Destination information
Bursting with charm and elegance, genteel Savannah overlooks the beautiful Savannah River at the top of Georgia’s 100-mile coast. Founded in 1733, today it is home to more than 1,000 restored buildings in the 2½ mile Historic District – the largest in the nation. Famous for its garden-like squares, there are 22 in total, each one unique and with a story to tell. Just as there are plenty of squares, there are also parks galore, the most famous being the lovely tree-shaded Forsyth Park with its ornate fountain. Other sights include the Owens-Thomas House, considered by architectural historians to be one of the finest examples of English Regency architecture in America. The site includes a beautiful English-inspired parterre garden and an original carriage house-which contains one of the earliest intact urban slave quarters in the South.
Museum-wise, you’re spoilt for choice. There’s the Savannah History Museum detailing the city’s fascinating past, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum and the Telfair Museum of Art & Science, located in the beautiful Telfair Mansion, itself a work of art. Savannah cemeteries are also surprisingly popular. Rich in history and legend, Bonaventure Cemetery features in John Berendt’s best-selling novel ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’ and at Laurel Grove Cemetery, 1500 confederate soldiers are buried. If you’re feeling brave, book yourself on a ghost tour and prepare to be spooked! And don’t forget to ask about the Forrest Gump bench, which is another of the many legendary American films shot in Savannah.
Eats & drinks
Once an old coastal town, seafood was and is still very much on the menu in Savannah. Crab cakes, crab stew, shrimp and oysters are served in abundance so tuck in and enjoy!
Getting around
Your hire car is perfect for touring the area, but the sights of Savannah are best explored on foot, by trolley bus or horse-drawn carriage.