What a treat Savannah is! An all-in-one city with a complex history and enchanting southern charm. In fact, if we could live anywhere other than Washington DC, it would probably be Savannah. After all, it’s relatively warm all year, and we’d do anything to escape the cold. Just to emphasize our newly found love for Savannah, we visited twice in a span of 3 weeks. We’re sure you’ll fall in love with it too. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast or not, you won’t believe how truly beautiful this city is. In some ways, it reminded us of the delightful city of New Orleans and St. Augustine’s marvelously creepy past.
What to do in Savannah
Despite being a small city, there are a plethora of things to do and see in Savannah. Honestly, everything from eating your weight in exquisite southern food, to getting lost in winding streets draped in Spanish moss, to learning about fascinating myths, to legends that continue to captivate the city today, to enjoying the eclectic nightlife Savannah has to offer, blew us away . Fret not, in this guide we’ll walk you through all the must-sees in town to make sure you have the best time possible.
Let’s start with the layout. Savannah was planned out on a grid-system with twenty-four neighborhood squares. Most of the main attractions in the city revolve around these squares. In fact, the squares themselves are a sight to see – just note that there are only 22 remaining squares of the original 24. We’ll tell you more about our favorites later in the post.
Must-See Sites in Savannah
Forsyth Park
In the heart of historic Savannah, enjoy a leisurely stroll through 30-acres of public space. Forsyth Park is home to one of the city’s most photographed landmarks – an intricate 19th-century fountain. Enjoy a promenade through the park any time of the day, but if you want to beat the swarms of visitors make sure to arrive early in the morning.
Colonial Park Cemetery
Poor Savannah has been plagued with quite a handful of disasters throughout its history. Although we typically don’t recommend visiting cemeteries, this one is inviting – in a strange way. Like true tourists, we opted for a walking ghost tour through downtown Savannah and up to the cemetery. We’ll leave our findings a secret, but highly recommend you check it out on your own. The best part? You can enjoy your ghost tour in style – choose from this comfortable and iconic trolley tour, this fantastically dark walking tour, or this boozy haunted pubs tour – just to add a little extra flair to the evening.
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
You just won’t get enough of this stunning cathedral. Known as the Sistine Chapel of the South, St. John’s is a beautiful structure inside and out. Built in the 1870s, the cathedral’s charm is unequivocal. Make sure to stay for a tour of the historic church to learn about its remarkable history.
Congregation Mickve Israel
Right off of Monterey Square sits one of the oldest synagogues in the United States dating back to 1735. Today, the Congregation Mickve Israel is the only Gothic-styled Synagogue in North America.
The City Market
Since the 1700s, this four-block open-air shopping area has been catering to locals and visitors. Lined with shops and restaurants, the city market lies between Ellis and Franklin Squares. The market is also home to the American Prohibition Museum – a must-visit during your Savannah stay.
Historic Homes
What sets Savannah apart from other major U.S. cities is the beautifully preserved history. This is why we highly recommend touring a historic home – or several during your stay.
Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters
A chilling tour of America’s haunting history. The Owens-Thomas house tour is a great way to understand and visualize the relationships between the most and least powerful people that inhabited Savannah in the early 19th-century. The home was initially built in 1816 for banker and slave trader Richard Richardson. It was later purchased by the Mayor of Savannah, George Owens in 1830. Despite the change in ownership over the years, tens of people continued to be enslaved on the property for years.
Eliza Thompson House
We’re sure you’ve already heard about the magnificent Eliza Thompson House – a beautifully preserved and restored historic home in Savannah.
Sorrel-Weed House
Look, everything in Savannah is said to be haunted. The Sorrel-Weed house is no different, but we won’t spoil it for you. Couple an enriching historic tour with a unique paranormal investigation here to find out for yourself.
The Streets
Yes, that’s right. We recommend you hit up several of Savannah’s famed streets, to do nothing else but explore and marvel at the elaborate architecture and warmth of the city.
Jones Street
Dubbed as the prettiest street in Savannah, and you’ll see why in a few. We must have walked up and down Jones street at least a half-a-dozen times. We highly recommend an early morning stroll and another walk around sunset – just as the street lanterns turn on. Keep an eye out for the secret alleyways and hidden gardens nestled in between every other home.
The Squares
I mean, there’s 22 of them! If we had to narrow it down to the prettiest and most central – we’d pick – Chippewa Square because this is where Forrest Gump was filmed with his box of chocolates; Monterey Square since it’s known as Savannah’s most picturesque square; and Lafayette Square which overlooks the beautiful Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This is by no means a tip to only visit these three though, so make sure to venture out and hit as many as you can!
River Street
Overlooking the Savannah River is this quaint cobblestone strip decked with shops, riverfront restaurants and boutiques – all of which were once cotton warehouses. River Street is actually lower in elevation than the rest of Savannah. To reach it, visitors have to take on steep staircases or winding (also steep) streets. The half-mile strip is the perfect place to enjoy a walk in the afternoon, grab souvenirs or a bite.
Make sure to hop on the Savannah Belles Ferry for a free passage down the river. You can also hop off at the first stop to Hutchinson Island to get a panoramic view of Savannah.
History Fun Facts: The Savannah Belles ferries are actually four distinct vessels commemorating historical figures: Juliette Gordon Low, Susie King Taylor, Florence Martus and Mary Musgrove. You can read about their accomplishments here.
Now let’s talk about those cotton warehouses. The backside of the River Street buildings is a labyrinth called Factors Walk. The 19th century red brick buildings were formerly the center of Savannah’s booming cotton industry. You’ll notice walkways and iron bridges lining the road – all leading to entrances on the third and fourth stories of the buildings.
Broughton Street
Let the shopping, or strolling, begin! Broughton is essentially the “main street” of Savannah, lined with hundreds of shops, restaurants and historic buildings. Along the strip is the unmissable Leopold’s Ice Cream, the most famed dessert stop in Savannah.
Wormsloe Historic Site
Last but not least, make your way to Wormsloe. We’re sure you’ve seen the photos! Just twenty minutes outside of downtown Savannah sits this former plantation. You’ll barely make it through the entrance before you’ll want to stop and take pictures. Drive through a mile-long natural archway of Spanish Moss and oaks, learn about the founding of Georgia and walk through miles of winding paths and trails through the property.
Where to Eat in Savannah
You might have noticed that we’ve mentioned the excellent cuisine in Savannah about a dozen times. Well, we had to shamelessly dedicate an entire post to the food scene, but the quick takeaways are:
Start with coffee at Savannah Coffee Roasters followed with breakfast at The Paris Market. Squeeze in a rooftop lunch at the Peregrin at Perry Lane and wrap up your day with a hearty meal at the Olde Pink House or The Fat Radish. If you’re looking for late-night munchies, you can’t miss a stop at Treylor Park.
Where to Stay in Savannah
There are so many unique places to stay in Savannah, we’ve broken down favorites here by style and budget.
Luxury Historic Homes: Hamilton Turner Inn or Marshall House Inn
Luxury Modern Stays: The Alida or Perry Lane
Mid-Budget Hotel: TRYP by Wyndham
Quirky Airbnbs in the Historic District: Modern Victorian Home, Colorful Getaway, or Historic Carriage House
