Bonaventure Cemetery: Golf Cart Tour vs Walking Tour

Bonaventure Cemetery offers two very different ways to see the same 160 acres of live oaks and marble monuments: ride through it on a guided golf cart, or walk it with a guide on foot. Both are well-reviewed, both cost about the same per person, and choosing between them comes down to pace, heat, and how much depth you want. This guide compares the golf cart tour and the walking tour so you can pick the right one — and you can book either on our Savannah cemetery tours page.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Golf Cart Tour

The golf cart tour solves Bonaventure’s biggest practical problem: the cemetery is large, and walking all of it in Georgia’s heat is tiring. In about an hour, a guide drives you through the lush grounds, stopping at the most ornate graves and the resting places of famous residents like Johnny Mercer and Conrad Aiken — all without breaking a sweat.

Choose the golf cart tour if you:

• Are visiting in late spring through early fall, when the heat is real.
• Have children, older travelers, or anyone who tires on long walks.
• Want to see the widest spread of the cemetery in the least time.
• Are fitting the cemetery into a busy Savannah itinerary.

It is a small-group tour, so you still get a personal experience with time to ask questions. One thing to note: it is stroller-accessible but not wheelchair-accessible, and the operator will text you specific directions to the meeting point before the tour.

The Walking Tour

The walking tour trades coverage for depth. Over about two hours on foot, you move slowly through the cemetery, with time to study the Victorian sculpture up close, read inscriptions, and absorb the atmosphere your guide is describing. Walking lets you stop wherever something catches your eye — exactly the pace photographers and history enthusiasts want.

Choose the walking tour if you:

• Are visiting in the cooler months, or are comfortable walking in warm weather.
• Want the symbolism of the monuments explained in detail.
• Are a photographer who needs to linger and frame shots.
• Want a wheelchair- or stroller-accessible option — the standard walking tour is both.

Walking tours can typically provide umbrellas, rain ponchos, a walking cane, or portable seating on request, and one walking tour operates in all weather conditions, so a forecast of light rain need not change your plans.

Beyond the Two: Other Walking Options

The “walking tour” is not a single product — the cemetery section actually offers more than one tour on foot, and it is worth knowing the range before you book:

The standard two-hour walking tour is the best-value way to see the cemetery in depth. The “Tombs of Savannah” experience is a slightly shorter, more story-driven walk at a similar price. At the top end, the private tour pairs Bonaventure with Savannah’s historic districts for groups who want an exclusive, custom-paced day — a different proposition from the golf-cart-versus-walking question, but the right answer for travelers who value privacy over price.

Heat, Terrain, and Pace

The practical difference between riding and walking comes down to three things:

• Heat. From late spring through early fall, an hour in a moving golf cart is dramatically more comfortable than two hours on foot. The oak canopy shades the paths, but Spanish moss adds almost no shade of its own.
• Terrain. Bonaventure’s paths are uneven in places. The golf cart handles this for you; on the walking tour, supportive shoes matter.
• Pace. A golf cart sets the rhythm — you see a lot, briskly. A walk lets you set your own, pausing at whatever monument holds your attention. Photographers almost always prefer the walk for this reason.

Which One Wins?

There is no single winner — they suit different travelers:

• Pick the golf cart tour for comfort, speed, and family-friendliness. It is the easy, low-effort way to see Bonaventure, and at a 4.83/5 rating across 219 reviews it is also the most-reviewed cemetery tour in the section.
• Pick the walking tour for depth, detail, and photography, especially outside the hottest months.

If you genuinely cannot decide, consider stepping up to the full-day Bonaventure & Wormsloe tour, which includes a guided walk of the cemetery plus a colonial historic site — the most complete cemetery experience in the section. And if you are still weighing dates, our guide to the best time for a Savannah cemetery tour explains how season affects which format is most comfortable.

Ready to Book?

Compare the golf cart tour, the walking tour, and the full-day option on our Savannah cemetery tours page and reserve the pace that fits your group. Most tours include free cancellation, so you can lock in a spot now and adjust later.