Savannah's squares, cemeteries, marshes and beaches have stood in for everything from Civil War drama to horror sequels. Here is where to find the cameras' favourite spots, plus two guided ways to see them.
Savannah has hosted major productions since Cape Fear in 1962, and its walkable historic district makes screen locations easy to visit independently. Chippewa Square, Forsyth Park, the Mercer Williams House and Bonaventure Cemetery are the headline stops, with Tybee Island beaches a short drive away. Two guided options exist: a walking pub crawl themed on Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and a highly rated Segway tour of movie locations.
Few American cities fold so neatly into a film set as Savannah. Its grid of oak-shaded squares, cobblestoned River Street and surrounding coastal marshes have attracted directors for more than sixty years, beginning with Cape Fear in 1962 and continuing through The Menu in 2022 and May December in 2023. Georgia's 30 percent tax credit for qualified productions keeps the cameras coming, and the Savannah Regional Film Commission additionally offers a 10 percent cash rebate, up to $100,000 for features and $250,000 for series.
The practical upside for travellers is that most of these locations are public, free and within walking distance of one another. The bench from Forrest Gump may have moved to a museum, but Chippewa Square where Forrest told his story is open year-round, and the wedding chapel built for The Last Song still stands on Tybee Island.
The list below gathers the productions known to have filmed in Savannah and its surrounding region, drawn from film commission records and location documentation. Some shot extensively across the historic district, while others, such as Ozark and The Color Purple, used the area for unit filming only.
| Title | Year | Type | What was filmed here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest Gump | 1994 | Film | Bus bench scene in Chippewa Square and historic district streets |
| Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | 1997 | Film | Mercer Williams House, Monterey Square, Bonaventure Cemetery, and multiple historic homes |
| Glory | 1989 | Film | Mercer Williams House as Colonel Shaw's residence, Georgia State Railroad Museum Roundhouse, River Street parade |
| The Menu | 2022 | Film | Coastal and island locations including Tybee Island areas |
| May December | 2023 | Film | Various Savannah historic district homes and streets |
| The Color Purple | 2023 | Film | Unit filming in Savannah region locations |
| Cape Fear | 1962 | Film | Isle of Hope Marina and Tybee Island |
| The Longest Yard | 1974 | Film | Forsyth Park to River Street chase scenes |
| Something to Talk About | 1995 | Film | Six Pence Pub on Bull Street and local homes |
| Baywatch | 2017 | Film | Tybee Island beaches and pier |
| The Last Song | 2010 | Film | Tybee Island beaches and constructed wedding chapel |
| The Legend of Bagger Vance | 2000 | Film | Historic district and golf course landscapes |
| Ant-Man and the Wasp | 2018 | Film | Savannah locations |
| Halloween Ends | 2022 | Film | 1206 E Duffy St as Laurie's house and Forsyth Park |
| Fear the Walking Dead | 2023 | TV | Savannah region locations |
| The Girl From Plainville | 2022 | TV | Isle of Hope Marina and waterfront areas |
| Manhunt | 2024 | TV | Savannah historic textures and streets |
| The Underground Railroad | 2021 | TV | Bay Street and historic sites |
| Ozark | 2020 | TV | Unit filming in region |
| Devotion | 2022 | Film | Savannah locations |
12 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Iconic bus bench scene where Forrest tells his story
The setting of the famous bus bench scene in Forrest Gump (1994), where Forrest recounts his life to strangers waiting for the bus. The bench itself was a prop and has been moved to a museum, but the square remains one of Savannah's most visited public spaces and can be seen year-round at no cost.
Georgia, Savannah Ticketed
Filmed here: Exterior and select interior scenes as Jim Williams' home and Colonel Shaw's residence
Jim Williams' home in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) and Colonel Shaw's residence in Glory (1989). The museum offers daily tours of the first floor, and the carriage house shop is open to visitors. Note that the house closes in January for restoration in some years, so check ahead for winter visits.
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Marina scenes and waterfront sequences
A quiet public marina with a surprisingly rich screen history, appearing in Cape Fear (1962), The Girl From Plainville (2022) and Baywatch (2017). Located a short drive south of downtown, it is freely accessible for viewing and pairs well with a trip to the nearby Wormsloe Historic Site.
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Park scenes, parades, and specific sequences
Savannah's grand central park has hosted scenes for Forrest Gump, Glory and Halloween Ends (2022). The fountain is the postcard view, but film fans will want to linger on the wider paths where parades and chase sequences were shot. The park is open daily and free to enter.
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Waterfront and cobblestone street scenes
The cobblestone waterfront promenade appeared in Glory's parade sequence and again in The Girl From Plainville. Lined with shops and restaurants, it is among the easiest locations to combine with ordinary sightseeing, and its brick and stone textures explain why productions keep returning to it.
Georgia, Tybee Island Free to see
Filmed here: Beach and oceanfront scenes
Tybee's sands stood in for the Florida coast in Baywatch (2017) and hosted Miley Cyrus in The Last Song (2010), whose constructed wedding chapel still stands. Cape Fear also filmed here in 1962. Public beaches and the pier are free to visit, roughly a half hour's drive from downtown Savannah.
Georgia, Savannah Ticketed
Filmed here: Roundhouse complex scenes
The roundhouse complex served as a key location in Glory (1989). Today it operates as a ticketed museum with tours of the historic rail site, making it one of the few Savannah film locations where the visit itself, rather than just the exterior, is the attraction.
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Square and surrounding homes including Mercer House
The square at the heart of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, surrounded by the historic homes featured in the film and adjacent to the Mercer House. It is a public square, free to visit, and widely regarded as one of the best photo opportunities in the historic district.
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Cemetery scenes with live oaks
The live oak draped cemetery that gave Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil much of its atmosphere. It is open to visitors and guided tours are available for those who want context beyond the film connection. Allow at least an hour, and more if walking rather than driving.
Georgia, Savannah Free to see
Filmed here: Pub interior and exterior scenes
This operating pub on Bull Street appeared in Something to Talk About (1995), with both interior and exterior scenes shot on site. Of all the locations in Savannah it offers the simplest film tourism experience: sit down, order a drink, and you are inside the set.
Georgia, Savannah Ticketed
Filmed here: Plantation and historic site scenes
The famous avenue of arching oaks at this state historic site has appeared in multiple productions over the years. Entry is ticketed, with tours and trails through the plantation grounds. It sits close to Isle of Hope Marina, so the two combine naturally on a single outing.
Georgia, Savannah Outside only
Filmed here: Laurie's house exterior
The exterior of this private residence served as Laurie's house in Halloween Ends (2022). It can be viewed from the street only, and visitors should respect the occupants' privacy. It is a quick stop, a short drive from the downtown squares, for committed horror fans.
Savannah's production infrastructure goes beyond location shooting. SCAD Film Studios at 2315 Louisville Road is a university complex with soundstages and a backlot featuring historic district and NYC-inspired sets; it opened in 2014 and has expanded through 2026. The Savannah Film Factory is an additional soundstage complex that has hosted productions including Juror No. 2. For guided experiences, Cinematic Sites of Savannah runs walking and boat tours highlighting filming locations from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Lady and the Tramp.
Two bookable tours focus specifically on screen locations. The first pairs a Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil walking route with stops at pubs, while the second covers movie locations citywide by Segway. Both suit visitors who prefer a guide's stories over self-directed map reading, and the Segway option in particular covers far more ground than a walking pace allows.
Movie Locations Segway Tour of Savannah
Priced at $75 and carrying a 4.9 rating across 140 reviews, the highest rated option on this page, the Segway tour reaches more filming locations in less time than any walking alternative.
Savannah: Midnight in the Garden Walking Tour and Pub Crawl
At $35 per person with a 4.5 rating from 50 reviews, this tour mixes Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil locations with Savannah's pub scene, a fitting tribute to a film steeped in the city's social rituals.
The bench was a prop placed in Chippewa Square for the 1994 film and has since been moved to a museum. The square itself is public and open year-round, and it remains the essential stop for fans of the film.
Yes. The house operates as a museum with daily tours of the first floor, and the carriage house shop is open to visitors. It closes in January for restoration in some years, so verify winter dates before planning a visit.
Yes. The exterior of Laurie's house in Halloween Ends (2022) is a private residence at 1206 E Duffy St. It can be viewed from the street only, and visitors should respect the privacy of the occupants.
Tybee Island sits roughly a half hour's drive from downtown Savannah. Its beaches and pier appeared in Baywatch, The Last Song and Cape Fear, and the wedding chapel built for The Last Song still stands.
Georgia offers a 30 percent tax credit for qualified productions, and the Savannah Regional Film Commission adds a 10 percent cash rebate, up to $100,000 for features and $250,000 for TV series, plus a bonus for productions hiring at least half local crew within 60 miles. The mild climate and the largest National Historic Landmark district in the country do the rest.
Most are. The squares, Forsyth Park, River Street, Bonaventure Cemetery and Tybee Island beaches are public. Ticketed sites include the Mercer Williams House, the Georgia State Railroad Museum and Wormsloe Historic Site.
Savannah rewards both casual viewers and dedicated film tourists. A single afternoon walking the downtown squares covers Forrest Gump, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Glory territory, while a car or tour unlocks the coast, the cemetery and the studio side of the industry. Travellers wanting a guide can choose between the pub crawl walk and the Segway ride, both of which distil the city's screen history into a few easy hours.
Before You Go
The tours travellers book most for Savannah.
