Its beauty spared it from Sherman’s torches during the Civil War and still inspires today.
Visiting Savannah, Georgia is sure to be a standout in your travels. The city’s beauty and historical significance will keep you fascinated for your trip. Stroll through the town’s historic squares or dive into the local stories and myths. The Hostess City will keep her secrets and have you guessing where the true stories end and the lore begins. But that adds to its endearing qualities.
Disclosure: Some links on our site are affiliate links. If you purchase a linked item, we will make a commission, at no extra charge to you.
The city’s legends and lore lead to its inclusion in the “Ghost Coast.” The entire historic area is home to many haunting stories and investigations. Many buildings are reportedly haunted. You can easily find and join a ghost tour if that interests you.
Facts about Historic Savannah Georgia
- Savannah was a Christmas gift to President Lincoln. As Union General Sherman made his famous March to the Sea, he arrived in Savannah, but the city’s beauty inspired him to spare it. Rather than destroying the city (like he did Atlanta), he sent a message to Lincoln. The message offered the city to him as a Christmas present.
- After working with runaway slaves, General David Hunter (Fort Pulaski) made the first emancipation proclamation. He issued the proclamation on May 9, 1862. President Lincoln immediately revoked the proclamation. But later followed with a Presidential Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
- Nicknamed the “Hostess City of the South”
- The Georgia Historical Society is the oldest continuously operated historical society in the South (founded in 1839).
- Savannah was the first planned city in the US. Established by James Edward Oglethorpe in 1733, the city is the first to have a city plan called the Oglethorpe Plan with 24 public squares. (Now there are just 22)
- 4 Things were outlawed as the city was founded: Slavery, Catholicism, Liquor & Lawyers
- The blue porches you will see are painted “haunt blue” to ward off odd ghosts and evil spirits. The color originates from the Gullhah culture of Georgia’s low country, derived from the African Voodoo religion. The color is thought to trick ghosts into thinking the area is water, which they cannot cross.
- Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil is based on a true story. Jim Williams stood trial four times and walked away each time. Some say it is the Hoodoo (form of voodoo) Root Doctor he consulted. Locals refer to it as “The Book”
- The Girl Scouts were founded in Savannah by Juliette Gordon Lowe.
- Savannah is also the hometown and final resting place of the famous composer Johnny Mercer who co-founded Capitol Records. One of his hits was Moon River, which is actually written about the Savannah River.
“Two drifters, off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see”
Savannah’s Sites
While you can spend days touring museums and houses in Savannah, it is best to approach the city with a plan. Whether your idea of fun is bar-hopping, museums, historic walks, or sitting in the squares you will find it all in Savannah.
Explore the public squares
Savannah was the first planned city. General James Edward Oglethorpe had the idea to lay out the city in a grid. Making it easier to navigate and giving its residents public spaces. The result of the grid pattern called the Oglethorpe Plan was 24 public squares (now just 22). Each square is different and offers historic sculpture pieces. However, in each square, you will find benches and people enjoying some nature time.
Chippewa Square is Savannah’s most visited. The center of the square pays tribute to General Oglethorpe, but it is the square’s movie debut that made it famous. It is the location Forrest Gump sat with his box of chocolates. It has changed a bit since the movie and you will not find Forrest’s bench in the park. You can visit the Savannah History Museum to see the actual bench.
Read more about each of the squares here.
Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park is home to Savannah’s most recognizable fountain. You can stroll the pathways of the 30-acre park, dine at the little bistro or simply enjoy the elegant antebellum homes lining the park’s perimeter.
If you arrive early you may even find free parking which is a rarity in Savannah.
Savannah Belles Ferry
Jump on one of these free ferries (there are 4) to take in the views of Savannah from the river. Each ferry is named for the “Belles” of Savannah – women who contributed to the local history. Dinner cruises can be booked as well.
(JW Marriott) Savannah Plant Riverside District
In 1912 it was Savannah’s first modern power plant and was hailed as one of the most impressive engineering undertakings in the American South. The plant pushed Savannah into the electric age and operated for the next 95 years. However, by 2005, the city’s needs exceeded the 1912 plant, leaving it decommissioned. For years, the historic building seemed to waiver under a wrecking ball until in 2012 The Kessler Collection purchased the property. Kessler Collection is an organization that buys and renovates historic buildings around coastal Georgia.
In 2020, the building reopened as a hotel incorporating elements of its former self with the iconic smokestacks remaining a part of Savannah’s skyline. Today it is a mixed-use development featuring a 419-room JW Marriott hotel. The building has been transformed into a unique, visually stunning property with more similarities to a museum than a hotel lobby.
Upon entering the building’s lobby you find a museum-like atmosphere filled with displays from the dozens of geodes and back-lit amethyst inlays to the 4-5 million-year-old towering geode sitting in the center of the lobby. But it isn’t until you look up that you notice a replica of the Amphicoelias fragillimus, one of the largest dinosaurs discovered.
The history of the building has not been lost in the remodel with design features nods to its past, including a glass insert in the lobby floor revealing part of the original steel beam system, which supports the floor. Another glass insert in the floor shows the original steel tracks used to transport coal bins. Make your way up to the sixth floor for a chance to view the inside of the 95-foot concrete stack through glass openings.
The hotel offers an annual Holiday gingerbread display in the lobby. The 2022 house can be viewed here.
You can book your stay here.
Gingerbread House
This house will be on most guided tours due to its unique architecture. Also known as the Asendorf House it was built in 1899 and still resembles its origins. The house is fully designed in the Gingerbread style of the Black Forest region of Germany.
Bonaventure Cemetery
Three miles from downtown Savannah, nestled along the Wilmington River is said to be one of the World’s most beautiful cemeteries. Bonaventure Cemetery sprawls for 150 acres on the river bluff. Its sprawling oak-lined gardens have provided final resting space for the city’s most famous residents since 1846.
Gothic graves, towering oaks, and Spanish moss will line the path to popular areas in the cemetery. If you read “The Book” you will recognize many of the areas mentioned as you stroll the grounds. Over the years, it has grown to include several thousand graves. Many of these are adorned with impressive sculptures and monuments to reflect the wealth and style of their former occupants.
One of the cemetery’s most famous residents is Gracie Watson, a young girl who died in 1889 at the age of six. Visitors can also find the graves of poet Conrad Aiken, author Margaret Mitchell, and songwriter Johnny Mercer.
The cemetery is free to visit from dawn until dusk and offers paid guided tours for a deeper historic dive.
Jones Street
Yes, we did just list a residential street as a must-see. You will likely walk past it at some point, but make sure you stop and look down it. You will find gorgeous architecture and picturesque settings that make it “the most beautiful street in America.”
Wormsloe State Historic Site
Nestled along the beautiful marshlands of Savannah, Georgia, lies a hidden gem – the Wormsloe Historic Site. This unique and captivating property draws you in with a seemingly endless avenue of oaks draped in Spanish moss arching over the road.. Picturesque does not begin to describe this view.
At the end of the avenue, you will find the ruins of early colonial settler Noble Jones’ former home, surrounded by the stunning beauty of the Georgia Lowcountry.
One of the highlights of a visit to Wormsloe is the nature trail that winds its way through the property. This peaceful path offers visitors a chance to explore the greenery of the surrounding marshes and take in the beauty of the creeks and waterways that flow through the area.
An Instagrammer’s dream come true (but please don’t hog the view).
Fort James Jackson
Located just three miles east of Savannah is the oldest standing fort in the state of Georgia. The fort was active during the War of 1812. Constructed in 1808, the fort was a part of President Thomas Jefferson’s Second System coastal defense initiative. Named for Revolutionary War patriot James Jackson.
The fort was constructed over an earthen battery from the Revolutionary War which had been called “Mud Fort.” It was a stronghold for Confederate troops until they quickly evacuated is during General Sherman’s “March to the Sea.”
The War Department abandoned the fort in 1905 and the state of Georgia reopened it in 1965 as a maritime museum.
Savannah Theater
Just off Chippewa Square, you will find Savannah Theater. Opened in 1818 and is the nation’s oldest continually operating theater. You can still stop in for a show. The theater’s history continues showcasing an array of talent today.
Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist
One of the city’s most impressive architectural gems is the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. This stunning example of Gothic architecture has stood in the heart of Savannah for more than a century.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist was originally built in 1876 although it has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years. Designed in the Gothic Revival style featuring towering spires, intricate stone carvings, and beautiful stained-glass windows. The interior of the cathedral is equally impressive, with a soaring ceiling, ornate altars, and stunning stained-glass windows.
One of the most notable features of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is its stunning stained-glass windows. The windows were created by the Louis Comfort Tiffany Studios and are considered some of the finest examples of Tiffany stained glass in the country. The windows depict scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist, as well as other religious figures and events.
The Waving Girl Statue
Among Savannah’s famous landmarks is the Waving Girl statue. Depicting a young Tybee Island girl, Florence Martus, the sculpture highlights the city’s unwavering spirit, and love. Florence was well-known for her daily habit of waving to passing ships along the Savannah River.
You will find The Waving Girl Statue on the Savannah Riverwalk. The bronze statue depicts her with a scarf and a lantern, waving to the ships that pass by in the river. It stands today as a symbol of Savannah’s love and spirit.
Prohibition Museum
The roaring twenties come back to life as you stroll the halls of Savannah’s Prohibition Museum. The only museum in the US dedicated to the history of prohibition. The museum highlight the era of gangsters, rum runner and even takes you through the bootlegging roots of NASCAR. You can slip into the Speakeasy at the end of your tour to enjoy a craft cocktail.
Savannah’s Food & Trips with Sips
Savannah’s famous eccentric Southern low country dining melds with an array of world cuisine making it a foodie lover’s dream. Southern low-country dishes consist of fried green tomatoes, shrimp & grits, pralines, and, peaches, of course. Top off your day with a Chatham Artillery Punch. The “punch” is a colonial-period champagne cocktail first mixed by the Chatham Artillery (Georgia’s oldest military unit). However, make sure you are not driving this mixture of champagne, rum, brandy, and bourbon is strong.
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room
In a city known for mouth-watering Southern cuisine, one of the city’s most beloved dining destinations is Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room. A family-run restaurant that has been serving up delicious, home-style cooking for more than 70 years has secured icon status in the Hostess City.
Established in 1943 by Mrs. Sema Wilkes, the restaurant is now run by her grandchildren, who have continued her legacy of providing customers with a warm and welcoming atmosphere with a true taste of Southern hospitality.
The menu at Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room changes daily, but always features a variety of traditional Southern dishes, served family-style at communal tables filled with tourists and locals alike. Some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes include fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread. The portions are generous and the food is always fresh and flavorful.
Be sure to make a reservation for Mrs. Wilkes and you can always grab her cookbook here.
Leopold’s Ice Cream
Don’t be detoured by the long line. It will be long, but it will be worth it. Named one of the Top 10 Ice Cream Parlors in the World. You will love this retro-style ice cream counter and the movie memorabilia from its owner, Stratton Leopold. The parlor was founded by three Greek brothers in 1919. The brothers perfected their secret recipe. That is the recipe you will taste today. we suggest trying the Tutti Frutti. It is candied fruit and rum-soaked Georgia pecans.
Perc Coffee
You will ramble through backstreets to find this little unassuming coffee shop. A Small sign outside indicates you have arrived. Stepping inside you will find spacious tables and back patio seating with a small coffee bar. (Hint: It would be a great place to spend a few hours downing ALL their coffee drinks while working.)
The espresso tonic was a great hot afternoon pick-me-up, but we returned several times for the “Good Times Latté.” The latté was a vanilla-lavender but topped with nearby Spice & Tea Exchange of Savannah’s habanero sugar. Making it the perfect blend of savory, sweet, and hot! We had the drink hot. We had the drink cold. Both were amazing!
Rise Biscuit
Biscuits are a staple of Southern comfort food. Rise is a newer restaurant in Savannah with amazing chicken biscuits.
Byrd’s Famous Cookies
This famous family-owned bakery has stood the test of time since 1924. Still baking the traditional family recipes n small batches. Samples are offered at their location on River Street, but beware the decisions of which to take home will be difficult.
River Street Sweets
A popular confectionery store located in the historic district dating back to 1973. The store’s reputation is well-deserved for its delicious handmade pralines and other sweet treats.
Visitors to the store can watch as confectioners craft delicious treats, including pecan pralines, pecan divinity, and creamy fudge, right before their eyes.
Two Tides Brewery
While the rest of the breweries we tried in Savannah were mediocre, Two Tides Brewery had a large & good selection. Like many favorite places in Savannah, the brewery is located in an old home. You place your order and head to your “room” to enjoy. (Note: You enter via a staircase. If you are unable to navigate the stairs please contact the brewery to ensure there is another option.)
We couldn’t wrap our heads around their “beer slushies,” but if you give it a try let us know how it is.
As you can see Savannah will not be good for your diet.
Abe’s on Lincoln
Located in Savannah’s National Historic District that combines history, drinking, and art. This local favorite is a true hidden gem with its collection of napkin art covering the wooden beams of its centuries-old ceiling and walls. The customer-drawn napkin art is centered around the theme of Abraham Lincoln and includes a range of depictions, from humorous to more traditional depictions of the former president.
Bamboo Tiki Room
Located above Sorry Charlies‘ with an escape from historic Savannah into the tropics. As the elevator doors open, you’ll be transported to an exotic world filled with delicious tiki cocktails, frozen drinks, island-inspired snacks, and funky vibes.
The bar’s design, constructed by Dave “Basement Kahuna” Wolfe and Jim “Woodland Giant” Stacey, features a collection of global artifacts and one-of-a-kind carvings by Dave Hansen, Leroy Schmaltz, and Glen Barefoot. The tiki drink menu boasts classic tiki drinks, modern tropical cocktails, and a wide range of rums from around the world, all made to order with fresh juices, premium spirits, and house-made syrups.
The Pirate’s House
A part of Savannah since the late 1700s, today’s Pirate House is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Originally, the building was used as a tavern and inn, but today it serves delicious southern cuisine. Its name originates from its associations with the pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy when they frequented Savannah.
While some internet lore claims the book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson was based on the building’s history, the book is a fictional adventure of Long John Silver’s adventures in the Caribbean and South Pacific (not Savannah).
The building (like many in Savannah) is rumored to be haunted. If you’re into that sort of thing, check out our video below. We didn’t notice anything while in the building, but while editing definitely found an anomaly in our footage.
RATHER LISTEN?
CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST, HISTORIC FOOTNOTES. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLAYER.
Tips for Visiting Savannah, Georgia
When is the best time to visit Savannah?
We visited in the summer. Yes, it was hot and very humid. The city would be an amazing place to enjoy spring flowers. The area has mild winters as well.
Many of the area’s state and historical parks were closed on Monday, so plan accordingly.
Wear your walking shoes!
We stayed in an RV park away from the historic area. Parking in the area is tough and you will be walking a lot. The streets are brick and cobblestone. Do not choose heels or you’re likely to end up with a broken ankle.
Bring protection against mosquitos
It’s the south. You will need it.
Is Savannah safe?
We felt safe everywhere. We walked the streets freely and never had any issues. Although I have read River Street can get a little iffy at night. You should always be aware, especially when in touristy areas though.
Does Savannah have a beach?
Yes, Tybee Beach!
Read “The Book” before visiting
Referred to as “The Book” in Savannah, read After Midnight in the Summer of Good & Evil before you go. Yes, you can watch the movie, but grab the book.
Disclosure: Some links on our site are affiliate links. If you purchase a linked item, we will make a commission, at no extra charge to you.