To explore Savannah is to witness the history of America. Landmarks pay homage to Civil War history, and ancient cemeteries memorialize the final resting place of the city’s founding citizens.

Step back in time with a visit to the American Prohibition Museum for the history of the Roaring Twenties, speakeasies, flapper girls, gangsters, moonshine and more.

With most active holidays, you return home exhausted and need another vacation. However, you’ll return home refreshed and rejuvenated after a Savannah, Georgia vacation.

Consistently Ranked One of the Most Beautiful Cities in America

The beauty of a city square filled with flowering pink azaleas. The slow meandering of a patriotic riverboat on the Savannah River. The lively pedestrian-only City Market, where visitors and locals come for lunch, shopping and taking pictures.

The romance of travel is beautifully illustrated by Savannah’s stately oak trees, cobblestone streets and lovely antebellum mansions. This is not a city to rush through without taking time to stop and enjoy. All of these and more are some of the many reasons to visit Savannah, Georgia.

Southern Hospitality Is Alive in Savannah

In a city filled with so much beauty, it’s no wonder why so many Southerners will take the time to stop and chat with tourists. Southerners are proud of their heritage and anxious to share.

Savannah is not a city where visitors feel unwelcome. That timeless Southern charm is alive and well and beckons visitors to take that trip to Savannah, GA that they’ve always dreamed of.

Whether you stay in a large hotel or a small boutique property, you’ll find the same level of charming hospitality. If you stop at the front desk to ask a question, you’ll be met with a smile, directions to the best place for lunch, a recommendation for Savannah’s most beautiful squares and the best place for cocktails. You might even get a recipe for peach pie!

You Can Choose Your Own Adventure in Savannah

A Savannah, Georgia vacation is not a one-size-fits-all type of trip!

Let’s say you are a foodie traveler, and it’s all about the food when you travel, but your companion likes unique adventures. Then, Savannah is the place for you. Dining options range from tasty casual bistros to dressing up for an incredible fine dining experience.

Unique adventures can include a haunted cemetery tour, kayaking at Tybee Island, exciting offshore fishing and cruising the Savannah River. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy.

America’s Only Prohibition Museum

Add some fun to your Savannah, Georgia vacation with a visit to this uniquely entertaining attraction. In a city steeped in US history, the American Prohibition Museum focuses on a period that no other museum in America has chosen to represent.

Explore the captivating history of speakeasies, flapper girls, moonshine, gangsters and more. The Prohibition Museum is no dry, stuffy museum. It is a place where the Roaring Twenties come to life with antique stills, costumed guides, vintage cars, an authentic speakeasy and plenty of fascinating exhibits.

It’s One of the Most Haunted Cities in America

It’s true. Savannah is the most haunted city in America. If you like all things scary, spooky, ghostly and haunted, then there are plenty of reasons to visit Savannah, Georgia.

The best time to visit Savannah, Georgia for paranormal investigators is in the month of October, when shops all over the city bring out their Halloween decorations and celebrate the city’s haunted heritage.

By day, the Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the most photographed spots in Savannah, with its ancient oak trees, gorgeous flowering azaleas and park-like setting. However, this old cemetery hides a few ghostly secrets and scary stories.

Staff at the 17Hundred90 Inn and Restaurant have reported sightings of the ghost of Anna, who searches the upstairs guest rooms, still waiting for the return of her long-lost love.

At The Pirates’ House, a 250-year-old former saloon that pirates favored, ghostly stories abound. Mysterious apparitions sometimes appear of lost seamen or a ghostly captain who haunts the halls at night.

These are only a few of the haunted places in Savannah. Explore on your own or with a ghost tour with a knowledgeable guide who can take you to the most haunted places.

A Pedestrian-Friendly City

When you stay in the heart of downtown, you’ll never need a rental car to explore the historic district of Savannah, GA.

Imagine staying near the lively River Street, right by the beautiful Savannah River. From there, you can easily wander through the captivating Historic District, visit iconic spots like the Owens-Thomas House, Telfair Museums, and the SCAD Museum of Art. Oh, and don’t forget the picturesque Forsyth Park, charming Chippewa Square, and the stunning Cathedral of St. John the Baptist – all just a leisurely walk away.

Let’s not forget about River Street itself! With over 50 fantastic restaurants, shops, bars, and cozy cafés, you won’t have a single dull moment. You’ll find everything you need right at your fingertips.

Savannah Historic District

In 1733, one of Savannah’s founding fathers, General James Oglethorpe, laid out a city plan for what was then called the British Colony of Georgia. That original planned city grid is now Savannah’s Historic District, with an easy layout for touring Savannah, GA.

You’ll find interesting attractions such as the First African Baptist Church, the Telfair Museums, the SCAD Museum of Art, and many historic landmarks.

Within easy walking distance are Savannah’s beautiful city squares, including Chatham Square and Chippewa Square, which has been made famous by the movie Forrest Gump.

Beautiful Tybee Island

For outdoor adventure, breathtaking scenery and historic landmarks, travelers should add Tybee Island to their list of great reasons to visit Savannah, Georgia.

Just 30 minutes from downtown Savannah, a visit to Tybee Island is an excellent day trip. This midsized barrier island is just three miles long and one mile wide. If you don’t have a car, you can easily navigate the island on foot, by bicycle or by scooter.

For history buffs, Tybee Island is home to the Fort Pulaski National Monument. Constructed from 1829 to1847, Fort Pulaski played an important role in the military protection of Savannah. The fort was attacked and captured by Union forces in 1862.

There are plenty of picturesque spots on Tybee Island to snap memorable photos during your Savannah, Georgia vacation — the colorful Tybee Island historic lighthouse, Tybee Pier and miles of boardwalks to name a few.

Visit Telfair Museum of Art

Add the Telfair Museum to your itinerary when you are planning a trip to Savannah, GA, and you will see three museums in one. Visitors purchase one ticket to visit all three of the following attractions.

The Telfair Academy is housed in an impressive, stately two-story mansion with American and European art collections on display from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The neighboring Jepson Center for the Arts showcases contemporary and modern art in a state-of-the-art, modern facility.

A short walk east takes you to the third museum, the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. This antebellum mansion from 1819 has rooms with period-specific furnishings and artwork. Visitors also have access to the surrounding gardens, the carriage house and the slave quarters.

Explore Forsyth Park

You’ve most likely seen the iconic Savannah pictures of a romantic white fountain surrounded by old oak trees draped in moss. Those romantic pictures are from Savannah’s famous Forsyth Park.

Forsyth Park is a popular spot for marriage proposals, engagement photo shoots and wedding pictures.

The park is 30 acres, with mossy oak trees, a large central green space and lovely walking paths. The fountain is at the north end, with the small Garden of Fragrance nearby. The fragrant plants include daphne, mountain witch alder, Meyer lemon trees, ginger lily, cape jasmine and Florida anise.

Savannah Taste Experience Food Tours

Touring Savannah, GA is even better with the assistance of a knowledgeable local tour guide. As a visitor to Savannah, you may need to learn the best places to eat and which local foods to try. Bring in the assistance of a local guide to show you around and share a few fun stories. Savannah Taste Experience can be that local friend who knows the best places to go, pointing out the historical sights and sharing great stories along the way.

Their flagship tour, The First Squares, is a journey through Savannah’s historic squares led by a local guide who is well-versed in the historical sites. The Famous and Secret East Side is also a popular tour. This famously off-the-beaten-path tour allows participants a chance to taste ethnic, gourmet, fusion and local treats.

At night, an adults-only happy hour tour combines food tasting with cocktail pairings for a fun way to spend an evening and make new friends.

Explore the University of Georgia Aquarium

The UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium is Georgia’s first saltwater aquarium and showcases over 200 marine animals native to the Georgia coast.

Aquarium exhibits include display tanks, touch tanks and a 3D diorama of the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. There is also a sea turtle ambassador program, where a new turtle hatchling can be brought to the aquarium to live for three to four years before being released into the wild or transferred to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

The University of Georgia Aquarium is 20 minutes south of downtown Savannah on the banks of the Skidaway River.

Visit Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace

If you have ever enjoyed a box of Girl Scouts Thin Mint cookies, you have Juliette Gordon Low to thank for that. A beloved member of Savannah’s history, Juliette Gordon Low was the founder of the Girl Scouts organization in Savannah on March 1912.

Low’s birthplace and family home is located in Savannah’s Historic District, just two blocks from the landmark Colonial Park Cemetery. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door, subject to availability, for a guided tour of the house and gardens.

With a quick 10-minute walk to Lafayette Square, guests can also visit the Andrew Low House, where she lived as an adult.

Explore River Street

Walk the old cobblestones of River Street to shop, eat and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. River Street is two miles long, with more than 50 restaurants, shops, bars, and cafés. There is also a great visitor’s center, where you can stop to ask questions and get maps to help with your trip to Savannah, GA.

There are also a dozen memorials, parks and landmarks along the waterfront, including two war memorials. The WWII Memorial, titled “A World Apart,” is a large bronze and copper globe engraved with the names of the 527 Chatham County service members killed in the war.

A short walk from the WWII Memorial is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Emmett Park. This memorial honors the 25,000 veterans from Chatham County who served in Vietnam and the 109 killed in the conflict.

Visit SCAD Museum of Art

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) maintains a contemporary art museum in Savannah’s Historic District. The SCAD Museum of Art features works from new and established artists, including students and alumni. Student docents are on hand to answer questions and direct visitors throughout the small museum.

FAQs

What are the best reasons to visit Savannah?

History enthusiasts who visit Savannah are impressed with the variety of museums, landmarks and significant sites from American history. Food travelers enjoy the local food, the variety of ethnic options and the Southern hospitality. Visitors can also choose from a large variety of unique and adventurous activities.

Why is Savannah popular?

Everyone who visits Savannah is amazed by the stunning beauty of this classic Southern city and the significance of the city’s role in the founding of America. Stately antebellum mansions are on display next to charming city squares. Savannah at night becomes a buzz of activity for paranormal investigators in search of the ghostly spirits who roam among the cemeteries, old houses and businesses.

What is the best time to visit Savannah?

If you want to see Savannah in all of its colorful floral glory, visit in spring or early summer. To avoid the crowds, plan your trip to Savannah for winter when the weather is mild. For thrill-seekers in search of ghostly entertainment, the month of October brings out the festive Halloween energy, with shops decked out in their best fall decor.

Which part of Savannah is beautiful?

Savannah is like a treasure trove of beauty. Every corner you turn, there’s something stunning to behold. Whether it’s the dreamy oak-lined streets of the Historic District or the picture-perfect views along River Street’s waterfront, you’ll find beauty at every step. No matter where you wander in Savannah, it’s a feast for the eyes!