Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia
© Kelly vanDellen/Alam
Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Cemeteries are not typically the first place people consider exploring, but Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, defies expectations. The city is often referred to as the most haunted in America, so devotees to all things spooky gather here, along with those paying respects to loved ones who have passed. A cemetery since 1846, the site is perched on a bluff overlooking the Wilmington River. Its oak trees, dripping with Spanish moss, loom over walkways, monuments and elaborate burial vaults. If it sounds like stepping into a Gothic novel, you're on the right track: the 160-acre property was featured in John Berendt's 1994 bestseller, 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'. From poet Conrad Aiken to songwriter Johnny Mercer, famous figures rest here. Among its intriguing residents, you'll find Little Gracie Watson. Her life-sized statue, carved in marble, watches over visitors with an eerie calm. Legend has it, her spirit still lingers. Would you care to meet her?