Bonaventure Cemetery

"Let’s start big picture here? Made famous by John Berendt’s 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the loveliest places in Savannah, and a walk through its 100-plus acres is one of the best things you can do here. Bonaventure was established as a private cemetery in 1846, on the site of an old plantation, before the city purchased it in 1907. Now tree-lined avenues hanging with Spanish moss lead to the graves of some of the city’s notable residents, including the songwriter Johnny Mercer and the poet Conrad Aiken. But the space is as much garden as graveyard; camellias bloom in December and January, followed by pink and purple azaleas in early spring, and then creamy white magnolia later in the season. Situated on a bluff overlooking the Wilmington River, Bonaventure was originally the site of the famous Bird Girl statue on the cover of Berendt’s book. That’s since been moved to the Telfair Academy, but there remains plenty of statuary, plus ornate, centuries-old gravestones, to feast your eyes on. Any standout features or must-sees? From the entrance, follow either Bonaventure Way or Mulryne Way straight into the heart of the cemetery. You’ll eventually end at the river, but keep your eyes open along the way for signs pointing toward the graves of Mercer, Aiken, early Georgia settlers Noble Jones and Edward Telfair, and the Lawton family, an old Savannah lineage whose riverside plot is hard to miss—just look for the huge marble Jesus. Finding each of these individual graves is less important than the act of wandering through the fanciest, most eye-popping section of the cemetery. Also notable: the large Jewish section along Sheftall Way, which contains a stirring Holocaust memorial. Was it easy to get around? Open from 8 AM to 5 PM daily, Bonaventure is easy to navigate on foot—the entrance is in one direction, the river in another—with or without the maps available in the visitors’ center. The Bonaventure Historical Society gives free guided tours on the second weekend of the month; at other times, you can engage a third-party company like Bonaventure Cemetery Tours, which offers twice-daily walking tours. Any other tips? Bonaventure is a 15-minute drive from downtown, and if you love walking, natural beauty, and old stuff, there’s really no better place to come. But if you’re here on a short visit, without a car, or simply don’t want to leave the historic district, fear not: Colonial Park Cemetery, at the corner of Oglethorpe and Abercorn, is a gorgeous alternative. Established around 1750, it also predates Bonaventure by about a century." - Sam Worley