A Guide To Savannah, GA’s Highlights

Savannah’s must-see sights are for the most part those that highlight its historic landscape and architecture. If you have only an hour or two in the city, take a stroll through the Historic District to enjoy its many shaded squares, spaced every few blocks through downtown. Savannah’s magnificent canopy of moss-draped live oaks is another special feature of the city most easily appreciated on foot.

Forsyth Park, and especially, its beautiful fountain, is another unmissable sight, as is the Cathedral of St John the Baptist with its towering white spires and extensive interior murals. Just outside the city is Bonaventure Cemetery, widely considered to be one of the best historic cemeteries in the United States, which you can either see independently or on a guided tour.

The other, less-often seen side of Savannah is the intricate landscape of saltwater marshes and tidal creeks that spans the twenty miles between the city and the sea. If you are interested in the human side of Georgia’s lowcountry, the nearby Pin Point Heritage Museum provides a unique opportunity to learn about the lives and livelihoods of a local coastal community.

The wildlife and ecology of the coastal landscape are best explored close up: a boat excursion to one of Georgia’s wild and secluded barrier islands, or a kayak trip deep into the marshes’ tidal creeks. For a budget-friendly alternative, Skidaway Island State Park offers several hiking and biking trails through maritime forest with excellent views of the marsh and its birdlife.

After that, which are the best things to see and do depends more on your interests and budget. An after-dark ghost tour of Savannah’s many, many spots alleged to be haunted is one of the more popular options. A few miles outside of the city, there is plenty to see at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force. Or, for a free in-town highlight, see the impressive collection of artworks at the new Savannah African Art Museum.

Things To Do In Savannah, GA: Attractions, Events & More

Savannah is small enough to be walkable, but large enough to have a full range of attractions, festivals and cultural events.

The city is home to many sites and attractions of national significance, from forts and battle sites to some of the oldest Black congregations in the country, and of course the famous city plan.

Many of the best things to do in Savannah are free: a walk around the old parts of the city to enjoy its architecture and its pretty parks and squares; the riverfront promenade; the atmospheric cemeteries and old churches and synagogues.

Savannah also has a wide range of other attractions.

Historic homes range from the residences of wealthy business people such as the slave-owning former inhabitants of the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters, to the more modest middle-class Depression-Era home of celebrated writer Flannery O’Connor, to the King-Tisdell Cottage, once home to two of Savannah’s early-20th-century African-American entrepreneurs.

Museums explore the history of Savannah’s commercial, cultural and maritime history. Art museums display a range of local and national art, and there are also dozens of independent art galleries. Within a few miles of the historic district are Old Fort Jackson and the former Wormsloe Plantation, both popular with visitors.

Savannah is host to year-round events and festivals. It has one of the largest St Patrick’s Day parades in the country, besides jazz and music festivals, arts events and tours of the city’s homes and gardens, an active concert calendar, and the usual seasonal and holiday celebrations.

Beyond Savannah: Coastal Georgia & The Lowcountry

Situated in the heart of the lowcountry, Savannah also serves as a gateway to the Atlantic seaboard of Georgia and South Carolina, with beautiful beaches, coastal scenery, seafront resorts and attractions all within easy reach of the city.

Dozens of nature sites where the abundant wildlife and birds of the marshland and coastal forest can be seen are within a drive of an hour or so. Skidaway Island State Park is within a short drive of Savannah; the secluded barrier islands of Wassaw and Little Tybee are accessible by boat tour or kayak.

Cultural attractions nearby include sites such as the recreated colonial-era Fort King George, or the historic small cities of Midway and Brunswick.

Tybee Island, with its miles of beach, its lighthouse and the nearby Fort Pulaski, besides special events and parades such as the Pirate Fest and July 4th and New Year’s Eve Fireworks, is only minutes away from Savannah.

Less than an hour northeast of Savannah, into South Carolina, is Hilton Head, another of the southeast’s most popular destinations, and nearby is the charming city of Beaufort. Charleston too is only two hours away.

→ See festival calendars for Hilton Head and Beaufort

Further down the Georgia coast are the Golden Isles of Jekyll and St Simons Islands, both offering a mix of beaches, historic attractions, kayaking and other outdoors activities. Near the Florida border is the wild Cumberland Island National Seashore, most easily accessed from the pleasant riverfront town of St Marys.

Planning A Trip To Savannah

Where To Stay

The Historic District is the best place to stay if you want to be close to Savannah’s main sights and attractions, but accommodation here can be expensive, especially during peak tourist periods and big events.

The Midtown area and nearby, a couple of miles south of the Historic District, offers a good range of hotels and other places to stay if you don’t want to pay the Historic District premium.

For the cheapest accommodation you will need to go much further out, with a wide range of more budget-friendly rooms available in the vicinity of Pooler, GA and the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

If you want to camp, there are several campgrounds and RV parks within easy reach of Savannah, including state-run and privately-operated grounds. Another option is to find a rental in nearby Tybee Island, or one of the other communities within a short drive of Savannah.

Getting To Savannah

Savannah’s main airport is the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which offers non-stop flights to and from dozens of US cities, with most major domestic airlines represented.

Direct Amtrak trains to Savannah are available from most east coast cities between New York and Miami. Intercity bus services are also available — Savannah’s Greyhound station is conveniently located right on the perimeter of the Historic District. If you want to drive the city has good road connections too.

→ More about how to get to Savannah