Travel Blog – 3 Days in Savannah

I took a trip to Savannah, Georgia recently for an admissions tour of the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) campus with my daughter. This was my third visit to the area, twice before for business and I look forward to each time I’m able to get there. The longstanding antiquity, combined with an energetic and youthful culture, along with the exceptionally welcoming people, make Savannah a great place to travel for a long weekend.

Since it was the first time for my daughter, I wanted to make it special, so we loaded up on the touristy stuff and explored as much of the city as we could. She loved the scenery, her favorite being the cobblestone streets and squares shaded with the massive, picturesque old-growth oaks draped in Spanish moss. Second for her was the well-preserved Colonial style homes and mansions throughout the city which she felt added to the antique charm.

We stayed on East Bay Street, at the Hampton Inn within the Savannah Historic District, (friendly staff!) which made for a nice central spot to start our walks. You can take in quite a bit of history within a short radius as we did, stopping to read the markers in a few of the twenty-two squares such as Georgia founder James Oglethorpe or Chippewa Square, where scenes from the movie Forrest Gump were filmed. And even though we meandered in the shade, make no mistake Savannah is classified as a subtropical climate and the heat and humidity forced even these two Florida natives to search out some air conditioning.

We stopped at Collins Quarter, a local’s preferred spot, for iced tea but were soon talked into a tasty brunch dish called Swine Time Beni. A Brioche French toast base covered with a poached egg, pulled pork, bacon and hollandaise sauce, and yes, even as odd as it sounds, it was delicious.

After our SCAD tour, we walked to the renowned River Street, a stretch of souvenir shops and restaurants along the Savannah River. Now, the only way (in my opinion) to get a sense of the vitality of the city is to take it in from atop a building, and one of my favorites is Rocks on the Roof at the Bohemian Hotel. I always have dinner when I’m here and never walk away disappointed. If you can, sit at the farthest table on the east corner side which offers not only a view of the river but also Bay street, the port facilities and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. From here you have an unimpeded view of the enormous ocean-faring freighters gliding their way to offload their cargo containers. (Just an FYI-sunsets from this angle are amazing!)

That evening, we went on one the many ghost tours offered called Ghosts & Gravestones. With Savannah boasting the reputation of “America’s Most Haunted City”, how could you not? The narrated, trolley tour starts on River Street and drives by many of the city’s points of interest. Our guides were well-versed in the local lore and dressed in tasteful but relevant costumes. The two main stops are the Andrew Low House and the Perkin’s & Son’s Ship Chandlery.

First, the Andrew Low House, next to Lafayette Square and across from the Hamilton-Turner Inn, is immaculately maintained by the Friends of the Andrew Low House. The group searches out and purchases original antiquities belonging to the family, maintains the grounds, courtyard and the home. And although we didn’t come across a ghost, the staff made it enjoyable and it was worth the chance to see 1800’s memorabilia.

The second stop, a tour exclusive, was the Perkin’s & Son’s Ship Chandlery, which had a more rustic and grisly character. The maritime museum is filled with wall-to-wall nautical pieces, from a civil-war lead coffin relic to varying pieces of ships gear, most being salvaged from the local area or recovered from other shipwrecks. Not going for a spoiler alert, but after a brief monolog you’re taken to a back room for a flavorful story of the hauntings surrounding the Chandlery and its inhabitants.

For our second day, I wanted more of an educational outing rather than a themed-based one, so I opted for a covered horse-drawn carriage ride around the city. The other option was a trolley but if you’re looking for something more personal, go with the carriage. I choose the Historic Savannah Carriage Tours. The roughly 60-minute tour ambles along the streets of the historic district and our driver, Chris, a wealth of provincial knowledge to begin with, was also a retired chef and knew everything on the local cuisine.

I timed the carriage ride to end close to the start of our next excursion, the Savannah Riverboat Cruise. After checking in, we found the assigned deck and some AC, got a cold drink and finger-food lunch baskets before the trip started. The 90-minute, narrated cruise starts from the City Hall Landing, to the Talmadge bridge, then swings around for the length of River Street as the guide talks about the Port of Savannah, the surrounding barrier islands, and the history along the Savannah river. We cruised to Fort Jackson where the curators fired a sample shot from a six-inch canon in a daily ceremony.

While I enjoyed the cruise, it would be remiss of me not to tell you of a free ferry service available also at the City Hall Landing. Technically, they’re city-owned water taxis that tend to three stops, but it’s still a comfortable (yes, air conditioned!) way to see River street in thirty minutes. The boats run at 15 minutes intervals, are clean, well maintained, and open, with windows around the entire ferry for a 360-degree view.

After the cruise, we hit Broughton Street to explore the shops and renovated storefronts and in cooler times would probably have been a pleasant half-day stroll. But with cooked heads and overheated feet, we settled for an early dinner at a place recommended by our carriage driver; The Public Kitchen & Bar.

Not sure how I missed this place in my other travels here, but I won’t make the same mistake again. The food was incredible, the wine and drink list substantial and well thought out, a big plus for me! I suggest the Mediterranean Bruschetta as a starter, and the Savannah Shrimp and Grits as an entrée. Not saying I didn’t spy a rather succulent New York Strip pass by five minutes later, but I had made my choice and was very pleased with the dish.

Our server, Greg, took the time to talk to us, find out why we were in town and made it a point to make us feel welcome. I always like to highlight extraordinary service and am happy to showcase another establishment he’s associated with; The Fox & Fig Café. The menu and setting look exceptional I will be stopping in next time I’m in town!

Our final day, we took in Forsyth Park in the morning before the heat set in and took over. This 30-acre site sits at the southern end of the historic district, only a mile from Bay street. We were there by 9:00 am and the place was already buzzing with joggers, bikers and teams of volleyball players in the open expanse of green fields. According to the locals they have sports events, open-air concerts under the pavilion and farmer’s markets, among other events. It’s a nice place to have a walk and take in the sights, like the Forsyth Park Fountain. There was so much more to see but unfortunately time ran out. We’ll come back in the fall to visit the churches and see more of the restored homes and I’ll update this blog then.

I hope you were able to get some useful information from this piece and if you do plan to travel to Savannah, drop us a comment and let us know how it was and if we can include anything we missed. Need information on Trusted Traveler’s Programs?

Please take a look through our Amazon links if you need travel items, thanks! All the best ~ Glen.