20240613_104805Forsyth Park (June 2024)

Despite being born and raised in the United States, I admit I’ve not visited much of my home country. Even more so is that I haven’t visited the US South until last summer, when I took a short trip with my partner to the state of Georgia. It would be our first time visiting, and we spent about a week taking in all that it had to offer– hot and humid weather galore!

Savannah was our first stop in Georgia. Once the state’s capital, Savannah is a coastal city situated east of the state, located along the Savannah River (which separates Georgia and South Carolina) and near the Atlantic Ocean. The city was established in 1733 during the British colony and was a strategic seaport for the shipping industry– a major one was the slave trade, in which over 23,000 slaves were “shipped” over to the US between 1750 and 1798. Not the US’s proudest moment, but it bears remembering and understanding the dark side to the South’s legacy with slavery.

The city remains a notable port for the shipping industry today, although it now exports items like wood pulp, paper, and clay and imports furniture and electronics (no more slaves)! Savannah is also now a huge tourist draw for the state, attracting millions of visitors every year for its historic, colonial buildings, lush Spanish moss squares, and River Street for its numerous bars and restaurants to have a good time. My partner and I spent two nights in town to explore as much as we could.

My partner and I took a red-eye flight from Los Angeles over to Charlotte, as there are no direct flights to Savannah. We were unable to sleep on the plane and therefore got barely any shut-eye during the 4-1/2 hour flight. We arrived into Charlotte around 6h00 local time, where we had a brisk, 40-minute layover. We basically had to hustle upon getting off the plane and heading to the next gate, and we arrived with 10 minutes to spare before boarding. The flight to Savannah only lasted an hour– as soon as we took off, we basically landed!

Finally, we arrived into Savannah at 8h00, local time. We got a taxi right outside and headed into town. Our driver dropped us off at our hotel right in the heart of the Historic District– although we were way too early to check in, we were able to drop off our bags and head out to grab breakfast, as well as force ourselves to stay awake!

We got breakfast at a trendy brunch spot a few blocks from our hotel. I ordered a bubble and squeak (actually a British dish, but with a Southern spin) and a lavender mocha. Everything was presented beautifully, and everything tasted delicious– considering we hadn’t eaten since dinner the night before, breakfast was very-much welcome. And a bit of caffeine was necessary to wake up and adjust to the three-hour time difference!

20240613_093800Bubble and squeak and lavender mocha

After breakfast, my partner and I took a stroll down Bull Street, which cut through several squares filled with Spanish moss, a distinctive tree to Savannah. As the city was built during the colonial times, the urban developer James Oglethorpe constructed Savannah in a grid-like pattern, with plenty of squares as meeting points for the surrounding communities. Not only that, but it was also made walkable, or at least accessible for horse-drawn carriages, which makes for an easy, compact city to walk in today.

20240613_101931Chippewa Square (with statue of James Oglethorpe)

We passed through several squares, including Chippewa Square (famous for being in the film Forrest Gump) and Madison Square before reaching Forsyth Park, a large green space with a pretty water fountain at the center of it. Although it was barely 9h00 and already 32°C/90°F, Forsyth Park was brimming with gorgeous scenery, as well as plenty of shade under the Spanish Moss to enjoy the outdoors, even in the middle of June.

20240613_104448Madison Square with Spanish Moss

20240613_105550Fountain at Forsyth Park

Turning back, we headed over to E Shaver Booksellers, a cute and quaint bookstore that had cats roaming about (adorable!) before heading to the nearby Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. We happened to arrive just five minutes before it would close for Mass, but we were allowed to enter and quickly check it out. I found the interior very beautiful and impressive, with high-vaulted ceilings and an adorned nave. Very glad we could squeeze in to get a glimpse of it!

20240613_112633Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist

20240613_112957Inside the cathedral basilica

The heat was really getting to us, so we headed to Leopold’s to cool down with their famous ice cream. We got some seasonal flavors including peach and blueberry: the scoops were on the pricey side, but were tasty enough. They especially had this almost-whipped and fluffy texture, which was very interesting, but yummy all the same. We also sat inside with the fans blowing to escape the heat outdoors!

20240613_115541Leopold’s blueberry and peach ice cream

Our last stop was on River Street, a road right along the Savannah River that’s home to plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy yourself in. As we were there around midday, it wasn’t too crowded, but I could imagine the area would get packed during the evenings. We took a break inside a bar with some sweet tea (and air conditioning!) and admired the tranquil waters outside.

20240613_133408Along River Street

20240613_123418 Talmadge Memorial Bridge along Savannah River (connects Georgia and South Carolina)!

We returned to the hotel around 13h30, where we were able to check in early and head to our room. The hotel is housed inside a former colonial mansion, which was really cool in the historical aspect. It was, however, small and very creaky, which made for a, erm, cozy and noisy stay. And as we were right in the heart of the Historic District, it got loud at night with visitors going bar-hopping and traffic along the streets. The hotel wasn’t very cheap, either, as it was roughly $350 USD/night during our stay. Not our favorite hotel we’ve stayed in, but for just two nights, we put up with it.

As we’d barely gotten sleep the night before, started sightseeing right away, and jet-lagged, we were utterly exhausted and immediately crashed for a few hours in our room before we headed out for an early dinner. We settled on a restaurant two blocks away, which served traditional Southern cuisine. Food and service were below-average, but I did appreciate trying grits and fried green tomatoes for the first time– I would try more Southern food during my time in Georgia, so it was a nice little taste to whet my appetite for more later! It was then back to the hotel to rest some more, to recharge for more sightseeing the following day.

20240613_172140Grits with fried green tomatoes and crab cakes

Stay tuned for Day 2 of Savannah! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

48 thoughts on “Destination: Savannah, Georgia (PART 1)”

    1. Yes, the Spanish moss are a distinctive part of Savannah (and many other parts of the South)! Thanks for reading, Han, and Day 2 will be up soon!

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  5. After reading your informative post and seeing your pretty photos, I’m thinking it might be nice to include a day trip (maybe by Amtrak) to Savannah, Georgia when I plan my visit to Charleston, South Carolina. The basilica looks beautiful. Looking forward to seeing more of Savannah from your POV. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!

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    1. Definitely go! Charleston and Savannah are literally across the border from each other, and I can see doing a day trip (or overnight stay) to Savannah feasible! Alas, I’ve yet to visit Charleston (I had to cut it from the trip, due to time constraints), but have lots of fun in Charleston and report back!!

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    1. Yes, I remember you went to Charleston a while back! I’ve yet to visit, but now it’s on my bucket list. Safe travels to Tbilisi, and enjoy the beauty of Georgia (the country, not the US state)! 😆

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  9. Thank you for showing me Savannah again, which I don’t remember much about. I mainly visited the beautiful old houses, but the heat also limited my outings. Spanish moss grows on several species of tree, I remember it especially in Louisiana on the River Road where it added a lot of majesty to the plantations preceded by their avenue of oak trees where Spanish moss grows.

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    1. I admit, it was sweltering when we visited Savannah, to the point it limited us from going all over town. But we still saw a lot of the city center, and the Spanish moss really makes for a romantic getaway!

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  10. There is something about Spanish moss and colonial buildings that feels kind of romantic and Savannah seems like such a pretty city! I don’t know if and when I’ll ever get to visit that part of the US, so thanks for taking us along!

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    1. Thanks, Juliette! Savannah really is a charming and romantic city. The US South isn’t usually the first place international travelers check out in the country, but it’s worth a visit!

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  11. This is a city I’ve always wanted to visit so I’m very interested to read about your explorations and see your photos. It does look beautiful! But I have to say that bubble and squeak is nothing like any I’ve either cooked or seen served in the UK!

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      1. Our bubble and squeak is simply crushed cooked potatoes mixed with a cooked green vegetable (most often brussels sprouts), seasoned and fried. It’s a popular way of using up leftovers 🙂

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  12. There is just something utterly alluring about its historic architecture, including antebellum mansions and elegant townhouses, along with its charming public squares, and moss-draped oak trees. One of the reasons why I have always wanted to visit Savannah was for those  iconic live oak trees, draped with Spanish moss, which are a defining feature of Savannah’s landscape and a wonderful contribute to its romantic charm. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Indeed! Savannah certainly has that Southern charm. The Spanish moss in town are truly iconic and make for a picturesque stroll. I hope you can come and visit this Georgian city some day! Thanks for reading, Aiva 😊

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      1. They’re both just ground corn, so I don’t understand why I like one but not the other. Teh webs says polenta is yellow and grits are white, but I’ve had both colors of each (ditto for hominy, which I LOVE).

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    1. Nice! I’m glad you enjoyed reading a slice of Savannah in this post. Southern food is rich and comforting, and we had a lot of it while in Georgia! More coming soon 😊

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  16. Since the first time I learned about Savannah a few years ago (I think from a documentary series on Netflix), I’ve been intrigued by this city, especially its historic district. The Spanish moss really makes the city’s parks so atmospheric. Too bad about your hotel experience, though.

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    1. Savannah is a picturesque city and the Spanish moss really adds to its atmosphere! There’s nothing like strolling through town and being shaded by the trees from the humid Southern heat. The hotel, while historic and charming, wasn’t our favorite accommodation, but it was conveniently-located to the main sites. More of our time in Savannah to come soon!

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  19. I love Savannah ❤️ My husband and I lived in Georgia for 8 years while we worked at UGA and would head to Savannah often. We loved it so much we never made it to Charlotte and other destinations in the area. Wandering the historic district was always so magical! We stayed in a bed and breakfast there. I’m glad you were able to visit the city. And so true about seeing more international places than those here in the US… I felt that way when I was younger, but over time now have seen more of the country.

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    1. Nice! Savannah is a charming city, and how wonderful you lived in Georgia to be able to visit it often…I agree with you that, as I get older, I’m trying to see more of the US, my home country, than going abroad (although I still like an overseas trip from time to time)! Thanks for reading, and more of Savannah to come soon!

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  20. I’ve never been to Savannah, but it’s on my list! I did briefly visit Charleston a few years back, and they seem to have a similar vibe. Sounds like you had a good but exhausting first day. It’s a bummer the hotel was noisy and the food was subpar (though the lavender mocha sounds super tasty, and I love fried green tomatoes!). I’m looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip 🙂

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    1. I was hoping to tack on Charleston while in Savannah, but we didn’t have time to see both…I hope to head to Charleston some time to see more of the South! Southern food is rich and comforting at the same time, and I guarantee more delicious food was had in Georgia! Thanks for reading, Diana 😊

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  22. What a lovely post on Savannah! It is one of my favorite Southern cities and I hope to return someday. The Basilica Cathedral reminds me so much of my childhood church. Sounds like. you are getting a good taste of southern food! If you love Southern Cities, Wilmington in North Carolina is lovely! Not as large or famous as Savannah or Charleston but quite nice. Incidentally, we just moved here and are making the Wilmington area our home! Lori

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