Savannah, Georgia

[caryrae]

My wife has always wanted to go to Savannah Georgia but I know nothing about that area. Where would a good place to stay and in what area? If we went we would only do 4 or 5 days in Sept. What are some must dos? anything you can come up with would be a help.

[cjb121879]

Savannah, Georgia is lovely. It is one of my favorite historic places to visit. I can't really help you on accomodations, because when I visit, I'm usually staying on St. Simon Island, GA (roughly an hour away) and just visiting Savannah on a day trip.

However, there are plenty of things to do. First and foremost, take one of the trolley tours around the historic district. They usually leave from the Art and Design school and meander through the historic district and alongside the river. I love the way the old part of the city is laid out- with beautiful old homes centered around grassy, park-like squares. The tours will point out the homes of notable people including the house from "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", the childhood home of Juliette Low, founder of the Girl Scouts and others I can't think of right now. You'll also see the bench used in the Forrest Gump movie and a bar that was frequented by smugglers. More than any of this, I just love the feel of the place. Lots of drooping trees, greenery and stately homes- just what you imagine the grand, old South to be. There is also a fantastic haunted walking tour at night- old cities mean lots of ghost stories! Plus, there's the riverwalk area with lots of cool shops and restaurants along the river's edge. Have a drink at Fat Tuesday's for me!

[IceRef]

Caryrea:

In general Savannah is a great choice for a quick get-a-way, especially for a limited stay as you are planning. While there are many places in the city worth visiting, you can do that in a fairly compact time frame. Outside of the city there are plenty of scenic and historic sites helping stretch a stay such as Tybee Island, Fort Pulaski, or Beaufort, SC depending on your wanderlust.

In consideration of a place to stay, we had a great experience at the East Bay Inn. The Inn is more of a Bed and Breakfast experience, and the location is very convenient to the riverfront activities. Another highlight of the city is of course the meal options such as Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons, The Pirates House, Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room.

Hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did ours.

[Zippy_D_DooDah]

I am from Savannah (living in Atlanta now) but I still get home several times a year. I get homesick a lot. I miss being near the water. Anyway, perhaps I can help you out.

It sounds like this will be your first trip to Savannah so you will want to stay downtown in the historic district. There is the Hyatt on Bay Street, which has elevator access to River Street. Just down the way and on the other side of Bay Street is a Hampton Inn. Probably not as expensive as the Hyatt if you are looking to save a little money. There is also a Marriot at the East End of River Street, The Westin Savannah Harbor across the river, The River Street Inn, Planters Inn, Marshall House, Desoto, and The Mulberry Inn. There are certainly more places to stay but these are a few that I really like.

Dining: The Lady & Sons is a must. It's Paula Dean's restaurant. You may have seen her on the Food Network. It's delicious southern home cookin'... that's not too terribly greasy. The Pirate's House has always been a favorite as is Spanky's on River street (Home of The Original Chicken Finger).

The Trolley Tours are a great way to learn some of Savannah's history. The walking ghost tours are ok, but they are mostly based on the book "Savannah Spectres." There are a lot more haunts around the Hostess City of The South than you will learn on the tour.

City Market used to be a great hang out, but they have recently begun a revitalizing project and dug a big hole where the parking garage used to be. There is a lot of continued construction in the area.

If you do a Google search for Savannah Now, you can get even more info. FYI - The Forest Gump Bench was only a prop in the movie. The square, however, is real. You can take a picture of the spot where the bench was on Chippewa Square if you like.

You’ll have a great time in Savannah. I always feel so relaxed when I go home. It’s nice to walk around downtown as that off shore breeze blows through.

I just thought of another place to stay. It is fairly new: The Mansion on Forsyth. I think they have a pretty good restaurant there, but I have not been yet.

Let me know if you have any other questions or if you want some suggestions for “off-the-beaten-path” restaurants.

[caryrae]

Thanks for some great info guys. It sounds like a great place to vacation. I love visiting places I have never been. I have been to Egypt a couple years ago and that was a blast. A total culture shock. We went with my BIL and his wife and kids. He is from there and all his family lives there still so we got to stay in there house.