[M]y love for Savannah started on a father / daughter trip about five years ago – obviously I got to pick the destination – and something very strange happened to me…I felt at home there and that took me by surprise. I enjoy Texas, where I was born, and I love New York, the place where my work and dreams are, but every time I get down to this small southern town I get that feeling of peace, that I am where I belong. Savannah has so much of what I love about New York to it: it’s walkable, has great restaurants, beautiful parks, great coffee, art, interesting people, antiques and historic dreaminess. I’ve gone back every year since over and over again, tweaking my list of must-dos, and must-eats. Here is my guide to Savannah if you’re just visiting like me or thinking about going to SCAD one day.
COFFEE JOINTS
LUNCH SPOTS
- Gryphon Tea Room
- Blowin Smoke
- Zunzi’s (Fisherman’s Deck, both sauces. OMG)
- Green Truck Pub
- Mrs. Wilkes (best fried chicken in the world)
- Public
- Soho South Cafe
SWEETS
HAPPY HOUR
- The Olde Pink House (basement bar, live piano music)
- Rocks on the River (rooftop view where you can watch dolphins swim by at sunset, best Bloody Mary’s!)
- Perch
- P.S.- in the downtown historic district you can “take a soldier to go” and walk around with your drink!
DINNER
- Local 11 Ten
- The Grey
- The Florence
- Cotton & Rye
- Elizabeth on 37th (Southern romance)
- A.Lure
- Leoci’s Trattoria
- 700 Drayton
- Garibaldi’s
SHOPPING
- E. Shaver Booksellers
- Sylvester & Co. (great coffee in the back!)
- Prospector Co.
- The Paris Market
- One Fish Two Fish
- shopSCAD
- Alex Raskin Antiques (the building alone is amazing)
- *just take a stroll up and down Broughton Street*
HISTORIC HOME TOURS
SLEEP
- The Gastonian
- Marshall House (ask for a 2nd floor room facing Broughton Street so you can enjoy the balcony porch!)
- The Mansion at Forsyth
- Kehoe House
- Thunderbird Inn (budget travelers)
- The Inn at Palmetto Bluff (30mins outside Savannah, STUNNING)
BEYOND SAVANNAH
- Bonaventure Cemetery (hauntingly beautiful)
- Tybee Island
- Wormsloe Historic Site
- Okefenokee Swamp
SPA
This is just a handful of our favorites! Savannah is full of much more from galleries, big brand shops such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, endless cuisines from around the world, and unlimited hotel / B&B options. There just isn’t enough time to try everything but these are the places we find ourselves going back to over and over again.
PS- I’d love to hear your favorite places so I can try them out next time!