldiers were even buried here. Maybe that’s why such sinister presences are seen at night.

Shadow people are often seen at night. What’s chilling is that these tall dark figures don’t seem afraid to get close and they move really fast. At night some people hear whispering behind him or feel a chill in the air.

Sorrel-Weed House off of Madison Square is also haunted. The house was built in 1840 by Francis Sorrel. His first wife died, and Sorrel’s second wife ended her life after catching him having an extramarital relationship with an enslaved woman in their home by the name of Molly. Soon after, Molly also passed away by a suspicious hanging.

Now, that’s the ‘family-friendly’ version of events, I highly doubt Molly had any choice in her relationship with her slave owner. And the way that her life ended is also suspicious.

Sorrel-Weed House is also believed to be built on part of the battleground and has soldier buried beneath it.

Guests claim feelings of dread or being choked when they come into the house. Guests get drowsy or feel ill when they visit the slave chambers. And there just seems to be the same dark presence in the house as there is in the park, But the most common hauntings are the photos guests get with orbs and even images of ghosts!

Marshall House

the-haunted-hotel-in-savannah-Marshall-House
Editorial credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock

One of the most haunted hotels in Savannah is Marshall House. This could be because it’s been a hotel since it opened in 1851. There’s a long history that also involved the hotel serving as a hospital for Union soldiers during the Civil War. It also opened for a few yellow fever outbreaks around the same period.

Most hauntings involve hearing laughter and children running through the halls. Some guests note faucets randomly turning on by themselves. In the 90s there were stories of really bad smells (like burning flesh) that only went away when Gospel music was played.

Others see shadowy figures and even full-on ghosts of Civil War-era soldiers and yellow fever patients. One little girl saw a childhood picture of Mary Marshall, the woman who built Marshall House. She pointed at the picture and said that she saw the girl standing in the hallway!

Colonial Park Cemetery

entrance to Colonial Park Cemetery in Savannah

Considered one of the most haunted places in Savannah, local ghost hunters call Colonial Park Cemetery the most haunted of them all. Opened in 1750, it’s the oldest cemetery in the city.

Truth be told, it was never well cared for, with knocked-over gravestones and mass plots holding hundreds of people. For the 10,000 interred, there are less than 1,000 gravestones total! Perhaps some of the deceased are restless to tell their story and be known.

To add to all that, Colonial Park was often used for local voodoo ceremonies back in the day. Practitioners would gather grave soil or even raid graves for the human bones. And one part of the cemetery was said to be used as a deadly dueling plot. However, there’s no proof because dueling was technically illegal in Savannah!

On tours, people have seen green mist coming up from graves, while others see shadow figures walking among them. And a lot of times on tours you’ll find that EVP sessions get pretty decent results.

17 Hundred 90

For more haunted hotels in Savannah, check out 17 Hundred 90. This hotel is actually made up of three old buildings dating back to at least the early 1800s. 19 Hundred 90 also features a popular pub. And while it’s a great place to stay, it’s best for ghost hunters who don’t mind some paranormal activity!

In the kitchen, it’s said that the ghost of a voodoo practitioner lives there. Female staff have been pushed when no one was there, had accidents happen, or had pots fly at them! There are other stories of people just hearing someone jostling things in the kitchen. This goes is believed to be the spirit of a servant who once lived there and was known to practice voodoo.

In room 204, you’ll find a much less harmful spirit. There’s a woman who is often seen crying in the corner after the lights go out. She tugs at sheets in the dark and moves items around the room. She was endearingly named Anne. Though a few women named Anne once lived there, no one knows for sure if this name was just given by coincidence, or if it was something more.

Factor’s Walk

Factors Walk in the evening in Savannah connecting to River Street

Finally, one of the most historic and haunted places in Savannah is the fascinating Factor’s Walk. Basically an alley today, Factor’s Walk is an old street that runs behind the buildings that face onto River Street.

Once, this narrow lane was used by “factors,” another name for the cotton merchants on the docks. Over 150 years ago, factors would walk from downtown Savannah, down stairwells onto Factor’s Walk, and have a quick way to get to River Street below. These days, you can walk down the quiet street and you might even see a ghost or two.

You can take a tour of Factor’s Walk and hear testimonies from guests and local business owners. You might hear stories of hearing footsteps coming down stairwells when there’s no one there. Others might tell you about seeing a girl in a blue dress walking down the street or past them in a shop.

In such an old place as Factor’s Walk, strong spirits should be understandable. Some people even say there’s a poltergeist haunting the street. They’ve seen glass and other breakable things thrown by nothing and have even been jostled by this spirit!


Enjoyed this guide to the most haunted places in Savannah? Let us know if we missed one of the haunted sites you visited during your Savannah travel in the comments below.

Similar Posts