THE TOP ATTRACTIONS IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
As part of our five-week road journey through the Deep South (first destination Charleston), we travelled to Georgia‘s oldest city, Savannah, to see what it had to offer. It turns out that this was quite a lot! From our explorations, we’ve compiled this post, which will provide you with numerous Savannah activity ideas.
We spent five full days in the Savannah area, visiting museums and attractions, enjoying delicious food, witnessing muskets being fired, and even encountering a mountain lion. Clearly, there are numerous activities to do in Savannah!
Attractions in Savannah, Georgia
We spent five days investigating everything Savannah had to offer, and based on our findings, we’ve compiled this list of things to do in Savannah to give you ideas on what to do – from the finest barbecue joints to museums and cultural attractions.
We are confident that you will discover something to enjoy on this selection!
Visit the Savannah Historical Museum
This well-organized museum, housed in a former railway depot, contains a wealth of information about the local past. This begins with the foundation of the colony and continues through the American Revolution, American Civil War conflicts, and the civil rights movement.
Explore a Historic House
During the peak of the cotton industry, affluent plantation owners constructed townhouses in Savannah to display a portion of their fortune. Due in large part to the efforts of the Historic Savannah Foundation, a number of these 19th-century residences have been preserved.
We visited several of these residences, which provide a fascinating glimpse into how the affluent of the era spent their money and lived their lives.
The Owens-Thomas House is one of the greatest specimens of English Regency-style architecture in the United States, and the home has been meticulously preserved. It also features its original carriage house, which contains some of the earliest intact slave quarters in the southern United States.
Explore the Historic District of Savannah
You’ve undoubtedly noticed by now that Savannah has a rich history, with all the historic residences to visit and the historic waterfront to stroll along. I strongly suggest taking some time to explore the Savannah historic district. You can do this on your own, take a guided walking tour, or take a trolley tour, such as this hop-on, hop-off tour or this 90-minute option.
Stroll Along The Water’s Edge
Along the Savannah River is River Street, one of the earliest sections of the city, which was once the city’s commercial hub, with cotton leaving for destinations around the globe.
GEORGIA, it is now a beautiful location to stroll, with shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels, all set against cobblestone streets and cotton warehouses.
Consume all the food
I’m not positive where to begin with Southern cuisine! Throughout our five-week trip, we ate delicious cuisine. Wall’s BBQ in downtown Savannah and the now-defunct 80 East Gastropub on Tybee Island were two of the Savannah area’s most notable restaurants.
Wall’s BBQ was, in our opinion, a fantastic discovery. It may not appear like much from the outside, but if you’re a fan of jerked pork and ribs, it’s well worth your time to seek out this establishment and sample their BBQ options.
Explore Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park is one of the major urban parks in Savannah. It is a delightful location for a stroll, and it is also home to the magnificent 1858 Forsyth fountain, which was modeled after the location de la Concorde fountain in Paris.
Additionally, Forsyth Park frequently hosts concerts and events, and when we visited, a free, large concert was taking place. Check the Savannah event calendar to see if there are any events happening during your stay.
Take a Haunted Tour
Savannah is well-known for being one of the most haunted cities in the United States, and has been featured on a number of paranormal-themed television programs.
Consequently, many tourists will desire a ghost excursion of the city. Here, you’ll learn all about the city’s haunted past and hear some of Savannah’s most famous ghost stories. For optimal spookiness, the majority of these excursions are conducted at night.
Consider a visit to the Massie Heritage Center
If you wish to learn more about Savannah’s history, from the Civil War to why the city was set out as it was, you should visit the Massie Heritage Center.
Today, the Massie Heritage Center is the site to learn about Savannah’s history. There are period costumes, a classroom from the 19th century, information about the maritime and architectural history of the city, and much more.
Explore Tybee Island
We recommend that you spend one of your days in the Savannah area doing some tourism outside of the city. When we visited, we stayed on Tybee Island, which is about a thirty-minute journey from downtown Savannah.
This beach was the place to go in the early 20th century, and it is still a beautiful, peaceful beach town. The museum, located in an ancient gun battery, as well as the lighthouse (with its spectacular views) and the shoreline, are major Best attractions.
Investigate Fort Pulaski
Fort Pulaski, located near Tybee Island, was named after a Civil War hero who succumbed to wounds sustained in the previously mentioned engagement. Prior to the American Civil War, Fort Pulaski was constructed as a coastal defence using approximately twenty-five million masonry and was deemed impregnable.
Unfortunately, the invention of the rifled cannon rendered such masonry fortresses obsolete. During the American Civil War, it took only 30 hours of bombardment before the walls were breached and the fort surrendered to Union forces, effectively delivering Savannah over to the Union.
Encounter a Mountain Lion
Our visit to the Oatland Island Wildlife Centre was an unanticipated highlight of our journey to Savannah, GEORGIA.
This park contains a number of animal exhibits that are dispersed throughout a large wooded area, so we were able to enjoy a pleasant stroll while spotting some intriguing animals.
We came extremely near to a magnificent mountain lion, as well as bobcats, wolves, red foxes, deer, bison, and numerous birds of prey, among other animals!
Historic Site of Walk Among the Woods at Wormsloe
Wormsloe Hall, the ruins of a former plantation house, are located about half an hour south of Savannah. All that is left are some ruins — the oldest extant structure of its kind in Georgia — and a beautiful forest, including an extraordinary avenue of oaks.
Visit A Graveyard
We will conclude on a mildly somber note. Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah must be near the top of the list of the most fascinating ancient cemeteries in the South.
Accessing and Navigating Savannah
The majority of downtown Savannah is walkable, but there are also numerous trolley services that operate to the majority of tourist attractions if you weary of walking for GEORGIA. For all the attractions outside the city, you’ll want to rent a car, which is a must if you’re visiting Savannah as part of a US road journey, as we did.