How To Get To Bonaventure Cemetery
Bonaventure Cemetery is one of Savannah’s highlights, but its location some way outside of the Historic District makes it harder to get to than many of the city’s other sights.
The cemetery is situated around four miles from downtown Savannah, on the eastern margin of the city, just north of the fishing community of Thunderbolt (see on map).
If you have a car, there is little difficulty to be had in seeing Bonaventure. The drive (also possible by taxi or rideshare) should take around 10-20 minutes or so depending on traffic. Alternatively, you can book a guided tour of the cemetery that includes transportation there. Public transportation options are unfortunately limited, but it is feasible to go by bus.
Allow an hour at least for your visit, not including travel time, and longer if you want to picnic or spend more time exploring the 100-acre cemetery and its graves.
→ Read more about Bonaventure Cemetery and its highlights
Alternatives If the trip out to Bonaventure won’t fit into your vacation plans, its less famous counterpart, Laurel Grove Cemetery (split into White North and Black South sections), offers some of the same charms closer to the Historic District.
The only cemetery located downtown is Colonial Park, far smaller than Bonaventure or Laurel Grove but older too, with considerable historic appeal due to its Colonial Era graves and memorials.
See also:
– Guided tours of Bonaventure Cemetery
– Savannah’s must-see sights
– Fort Jackson
– Historic house museums in Savannah
– River Street
Driving To Bonaventure Cemetery
The easiest way of getting to Bonaventure Cemetery is by car. Once there, you can drive along the roads in the cemetery, or park your car (for free) and enjoy the grounds on foot.
The street address is 330 Bonaventure Road, Savannah, GA 31404. GPS coordinates for the cemetery entrance are 32.045349, -81.050929.
From Savannah’s Historic District, the 5-mile drive takes around 10-20 minutes, depending on traffic. If you are staying at Tybee Island, it is 16 miles to Bonaventure, a drive of around 30 minutes, assuming traffic isn’t heavy (get directions).
Bonaventure Cemetery Parking
Limited parking is available at the entrance to Bonaventure Cemetery, and along the roads inside the cemetery provided no obstruction nor damage to grave sites is caused. There is no charge to park at Bonaventure.
Taxi
If you don’t have a car and don’t want to go on a guided tour, the most convenient way of getting to Bonaventure Cemetery is to take a taxi.
A taxi ride to Bonaventure from Savannah’s Historic District will usually cost around $12-$15 each way, including tip. From Tybee Island, expect to pay around $40 each way, including tip. Journey times are as above.
A list of Savannah and area taxi companies, with contact phone numbers, is available here.
Guided Tours Of Bonaventure Cemetery
Several tour companies offer guided visits to Bonaventure Cemetery, many of which (with the exception of a few walking tours which meet at the cemetery gates) include round-trip transportation from downtown Savannah.
Walking, biking and segway tours with transport included are available in addition to minibus tours. More information about guided tours of Bonaventure.
If you are visiting with a pet, please be aware that although dogs are welcome at Bonaventure Cemetery, most companies do not allow animals on their tours.
Public Transport
It is possible, but not always practical, to reach Bonaventure by public transport. Three bus routes out of Savannah run within a mile of the cemetery; the remainder of the journey is along streets with no paved sidewalk. Most services are somewhat infrequent, and very infrequent on Sundays.
Including time spent waiting for the bus, allow at least 45 minutes each way for the journey. More information about using Savannah’s bus service is available here.
Bonaventure is most closely served by bus Route 10, which travels through the northern part of the Historic District (Oglethorpe Avenue) to a stop at Bonaventure Road and Georgia Avenue, just under a half mile from the cemetery entrance. The service runs hourly on weekdays and Saturdays, every 90 minutes on Sundays and every 2 hours on holidays (see official route and schedule for more details).
An alternative is Route 31, which travels through the middle of the Historic District (Liberty Street) to a stop at Bonaventure Road at Skidaway Road, three fourths of a mile from the cemetery gates. The service runs hourly on weekdays, Saturdays and holidays, and every two hours on Sundays (see route details).
If you will be traveling from Savannah’s Midtown district or thereabouts, Route 12 may be more convenient to ride as it passes through the more southerly parts of the city. The walk to Bonaventure Cemetery’s entrance from the nearest stop, at Victory Drive and Whatley Avenue, is closer to a mile, however. This service runs every 30-60 minutes on weekdays, and hourly on weekends and holidays (see route info).
More Of Savannah’s Must-See Sights
– Forsyth Park
– Jones Street
– Bull Street squares
– First African Baptist Church
– Isle of Hope
– Pin Point Heritage Museum
– Skidaway Island State Park
– Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
– Kayak tours near Savannah
– Savannah events