Savannah has develop into one in every of my yearly trip locations, particularly for an extended weekend getaway. Solely 4 hours from Atlanta, town has a tremendous mixture of historical past and seaside attraction that may attraction to totally different pursuits.
For this journey, I stayed within the metropolis at Lodge Indigo on Bay Road. It’s steps away from all of the outlets and eating places alongside Issue’s Stroll, River Road, and Metropolis Market.
A River Road restaurant suggestion is The Cotton Alternate Tavern, which has the most effective crabcakes I’ve ever tasted. The generous-sized cake is served with tangy remoulade and hushpuppies. Pair it with a basket of fries and also you’ve bought a meal.
In the event you’re craving one thing candy after the seafood, the scent of pralines drifting out of River Road Sweets will draw you inside to strive a pattern. The double Oreos dipped in darkish chocolate are additionally beneficial, or perhaps get an ice cream cone with one of many many accessible flavors (positively strive the mint chocolate chip).
The western finish of River Road has not too long ago been reclaimed and its historic buildings became residences, eating places, and outlets. The unmissable centerpiece of this restoration is the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside lodge.
The previous energy plant has been reworked into a chic lodge, and even in the event you can’t afford to remain there (rooms begin at $500 per evening) the huge foyer with a large chrome dinosaur sculpture and historic artifacts is price a go to. Or perhaps head to the rooftop bar for wonderful views of the towering smokestacks left on prime of the constructing and the Talmadge Bridge.
Though I’ve taken a number of excursions of town’s historic websites, I’d by no means taken the nighttime Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour, which departs from River Road. A tour information talks in regards to the metropolis’s cemeteries, squares, and houses as you cross, however the most effective half is a tour of the Andrew Low mansion (birthplace of Woman Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low, a haunted piano, and creepy bed room stuffed with dolls) and a cease on the Perkins & Sons Ship Chandlery on River Road. The previous retailer for sailors is alleged to be essentially the most haunted place in Savannah and it’s each a historical past lesson and stuffed with haunted house-style bounce scares.
While you’ve had sufficient historical past, head to the seashore on Tybee Island. The 30-minute drive takes you over the inland marshes to the throwback seashore city. Paid parking is plentiful and not too long ago added altering cubicles alongside Strand Avenue make getting out and in of your moist swimsuit simple in the event you’re touring again to town.
The Tybee Seaside Pavilion and Pier is a good place to seize a snack, chilly drink, and use the toilet. On the finish of the pier, you may strive your hand at fishing (or watch others solid their traces) and see unimaginable views of the seashore and Atlantic Ocean. The pier can also be a good looking place to go to at evening.
For a extra substantial meal, get a hearty southern breakfast at Dawn on Butler Avenue and in the event you want souvenirs, Tybrisa Road is filled with outlets promoting t-shirts, magnets, and different seashore necessities.
In the event you’re hungry after the seashore, you should definitely cease at The Crab Shack in your approach again to Savannah. Overlooking the water, the large outside eating space is shaded with timber and the seafood is unmatched. Get a giant sampler platter (shrimp, snow crab, mussels, and crawfish) or if seafood isn’t your factor, they’ve scrumptious barbecue as effectively. Remember to cease on the lagoon to feed the child alligators when you await a desk,
Earlier than I left, I additionally wished to see inside one in every of Savannah’s most lovely buildings, the 19th-century neo-gothic Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Situated on Lafayette Sq., its twin spires are seen on town skyline, and you’ll hear its bells ringing out over the historic district. I attended a surprisingly full Saturday night mass and had the prospect to go searching the cathedral.
Discover out extra about visiting Georgia’s first metropolis at visitsavannah.com.
