Savannah is actually my favorite city. From my home near Daytona Beach, it’s about a 3.5 hour drive, making it an easy weekend or day trip. You can find a little bit of everything in Savannah; including ghost tours, a wide variety of history, beautiful nearby beaches, museums, unique shops, nightlife and delicious southern food. For reference, Savannah is very similar to Charleston or St. Augustine. Depending on the activities you plan to partake it, you can find fun for all ages.
The following photos were compiled from multiple trips to Savannah to create this quick city guide. I plan to add additional photos and recommendations to this list in the future, so feel free to bookmark this post.
~ Where to eat ~
Savannah’s Historic District’s open container legislation allows you to carry alcoholic beverages so long as they are in a 16-ounce plastic cup. So grab your to-go cup while exploring the city from River Street to Jones Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to West Broad Street.
A friend had recommended Huey’s on the River as she had loved their lobster bisque. Long story short, it was not on the menu when we arrived, but the chef said he could make a crab bisque using what he had in the kitchen. The final result was the perfect combination of crab meat, fresh tomato slices and lemon rind with a creamy base. We also shared the Oysters Norman drizzled with remoulade sauce over a bed of sweet coleslaw and sprinkled with applewood smoked bacon bits – all delicious!
Savannah Sweets serves traditional southern candy at it’s finest. Stop in to sample the ice cream, fudge and other sweets. My top recommendation is the pralines. Even if the pralines here are not really world famous, they should be.
The Funky Brunch Cafe is a hip establishment with fun decor and offers a delightful southern-style breakfast. I recommend the grit bowl with shrimp, steak and lobster pictured below.
Little Duck Diner’s chicken and waffles also came as a recommendation to me. I had never tried this popular southern pairing. I was surprised to learn they mix hot sauce with their syrup and that it actually tastes delicious as strange as it sounds.
Leopold’s Ice Cream has been in business for over 100 years. The lines tend to get a bit long in the summer, but it’s totally worth the wait. I love the lemon, coconut, and lavender flavors.
The Collins Quarter makes a lavender mocha coffee that is to die for. I order it cold in the summer and hot in the winter. What’s makes The Collins Quarter especially unique is the marble to-go window styled after Melbourne's historic Collins Street.
~ What to do ~
The Paris Market is hands down my favorite shop anywhere. I’d described it as a giant cabinet of curiosities, with both new and vintage goods sourced from all over the word. I love spending at least an hour in here looking at every little detail and taking 100 photos. I truly believe there is something for everyone in this shop and you never know what you will find. I also pick up my favorite Marche de Macarons from the bakery case here.
The Savannah Bee Company is another shop I always make sure to visit. They have all kinds of honey and honey-infused edibles, candles, coffee and body care. The Royal Jelly body butter in original is the best smelling thing in the store. Individual honey samples are provided, and if you’re lucky, you will get to try the ingenious combination of crisp green apples, cheese and honey. My boyfriend is obsessed with honey loves Acacia honey while I love the lavender. They also have an online store we order regularly from.
I always stock up on a few soaps from Nourish while I am in Savannah. Nourish displays an array of bath, body and home products in their adorable shabby-chic storefront. The glycerin soaps are my personal favorite and all smell delicious.
Explore the City
Walk through the city’s 22 squares to learn more about Georgia’s history and enjoy the views of fountains, statues and historic homes.
Take a stroll through Forsyth Park. Forsyth Park is one of my favorite spots in Savannah. It’s a perfect spot to take a private yoga class, walk your dog, catch some live music or performers, play a game of soccer or bring the kids to play on one of the two playgrounds after shopping. They also have a quaint farmers market here on Saturdays where you can take your pick of fresh vegetables, breads, local honey and even fresh watermelon juice.
Visit Bonaventure Cemetery, located only three miles from downtown. I would like to just note that the Bird Girl statue, famously depicted on the cover of the book ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’, can now be found at Jepson Center for the Arts.