Travel Journal: Savannah & Tybee Island, Georgia
July of 2022
Savannah was one of those cities I have always been fixated on seeing, just like New Orleans. It’s reputation for fine southern architecture, covered in Spanish moss, delicious cuisine and of course for being one of the most “haunted” cities in the south made my weird, spooky little heart want to see it for myself.
We had one crazy journey getting there - one that also taught us a lot for future travels. Take it from us- do NOT book your airline tickets through a 3rd party (this was Expedia). Yes you can save a lot, but when things happen and flights get canceled like happened to us this trip- you are kind of screwed. You call the 3rd party they tell you talk to the airline and the airline says talk to 3rd party and you get no-where. We learned after having this happen twice - just book direct through airlines- even better, stick to one airline and get their card- the perks and points add up fast and when cancellations and stuff happens you get taken care of! Our airline of choice has been United.
So anyway, the night before I tuned 29, we landed in Atlanta at 10pm and only had one quick flight left to Savannah. That was when there was a glitch in airline computers and we looked up to suddenly see all the screens all the way down saying every flight was canceled. Oh boy does panic set in, especially that late at night. Customer service desks had lines wrapping all around and it was mass chaos. We ran to rental cars and paid for one online, only to get there and find there were none left. No taxis would drive us the 2.5 hour drive to Savannah (and it would cost a fortune). We had early morning reservations for a trolley tour we couldn’t cancel so we were in full panic. On a whim (and a lot of prayers) I opened the Uber app. By a literal miracle one driver had just started his shift and was kindly very willing to drive us all the way to Savannah. You can bet we tipped this kind man super good ! So there we were ubering across Georgia at midnight and finally made it to our hotel just after 1am. The driver was super nice and we are still grateful to that kind man !
We stayed at the Planters Inn Hotel that overlooks Reynolds Square, and sits right in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District. It was so quaint and perfect for everything we wanted to do. Savannah is so walkable (just hydrate- that southern humidity is rough sometimes!) and if we wanted somewhere further, we loved using the hop-on-hop off trolley tours or we just Ubered very easily.
Savannah is in my opinion one of the most beautiful cities in the USA we have visited. Founded in 1733 by James Oglethorpe, it is Georgia’s oldest city and it has had a big part in American history. Savannah played a huge role in both the American Revolution and Civil Wars and most notably was laid as the first planned city in America, featuring grids and public squares.
Savannah is scenic - you will love just wandering its historic streets taking in the architecture and tucking into unique museums, restaurants and shops. Make sure to try their most popular dessert too, we love us some pralines ! All of the public squares add to its charm with their ornate statues and large tress covered in Spanish moss.
The architecture in Savannah, is an attraction of its own with a vibrant mix of styles like Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival.
Jones Street (my maiden name!) is one of the most famous streets to walk as it features some of Savannah’s most ornate mansions with bright colors and gorgeous features to enjoy looking at. It is also super close to some great day trips including Tybee Island!
So without further ado, let dig in to our top picks for what to do in and near Savannah (other than the obvious of just site seeing, cause seriously it’s so pretty!):
Trolley Tours: I mentioned it above too, but this is in my opinion a must, and it’s a great first day activity in Savannah. This tour gives you total freedom since it is hop-on hop-off so you can get on and off all day - save your feet and cool off too ! There are awesome tour guides explaining the history of everything you pass so you get a great lay of the land and learn about the city. They also point out places in Savannah used in movie scenes like “Forest Gump” and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”. (If you are a movie buff there are plenty of just movie tours too).
Ghost Tours: Ok, I am one that loves anything spooky, creepy or just plain weird. If there is a ghost tour in a new city I am always down to try it. I think they are also great even if you are not as in to the spooky stuff because they go over tons of history and give great walking tours of historic cities too. You learn a lot of cool history - especially the spooky stuff and in Savannah of all places it’s really an experience !
https://visitsavannah.com/list/17-spooky-savannah-ghost-tours
Museums: There are so many great museums in this city. These are just our tops picks and the ones we loved the most! The Prohibition Museum was so fun and covered history we did not know about during America’s Prohibition era - it even has a real speakeasy bar inside! The Telfair Museums- a collections of 3 museums focused on Savannah’s history, arts and architecture - something for every interest!
These include: Telfair Academy, Owen’s-Thomas House and Slave Quarters, and the Jepson Center for the Arts. The Telfair Academy is the oldest art museum in the South and it holds the “Bird Girl” famous statue from the cover of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”
https://visitsavannah.com/telfair-museums
Bonaventure Cemetery: Another Savannah MUST. You can’t search anything about Savannah without Bonaventure coming up. It has been featured in movies, and is famous for its intricate sculptures, sprawling grounds covered in Spanish moss, and some famous graves. This place is huge so be prepared to walk a lot ! You can also book guided tours if you prefer. Either way, do not miss this amazing cemetery!
https://www.savannahga.gov/864/Bonaventure-Cemetery
The Savannah Bananas: We have seen them while on tour in our city ABQ but they are born in Savannah and play the fastest, most entertaining game in sports - banana ball! If you ever have the chance to see one of their games - do not miss out on a fun time you wont ever forget.
https://thesavannahbananas.com/about_us/
Savannah’s Waterfront: Featuring over 70 shops, galleries, restaurants, pubs and hotels overlooking The Savannah River - this is some beautiful area to enjoy. One of our favorite stops there is “The Dinosaur Hotel” - a luxury hotel by Marriott known for its dinosaur theme , 135 foot Dino statue and fossil collection. Even if you are not staying there go take a look, its definitely unique!
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/savjw-jw-marriott-savannah-plant-riverside-district/overview/
Tybee Island: An easy 30 minute drive (or Uber) from Savannah, Tybee Island is a coastal barrier island 18 miles east of Savannah known for pristine beaches and endless outdoor activity options. It’s also home to the Tybee Island Lighthouse- one of Georgia’s oldest and tallest, and is an important nesting round for Loggerhead Sea turtles. We had a wonderful day swimming in the waves, shopping a lovely farmers market and just taking in those beach vibes!
The Olde Pink House: A Savannah staple for over 100 years, this pink 18th century building has a lot of history but now serves up some of Savannah’s tastiest food in a sophisticated atmosphere. We went here for my birthday and it was a wonderful experience!
https://www.theoldepinkhouserestaurant.com/
Savannah was a wonderful adventure and is a city I will absolutely visit again. The atmosphere, food and southern hospitality make it a gem of the south for a reason !
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