Visit Savannah Georgia

Whenever I visit my daughter in Bluffton, SC she takes me over to Savannah, Georgia for a day. It is a beautifully unique town where one can absorb some of the Old South mystique. You can tour by foot, trolley or horse drawn carriage or better yet, combine them all. If you just need to rest your feet while getting from point A to point B use the Chatham Area Transit buses. They are free! If you want a narrative explaining the sights along the way Old Town Trolley provides that service for a fee. And, of course the most romantic way to see Downtown Savannah is by horse drawn carriage. Several operate throughout the city. I highly recommend using one of the trolley or carriage modes of transportation for at least part of your tour since walking the whole city in the heat on a summer day can sap your energy quickly.

There are many places to eat in Savannah, but if you are a Paula Deen fan you'll want to eat at Lady and Sons downtown. Just plan on a long wait in line and enjoy it as part of the experience. You can read more about that at my hub, Paula Deen Don't Cook Fried Green Tomatoes as Good as Mama.

Savannah streets are lined with historic homes. What I was struck by were the gardens tucked into tiny yards and protected by iron fences and gates. The town squares were part of the plan laid out by General James Oglethorpe in 1733. They measure about 200-300 feet on each side. Shaded by live oak trees they offer a cool respite from the hot Georgia sun. The squares have seating and most have a fountain or monument as a focal spot. They were designed by Oglethorpe to extend open space to the residents in surrounding homes. On my last visit I enjoyed music played by a street musician playing a sax in one of the squares.

Cotton Exchange

The Savannah Cotton Exchange was finished in 1886. It was known locally as the King Cotton Palace. Savannah's cotton seaport was the largest on the Atlantic coast and second largest in the world at its heyday. It now houses the offices of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce.

River Street

Go down a level from Bay Street to reach River Street. This is where the action is day and night in Savannah. I haven't experienced the nightlife. There was festival on the waterfront with vendors and musicians and lots of people. Bay and River Street are lined with shops, galleries, eateries and bars. This is also the location of weekend festivals, the grand daddy of them all being the Savannah St. Patrick's Day Celebration. By all accounts the event rivals New Orleans's Mardi Gras. To check on events and see a map of River Street go to www.riverstreetsavannah.com.

Watch the huge ships come into the port, browse through the open-air market, and learn the story behind the Waving Girl Statue while visiting River Street. If gardening is your passion Savannah's subtropical and maritime landscape will delight you. I didn't even scratch the surface of seeing the sights in Savannah. I hope to go again soon.

While you are in the area take time to visit nearby Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort and Tybee Island to name a few nearby attractions.