Savannah is amazing with the town squares and the hanging moss and the French Colonial houses. It’s brutally romantic.
David Morrissey
Ah, Savannah. One of the most visited, most talked about, and most photographed cities in the South. And with good reason. It popped up on Southern Living‘s list of The South’s Best Cities 2020, and any time you Google prettiest, best, friendliest cities in the South — well, you guessed it: Savannah is there, on everyone’s list.
Savannah seems timeless to us. It’s a place for history, but also for newness, as the waterfront expansion and updates in lodging will attest. But it’s also a pretty place with 22 laid-out squares for leisurely strolls, numerous live oaks throughout the city, and a concerted effort to preserve historic homes and buildings for years to come. We hope you’ve enjoyed our posts on Savannah, and this last one focuses on some of our favorite homes and a summary of what we did, where we stayed, and how we dined.
It goes without saying, perhaps, that Savannah homes are lovely. Most are two or three stories tall with steps leading from brick sidewalks up to the main (second) floor. Evidently, homeowners in Savannah are patriotic, judging from the plethora of American flags flying from porches. And everywhere you look, people are out — enjoying the parks, walking their dogs, or pointing to flowerpots tastefully filled with ferns and flowers of all kinds.
“Brutally romantic,” says David Morissey, and we agree.
But parks and homes are just part of the story of Savannah. It’s a foodie town, an art town, and a youthful one at that. Here’s where we stayed and what we enjoyed on our four-day trip to one of the South’s finest cities.
Lodging
From modern high rise hotels to historic homes open to the public, Savannah has many choices for lodging. We stayed one night in City Market at Andaz, an affordable, newly decorated accommodation with friendly staff that put us squarely within walking distance of shops and restaurants.
But we also enjoyed three nights in one of the Historic Inns of Savannah — the Eliza Thompson House where we were spoiled with gourmet breakfast (think omelets, Southern grits, and sausages) as well as heavy hors d’oeuvres in the evening and a dessert before bedtime.
Don’t count out a stay on the riverfront, though. You may think it’s far from the historic district, but trolleys, Uber rides, and good ol’ sidewalks will get you anywhere in Savannah in minutes. We took the elevator inside The Bohemian down to the river walk, but while inside, we noted the artwork, colors, and modern embellishments. It’s a place for our next visit!
Dining
From breakfast at Two Cracked Eggs to dinner at Vic’s on the River (Oh, those crab cakes, shrimp and grits, and steaks), we found good places to dine right on the river walk. An Uber ride from Eliza Thompson House was both affordable and quick — helping us avoid traffic and the rigors of finding a place to park. (Yes, Savannah is crowded already!)
Lunches at Gryphon and The Collins Quarter brought us to where the young people gather — for bachelorette parties, casual dining, and pots of tea, as well as more spirited options! But don’t forget that you can pick up quick bites at Byrd’s Famous Cookies and The Little Crown at Pie Society in City Market. And for the finest in hand-crafted chocolates, get thee to Chocolat by Adam Turoni pronto!
Sightseeing
One recommendation we stand by is this: take a trolley tour — first. There are several companies in Savannah, and, although we’ve ridden on two different ones, we found that the information delivered by humorous, chipper drivers was great on both. By boarding a trolley, you’re indulging in a great overview of the city — passing by some of the beautiful parks and squares and learning where to locate specific places to visit after your tour. Both Old Savannah Tours and Old Town Trolley Tours will take you past the notables, giving you an idea of where you want to go next — from the river walk to City Market to the historic district. Check out the packages they offer with various stops and/or bundled tickets to area attractions online, and then note the departure location — whether at Savannah Welcome Center on West Boundary Street (easy parking) or in town at various stops such as City Market.
One caution during this time of coronavirus shutdown: check to see if the sites you had in mind to visit are open. We found out (the hard way) that the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home was still closed to tourists. But we saw the outside!
Shopping
One thing’s for certain about Savannah: shops are open and people are buying! From antique maps at V & J Duncan to the newest soaps and jewelry at The Paris Market, shopping is varied in this city. We enjoyed bringing home kitchen items from Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons retail store as much as we loved dining on her Georgia Fried Catfish. But if you want art straight from the artists, check out the sidewalks on the riverfront. After all, there are gems of Savannah everywhere you look.
Here’s hoping you, too, find Savannah to be, as David Morissey said, ” . . . brutally romantic.” It’s a charming place, steeped in history.
But mostly for us, it’s one of our favorite Deep South places to see.
Travel Savannah,
Rusha & Bert
To see all the posts on Sweet Savannah, click here.
Prior...
Hi
We almost went it savannah in March but opted for Jacksonville
– anyhow – when we do make it to savannah I will peek back here at your post and get ideas of what to do and see
Thanks
Oh, the Places We See
You’ll love Savannah no matter where you go there. It’s all lovely.
Prior...
😌🌸🌺
Tina Schell
We too love Savannah (although not quite as much as Charleston 😊). There is much to be said for the charm and grace of the wonderful southern cities. And yes, the food is marvelous as long as you are not watching your waistline!! I had to laugh at the commenter who asked about grits! Describing them factually would not make them sound very appetizing but ooh la la, when they are done right they’re truly amazing!
Oh, the Places We See
I grew up eating grits, and I love them! Especially cheese grits. Thanks for your comments. We really need to visit Charleston once more to see if we like it better, but right now Savannah has our hearts!
rajkkhoja
Beautiful House. Nice place.
Pat
I have really enjoyed your posts on Savannah and I think we will need to plan on a side stop on our way north in a near-future spring.
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks so much. It’s a charming city filled with history and Southern culture. Hope you get to see it.
kzmcb
Well, you’ve certainly made me hungry. Can you enlighten an Aussie and explain what grits are?
Oh, the Places We See
And you’ve made me smile. I guess we are so familiar with grits that we think everyone’s heard of them and tried a sample. But I doubt they would be on any menus where you live. Grits are finely ground corn mostly. You cook them in boiling water until the consistency of Cream of Wheat or oatmeal. They’re served as a side dish any meal, usually slathered with butter, salt and pepper. We eat them with eggs for breakfast and as a side for dinner. We also love Cheese Grits — just add lots of hand-grated sharp cheese to cooked grits, then bake for a while in the oven. They’re a Southern delight, but many Northerners in the U.s. either haven’t tried them or wouldn’t dare!!! Others love them. ❤️
Curt Mekemson
Thanks much for your Savannah series, Rusha. It has certainly encouraged us to stop off next time we are in the area. –Curt
Oh, the Places We See
Thanks, Curt. There’s lots to love about Savannah — one of our favorite Southern towns. Wish we had spent a bit more time. So much good food, photo ops, and trolley rides . . . so little time!
Rose Vettleson
Savannah looks like a storybook. I really like the photos with the ironwork – stair railings, fences, balcony.
Oh, the Places We See
I love that ironwork as well. It’s on every block, I suppose — that and wonderful windows and doors. Just walking the sidewalks makes you happy!
Toonsarah
Easy to see why you love this town! Those mossy steps are gorgeous and I like the brick sidewalk a lot. The foodie scene and shopping sound marvellous too!
Oh, the Places We See
It’s all good. I really hope we can return again some time. There’s so much to see and do that we’ve only scratched the surface. Also, several of the museums and historic homes were still closed due to Covid, so I’d like to return when the whole city re-opens.
justbluedutch
It´s surely looks so dreamy, with all of those fine details.I especially loved those balconies.
Oh, the Places We See
We love those balconies as well. I’m wondering if Savannah ever has parades with people sitting and watching from those pretty balconies. I know I could do that! Thanks so much for taking a look and commenting. Appreciate you!
WanderingCanadians
I can see why Savannah is one of your favourite places. It all looks so charming, beautiful and romantic. Now I just need those borders to open so I can take a road trip here to see it in person!
Oh, the Places We See
Isn’t it beautiful? So much to see, do and taste! We would love to find a house to rent for a month so we could be part-time residents. May never happen but worth a thought! Thanks for commenting. Hope spring is on its way where you are.