Forrest Gump Filming Locations in Savannah: The Bench and More
By Best of Savannah
Forrest Gump's bench scenes were filmed in Savannah's Chippewa Square — and that single fact still brings movie fans to the city more than thirty years after the 1994 release. The short version: the square is real and beautiful, the bench was a movie prop that is no longer there, and the surrounding blocks make one of the easiest, most rewarding mini-pilgrimages in the Historic District.
TL;DR — Forrest Gump in Savannah
- The bench scenes: filmed on the north side of Chippewa Square, where Forrest waits for the bus and tells his story.
- The bench itself: a production prop, removed after filming; a bench from the film is displayed at the Savannah History Museum.
- The feather scene: the opening feather drifts past the steeple of Independent Presbyterian Church, a block from the square.
- Beyond Savannah: many of the film's other locations were shot elsewhere in the Lowcountry, including around Beaufort, South Carolina.
Where Exactly Was the Bench?
Chippewa Square: one of Savannah's original squares, anchored by a statue of city founder James Oglethorpe and ringed by live oaks, theaters, and historic townhouses. The production placed a prop bench on the square's north side facing Hull Street; the camera angle made the spot feel like a bus stop. Today there is no bench at the filming spot — visitors photograph the location itself, usually with the Oglethorpe monument behind them.
Do not be disappointed about the missing bench. Chippewa Square is worth the visit on its own merits, and a bench from the film survives indoors: the Savannah History Museum displays one as part of its collection, a short distance from the Historic District core. Pair the two stops and you get the photo and the artifact.
Local planning tip: Chippewa Square sits on Bull Street between Hull and Perry — a busy, lovely stretch. Go early morning for soft light and empty paths, and you will have the famous angle to yourself. Midday brings tour groups doing exactly what you are doing.
What Other Forrest Gump Spots Can You See?
Look up at the start of your walk: the film's opening feather floats past the white steeple of Independent Presbyterian Church, just north of the square at Bull Street and Oglethorpe Avenue. From there, the movie's geography spreads beyond Savannah — much of the film was shot elsewhere in the coastal Lowcountry, including the Beaufort, South Carolina area, so Savannah's claim is specifically the bench and the feather. That is plenty.
How Do You Tour the Locations?
The easiest way is on foot with a self-guided squares tour that includes the Forrest Gump stops alongside the rest of Bull Street's greatest hits — you control the pace and the photo time.
Prefer a live guide? Most general Historic District walking tours pass through or near Chippewa Square and handle the film trivia along with two centuries of real history.
What Should You Do Nearby?
Chippewa Square sits in the middle of everything. Walk south on Bull Street through Madison and Monterey squares to Forsyth Park, or north toward City Market and the river. Coffee at Gallery Espresso near the square is a local-favorite stop, and our Savannah squares guide turns the movie pilgrimage into a full afternoon. Dinner options from our restaurants guide are minutes away in every direction.
Bottom Line: Is the Forrest Gump Pilgrimage Worth It?
Yes — because the destination is better than the errand. You come for a movie bench that is not there anymore and end up in one of the prettiest squares in America, a block from the feather-scene steeple, in the heart of the most walkable historic district in the South. Run, do not walk.
Make a day of it with our best walking tours guide, the Historic District guide, and one perfect day in Savannah.
