What should Pat and Bill do with a long weekend in Savannah, GA?

So, I have been thinking about Pat and Bill's upcoming trip to Savannah, as they have asked for recommendations for their time in Savannah.   I may be a bit biased, but I think Savannah is one of the prettiest cities in the country and has a lot to offer that I think you and Bill will enjoy.

Here are some of my recommendations, and I can't wait to hear from others on Facebook.

A bit of background will help set the stage for your enjoyment.  Savannah was founded in 1733.  Georgia was the thirteenth colony, founded by James Oglethorpe.  You may say why does this matters for your weekend to come, but Oglethorpe was ahead of his time, and Savannah benefits twice.  One, he settled Savannah up the Savannah River about 10 or 20 miles.  The coastal area that includes Tybee has stayed pretty natural with marshlands and such and so Savannah is fairly well protected in times of storms.  You can contrast that to Charleston which is built basically right on the Atlantic Ocean.  The other reason this is important is that Oglethorpe planned the city to have squares and there are many of them. These add to the character of downtown and also help to slow down traffic.  My favorite piece of trivia, Savannah was given to Lincoln as a Christmas present by Sherman.  Lots of stories because and how, but Savannah was not burned to the ground like Atlanta and is known for a large historic district.

One big deal in Savannah is SCAD. It is the Savannah College of Art and Design.  It has become a very well-known art college and they have satellite locations now in Atlanta and Lacoste France.  SCAD has bought many of the downtown buildings and turned them into galleries, classrooms, dorms, and such. They made downtown happen again.  Look at their website and you can find where their galleries are and more information that you may find interesting and help guide your plans with Bill.  One unusual advantage of SCAD is the kids come to school but many don't want to leave Savannah at the end so there are a number of marketing and design agencies and private galleries that have opened up around town.

The other big deal is the Savannah Port along with other ports on Georgia’s coast.  Savannah and the Georgia ports are now the fourth-largest container port in the country and one of the fastest-growing.  It is also the second-largest importer of automobiles in the country in Brunswick which is about an hour south of Savannah.  When you are on the roof of the Bohemian Hotel you can see different berths of the port and such.  The Port is growing so fast that the smaller cities around Savannah are growing very rapidly.

Below are a number of recommendations, but my recommendation to start is to bring walking shoes and Savannah is a casual southern town. Walk around and you will find more than I may know about because we get caught up in family drama a lot.  Within blocks of your hotel, there are plenty of things to do, but truthfully nothing to me as special as walking around finding your favorite square, and sitting and people watching.  If you are into history there are a number of tours and guides you can follow as well.  Not to mention there are a few ghost tours.

So, back to your stay mostly.  I assume you are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn on Bay Street.  If you continue north, down from Bay Street is River Street.  Much of River Street and Bay Street are older buildings that served as warehouses from ships years ago at the river level and they typically had offices at the top of the building on Bay Street.  River Street has a number of bars, restaurants, and shops.

If you look to your left / west on River Street there is a complex of hotels and such that were built recently around and to modernize what had been the original electric utility.  You can actually see the smokestacks, preserved, from the old power plant.

If you go south from Bay Street, close to the hotel is an area called the Savannah City Market and there are a number of restaurants, bars and stores, and such.  You can walk in any direction from there and you will see some of the other squares and such.  Going further south is Broughton Street and this had been the main shopping street of my dad’s youth.  With the help of SCAD and some of its alumni, there is more charm than when I was young.  There is a building not too far east on Broughton that has a Big Karpf on the top, which is The Good Times Jazz Bar it is somewhat famous and also happens to be the building my grandfather's dress store was in.

If you continue south, you will continue to walk through a number of squares.  If you head south on Jefferson (which is the North to South St east of the hotel) you will run into the Crystal Beer Parlor.  They have very good food and a fun bar to sit at.  There is also as you walk in from the back a mural of old-time pictures and one of them is my great grandfather.

Then if you head east a bit, first of all, the homes around here are quite amazing, I think. Then if you take a right onto Bull Street in a few blocks you will run into Forsyth Park where you may enjoy seeing some of the locals and there is a fountain that is pretty well known.

Finally, there are a number of museums and galleries and if you have patience for a tour, you might enjoy that.  There is one museum that I know of that has been around a long time which is the Telfair Academy.  If you have the time worth the experience.

BTW nothing above is out of walking distance from the hotel, nor the restaurants below.  As much as I love Tybee, save it for your next trip.  It is lovely, and if you decide you want to check it out for lunch or dinner, or something let me know and I will make a recommendation or two.  The only restaurant I would stay away from is their Mexican restaurant.

Below are primarily restaurant recommendations, as visits to Savannah are focused on family.  There are plenty of other restaurants and such but the below is just what I know about.

Some restaurants that we enjoy on River Street include:

The Shrimp Factory.  Good seafood and good at lunch or dinner.

Fiddler's Crab House & Oyster Bar  I like it and there are tables out front you can sit at, and people watch.

Two others for a bite are:

Spanky's which I have not eaten at this location in a long time.  However, was where my Bar Mitzvah party was held as was owned by my cousin at the time.

Tubby's Tubby's has seafood.  There is a second one at Thunderbolt, which we have eaten at and like it.

There are a number of restaurants that are part of the newer hotels on River Street, but we haven't tried them.  What I have heard is they are average, but they look like fun to me.

At the Bohemian Hotel which is next to the Hyatt near city hall, I have two recommendations 

Rocks on The River is right on River Street.  Frank and I ate here, and it was quite good.

Rocks on the Roof and will give you a 360-degree view of Savannah.  Good drinks and their food are quite good as well.

 

 

On Bay Street there are restaurants and One Bar to recommend.

B. Matthews is good and might be a good option for Brunch.  They have a good menu and good service as well.  You might find a more scenic choice.

Moon River obviously a brewery and has pretty good food as well.  They have a number of beers of course and my niece got married upstairs there and the food was pretty good.

Bay ST between Montgomery and Jefferson there are two bars to consider.

That said near the hotel is the https://www.savannahsmilesduelingpianos.com/ which happened to be good time with my sister.  This is a cross the street I believe, but down one of the cobblestone ramps and is in between Bay Street and River Street.

If you head south on Jefferson the next block or so is an area called the Savannah City Market.  There are a number of shops, bars, and restaurants there.

Belford's Steak and Seafood House Good food and is a bit fancier than some of my other recommendations.

The Grove They have good food, and a rooftop bar as well. 

Near the market is a place restaurant called the  Goose feathers Cafe and I had lunch there and was quite good. 

One other recommendation in this area is the  Alligator Soul Restaurant.   Would like to try it the next time we are in town.

On Broughton Street:

B & D Burgers is good.  They actually have two locations one is on Broughton and the other on Congress near the Market which is larger and has an outdoor bar and area as well.

Savannah Seafood Shack is Further east on Broughton and I like it.  It is easy, good service but not fancy at all.

Leopold’s Ice Cream is a block or so more east and it is famous.  Honest, there is so much good downtown that I don't want to wait in line.  They have a small location in Forsyth Park but are not sure of the hours there.

Finally, other than Crystal Beer Parlor there are some famous restaurants that have been there a long time that you may consider.

The Pirates House is famous, and there were rumors there were tunnels underneath to get pirates out of town quickly.

The Olde Pink House The Olde Pink House is a famous restaurant and quite good.  That said the bar downstairs is quite lovely and you might enjoy that.  Not sure if they serve food down at the bar or not.