Savannah, Georgia is a beautiful city and can easily be navigated on foot. I was able to visit this gem in the South with my mom for a long weekend. Other than an Uber ride to and from the airport (about $20 each way), we did not use any other form of transportation from Friday night to Monday morning. In order to do this; however, it is imperative that you stay within the center of town and are willing to walk!

Where to Stay

• 17Hundred90 Inn and Restaurant– Picking a hotel in a new city can be a daunting task, and Savannah was no different. There are numerous hotels, guest houses and AirBnB’s within the historic district and downtown. Honestly, I chose the 17Hundred90 Inn because of its location and relatively low price. My mom and I were pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the staff, quality of the free breakfast and the overall charm of our room and the hotel as a whole. We were within a 10 minute walk of nearly all of the historic areas of Savannah.
  

Where to Eat

• The Olde Pink House– Easily the most famous restaurant in Savannah, it did not disappoint. I made reservations about a week before our trip and it was already booked for one of the nights we were in Savannah. The menu has a variety of options, most with a southern flare, and is reasonably priced for a nice restaurant and everything we had was delicious!
  

  

  
• Savannah Seafood Shack– This is a small order-at-the-counter option that is famous for its low country boil. My mom and I chose to have a traditional low country boil and one made with crab legs instead of shrimp and both were fabulous. They used a great Cajun seasoning (some may call it spicy) that you could even buy in bulk to take home. Be prepared to get messy!
  

  

  
• Leopold’s Ice Cream– No trip to Savannah would be complete without a stop at Leopold’s. We went on a Friday evening around 8 pm and had to wait outside in the rain. We had a delicious sundae with mocha chocolate chip ice cream but I’m sure you couldn’t go wrong with any flavor you choose.
  

  
• Mirabelle Cafe– Ok, I have a soft spot for breakfast foods, especially Belgian waffles. Mirabelle Cafe is across the street from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and was a great spot to stop after church on Sunday. They have a variety of options but we went with the two seasonal flavors, the pumpkin pie waffle and apple pie waffle.
  

  

  
• Huey’s on the River– There are several seafood restaurants on River Street so it can be difficult to choose. Huey’s was busy every time we walked by, so we decided to have an early dinner there on Sunday afternoon. My mom and I both had scallops over Parmesan grits and the scallops were perfectly cooked.
  
• The Shrimp Factory– Another popular spot along River Street, we had refreshing salads for lunch on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately we weren’t hungry enough to try the southern inspired appetizers or sandwiches, but the shrimp and salmon we did have were perfectly seasoned.
  

  
• The Coffee Fox– A cute coffee shop that also sells pastries, beer and wine, The Coffee Fox is located on Broughton Street. We ate a delicious fig and chocolate scone from here the morning we left Savannah. Their flagship store, Foxy Loxy Cafe, is also quite popular but is located about 15 blocks south of Forsyth Park on Bull Street.
• Savannah Coffee Roasters– Located on W. Liberty Street, this cafe serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and a variety of coffee and wine. We saw the bulk coffee available at several stores throughout Savannah, so we wanted to check out restaurant and purchase bulk coffee to take home.
  

  

Sights to See

• Forsyth Park– Originally established in the 1840’s, the park now occupies 30 acres in the middle of the historic district of Savannah. It is most famous for the fountain seen in the pictures below, but it is also home to tennis and basketball courts, a playground, a cafe and large open fields for other sports. The day we visited, the annual Picnic in the Park with the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra was set to take place later that evening.
  

  

  
• Candler Oak tree– At around 300 years old, this tree is one of the oldest in the Savannah area. It is located on the corner of Drayton and Gaston Streets, at the Northeast corner of Forsyth Park. During the Civil War, Union prisoners of war were held under this tree by the Confederates. The Savannah Tree Foundation now protects this famous tree through annual donations.
  

  
• River Street– This is a street with 200 year old cobblestones that used to be home to shipping warehouses. These buildings have been transformed into shops, restaurants and inns, all with a view of the Savannah River. It is possible to take a river cruise aboard the Savannah Queen, but we opted against this because I had read mixed reviews. There is also a free ferry to Hutchinson Island across the river if you are looking for a better view of River Street.
  

  

  

  

  

  
• Cathedral of St. John the Baptist– This church was originally built in 1876 but a fire in 1898 destroyed most of the structure. The current building was opened in 1900 and stands at 207 feet tall, the tallest building in downtown Savannah. The interior is just as stunning as the exterior and I definitely recommend going inside, either for an actual church service or during one of the times it is open for tours.
  

  
• Broughton Street– This popular tourist street has numerous shops and restaurants, including The Paris Market (seen in the picture below), The Savannah Bee Company, The Salt Table and Leopold’s Ice Cream. We walked this street several times during our visit, both for shopping purposes and because it runs through the center of the historic district.
  
• 22 City Squares– James Oglethorpe, the founder of Savannah, originally designed the city to have several squares that were meant as communal areas for citizens living near that square. As the city grew, so did the number of squares. We found them to be quite beautiful, most having monuments dedicated to a part of Savannah history and often with large oak trees surrounding the square.
  

  
• City Market– This is a four block open-air market between Franklin and Ellis Squares that is home to many restaurants, art galleries, and retail shops. Both times we walked through City Market, there was live music playing and was quite busy.
  

  

  
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)– More than 11,000 students are enrolled in this University that was founded in 1978. The campus is spread out throughout the city, but the original building on Bull Street is beautiful and is home to Shop SCAD, a unique shop that contains products made by students, faculty and alumni of SCAD.
  

  
• Jones Street– Considered to be the prettiest street in Savannah and one of the most beautiful in the United States, we couldn’t miss out on the chance to walk this tree-lined street. It is located in a quieter area of the historic district and contains mostly mid-19th century homes. Most of the homes have a plaque on the side indicating the date and for whom it was built.
  

  
• Historic Homes– There are numerous house museums throughout Savannah, typically former homes of wealthy Savannah families. During our historic walking tour of the city, we saw several of these homes, including the Mercer-Williams House, the Green-Meldrim House, the Andrew Low House, the Owens Thomas House, and the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (the founder of the Girl Scouts). We chose not to tour any of the homes because we found admission for most of them to be rather pricey. My mom and I are not super fascinated with architecture so we just enjoyed the history from the outside :).
  

  

Tips:

• I highly recommend taking a walking tour of the historic district. We chose the 90 minute tour with Free Savannah Tours (they work off of tips) and had a great experience. We took the tour the morning after we arrived in Savannah and it gave us an overview of the layout of the city along with a lot of interesting historical facts.
• If you want to see Savannah without as much walking, the hop on hop off tour with Old Town Trolley Tours is a great option.
• There are also free public buses throughout downtown and the historic district. Check out a map here.
• There are several popular tourist spots within about 20 minutes by car of downtown Savannah. If you have more time, decide to rent a car or want to just take a taxi/Uber, here are a few other places I would recommend:
  • Tybee Island- a small town that is home to a popular beach and pier.
  • Bonaventure Cemetery- a public cemetery east of Savannah that is both beautiful and historic. It is possible to take guided tours with or without transportation from downtown Savannah.
  • Wormsloe Historic Site- famous for the oak-lined entrance, this plantation is now home to a small museum and Colonial life area. Admission is $10 for adults and is closed on Monday. I was tempted to take an Uber to at least see the beautiful entrance, but our walking tour guide informed us it wasn’t worth the cost. There is no public transportation within easy walking distance of Wormsloe.