Sharing a recap of where we stayed, places we visited in Savannah and more in this mini Savannah, Georgia travel guide!
To ring in the new year, my family and I went on a road trip to Savannah, Georgia. It was my first time there and I absolutely LOVED it! Honestly, it reminded me a bit of Charleston (See Charleston Travel Guide HERE). Everything from the history, the architecture, the food, was just wonderful.
It’s such a great place to visit and everything is walking distance which is so convenient. Read on for a recap of what we did, where we ate and more, in this mini Savannah, Georgia travel guide for future travel inspiration.
Savannah, Georgia Travel Guide
What We Did
The best way to see the city is by foot. We did a 90 minute historic walking tour on one of the days and it was a nice experience. Since the city has so much history, I highly recommend one of these tours so you can learn more about the area.
The one-day hop on and hop off trolley was a really nice way to get around Savannah. It goes on all day until 5 pm and there are tons of stops around the historic district, so it’s very convenient.
For a great view of the Savannah River and a low-key afternoon, we opted for a relaxing boat ride down the river.
There are tons to choose from, but we toured this beautiful historic home and it was a great way to spend the morning. We weren’t allowed to take photos, but, I couldn’t get enough of the decor and history!
The American Prohibition Museum is located in City Market which is full of shops and restaurants. This one was an okay experience. I mostly enjoyed the speakeasy at the end called Congress Street Up. They served classic craft cocktails and it had a nice cozy atmosphere.
WHERE WE ATE
This restaurant was wonderful! While we were walking around town, we stumbled upon this spot and decided to stop in for dinner the following day. The ambiance was nice and the menu was great! Great spot for a date night or a drink.
B. Matthew’s was by far our favorite! Their brunch was fantastic. The grits are a must-try! The menu was southern and simple, and everything tasted so fresh and delicious. It was one of my favorite meals by far! If you’re only in Savannah for a short time, be sure to visit this spot and the one below!
I was hoping to stop here for brunch, but we didn’t get the chance to! Either way, we made sure to stop by their cafe and order the cult-favorite Spiced Lavender Mocha (pictured above). It was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up that fueled us through to dinner after an afternoon of shopping.
After hearing so much buzz about Leopold’s we decided to try it for ourselves and wandering to Leopold’s for a sweet treat after a day of sightseeing. We waited in line for 45 minutes (this is the average wait) for a delicious scoop of ice cream to end the day! Pro Tip: If you want to avoid lines, there are a few places that sell the ice cream in personal-sized cartons. A few places I saw them at were a cafe inside the same place as The Emporium & The Hyatt Regency lobby.
THE EMPORIUM KITCHEN & WINE MARKET
I live for a good charcuterie board and the chef’s board at this cozy spot did not disappoint! I could’ve easily eaten it all on my own haha. Highly recommend their Polo Club cocktail: Pimm’s #1 cup, grey goose, Aperol, ginger ale, lemon, strawberry, cucumber — SO good!
On our first night, we had dinner at The Pirate’s House. This restaurant was so neat. It was built in the late 1700s, which made it so intriguing. The food was delicious and it has tons of cool pirate history and stories behind it. Definitely a great spot!
MUST-SEE PLACES
FORSYTH PARK
This park is a must-visit! The beautiful, iconic white fountain is reason alone! It’s a beautiful, wide open park with a restaurant at the center, The Collins Quarter, and lots of adorable dogs running around!
JONES STREET
Jones Street is known as Savannah’s most beautiful street. When I visited, I immediately knew why! It was prettiest street in America by Southern Living Magazine. All in all, I definitely spent about an hour or more wandering the street and snapping photos of nearly every house!
This market is one of the most charming stores I’ve been to. This quote is the perfect way to describe this store: “Like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, prepare to get lost in a wonderland of the most incredible goods.” – Southern Living.
CITY MARKET
Bustling shops and stores line the strip that I City Market. Everything is open pretty late and you can find just about everything down the strip. If you’re looking for something fun to do, it’s the perfect place to go for a leisurely stroll with a drink in hand, whether it’s coffee or cocktail.
I heard wonderful things about this restaurant, The Olde Pink House. Unfortunately, it was completely booked so we weren’t able to enjoy a meal there but we did stop by on our walking tour!
CHIPPEWA SQUARE
The iconic Chippewa Square is a must-see! It’s the spot where the bench scene in Forrest Gump was filmed! There were beautiful flowers around the square, and it’s such a pretty area. It’s close to a nearby chocolate store so it’s the perfect excuse to pop in and have a box of chocolates and pay homage to the film!
Oh how beautiful! Thank you for the walk down memory lane! I went to Savannah a few years ago with my Grandma and loved it, although nothing holds a candle to Charleston in my book! It looks like you had an amazing trip! 🙂
xx Helen
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Thanks for the kind words, Helen! Yes absolutely Charleston is absolutely gorgeous!
Xo, Emily
Hey Emily! Thanks for all the help with these great recommendations! My boyfriend and I are planning a trip down there at the end of this upcoming January – how was the weather? Were from the North-East so just trying to anticipate for packing purposes!
Hi Hannah! The weather in Jan is a bit chilly. It was not too chilly when I went at the end of Dec/beginning of Jan. I recommend a sweater, a classic coat and jeans! Plus comfy sneakers or flats for walking!
Thank you so much for this and my what lovely photos! My idea of a perfect weekend in Savannah Georgia, is a daytime visit to the beach, a visit to these places in your blog at the afternoons, and bar hopping at night! Thank you https://www.visitsavannah.com/tybee-island-savannahs-beach for introducing me to the place way back in 2018! Now I can’t get enough of it!
Thank you very much for the tour information! What I like about Savannah is its romantic and nostalgic atmosphere. I first learned about Savannah Georgia when I planned to go on a beach vacation in 2017 and was looking for a coastal place in the country with a laid-back beach atmosphere! I’m glad I found out about the facility and what more they have to offer via visitTybee.com! I now return to Savannah every year!