When you think about any southern setting in any movie, Savannah is at that top of that list. Georgia was named about King George, and Savannah was its first city. It was established in 1773. It became famous for cotton fields and rice farms. There is so much history here. If your a big history buff, you will enjoy this city immensely. If your not into history, there are a lot of nice things to see that are really old , LOL. There were several movies filmed in this city. Google it you would be surprised at the movies filmed in this city. For those looking for adventure it can be found here. Everything from pirate ports and secret entrances to prohibition can be found here in this city.
Where do you want to stay? There are tons of hotels in the area, and if you have never been here you will be overwhelmed trying to pick out a hotel. I will start with this, if you don't like staying in the hustle and bustle part of the city you will want to look at the out skirts of the city. Richmond hill area is about 10 minutes from center of Savannah, Tybee Island is about 30 minute ride depending on traffic. IF you like staying in the thick of the action , near the water is a
wonderful choice. There are several hotel near the water that you will enjoy, from high end to middle of the road. One of the hotels has a literal art gallery and geological stones exhibit. My favorite Holiday Inn Express is located in the heart of Savannah and there is 2 on the outskirts of town. There are new hotel in the historic district which is by the water. I stayed in the Holiday Inn Express nearest to Tybee Island, it was really nice. Cobble stone driveway, excellent service. There was a Walmart close by and a food store. It is also close to all the major highways , so if you want to venture out you are close to all the surrounding areas. The picture here is at water front Marriot, it has a geode rock gallery , it is an renovated coal power factory.
Where should you eat? Well, I will give you a little secret. In Savannah, anywhere you pick to eat, the food is going to be fantastic. Southern food, comfort food, seafood, it's all great. I randomly chose restaurants to try and the food was excellent. Even the little hole in the
wall places, had really good food. The restaurants near the water, get very busy toward dinner. Make reservations ahead of time, if there is a specific place you want to eat. There is also a river cruise on an old fashion steam boat, that does dinner. This books up pretty quick, it is a little pricey but a really cool experience. Book the river cruise when planning your trip. Seafood is a staple , it is really fresh and excellent. Burgers are delicious, and southern food is a must. There are so many awesome places to eat. If coffee is a must in the morning, Savannah Coffee Roasters is the place to stop for an expresso and a quick bite to eat. This place is a mix between country kitchen and industrial modern. It has a very hip vibe to it and is an excellent way to start your adventure. Specialty coffee and breakfast sandwiches this place is a must for mornings. The Pirate House, strange name for a restaurant or is it? This place used to be a drinking hole, back in the day for pirates. It is said that the pirates would go drinking here and get townsmen so drunk that they could escort them through the tunnels to their ship. When the townsmen woke up, they were at sea, branded the new pirate. They would work their way back to their home port. There are a bunch of these stories that line the walls and menus. Eating there you get a paper pirate hat. There is a pirate gift shop where you drop your loot, Matey! The food here was excellent, there is a buffet of country food. Fried chicken, baked mac and cheese by the pound. They also have some of the best
desserts. There are several things on the menu. This is a really fun place to bring your kids. Another popular location is the famous ice cream parlor, Leopold's. This place is so popular you will wait in a line down the road. It is worth waiting 30 minutes for this ice cream. It is a favorite of Ben Affleck ( Batman has eaten this ice cream). I suggest looking up the menu while waiting in line. Once you enter the doors there is a certain flow, one way in , order , pay and get your ice cream , it's very organized. Not only is it the best ice cream, it is an experience. If you ever wondered what it was like to eat at a 1950s ice cream parlor, this is the experience for you. The servers there dress like 1950s staff members, little paper hat and all. The shop inside looks like a 1950s parlor. There are signed pictures and posters all over the place of all the famous people that have eaten at Leopold's. You will not be disappointed. Down by the water., historical Savannah, there are
several places to eat, you can put a blind fold on and pick one. It will be good. There is another gem , I wanted to point out. Byrd's cookies, which is located near the water. It is a gourmet cookie shop, that give you bite size samples. The cookie bar has "cookie-tenders" that give you different samples of cookies. They stack cookies to make them taste like different foods. Key lime pie, peach cobbler and many other combinations. You can literally try every flavor. Its free. The bags of cookies are about a pound each of bite sized cookies. The shop is really cute and an awesome place to stop for a quick snack.
What is there to do in Savannah?. Well, besides eating, there are so many attractions you can visit. Savannah is a mix of country, city and history. I would highly recommend staying in Savannah for a long weekend to take advantage of all there is to do in Savannah. I would start on the first day by taking a hop on/off tour. You can get a sense of what you want to return too and what areas will interest you the most. There are a few different tours. Old Time Trolley is one of the best tour you can take. The tour is inexpensive and offer multiple pick up locations. I have mentioned in previous blogs, that I do not spend a lot of time in the drop off locations. I get off look around a bit, make notes what I would like to see with more time. If there is something small, like a small store I will go through the store quickly and be done with that. If there is a museum that interest you, maybe go back to that when your done with your tour. The tour is has a limited run time. It usually runs from 10am to 5pm, hours may vary. You don't want to waste your tour by going off into things that will take an hour or two to complete. Travelr tip: if it's going to take more than 30 minutes to go through that attraction, save it for later. Spend like 30 minutes in each drop off. Make time to eat food, you need fuel on your adventure. The pick up locations are every few blocks in Savannah. Explore around where you got off and then get back on the next trolley. Maximize your tour, you want to hear the history and tips the tour offer. Also you want to take that map with you, so you know where your trolley stops are. You don't want to be searching for your stops. Especially if you walk to far, you might be closer to the next stop rather than doubling back and wasting time. It might be obvious but there are many trolleys on the same route, so don't leave anything on the trolley. When planning to do a hop on/off tour don't carry so much stuff with you. Wear a travel bag (backpack or drawstring bag) with your essential items and a sports bottle. Read my packing tip for more information. You will be getting on/off and the more stuff you have , the better chance you will forget something on the trolley.
Savannah has plenty of museums. One of the most popular is the Prohibition wax museum. It takes you through the history of prohibition. The bible belt states vs the people. Very interesting how one charismatic preacher was able to sway half of the US to ban liquor. There are representations of how the police used to destroy barrels of hooch. Plenty of photo opportunities. There is video monitors everywhere displaying information and historical facts. There was several distilleries that had to pivot and make new things. There are several of these artifacts through out the museum. There is a guided tour and a head set
tour. You can easily spend two hours in this place. At the end of the tour, is the party room. There is a bar with signature drinks and barkeeps acting in the period. You can take a selfie with Al Capone and some famous mobsters. Yes, they are wax but ultra realistic. There is a souvenir shop in here as well. You can spend hours taking pictures. There is so much to see. Take your time and read each sign, there are little nuggets of information you will be glad you read.
Who doesn't like to take a stroll in a beautiful park. Forsyth Park is a must see in Savannah. It is a 30 acre park, with a two playgrounds for the kids. There is a free botanical garden you can visit. It was created for the blind in mind, so each flower and plant has an aroma that people can easily recognize smell of each plant. It is well cared for by volunteers you will see almost daily. There are plenty of areas for picnics and many photo opportunities. In the center of the park is a massive water fountain, it is beautiful. Fun fact it was ordered out of a Macy's catalog for $1500 bucks in 1858. There is basketball courts on one end of the park. If your into music festivals, Forsyth Park has several a year.
Water front business and shops near the Savannah River. Walking near the water just so nice. The fresh water smell and the breeze blowing through you hair is fantastic. This area is considered historical Savannah, and when you see it you can absolutely believe this was the main hub of Savannah back in the day. To gain access to this are you need to take the
public elevator, which is huge and can fit a lot of people in it. You can take the stairs, but it is at your own risk. These stairs are over 100 years old and very steep. It is also slippery when wet. These steps are not for the faint of heart. Take the elevator. You can also drive down the hill there, but parking is tight. Once you are down there it has a historical charm about it. The roads are lined with cobblestone. The roads are tight. The elevation from the rest of Savannah is 50 feet lower, so you feel like you are in another city. Emmett park is located on one end. You will find the the famous statue The Waving Girl , in this park near the water. Shops, restaurants and hotels line this historic area. There are several shop , boutiques and specialty stores in this area. You can spend several hours here. The Savannah Riverboat is located here in this area. You can cruise up and down the Savannah river for the evening, book your tickets early. There is chocolate shop , Savannah Candy Kitchen, where they make all kinds of chocolate treats and candies. You can sample some of these. Byrd's Cookies is located here, I mentioned them earlier. There are all kinds of places to eat here. There is a Christmas shop with unique ornaments. Hotels with art galleries in this area. One of my favorites and adult only places to visit down here, Wet Willie's. They make alcohol infused slushies featuring over 20 different flavors. It is hot in Savannah this is a good way to cool down and get your party on. There are many nooks and areas you can stop to take a selfie or two. There is a lot to down down here.
There are so many areas to visit in Savannah. If you drive or rent a car, I highly suggest taking a trip to Tybee Island. It is about 20 minute drive from Savannah. It is an island hence the name. It is one of the prettiest beaches in GA. Driving onto the island it is lined with palm trees and has a very tropical feel to the area. There is a RV camping area very close to the beach , if you have an RV or want to rent one. The beach is very nice. White sandy beach, the water is blue and warm. Don't have beach chairs handy you can rent a wooden beach chair and umbrella on the beach. There is a bar on the beach and a place to order food. I like to eat, LOL. Eating on the beach is awesome. The food is made fresh to order. The bar has a few signature drinks and is a good hang out. The beach is free but you have to pay to park your car. It was a few dollars for the entire day. There is also a light house you can visit before entering the beach. This is the perfect location to rest and relax. We bring our books loaded on our phones and some music. Nap on the beach is a must. I lock my Loctote (see packing tips) bag to the chair and sleep with nap without a care in the world. You can see ships in the distance coming to port and speed boats racing about.
This beach is really big. There is a north beach which is closet to Savannah and a South Beach. The beach in these pictures is North Beach. It is a beautiful beach to relax and unwind. There is a nice town and plenty of houses if your looking to relocate.
Savannah is a must do when in the Georgia area. There is plenty to do for everyone on a budget. There are many different activities for everyone in your family. I list post some of my favorite locations below.
Places to Visit
Savannah Coffee Roasters : 215 W. Liberty St , Savannah , GA
The Pirate House : 20 E Broad St , Savannah, Ga
Leopold's Ice Cream: 212 E Broughton St, Savannah Ga
Byrd's Cookies: 6710 Water Ave, Savannah Ga
American Prohibition Museum: 209 West St, Julian St, Savannah , GA
Forsyth Park : 2 W Gaston St, Savannah, GA
Old Time Trolley : 234 Martin Luther King Jr BLVD, Savannah GA