Last week I arrived home from my second trip to Savannah in as many years. Savannah is a great city not only because it is beautiful and extremely walkable, it is also very affordable. Filled with amazing history, architecture, ghosts and beer-to-go, you could easily spend a week exploring. With so many options it can be hard to know what you should do and what you can do without, especially if it’s your first time visiting Savannah. So, I thought I would offer some suggestions:
Lodging
- Olde Harbour Inn – I stayed here for both of my trips to Savannah. I recommend it for several reasons, first, each suite is outfitted with a kitchen. This is a great benefit if you want to cut down on your food costs. You can walk down to the local grocery store and stock your kitchenette. Plus, it is incredibly convenient when you are in the mood for a midnight snack. Second, free breakfast in the morning, wine and cheese for happy hour and ice cream at night. Lastly, the Olde Harbour Inn is located in the northeast corner of the city. This means all of the entertainment you can walk to is in one direction from the hotel. That makes for easy decision making.
Restaurants
- B Matthews – they have an amazing brunch, we ate there twice
- The Distillery – great beer selection and delicious “gourmet” bar food
- Churchill’s – the best place to order shrimp and grits
- World of Beer – the best place to go for, well, beer (they do not sell food but supply you with menus from local restaurants who will deliver)
- Moon River Brewing Company – great beer, great food and great ghosts. Seriously, Moon River Brewing is one of the most haunted buildings in Savannah
- The Cotton Exchange – the perfect spot for delicious sea food
- Leopold’s Ice Cream – the best ice cream I have ever had was from Leopold’s
- Warehouse Bar – this is an amazing bar on River Street, live music every night, delicious bar food and strong drinks
- Spanky’s Pizza Gallery and Saloon – A great place for pizza
- The Pirate House – one of the oldest buildings in Savannah the Pirate House was just that, a place where pirates would congregate. Now it is a restaurant and home to the best shrimp po’boy I have ever had
Free Entertainment
- Savannah Bee Company – an amazing shop where you can taste-test different flavors of local honey and sample their delectable organic beauty products
- River Street – River Street is “touristy” but definitely worth a stroll. Stop in at a bar and order an adult drink to-go, watch the sunset, listen to some live street music, marvel at the giant container ships as they come in from the ocean and keep you eye out for dolphins
- Colonial Park Cemetery – Used from 1750 to about 1853, Colonial Park Cemetery became a city park in 1896 for our enjoyment!
- Walk the Squares – Savannah was designed as a grid around 24 (now 21) public squares. Most of the squares were named after notable historical figures and contain monuments or statues. Be sure to stop by Chippewa Square where the infamous bus stop was located in the film Forrest Gump (to make it even more fun, grab a box of chocolates to snack on!)
- Forsyth Park – the epicenter of the historic district, Forsyth Park is the best place to spend any lazy afternoon
- Jones Street – named after the actual historical family from which the idiom “keeping up with the Joneses” came, Jones street runs through the center of the historic district and is lined moss covered oak trees, beautiful row houses and brick mansions
- Cathedral of St John the Baptist – who doesn’t love to tour a beautiful church?
Paid Entertainment
- Afterlife Walking Tour – Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in the US and there are a lot of ghost tours you can take. However, I highly recommend the Afterlife Tour. If you want to be frightened by audio and visual evidence from a tour guide who ghost hunts for a living, this tour is an absolute must
- Old Town Trolley Tour – I never used to be one to like to take tours but now I do them everywhere I go. Take a tour the first day you are visiting a new city, they help you gain your bearings and give you invaluable insight on what to do with the rest of your time
- Broughton Street – If you are in the mood for some shopping, this is the place to do it
- SCAD Museum of Art – Savannah College of Art and Design draws in art students from all over the world. The SCAD museum serves as inspiration to students and visitors alike
- Tybee Island – if you don’t rent a car (which we didn’t) you can catch a shuttle from the visitor’s center for $20 round-trip
I am sure there are tons of things I left off this list, but it is a good place to start. Happy travels!
Cheers,
Amy
gray duck 