A Deep South Newbie Recounts Her First Visit to Savannah, Georgia

When I first started planning my trip, I bought a copy of "The Best Little Map of Savannah" ($7.25 at amazon.com) Even though you will be able to pickup free city maps included in tourism brochures when you get to Savannah, "The Best Little Map" series also marks the location of hotels, historic homes, shopping and tourist areas, and popular restaurants, making it very easy to plan your itinerary before you actually arrive. You can also request visitor guides from the Savannah Convention & Visitors Bureau online: http://www.savcvb.com/contact-info.asp

The visitor guide should arrive shortly in the mail, but keep in mind; all the attractions and restaurants featured in the guide are paid-in sponsors of the convention & visitor bureau. Do yourself a favor and research all the attractions online. Tripadvisor.com has informative reviews on almost every hotel, attraction, or restaurant that exists in the world. http://www.tripadvisor.com

Getting There

We flew from Newark to Savannah on a Continental Express Jet (one of their smaller planes). The plane is small and their overhead compartments are very limited, so if you are carrying a suitcase it will be "gate checked" (taken from you when you board the plane and given back to you after the rest of the passengers have deplaned). This was fine until I got my luggage back and found that the handle was broken. The Cleveland-based pilots and crew were very rude about the broken handle but after wandering around the Savannah airport for ½ hour, we found a Continental representative who took pity on us and gave us a brand new piece of luggage! The Savannah/Hilton Head airport is very nice, only about a decade old. It wasn't hard to find a taxi, but our taxi-driver didn't know the location of our historic inn, which was surprising because it is one of the nicest B&Bs in the historic district. Luckily, I had the address and knew that it was located on the famous Chippewa Square, where Forest Gump sat on a bench waiting for the bus and uttered his famous line, "Life is like a box of chocolates...". The taxi fares are regulated in Savannah and you can pick up a list of standard fares from the airport at the visitor information center before you leave the airport. The standard fare from the airport to the historic district is currently $25. More information on taxi fares can be found here: http://www.savannahairport.com/taxicab_system.php

Weather/Climate

The climate in Savannah can best be described as moderate. The hottest month is July, when temperatures can soar to the mid 90s. In the winter, the temperature can dip to 38 degrees. Our trip took place during June, and we found Savannah to be hot, muggy, and overcast. Expect isolated thunderstorms almost every day in the summer. After a particularly heavy evening downpour (it looked like a river was flowing down the street), a local told us that it was just the standard 6 o'clock shower. We woke up every morning to heavy rain, but the sky would always clear up by the time we finished breakfast. Savannah has a sub-tropical climate, and the torrential rains come and go throughout the day. We were lucky to usually be inside during these thunderstorms. The best advice we can give is to carry an umbrella with you at all times -when it rains in Savannah, it pours!

Getting Around

Savannah is probably the best walking city in North America. If you stay in the 2.5 square mile historic district, you'll find everything is within a 5-10 minute walk. Savannah's beauty can be appreciated best on foot. Being the nation's first planned city, streets are conveniently laid out in a grid pattern with 21 lush green squares placed at regular intervals. On weekends, you'll likely see canopies and tents being pitched and caterers running around since locals can rent the squares from the city for weddings and parties. Don't miss Forsyth park - a 20 acre park with a beautiful fountain located near the southern side of the historic district (but best explored during the daytime because at night you may encounter some homeless guys). Spanish moss hangs gracefully from the beautiful live oak trees lining the streets - but be careful not to touch the low-hanging moss - it contains microscopic chiggers! But if you are feeling too lazy to walk, there is a free CAT shuttle that stops at several of the historic district's most popular areas. More information about the CAT shuttle can be obtained here:http://www.catchacat.org/shuttle.aspx. If you are planning to visit neaby Tybee Island, you'll probably need to rent a car (see below section on Renting a Car) .

Accommodations/Lodging

If you want the full Southern hospitality experience, I would recommend that you stay at a Bed & Breakfast located in the historic district. In addition to being centrally located within walking distance to most Savannah tourist attractions, you'll enjoy complimentary Southern-style home cooked breakfasts, afternoon sweet tea & desserts, and evening hors d'oeuvres. But be prepared to spend anywhere from $250 - $400 a night for the elegant digs and personalized attention. My husband and I stayed at the charming Foley House Inn, centrally located in Savannah's historic district on Chippewa Square. The breakfasts and hors d'oeuvres were delicious, the location was convenient, and the staff was very helpful. But be warned, most of the historic buildings in Savannah are haunted, and we were not disappointed as our B&B had more than one resident ghost. But if you are looking for more economical lodging, you'll find several chain hotels/motels located in the historic district, where you can find rooms for $100 - 150 per night, depending on the season. And don't forget to add in the 12% hotel/occupancy tax when calculating the total cost of your room per night.

Sightseeing Tours

Historic Overview Tour - Old Savannah Tours
This 90-minute narrated trolley tour takes you through Savannah's historic district. If you are staying in the historic district, a complimentary limousine service or trolley will pick you up and drive you to the Savannah visitor center (where the tours begin). Make sure you call ahead to make pick-up arrangements with the tour company. We found the historic overview tour to be a good introduction to Savannah. You can hop on and hop off at several popular stops in the historic district. When you are ready to disembark, let the driver know where you want to go and he'll drop you off at the closest stop. The current price is $20 per person, but you can save $2 by purchasing your tickets online. Keep in mind that there are several other tour operators in Savannah (Grayline, Old Town Trolley) that offer similar trolley tours. We ended up choosing Old Savannah Tours because they've been around for a long time.
http://www.oldsavannahtours.com

Paula Deen Tour - Old Savannah Tours
This 4-hour coach bus excursion takes you to all the places that Paula Deen has featured on her cooking show on the Food Network. Includes a lunch at Uncle Bubba's Oyster House (Paula and her brother, Bubba Hiers, are the joint owners). You will get a free gift bag which contains a praline from River Street Sweets, coupons to local Savannah retailers such as the Savannah Tea Room, and a coupon allowing the holder to make a reservation at Lady & Sons, Paula's famous restaurant on Congress St. (usually the restaurant does not take reservations, requiring diners to wait outside in line for hours). This tour is recommended for die-hard Paula Deen fans! $54 per person (children 5 -12 $34, children under 5 free).
http://www.oldsavannahtours.com

Ghost Walk Ghost Talk Tour
This is the "original" and arguably the best ghost tour in Savannah. This nighttime walking tour takes you through the haunted streets of Savannah. Our tour guide was very engaging and shared some ghost stories that truly gave us the creeps. The tour meets at dusk by John Wesley's monument at Reynolds Square, and reservations are recommended. $10 for adults. Wear bug spray if you are the type of person that mosquitoes find attractive ( I received at least 4 bites during this 90-minute tour).
http://www.savannahgeorgia.com/ghosttalk/

Historic Homes

The historic district now has over 1000 restored homes, thanks in part to the restoration efforts of Jim Williams of Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil notoriety and SCAD(Savannah College of Art & Design), which is the largest art college in the nation. The SCAD campus was "built" by restoring over 50 historic buildings. Keep in mind that Savannah's restoration movement is just a few decades old, and they still have a long way to go - you'll still see many unrestored dilapidated houses throughout the historic district. Many historic homes are open to the public for tours. Most tours start on the hour, and some houses have tours every half-hour, so time your visits accordingly.

Davenport House
I picked this house to visit because I was interested in seeing an example of Federal-style architecture. We were disappointed after touring this house, and though I can't say I am a big fan of the Federal-style, I found the Nathaniel-Russell House in Charleston to be a more luxurious example of the Federal and Trump L'Oeuil style. If you are not interested in period architecture or furniture, I would recommend skipping this tour.
http://www.davenporthousemuseum.org/

Owens-Thomas House
Although I enjoyed this tour more than the Davenport House, partly due to the ability to tour the preserved slave quarters and to view the fairly sophisticated inner workings and plumbing systems of the house, I still found the Owens-Thomas house to be disappointing. We have been spoiled ever since we visited the Winterthur estate in Delaware (the former Dupont mansion with the greatest collection of Americana in the world). The period rooms in Wintherthur were so breathtaking that the Davenport and Owens-Thomas Houses in Savannah were pale in comparison. I also found the price of admission for the historic homes fairly steep, at $10-12 a pop for a very short and limited tour. Granted, these high admission prices are necessary to preserve the homes.
http://www.telfair.org/buildings/ot_house.asp

Mercer House (or Mercer-Williams House)
If you are a fan of the book/movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil, you will enjoy strolling by the notorious Mercer House, where antiques dealer Jim Williams shot and killed his young lover, Danny Hansford. Jim Williams was tried for the same murder 4 times, eventually being acquitted. We decided not to tour the house, as we saw much of the actual interior of the house while watching the Clint Eastwood-directed movie. Being a huge fan of the book, I had my husband take a picture of me in front of the gate.
http://www.mercerhouse.com/

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
This 124 year old gothic-style cathedral recently underwent a multi-million dollar restoration. The newly restored interiors are breathtaking. The sight of the pipe organ alone is amazing. Visitors are welcome during the day between church services. There is no admission fee. Highly recommended.
http://www.savannahcathedral.org/

Shopping

Jere's Antiques
We stopped by Jere's Antiques while we were waiting for our table at Paula Deen's restauarant. This huge 30,000 square foot warehouse is packed with European antiques. We were surprised to find many were reasonably priced and even contemplated buying some Chinese vases that had been converted into table lamps. Jere himself came over to give us a quote on the lamp, reducing the price significantly from what was on the sticker. He even offered to check the cost of shipping at the local post office for us. Even if you're not in the buying mood, it's fun to browse at Jere's Antiques. Keep in mind that the place is not air-conditioned and can get hot in the summer! Here's a bit of trivia about Jere's Antiques: when Paula Deen was opening her first restaurant on Congress Street, she was having trouble raising the cash to renovate and furnish the place. Jere's Antiques provided her with all the chairs she needed and did not charge her a dime until she had enough cash-flow to pay it back.
Jere's Antiques, Inc.
9 N. Jefferson St., Savannah
(912) 236-2815

River Street
On the Savannah River you will find 9 blocks of renovated cotton warehouses filled with souvenir shops, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels, and art galleries known as River Street. It is a steep walk down the stairs and even steeper to drive down the narrow winding roads, but the easiest way to get down to River Street is to take the elevator down from the Hyatt hotel on Bay Street. Our visit to Savannah coincided with the first Saturday of the month - on "First Saturdays", local artists set up booths along River Street showcasing their crafts. There is also live entertainment. Also "First Fridays" of the month showcase fireworks. Don't miss River Street Sweets - the best pralines in town. We had already purchased some pralines at Savannah Candy Kitchen in City Market because they were on sale (buy a pound, get ½ lb free), however, that was before we had the opportunity to sample the pralines at River Street Sweets. The chocolate pralines at River Street Sweets were decadently rich and chocolaty and the original pralines were the most delicious we ever tried. River Street Sweets also has a location in Charleston, SC.
http://www.riverstreetsavannah.com/index.php
http://www.riverstreetsweets.com/

City Market
This area used to be a farmer and fisherman's market, but today, you'ill find art galleries, restaurants, and souvenir shops. You can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride - all the carriage companies are set up near the gazebo in City Market. This is a good place to stop for ice cream at either Café Gelatoh! or inside the Savannah Candy Kitchen.
http://www.savannahcitymarket.com

Savannah Tea Room
We dropped by this charming tearoom to purchase some white tea for my husband and a blended Emperor's Bride tea for my mother-in-law. The Emperor's Bride smelled deliciously fragrant with chunks of pineapple and orange peel in it. You can also stop here for lunch or afternoon tea. Reservations recommended for afternoon high tea. 7 E Broughton St. (just East of Bull St.)
http://www.savannahtearoom.com/

Restaurants

Lady & Sons
Hey y'all! The Lady & Sons is Paula Deen's famous restaurant that she co-owns with her two sons, Jamie & Bobby. If you don't already know it, Paula Deen is Savannah's biggest celebrity (at least in my opinion). Her show, Paula's Home Cooking, has made Paula one of the most popular chefs on TV. Her 2004 wedding special was the highest ranked program EVER on the Food Network. Thousands of people travel to Savannah each year just to eat at the Lady & Sons, hoping for a glimpse of Paula and/or one of her sons. The lines begin outside the restaurant early in the morning, and the restaurant has even stopped taking reservations because they are no longer effective. They do, however, accept reservations for a handful of holidays during the year - Valentine's Day/Mother's Day/ Father's Day/ Easter/Thanksgiving/New Year's. But if you are determined to eat at the Lady & Sons, you can either wait in the long line outside, or do what we did - when you arrive at the restaurant, immediately check in with the hostess. She will put your name down on the list and give you an approximate time to return and a pager which works within a 3 block radius. During your wait you can explore City Market, go souvenir hunting, or go antique shopping for the hour or so waiting time. By then, you'll have worked up a good appetite for the Lady & Sons' famous buffet!
http://www.ladyandsons.com/

Uncle Bubba's Oyster House
This restaurant is co-owned by Paula Deen and her younger brother Bubba Hiers. Please note that Uncle Bubba's is not located within Savannah's historic district but in nearby Wilmington Island, so you will need a car to get there. We ate at Uncle Bubba's as part of the Paula Deen Tour by Old Savannah Tours. Although we had to order our meal off of a special (and very limited) tour menu, we also ordered a half dozen of Uncle Bubba's char-grilled oysters and paid for them on a separate check. The oysters were delicious, and I was even able to get my husband to eat a couple even though he usually doesn't like oysters (but what doesn't taste good smothered in butter and parmesan cheese?) I also had the crab cake sandwich which was fairly standard while my husband ordered the Paula's plate special. A fun experience - the hallways are lined with family pictures of Paula and Bubba. If you don't catch a glimpse of Paula at the Lady & Sons, you might find her at Uncle Bubba's. Apparently, she and her husband Michael only live a few minutes away on Wilmington Island. http://www.unclebubbasoysterhouse.com/

Olde Pink House
Unfortunately, we did not get to eat at this haunted establishment that serves fine Low-Country cuisine. We had a reservation here but chose to cancel due to sheer exhaustion from having not slept the night before (courtesy of a pesky ghost in our room). We dropped by the restaurant to cancel and got a peek of the beautiful dining room. Additionally, the host was very nice about our cancelled reservation and said they would have no problem filling our spot as the restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike. The restaurant is located inside a restored historic house that "glows" pink (bricks under a layer of protective stucco produce the pink effect). The ghost of General Habersham apparently haunts the building, but he is a "docile" ghost and will not interact with you. You may get a glimpse of him dressed in civil war garb walking though the dining room on some nights. Ladies, do not use the facilities in the Planter's Tavern downstairs, as another ghost resides in the women's restroom and he has been known to pinch a few bottoms and may even try to have a conversation with you while you are conducting your most private business. This restaurant was recommended by an employee at our B&B and also has live entertainment at the Planter's Tavern downstairs.
Olde Pink House
23 Abercorn St. (just off Reynolds Square) (912) 232-4286.
Dress code: "whatever you like" according to the staff of the Olde Pink House

Sushi Zen
This is the casual restaurant we ate at after canceling our reservation at the Olde Pink House. It's funny, when I'm tired or sick I always feel like Asian food. We had passed Sushi Zen a few times on our way to City Market and it looked like a decent place to get something fast and inexpensive. We both ordered the chicken teriyaki, which came in larger chunks of chicken that we were used to but hey, who's complaining? We also had a California roll that we shared which was OK. For the adventurous sushi lover, Sushi Zen appears to have an extensive selection of rolls. Although this did not turn out to be a cheap meal, it would have been a lot more expensive to eat at the Olde Pink House and we were not in the best shape that day to do fine dining(and deal with any more ghosts). We probably spent about $35 - $40 for our quick meal and then headed home to our B&B for some much needed sleep.
http://www.sushizenusa.com/downtown.html

Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant
Asian again? That's right. After a huge dinner the night before, a gourmet breakfast at the Foley House Inn, and a huge lunch at the Lady & Son's, we were feeling a little, ahem, fat. Lucky for us we had no dinner reservations that night and we could search for some lighter fare. We noticed the Saigon Restaurant earlier in the day and decided to try it out. It seems a bit crazy to be eating Vietnamese food in the Deep South, however, I embrace any opportunity to eat Vietnamese cuisine (Vietnamese restaurants are very scarce in central New Jersey). Plus Vietnamese food is very light without sacrificing flavor. My husband had some grilled chicken on rice with salad and I had the Banh Cuon (steamed rice rolls filled with ground pork). Both meals were very good and inexpensive.
Saigon
4 W Broughton St.
912 232-5288

Renting a Car

A few weeks before our trip, I booked an online reservation through Budget Rent-A-Car. We planned to drive from Savannah to Charleston and drop off our car at the Charleston airport at the end of our trip. Budget was the perfect rental place, not only was it cheap ($120 for 3 days) but they also specialize in one-way trips. We took a taxi from the Foley House Inn to the Budget location in Savannah's South Side at 7070 Abercorn St.(near Eisenhower Dr). Our taxi driver was very knowledgeable and friendly and knew exactly where we were going. The fare was around $17 for a 10-15 minute ride. Picking up our car was a pleasure. Even though we were an hour early, our car was ready for us. The employees at the Budget location were extremely friendly and helped us load our bags even though we insisted that we didn't need any help. We even ran into a friendly local there who hand-wrote us detailed instructions on how to get to Charleston. Basically, we needed to get to I-95 and take the Savannah/Beaufort exit, which takes you to Highway 17(known as the Savannah highway). However, be careful not to take the wrong highway 17 - strangely, we encountered several other highways named "17" before we reached the true Savannah exit.
http://www.budget.com/

Road Trip to Charleston,SC

The drive from Savannah to Charleston was very easy and quite picturesque, however, scattered thunderstorms produced some scary driving conditions for a few minutes. We had a couple stops we wanted to make along the way. The taxi driver who drove us to Budget Rent-a-car had recommended we stop at a roadside stand known for its peach cider. We were also planning to stop at the Old Sheldon Church Ruins (our concierge in Charleston had recommended we see the ruins when he found out that we were driving in from Savannah). The directions I had for the ruins were a bit sketchy, and we missed the turn-off the first time. If you are heading in the direction of Charleston, the turn-off for Old Sheldon Road is right before Highway 17 (towards Charleston) splits off with Highway 21 (towards Beaufort). We saw a small sign for Old Sheldon Road, which I misunderstood and so we ended up driving past the exit. When we passed the cider place on our left, I felt that we had missed the exit so we turned around and went back the way we came, stopping for some fabulous peach cider. The roadside stand is actually called the Carolina Cherry Company, and while delicious ciders are the main attraction, you can also pick up jam, sauces, benne wafers, and other local foodstuffs for much less than you'll find at the souvenir shops in either Savannah or Charleston. If you are in need of a pit stop, I found their restroom to be fairly clean. After purchasing some goodies, we obtained better directions to the ruins from the owner. Half a mile down the road (heading back toward Savannah) we found the exit for Old Sheldon road. We took this exit and drove about 1.5 miles down a gorgeous tree-lined road before we suddenly saw the sign for the ruins and parked half-hazardly on the shoulder of the road (even though there were several signs that said No Parking). The Old Sheldon Ruins are quite beautiful. This church was burned on two separate occasions and is still standing. It is a favorite place for locals to get married or to have a picnic. And the pictures we took turned out great!

Last Word

They weren't kidding about Southern hospitality; we've never received better service or met friendlier people in all our travels. And the food was so delicious and comforting! So prepare to loosen your belts and don't forget to try the pralines and the sweet tea!