Savannah, Georgia

Ready for Southern charm at its finest? Welcome to Savannah, Georgia. This post is a bit more touristy than my others as I have often been to Savannah.

The Historic District

No, this is not the Charleston version of Southern Charm, the reality show. Picture instead Gone With The Wind. Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler would look right at home on the cobblestone or brick streets of Savannah's historic neighborhoods and squares. Known for its 18th and 19th-century architecture, walking in the city is a must.

Things to Do

There are many things to do in the city if you’ve never been, even if you aren’t a history buff. There are art galleries and student exhibitions at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). The school’s store that sells only student-designed products is professionally designed, and the prices are reasonable.

One of my favorite things is driving about twenty minutes to Tybee Island and putting my toes in the sand. Mystery writer Mary Kay Andrews (Kathy Hogan Trocheck) has several cottages on Tybee, and if you’re a fan, you can rent one.

Many tourists will congregate at Savannah’s Waterfront on River Street. It’s worth a walk from one end to the other of the street at least once, so you can get an idea of what the port used to look like two hundred years ago. While hotels such as The Cotton Sail Hotel are a great choice, I prefer to explore away from the crowds in the city's quiet, green interior.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the significant party days. Because the river is too swift to allow it to be dyed green, the city dyes the water in the fountain in Forsyth Park. Be forewarned if you are planning a trip in March. The city triples in size, and the partying begins several weeks before the 17th of March. Just as Key West has its own rules regarding alcohol, Savannah also does. “The legislation in Savannah simply permits patrons and partygoers to carry open drinks. The legal way to consume said drinks is in a plastic, 16-ounce cup (not bottles, mugs or flasks) and in the parameters of the Historic District.”

So don’t forget to wear green and get your red solo cups.

Forsyth Park

Walking in the city will eventually bring you to the Park. It is thirty acres, and you’ll stumble on the fountain at some point. This fountain has been here since 1858, modeled after the fountains at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The day I visited the Park, groups of middle-grade schoolchildren took classes outside, and other littles filled the playground.

The Park is the location for the SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival in April, the Savannah Jazz Festival in September, as well as the Picnic in the Park with the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra.

I came to Savannah this time to write and wander while waiting for my spousal unit to cross from Charleston to Jacksonville, Florida, in our boat. He dropped me in Wilmington, NC and I decided to wait for him in Savannah before heading to Jacksonville. My seasickness doesn’t allow me to do open water, so it gave me a chance to return to one of my favorite cities. I was sworn in to practice law in Georgia in the Chatham County Court House, so for that reason alone, the city is important.

On this trip, I stayed in a quiet Airbnb on East Taylor Street with a private courtyard. It wasn't easy this time to find a clean and comfortable apartment in the historic area for a reasonable price. In checking the listing for this post, the price has tripled. Hotels in Savannah, while not as cute or spacious, are a much better deal. Also, check the cleaning fees for Airbnbs. They can be excessive, particularly with the apartments managed by hosts such as this apartment, Lucky Savannah.

I ate the second morning at Clary’s off Calhoun Square for a typical calorie-laden Southern breakfast, knowing I had a full day of walking ahead. If you prefer a decent, reasonably-priced breakfast, J. Christopher’s, a Georgia chain located on Liberty Street, is your best bet. I’m a breakfast person; when I am hungry, I want basic food without all the fuss or flourishes. Just give me food and let me go. I have walking to do.

Roaming cities, I can never resist taking photos of any striking architecture. If you are into cathedrals, The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is one you should visit. The interior is spectacular, even though I thought the exterior was striking against the blue sky the day I was there. It is one of the most popular tourist locations, so you should plan.

Are you waiting for your family to finish the tour at the Cathedral? Try Mirabelle, a convenient place with good pastries and decent coffee.

Savannah has twenty-two squares that are a significant feature of the historic area. As someone who walks the cities I visit, this sets Savannah apart. Even though I have seen the city many times, there are so many squares that I was lost twice on this trip and had to use a map to get myself oriented.

Shopping, for me, anyway, is best at the individual boutiques that are scattered about town. I found Salacia Salts and Atelier Galerie on this trip and bought presents. I stopped at Cup to Cup, happy to find a really good cup of coffee.

The main downtown area for shopping is around the Broughton Street area. To me, this is a typical main street in a southern town. That area was under massive renovation on this visit, so after an hour, I left for the quiet.

I believe that SCAD and the family atmosphere give the city the vibe it needs to keep it balanced from so much tourism. The SCAD buildings scattered all over town distribute the students and the places they inhabit and frequent. The city has one of the largest ports on the East Coast and a diverse business landscape. It has always appealed to me as one of the best places to raise a family.

But I could be wrong. One of my friends believes the city is changing, and not for the better. I prefer to keep my hopes up.

The Feeling History Provides is Not Always Boring

Whenever I see this fountain at Lafayette Square, I think of the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Since I write suspense novels, it’s a frequent stop when I visit, even though this novel is true crime written to read as fiction. The city has an underlying vibe for me, similar to what I experienced in New Orleans years ago. The ingrained history, combined with the books I’ve read about Savannah, keeps me on my toes.

What am I expecting to happen? I have no idea, but I’ll be ready.