Cheryl and I are planning a spring getaway to Savannah, Georgia.
Why Savannah, Georgia?
A couple of reasons:
- Because we haven’t been there yet.
- Several friends and family have been there and how much they enjoyed it.
So I decided to start planning the trip and figured I would write this post to help me plan out what we are going to do and see. Also, this way if somebody else hasn’t been there yet, it might help them in planning their trip.
Travel and Leisure describes Savannah this way:
Savannah is one of the most romantic cities in the United States. Its historic downtown district is filled with towering live oak trees, horse-drawn carriages, and dramatic antebellum mansions that survived General William Tecumseh Sherman’s fiery march to the sea during the Civil War.
What to see in Savannah, Georgia
Lots and lots of things to do and see, here are some of the highlights I’ve come across:
Explore Forsyth Park
This 30 acre park is nestled in the Historic Landmark District, known for Spanish moss draped oak trees, pedestrian/jogger-friendly sidewalks and the fountain.
The park’s fountain is one of Savannah’s most recognizable landmarks.
Within the park, you’ll find a cafe, a visitor information center, two memorials, a Fragrant Garden for the Blind and two playgrounds. On Saturday mornings, a lively Farmer’s Market takes over the south end of the park.
Savannah City Market
Meet some of the city’s emerging artists, listen to live music, visit the American Prohibition Museum, or dine at one of their premier restaurants.
Dine in a Bus Station
The Grey, a former Greyhound Bus Station turned restaurant, serves a menu full of surprising culinary creations. This highly-acclaimed restaurant offers up elegant fare in a surprising environment. Don’t have time for a full meal? The Diner Bar at The Grey offers a more casual experience. For those on the go, stop by The Grey Market. This market combines the grab-n-go convenience of a big city bodega with the history and menu of a true Southern lunch counter.
Savannah’s Sacred Places
With breathtaking beauty, deep histories and plenty of photo-ops, Savannah’s sacred spots are often at the top of travelers’ must-do lists. Tour Savannah’s most iconic churches like First African Baptist Church and the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, or step inside Congregation Mickve Israel to experience one of the oldest Jewish congregations in America.
Savannah’s Architectural History
Take a comprehensive tour through 300 years of Savannah’s architectural history. This leisurely stroll sharing Savannah’s history through the periods, styles and forms of the homes and buildings.
Don’t know federal style from antebellum? This tour will bring you up to speed. The tour is small. Each tour is limited to a certain number of people to allow for dialogue and questions as they arise.
Make a Pit Stop at “Fancy Parker’s”
Parker’s Market Urban Gourmet, known as “Fancy Parker’s” to the locals, stocks everything from imported cheeses to gourmet desserts and hot meals to-go. You’ll find fresh cut flowers, late-night hot breakfast items, Savannah-made gifts, craft beer and basic necessities like bottled water, coffee and snacks. Don’t miss out on their tasty chicken tender sandwich!
See Artwork by Savannah’s Emerging Artists
The SCAD Museum of Art is a contemporary museum where the exhibitions rotate based on the academic term. The Savannah College of Art an Design has over 11,000 students from nearly 50 states and over 100 countries, so you know you’ll see things you’ve never experienced before.
Chow Down on Fried Chicken
You can find some of the best at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, The Lady & Sons, Sisters of the New South or The Olde Pink House. Wear your stretchy pants and embrace the calories.
Tybee Island
Savannah’s laid-back beach community offers plenty of sand and surf, as well as fun seafood shacks and stunning sunset cruises with the dolphins.
Shop Savannah
From fashionable clothing to Savannah-made goods, you’ll find the perfect Savannah keepsake. Peruse the iconic storefronts on Broughton Street or take advantage of the unique finds on Bull Street. Don’t forget to explore outside of the Historic District and visit Starland District’s eclectic shops as well as Moon River.
Trolley Tour
Hop aboard a trolley tour to get an overview of Savannah! Both Old Town Trolley Tours and Old Savannah Tours have daily trolley tours that will help you get better acquainted with Savannah’s streets and attractions. These “hop on, hop off” tours make it incredibly easy to hear the history of Savannah while getting around town for the day.
Stroll the Waterfront
One could not come to Savannah without admiring the Savannah River on historic River Street. The old cobblestone streets weave you through historic buildings, housing shops and award-winning restaurants. Learn the unique history of this street while you take a scenic stroll.
See A Show
Savannah’s entertainment scene is jam-packed with a variety of shows, festivals and events. Award-winning performances take center stage year-round at historic sites like the Savannah Theatre and the Lucas Theatre. Live music performances sell out at annual events like the Savannah Music Festival and Savannah Philharmonic Picnic in the Park concert in Forsyth Park to name a few.
Ghost Tours
if a vacation filled with fun and frights sounds like your idea of a good time – look no further. From spooky ghost tours to haunted inns that you can actually stay in, you’re bound to run into a friendly ghost during your time in Savannah.
Breweries In/Near Savannah
I love craft beer so anytime I visit a new area I always put togther a list of breweries and their top beers that I want to try.
I don’t always make it to every one of the breweries but I do make it to a couple!
- Moon River Brewing Company – You must try: Swamp Fox IPA, Dixie Krystal Tripel
- Southbound Brewing Company – You must try: Scattered Sun Belgian Wit, Moonlight Drive Coffee Stout
- Coastal Empire Beer Company – You must try: Blood Orange Citrus Breeze Sour Pale, Inshore Slam IPA
- Service Brewing Company – You must try: Old Guard Biere de Garde, Battlewagon Double IPA
- Two Tides Brewing Company – You must try: Hydrus Double IPA, Tan Lines Pilsner
Distilling In/Near Savannah
I also love me some bourbon so I also put together a list of distilleries in the area I plan on visiting:
- Ghost Coast Distillery
- Lucky Duck Distillery
- Rotten Little Bastard Distillery
- Daufuskie Island Rum Company
- Hilton Head Distillery
- RLB Distillery
- Burnt Church Distillery
- Two Pilots Distillery
Where To Stay
This is always an interesting part of the planning process. Interesting because there are literally hundreds of options to choose from.
Everything from 5 star hotels to 1 star hostels to airbnb’s.
Here’s a list of the top rated hotels in Savannah according to Trip Advisor:
- The Inn on West Liberty
- Perry Lane Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel
- The Present
- Gateway Inn
- Clarion Pointe Savannah Gateway I-95
- The Drayton Hotel
- Hamilton-Turner Inn
- Planters Inn
- Hyatt Regency Savannah
- River Street Inn
- Holiday Inn Express Savannah – Historic District
- Andaz Savannah
- The Marshall House
- The Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, Autograph Collection
- The Cotton Sail Hotel Savannah, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
- Hampton Inn Savannah – Historic District
- Hotel Indigo Savannah Historic District
- East Bay Inn
- Staybridge Suites Savannah Historic District
- Hilton Garden Inn Savannah Historic District
- Quality Inn Savannah Historic District
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Savannah Historic District
- Best Western Savannah Historic District
- SpringHill Suites Savannah Downtown/Historic District
- The Alida, Savannah, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
- Holiday Inn Savannah Historic District
- JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
- Olde Harbour Inn
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Savannah Downtown/Historic District
- The Kimpton Brice Hotel
In this instance we are using points for our hotel stay so we are going to be staying at a Hilton downtown. Because of the points our choice is pretty simple.
Usually the decision is more difficult and it’s a combination of location, cost, rating and amenities.
Me personally I don’t spend a whole lot of time in my hotel room so I don’t go for the most expensive ones. I look for hotels that are clean, near the places I want to visit and are affordable.
How to get around
Once we get to Savannah we obviously are going to have to get around town to see all the cool things we want to see.
In this instance it won’t be an issue because we will be driving there so will have our own car.
When that isn’t an option I like to check out www.walkscore.com to get an idea of the amount of driving I will have to do.
In the case of Savannah if you want to stay in the downtown area you probably wouldn’t need to rent a car. An occasional car service ride should get you wherever you need to go.
If you plan on exploring the whole city and surrounding areas then I would definitely recommend a rental car at least for part of your trip.
Putting it all together
We now have an overall plan for our trip.
- Drive down to Savannah on a Thursday.
- Check in to the Doubletree or the Garden Inn
- Spend Friday doing the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour
- Saturday exploring the historic/downtown district
- Sunday head over to Higbee Island and hit some breweries
- At some point we are planning a ghost tour
- Up early Monday morning and drive home
Once we get back from the trip I will post how we enjoyed the trip and if we followed this general plan or if we did something entirely different.
Until Next Trip …
Eric
