Savannah, Georgia is a uniquely charming city with something for truly everyone on the trip. A beautiful historic town with giant looming oak trees and perfectly planned public squares, the romantic could get lost toting a book, enjoying reading under the shade and perusing the town’s coffee shops, amazing restaurants and historic landmarks. If you head towards the Riverside District, shops, bars and restaurants provide endless entertainment while enjoying the waterfront and watching the ships pass by. Savannah is a quaint town that also provides fun and entertainment for the night owls in your group. Continue reading for the best tips for getting the most out of your visit to Savannah, Georgia.
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Where to Stay in Savannah, Georgia
JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
The JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District is so much more than just another luxury hotel. After the Riverside Power Plant was decommissioned in 2005, hotelier Richard Kessler repurposed the 1912 structure into a contemporary riverside retreat. Kessler did a stunning job of maintaining the power plant’s original distinctive architectural characteristics and preserving the historic aspects of the building. As soon as you enter the hotel, a true to size chrome dinosaur fossil skeleton draws your eyes up to the grandiose space. The lobby features magnificent geodes and fossil displays from Kessler’s personal collection. Throughout the property you’ll find artifacts of the hotel that reflect the structure’s history, like the original steel tracks that were used to transport the coal bins, and 300-year-old wood that was dug up from the site was repurposed into a bar inside the Baobab Lounge. I thought it was so interesting to see the many little nods to the original features continue to live on in this property.
There are three separate structures that make up the hotel space, and each structure has its own unique theme; Power Plant, Three Muses, and Atlantic. Our room was in the Atlantic, which features the Compass Pool Lounge on the top floor equipped with a full-service menu to order drinks and bites. The gym was just adjacent to it as well. The room we had was absolutely stunning, we had a view of the river with a balcony and I could have sat outside all day watching the traffic on the river.
Even if you aren’t staying at this hotel, be sure to make time to explore the property, it really is extraordinary. Further, once you get past the first floor artifacts, you’ll find shops and restaurants as part of this property all along the river front. The property boasts more than a dozen food options and each one we went to was an enjoyable experience. Be sure to stop at Byrd’s Famous Cookies, a staple cookie in the south known for its bite-sized crispy crunchy cookies. Stop in for a sample, but once you do, you will absolutely buy a bag or two, they’re so addictive. District Gelato was also a favorite evening bite to enjoy while strolling along the Savannah Water Front.
What to Do in Savannah, Georgia
Buy Tickets for the Hop On Hop Off Trolley in Savannah, Georgia
The best way to see and get to know Savannah is to start by taking a ride on one of the Savannah Sightseeing Trolley tours. It is a hop on / hop off trolley, you can get on, or get off anywhere along the route. The drivers provide history and background information on the buildings, streets, parks as you continue on the route and its a great way to get around. We used Old Town Trolley Tours, but there are a few different options. Our experience with Old Town Trolley Tours was great, you can hop on / hop off as many times as you want along the 15 stop route, each driver we had was knowledgeable and enjoyable.
A distinctive feature of Savannah is that the city was built around public squares and were the backbone of Savannah. There are 22 remaining squares today (there used to be 24) and they are a quaint reminder of the history of Savannah and certainly add to the unique whimsical charm of the city with canopies of looming oak trees and historic monuments nestled in nearly each one. You’ll see a lot of these squares and parks on the trolley.
Visit the Cathedral of St. John The Baptist
The Cathedral of St. John The Baptist in Savannah, Georgia is one of the most stunning churches I’ve seen in the United States. Its history began in the late 1700s as the parish first served Catholics fleeing turmoil from Haiti and France. The standing structure first began construction in the 1800s and it features 81 stained glass windows, 16 gargoyles, and is 214 feet tall with a roof height of 96 feet. Pope Francis elevated the status of the church to minor basilica in 2020, which is a high honor, as only 87 churches nationwide, including 18 cathedrals, carry this designation. Be sure to check the vising hours to ensure you arrive at an appropriate time to tour the church.
Stroll Historic River Street on Savannah’s Waterfront
The foundation of Savannah’s history, Historic River Street is situated along the Savannah River and tis he location of the original Port of Savannah. By the mid-1800s Savannah was the leading exporter of cotton in the world, which is evidenced by the four and five story buildings along the waterfront. These were all warehouses, now repurposed into the shops, bars and restaurants that are there today. Grab a drink at Wet Willie’s for an iconic frozen daiquiri. Savannah has an open container policy, so you can freely walk around the beautiful city with a beverage. However, if sweets is more your style, head to River Street Sweets for their World Famous Pralines.
Visit the Savannah History Museum
Savannah has a rich history, if you’re interested in learning more about it, you should check out The Savannah History Museum. Even more interesting, the Savannah History Museum resides in the old Central of Georgia Railway passenger shed, now a National Historic Landmark. The structure was built in the 1800s and was in use until 1972. Since 1990, The Coastal Heritage Society took over operation of the Savannah History Museum and is now home to more than 10,000 artifacts – one of the largest collections of artifacts in the entire coastal community. Fun fact, The bench that Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump sat on in the movie, Forrest Gump, was a movie prop that now resides in the Savannah History Museum.
Take a Ghost Tour in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is known as America’s most haunted cities. If you’re intrigued by the paranormal and enjoy some good spooky fun, then a Ghost Tour is a must for your visit! There are a number of ghost tour options to choose from, some of the most popular are with Old Town Trolley Tours, the Ghosts and Gravestones Frightseeing Tour, Old Savannah Tours, or Genteel and Bard. There are many Ghost Tours in Savannah to choose from, from kid friendly to adults only. There are also many history walking tours available through Viator, Genteel and Bard, and others if you prefer to stay away from ghostly spirits!
Where to Eat in Savannah, Georgia
The Olde Pink House
The Olde Pink House house has a long history, built in the late 1700s and on many of Savannah’s ghost tours as it is believed to be haunted by its creator, James Habersham Jr. Habersham was a wealthy cotton planter and aided the colonies in the fight for their independence, and so the house was a setting for many secret meetings and also served as Georgia’s first bank. The Olde Pink house is now one of the top restaurants in Savannah, Georgia, offering fine dining in the historic home. We went for lunch and started with the blue crab beignets and the she-crab soup, which was my favorite part of the meal. I had the fish sandwich which was delicious. The house itself was stunning, once you finished eating, be sure to check out the rest of the house. Make sure to make reservations in advance, they fill up fast!
Turbine Market + Café at the JW Marriott at Plant Riverside District
The Turbine Market + Café is in the Power Plant Building at the JW Marriott at the Plant Riverside District. We went for breakfast and it was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. I got the Turbine Market Breakfast, the Potato Galette was awesome. A must try is the Cinnamon Crunch French Toast, it was a unique take on French toast and delicious.
I hope you found this post helpful. Photos and videos of this trip are already posted on my personal Instagram @amandacorrao so please follow, as well as @amanda_meets_world_ for more! If you liked this post, please comment below!
