Consider this your Savannah, Georgia travel guide. There are a few important things to know before visiting Savannah, Georgia, and we have you covered! From the information that will help you have a successful Savannah itinerary or vacation when you travel to Savannah to interesting facts and background information for this special destination.
Sit back and relax, our Savannah travel guides will help you make planning your trip a breeze! Including guides like the best things to do in Savannah, the best ghost tours in Savannah (you have to try at least one), the best historic squares in Savannah to check out, and more!
Important Things to Know Before You Travel to Savannah
It’s Haunted!
First things first, when you travel to Savannah, there’s something you should know. Savannah is one of THE most haunted cities in the United States along with places like Salem and New Orleans (all the really cool cities are haunted!).
While visiting Savannah, you’ll easily see why many agree that this is one of the most beautiful destinations in the country, but below the surface of beauty is a dark past, one filled with bloody battles, a history of slavery, deadly diseases like the yellow fever epidemic in the 1800s, fires, hurricanes, and even pirates were a problem.
Not to mention, those beautiful antebellum-era mansions were built on the backs of torture and slavery and some of which were literally built on gravesites and Native American burial grounds.
Those who have paranormal sensitivity claim there is a lot of unsettled energy and activity here. In fact, many of the historic inns, restaurants, homes, and even squares are said to be haunted by spirits. The most popular and colorful stories are often shared on the many ghost tours in Savannah you can join.
For years, Savannah has attracted ghost hunters and paranormal investigators being featured on many of the most famous ‘ghost’ shows because of how many haunted places in Savannah there are to visit, including hotels!
So if you didn’t already know this, you’ve been warned. While we didn’t catch any spirits on our trip, we did enjoy learning about more of the city’s dark history through the tour we did and if you’re really into ghosts and the afterlife, perhaps you should book a stay at one of the many allegedly haunted stays in Savannah.
Drinking in Public is Legal, but…
One thing that surprised us during our visit to Savannah was that they have open container laws. I guess we just didn’t expect that but it makes going on those haunted tours in Savannah easier if you need some liquid courage!
So yes, drinking in public out and about on the sidewalks is completely legal, but there are a few rules and you’re going to want to know about these rules before you travel to Savannah because if you slip up, you might wind up with a ticket and you don’t want that.
At any of the bars, you can ask for a drink to go. What you’ll notice is that if you’re drinking a can or bottle of beer, they will give you a ‘to-go cup.’
That’s because you’re not allowed to walk around with open containers in their original containers. It’s sort of a bizarre rule as if I am drinking out of a can, I’d prefer not to produce another piece of single-use trash, but once we were explained it helps prevent people from just carrying a 24-pack of White Claw around and getting hammered in the streets I guess it sort of makes sense.
If you still want to BYOB your way around, you’ll want to also pick up a different cup to put your go-go juice in.
The rule also states that only one cup per person is allowed and that it has to be in a 16 oz. cup. And it gets a little more technical. There are boundaries where you are allowed to have an open drink too, which is most of the historic city center but you should familiarize yourself with the actual boundaries in case you find yourself out exploring beyond the limits.
Make Dinner Reservations Well in Advance
So one thing I wish we knew well before visiting Savannah would be how hard it is to get a reservation at some of the city’s best restaurants. Savannah is well-known for its culinary scene and silly me thought a few weeks out I could score a reservation at the Olde Pink House or The Grey.
I was wrong. As a matter of fact, the few restaurants we had on our radar were almost impossible to snag a table on Resy even weeks out! The only one I was able to get by sheer luck was Alligator Soul.
Just because we couldn’t eat at a few of the restaurants on our radar due to planning the entire trip just a few weeks out didn’t mean we didn’t have incredible food. There are TONS of great food options in Savannah and plenty of places you can roll right up to.
This Savannah tip is more for those who had their eye on a specific restaurant during your trip. If the restaurant is a part of the ‘destination experience’ you’re going to want to score a reservation well in advance and if not, get on Resy notifications and check it religiously – although we had a glimpse of hope for The Grey due to a cancellation, by the time I got into Resy to book it someone else must have been quicker and I missed it.
And there are some tricks to some of the popular eateries, for example, it’s very difficult to get a reservation at the Old Pink House, but there’s a work around. You can go to Planters Tavern located in the cellar which accepts walk-ins and serves the same menu. Just get there right when they open (or a few minutes earlier). They fill up fast.
If you’re looking to try some of the best or most famous food of the South that Savannah is known for be sure to keep and eye out for menu items like Shrimp and Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes, Biscuits and Gravy, Fried Okra, and Collard Greens to name a few must-try items! Oh, mac n’ cheese too!
Take a Trolley Tour to Start Your Trip
This is one of the best Savannah travel guide tips if you’ve never been here before! We highly recommend booking the Savannah trolley tour on your first day of visiting Savannah.
This is really the perfect way to get your bearings and lay of the land plus you can learn tid bits of information and understand a bit more about the history and points of interest in the city so that when you’re walking around later, it all makes sense.
The historic Savannah trolley tours are hop on and hop off at many historic points of interest, so you’re welcome to get off and wander around an area and then get back on at one of their designated stops (indicated by a sign) which come around every 15-20 minutes.
If you decide to do the entire tour without hopping off, it takes around an hour and half to cover America’s largest urban historic district. Each trolley is narrated by a guide or driver, if you are on a trolley that has as guide you really like, we recommend staying on.
Be sure to book your tickets in advance to make it easy when you arrive. Once you have your tickets, you just meet at the Old Savannah Tours location at 255 Montgomery Street. There’s a free parking lot if you drive there. Before joining the tour, you have to get a sticker and have someone check your ticket. You can call ahead and have the company pick you up at your hotel if you’re not sure where to go, they will take you to the starting location.
The tour does pick-ups at their designated stops every 20-minutes between 9 AM and 4:30 PM every day of the week, giving you some flexibility.
The Forrest Gump Bench
If you’re a fan of the 1994 film starring none other than Tom Hanks that won a TON of awards and is still quite possibly one of the best films ever – you know Forrest Gump? Then you might already know or recognize that the opening sequence to the entire film takes place on a fictional bench behind the statue of General James Oglethorpe in Chippewa Square.
The movie starts with its opening credits watching a feather effortlessly float across the screen past the steeple of the Independent Prebestryian Church of Savannah on Bull Street. Slowly making its way down to the square where Forrest is sitting on the bench.
You know, the location where Forrest famously said, “my mama always said life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”
Well, that bench never even existed in that spot! It was a movie prop, which surprises many people when visiting Savannah as they think they can recreate this scene. While you can lean up against the small wall there and sort of recreate it, you can actually visit the movie prop bench in the Savannah History Museum.
The First Planned City in the ‘New World’
If you want to learn a little history before visiting Savannah you can start with the way the city is built, which you’ll discover quickly as you’re wandering around visiting all the historic squares of Savannah.
Did you know Savannah was the first planned city in the ‘New World’? In 1733, General James Edward Oglethorpe established the colony of Georgia after leaving England. Oglethorpe was an advocate for the North American colonies ride to trade freely and also was a huge advocate for religious freedom (which is why Savannah had a sizable Jewish community) and was always against slavery.
Oglethorpe had the idea to create Savannah on a grid. Throughout the grid he wanted squares to be put in as public gathering spaces and that’s how the original 24 squares in Savannah came to be – although there are only 22 today.
As the city was built and then grew up around the squares, they were for the most part left alone. Many of the squares were used during the Revolutionary War by the militia and during the Civil War as camps for the occupying Union soldiers. Some were used as burial grounds and some have even been filming locations in popular films – as we already mentioned Forrest Gump is the most famous example.
It’s almost impossible to visit Savannah without stepping foot in one of the squares. Surrounded by beautiful homes, live oak trees draping with a canopy of Spanish moss, historic monuments, fountains, and benches to sit and take a break. Each one has its own storied past, and if the history of the city piques your interest, we recommend taking a tour like the trolley tour mentioned above, a guided historic walking tour of Savannah, or a food tour in Savannah visiting the different squares.
Things That Will Be Referenced A lot During Your Visit to Savannah
Ok, this Savannah travel guide tip is more about the reoccurring influential things you’ll hear about in effort to give you a better understanding to each one as to what they are, why they are connected/pivotal to Savannah, and that way when you hear about it on a tour, casual conversation, and any other place you have a bit of a background and maybe even an understanding and appreciation of it while you’re in Savannah.
There were a few times on our visit to Savannah where I wish I knew a bit more information on these things as I didn’t really understand why they kept getting referenced until I searched and learned about it independently. I probably am going to miss some but these were the big ones.
SCAD or the Savannah College of Art and Design is a big deal here. SCAD is actually responsible for the modern preservation of many of the beautiful landmarks, buildings, and architecture in Savannah. From 1955-1980, SCAD preserved and restored nearly 150 buildings in Old Savannah.
Without a doubt, SCAD has had a profound influence on Savannah and its success to this day. Locals speak highly of SCAD, so much that random locals we met all made a point to mention SCAD including our final Uber driver to the airport who spends her time living in the Caribbean but comes back to her family’s mansions in Savannah throughout the year, their mansions are often used for film crews or events. She was fascinating, but what she said was that she can vividly remember when SCAD was investing in the properties here and she didn’t see the vision they did, but she’s so happy that they preserved everything they have – and that seems to be the local sentiment towards SCAD in a nutshell.
If you don’t know what Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is, do yourself a favor and watch the 1997 film starring John Cusack, Kevin Spacey, and Jude Law based on the 1994 non-fiction novel by John Berendt. The book was a sensation, and to this day, is one of the books with the longest duration on the New York Times Best Sellers list!
The film was directed by Clint Eastwood and is much quicker to fit in before visiting Savannah unless you have enough time to read the book, which we recommend.
The story is based on real-life events, although for the purpose of a good story they rearranged some of the timeline, it’s a murder story. One of the main characters of the book is a site you’ll probably pass by over and over again, the Mercer-Williams House on Monterey Square.
This is where the real-life events took place, and the house is a haunted site not only because of this story, but there are many other spooky stories tied to the house.
Other popular filming locations include Clary’s Cafe, which was always packed, and Bonaventure Cemetery. And the famous Bird Girl statue that served as the cover of the novel and in scenes of the film has been moved from Bonaventure Cemetery to the Telfair Academy Museum.
If you have the time, read the book or watch the movie before your visit to Savannah so you’re ‘in’ on all the references.
Last but not least, Johnny Mercer. Without a doubt, he is one of the most beloved Savannah residents of all time. If you’re not familiar with who Mr. Mercer is, perhaps you’ve heard some of his music or you haven’t realized you’ve heard of his music. That’s because he was one of the most prolific songwriters in American history. This man could pump out hit after hit and is considered a lyrical genius.
He also sang and co-founded Capitol Records. Moon River Brewing is named after one of his most famous hits, Moon River. There’s a Johnny Mercer statue in Ellis Square, his gravesite is in Bonaventure Cemetery, and you can go down the rabbit hole of visiting sites like his childhood home in Savannah.
He was a local legend and is an eternal flame for proud Savannahians. And the Mercer-Williams House was constructed under the initiation of his grandfather, however, no Mercer family would ever actually live in the house.
I think it’s safe to say younger generations may not know the talent of Mercer, who had over 1,500 hits in his lifetime! But we highly recommend reading up on a few of his accomplishments because without a doubt, you’ll hear about him a few times on your visit.
Historic Steps to River Street
One of the most popular places to visit in Savannah is River Street, adjacent to the Savannah River this was where all the busy activity and commerce took place as this was one of the most important ports of the South.
You can find some of the oldest buildings in the city down here, along with charming cobblestone streets, the picturesque waterfront, great bars, restaurants, and just an overall lively scene. However, if you have weak knees, are traveling with someone who may have trouble going down a treacherous staircase, you need to be aware of the ‘historic steps’ or ‘stone stairs of death’ getting to River Street.
Many of the ways to get down to River Street are via old, steep steps with yellow caution signs that signify these are historic steps. Which, the ‘stone stairs of death’ get their nickname because of how dangerous this can be for tourists who maybe had a little too much fun and too much to drink at the bars and then have to travel back using the stairs.
Even the staircases around Factor’s Walk you need to watch out for, there’s a set that are damp with moss on them which can be slippery if you don’t have good traction on your shoes.
If you’re not paying attention which route you’re taking, chances are you could encounter one of these staircases which you’ll need to proceed with caution, some are much steeper than others.
But, with a little planning you can avoid them and use alternate access points down to River Street along Bay Street and Factor’s Walk. There is also an ADA-accessible elevator between City Hall and the Hyatt Regency Savannah. There are also ramps for cars that you can use too.
Might I add, going back up some of the stairs on a hot day actually can take your breath away a bit! Whatever you do, don’t miss out on exploring River Street, the area is steeped with history and there are other ways to get to and from it if you don’t want to take the steep, scary sets of stairs!
Savannah Was Spared in the Civil War
This section I am going to try to briefly best summarize how Savannah was ‘spared’ and some considered ‘saved’ during the Civil War by General Sherman on Sherman’s March to the Sea.
General Williams Tecumseh Sherman was a Commander General in the U.S. Army fighting for the Union in the Civil War known for his scorched-earth military strategies used to defeat the Confederates. He was responsible for the capture of Atlanta during the Civil War, which was a very strategic move for the Union and contributed to Abraham Lincoln getting re-elected as President in 1864.
After Atlanta was captured, the next goal was to disrupt the Confederacy’s economic and transportation infrastructure by capturing their ports, including the port of Savannah, this was the March to Sea.
Sherman was cut off from the north and fighting within enemy lines in Savannah. While Sherman and his troops burned and pillaged the south, Savannah was seized and spared.
He sent President Lincoln a letter gifting Savannah to him on December 22, 1864, with this message “I beg to present you, as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, and also about 25,000 bales of cotton.”
Wormsloe Historic Site
One of the most famous places to visit in Savannah is without a doubt Wormsloe Historic Site, a former plantation with a gorgeous live oak lined road often used for a backdrop on Instagram or wedding photos as you can see from the stock image we used above. It is very beautiful, but we ultimately decided not to visit.
Before choosing to visit or not to visit, we encourage you understand this site a little better so you can make an informed visit as there are two sides to this popular historic site.
The story of the family who owned the land is a dramatic one, but it’s not the only story to be told about Wormsloe. There were enslaved men and women on the plantation for over 100 years, which is barely discussed at this site and an ethical dilemma as it glorifies the opulent lifestyles of the slave owners erasing the atrocities that took place here.
The role of Wormsloe as a plantation, and the stories of the enslaved people who lived there aren’t being told and are being erased from this site. Some groups think that the enslavement of Black people is uncomfortable to talk about and that it should be excluded from tourism experiences.
But would you still visit the site if you thought of these enslaved men and women as being silenced? We wanted to address the problematic nature of places like Wormsloe because we always encourage readers to do a bit of research before visiting any place.
And it is possible to recognize the beauty of a place, but it’s also important not to erase its past, even if it is ugly and truth be told, we aren’t very far removed from a time when there were active plantations. Erasing narratives desensitizes the horrific atrocities that took place at these sites.
By no means are we saying you shouldn’t visit, but we urge you to do your research before and also be aware and supportive of the unaddressed issues with the site.
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