Savannah, Georgia Travel Guide: A Week of History, Culture, and Dining

Best Times to Visit Savannah

• 🗓️ Aim for a shoulder season like late October/early November or late February/early March to avoid extreme heat and humidity.
• 🌸 Spring offers beautiful azaleas, while fall is also lovely, though consider potential hurricane season overlap.
• 🏡 Renting a vacation home in a residential neighborhood like Midtown or Southside is recommended over a hotel for a quieter experience.

Day 1: Historic District Immersion

• 🚌 Start with the Old Town Trolley Tour for an overview of historic architecture and stories, spanning from the 1700s to the late 1800s.
• 🚂 Visit the Savannah History Museum (featuring Forrest Gump's bench) and the Georgia State Railroad Museum with its functioning roundhouse and miniature train display.
• 🚢 Explore maritime history at the Ships of the Sea Museum, housed in a former mansion and elementary school, featuring ship models and gardens.
• 🍖 Conclude the day with famous barbecue and award-winning sweet tea at Carey Hilliard’s.

Day 2: Forsyth Park and Bull Street Exploration

• ☕ Begin at The Sentient Bean coffee shop near Forsyth Park, a 30-acre oasis with a fountain modeled after Paris's Place de la Concorde.
• 🌳 Stroll down Bull Street, admiring historic mansions like the Armstrong House and significant religious sites like Temple Mikah Israel.
• 🍵 Experience high tea at the Griffin Tea Room, a restored 19th-century apothecary, and learn about SCAD's origins at their 4D presentation.
• 📚 Discover unique bookstores like Ester Shaver and The Book Lady, and enjoy artisan chocolates at Chocola.
• 🍦 Sample creative flavors at the Japanese ice creamery 2DoY 2DoY before reaching River Street, a revitalized area of former cotton warehouses now filled with shops and restaurants.

Day 3: Tybee Island Excursion

• 🏖️ Drive to Tybee Island, known for its lighthouse (climb for panoramic views) and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center with its petting zoo and observatory.
• ⚔️ Visit Fort Screven, built in 1897, which served as an active fort and a Navy diving school during WWII.
• 🍤 Enjoy local shrimp at AJ's on the river side, or relax with chicken fingers at Spanky's near the pier.
• 🛍️ Explore historic general stores like T.S. Chu's and browse local art at Gallery 209 on River Street.

Day 4: Downtown Savannah and Haunted History

• 🛍️ Walk down Broughton Street for boutiques, the Savannah Candy Kitchen, Globe Shoes, and the Paris Market with its Parisian-inspired goods.
• 🍪 Try local treats from Bird Cookie Company and eclectic coffee drinks at Foxy Loxy.
• 🎭 Visit the historic Lucas Theatre and Trustees Theatre, both operated by SCAD, which hosts the SCAD Film Festival.
• 👻 Conclude with a haunted tour, offered by foot, hearse, or trolley, exploring Savannah's reputation as the most haunted city in the US.

Day 5: History and Nature South of Savannah

• 🥐 Indulge in pastries at Auspicious Bakery (open Thursday-Sunday) before heading to the Worms Low National Monument.
• 🌳 Walk or take a tram down the Avenue of Live Oaks to the historic Worms Low House, built with tabby (a mix of concrete and seashells).
• 🐚 Discover ancient Native American middens (oyster shell piles) and explore trails around creeks.
• 🏛️ Choose between Old Fort Jackson or Fort Pulaski for historical exploration, both dating back to the early 1800s and used during the Civil War.

Day 6: Civil Rights and Underground Railroad History

• ☕ Start with coffee at The Coffee Origin on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
• ✊ Visit the Ralph Gilbert Civil Rights Museum to learn about Savannah's civil rights history, including artifacts from the Jim Crow era.
• ⛪ Explore the First African Baptist Church, built in the mid-1700s by slaves and a stop on the Underground Railroad, still visible with air holes in the floor.
• 🍫 Enjoy desserts and cocktails at Lulu's Chocolate Bar before exploring City Market, featuring a monument to Haitian soldiers from the Revolutionary War.

Day 7: Southern Charm and Coastal Exploration

• 🥞 Enjoy breakfast at Lock's Chicken and Waffles, known for its flavorful marinated chicken.
• 🌳 Drive through residential streets lined with live oaks and Spanish moss, passing Bethesda Boy Home, the first orphanage in the US.
• 🦀 Visit Pin Point Georgia, a former slave community and museum detailing the oyster and crab canning process, and learn about the Gullah Geechee culture.
• 🏞️ Explore Skidaway State Park with its boardwalks, lookout tower, prohibition-era stills, Civil War trenches, and Native American shell middens.

Connecting with Locals and Extended Stays

• ⛪ Attending a church service or sitting in a historic square are recommended ways to interact with locals.
• 🏖️ For an extended stay, consider Hilton Head Island for its beaches and planned communities, offering a different experience than Savannah's culture and history.
• 🤔 Savannah is characterized by its historic, charming, and varied offerings, catering to diverse traveler interests from parties and weddings to festivals and cultural exploration.