Savannah Bad Kitty Pub Crawl: A Spirited Review

If you find yourself headed down to Savannah, Georgia, that charming Southern city dripping with history and maybe a ghost or two, and you’re mulling over things to do when the sun goes down, you just might have stumbled upon the “Savannah Bad Kitty Pub Crawl: Spooky Naughty Ghosts” tour. It’s become rather famous. Is it actually all it’s cracked up to be? As a person that has seen quite a few of these, lets get into it!

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What Is the Bad Kitty Pub Crawl, Basically?

So, at its core, that Bad Kitty Pub Crawl isn’t really about some sedate stroll among historical sites. It is, very much, what it sounds like, after all. That being said, it is sort of a guided walk visiting multiple bars, yet mixing some eerie ghost stories and some bawdy humor to keep things lively. The tagline, “Spooky Naughty Ghosts,” practically tells the story. It sounds rather interesting.

The tours do generally begin as night starts to creep in, typically gathering at a pre-determined starting location where you get to meet your guide, and fellow crawlers for the night. As I recall, my group included a bachelorette party, a pair of history enthusiasts, and well, me, hoping for a bit of entertainment that blends the spirits in more than one way! Just an interesting collection of individuals all expecting a grand ole’ time.

The “Spooky” Side, Seemingly

One thing to keep in mind is that Savannah seems to enjoy the status of being one of the United States’ most haunted cities, arguably. Its history is brimming, it seems, with tales of yellow fever epidemics, fires that are devastating, and, perhaps unfortunately, conflicts of war, all of which are often said to leave lingering spiritual residue. That’s the hope, anyway. So, that Bad Kitty Pub Crawl definitely tries to use the city’s haunted reputation.

During your crawl, your guide will very likely spin yarns of ghostly sightings, strange occurrences, and the history that’s darker that Savannah sometimes likes to conveniently forgets. I, in a way, appreciated this aspect of it a bit, because even with the playful tone, there’s usually some snippets of proper history weaved in, as well. You could say that it isn’t just about the booze; that some attempt to appreciate the city’s background too.

They talk about particular hauntings around the locations you visit. Our guide, that time, told tales about a certain Colonial Park Cemetery, known locally, and the alleged restless spirits residing around old taverns. That made the beers a little, well, different, and interesting to drink to be honest.

Naughty Indeed!

Ok, that bit. I will say that it is one part of the tour that has a reputation. The “naughty” side that they tend to mention, just a bit, is, perhaps, more cheeky than downright lewd, really. That is mostly achieved through a ton of risque jokes and anecdotes that can have you laughing perhaps, yet possibly blushing a little, as well. Our guide wasn’t too over the top, but I’ve heard some guides can really get into character!

That naughty theme is really intended to make you, very much, feel more at ease. Guides seem to lean into a fun environment that seems to allow guests to just let loose. A few folks on the tour got especially jovial as that night went on, definitely contributing to that feeling of camaraderie that these types of tours like to try for. Maybe it was just an environment that worked very well for my group in general?

Bar Hopping, Naturally

The crawl part just is not to be forgotten. What they generally do is lead you into maybe four to five bars. It might even be fewer than that, actually, it all just relies on your tour’s specific schedule. You get the chance to grab a drink, each spot offering a character that is unique and that are often having ties to local lore, too.

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That tour I went on made sure to visit establishments known for, supposedly, a spectral presence, along with pubs that provide regional craft brews or drinks that have stories of their own. That rounds it out well.

Each bar that we were lead to really made an effort to offer something, really. From a historic tavern said to be frequented by a long-gone pirate’s shade, up to more modern establishments boasting some spooky-themed cocktails created in remembrance of Savannah’s ghastly stories. That kind of thing adds a certain something, perhaps!

What About That Guide?

It’s fairly important to recognize, you might agree, that a guide actually creates or breaks a tour like this, particularly the ghost/pub crawl combination. Your guide almost serves as the main storyteller, that comedian and that conductor for the night. If they’re truly on the ball, that is!

A guide truly capable does come packing with tons of Savannah’s ghost lore and actually know exactly how to deliver some punchlines so they keep the evening on its toes. And as I watched these Bad Kitty guides, well, they all do, seemingly. I am of course sure you may run into one that maybe does not live up to their training? It is a risk! But on both the crawls I watched over, the guides very much tried hard.

In general, a recommendation?

At the end of this night, there’s a question to maybe ponder, is not it? Did that “Savannah Bad Kitty Pub Crawl: Spooky Naughty Ghosts” tour genuinely make that cut? If you don’t expect an intensely academic, scholarly pursuit of every haunting, or that some outrageously naughty spectacle, very much. It’s intended, in effect, for an entertaining night where one may meet other new people, to hear just some strange stories and, to also just try drinking along that route.

While that history bits might get embellished, that is Savannah style, it seems, in most circumstances, the bar choices generally offer some sort of character. If one goes together with a good guide who is doing their work correctly, your time can feel like some perfect mix that just embodies that odd charisma Savannah always displays, generally.

I feel that it does have some genuine moments when one can see Savannah through that different point of view. At nighttime. This experience doesn’t always fit with everybody, I think! One may not like ghost stuff. The crude bits? One really should expect all that as things you are probably, likely to encounter on this tour, to keep expectations in order!

As to that rating from me? Very positive. If one embraces it! I believe if you are one that lets Savannah bring you under, it is worth just a little coin. If your mind is made up before it? Possibly not! But one cannot know, until trying it! So? Give a chance!