In 1733, General Oglethorpe and his passengers landed at a high point along the river. Named after King George II of England, Georgia was the thirteenth colony, and Savannah was its first city and capital. Steeped in history with both battles from the Revolutionary War and the U.S. Civil War, visitors can tour historic homes. With history comes causalities, and Savannah is considered one of the most haunted cities in the U.S. While in town, take in the culinary delights, from Southern cuisine to seafood of the Gulf to Low Country favorites. Concentrated in the historic district of Savannah and easily walkable, here are the top things to do in Savannah.
19 Top Things to Do in Savannah in 2 Days
Walk by the 1st African Church
Wander through Franklin Square
Explore The City Market
Tour the American Prohibition Museum
Meander through Ellis Square
Shop along Broughton Street
Take a Savannah Riverboat Cruise
Eat at Vic’s on the River
Get the Chills on the Ghosts and Gravestone Tour
Have Brunch at Rhett
Visit the Telfair Academy
Explore the Jepson Center and the Children’s Art Museum
Take the Owens Thomas House and Slave Quarters Tour
Walk through the Colonial Park Cemetery
Eat at PInk
See the Waving Girl Statue
Walk along the Riverfront
Day1: Walk by the 1st African Church
This is the first black Baptist congregation in North America and was organized in 1773. The church was built in 1859.
Located at 23 Montgomery St, Savannah.
Time to Spend: less than 1 hour
Closeby: Franklin Square
Wander through Franklin Square
Savannah features 22 squares, or city parks, one is Franklin Square. Named after Benjamin Franklin who was an agent for Georgia in London.
It includes the Haitian Monument, dedicated to Haitian soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. Most squares offer towering trees and park benches.
Located on W. Bryan St., Montgomery St. and W. Congress St. Free to enter.
Time to Spend: less than 1 hour
Closeby: The City Market
Top Things to Do in Macon Georgia
Explore The City Market
Flanked by Franklin and Ellis Squares, this pedestrian area is home to boutiques, dining and even a museum. While strolling through, pop into any of its signature stops in the City Market, including the Byrd Cookie Company, Savannah’s Candy Kitchen and the Savannah Shoe Company.
This area also frequently offers live music, and there are numerous galleries. While at The City Market, tour the American Prohibition Museum. This area is the meeting spot for several tour companies.
Located at 219 W Bryan St, Savannah. Free to visit.
Time to Spend: 1 hour to 2 hours
Closeby: Ellis Square
Top Things to Do in Gulf Shores
Tour the American Prohibition Museum
To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect in this museum. Upon entering, the exhibits were engaging, and they led me through the history of prohibition.
I learned about the groups that supported it, the groups that dodged it and the economic reasons it was repealed. For adults, it was an engaging history lesson. For kids, it will fall flat.
Located at 209 W. St. Julian St, Savannah Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission starts at $17.23 with demand pricing. Kids (4 to 12) start at $10.17.
Time to Spend: 2 hours
Closeby: Ellis Square
Meander through Ellis Square
Ellis Square was one of the first squares laid out in Savannah, one of 22. Named after Sir Henry Ellis, he was an early governor of the colony of Georgia.
This original square was destroyed in the 1950s and turned into a parking garage. That came down and located underground and a new square opened in 2010.
Time to Spend: less than 1 hour
Closeby: Broughton Street
Top Things to Do on Cumberland Island
Shop along Broughton Street
Running parallel to the Savannah River, Broughton Street is lined with boutiques. I recommend walking up some side of the side and down the other.
The Paris Market
This two-level shop is a treasure trove of unique finds from around the world. The Paris Market sells accessories like berets and ribbons. Also, find housewares, dinnerware and glassware, especially European brands and styles.
Located at 36 W Broughton St, Savannah. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Coffee Fox
It’s a cute coffee shop for a pick-me-up. It serves pour-over, iced and barista-made coffee drinks plus pastries.
102 W. Broughton St, Savannah. Open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Savannah Bee Company
Stop in and support the bees. Savannah Bee Company offers lots of varieties, like individual flower honey, along with flavored honey.
Located at 104 W Broughton St. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Savannah Seafood Shack
This quick-service restaurant is a must for a simple seafood lunch. During my visit, I ordered a seafood cone. Its low country boil, with shrimp, sausage, and corn on the cob, is another popular menu item.
Located at 116 E. Broughton St. Open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
Leopold’s Ice Cream
Under its neon sign, there will probably be a line for this Savannah treat. Leopold’s Ice Cream. It offers gluten-free, vegan and ice cream treats made from a host of popular ice cream flavors.
Located at 212 E. Broughton St. Open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Gutstein Gallery and SCAD Exhibitions
The Savannah College of Art and Design was founded in 1978 and offers college degrees in the arts and design. Along Broughton Street, visitors will find its exhibition space and art sales gallery.
Located at 201 E. Broughton St.
Top Things to Do in Nashville
Take a Savannah Riverboat Cruise
Float along the Savannah River on one of the two riverboats on a 1 1/2 narrated cruise. The 3:30 p.m. sightseeing cruise departs from the original location of the first landing of General Olglethrope on the riverfront.
Then the cruise heads up river under Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge to the Port of Savannah. On our trip we saw a large container ship heading out to sea.
The Savannah Riverboat Cruise heads further downriver past the Waving Girl statue, Florence Martus. The cruise continues to the tip of Hutchinson Island and Old Fort Jackson before circling around.
Departs from 9 East River Street. Several cruise options are available, like brunch, lunch, dinner and more. There is a paid bar on board with both air-conditioned and open-air seating. Prices start $36.95 for adults and kids (5 to 12) are $23.95.
Eat at Vic’s on the River
Located in a 19th-century cotton warehouse, Vic’s on the River offers a blend of Southern favorites, Low Country classics and Gulf of Mexico seafood. Its expansive menu offers a wide selection of wines by the glass, beer and signature cocktails.
Guests will find Southern staples like Fried Green Tomatoes, Crawfish Beignets and Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. Entrees include Shrimp and Grits, Pecan-Fried Flounder and Vic’s fried Chicken.
Located at 26 E Bay St., Savannah. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Reservations are recommended.
Best Things to Do in Branson
Get the Chills on the Ghosts and Gravestone Tour
Take a ghost tour while in Savannah. This town is one of the most haunted in the U.S.
The Ghosts and Gravestone Tour is an 80-minute guided tour on a trolley. During the ghostly introduction, we learned the different factors that lead to Savannah’s haunting, like servant abuse and nearby Civil War battlefields.
we headed to the Andrew Low House. For former Girl Scouts, this was the house of the Girl Scout Founder Juliet Gordon Low. The house has long been rumored to be haunted and we got to tour the house after dark.
After cruising by graveyards and haunted squares, we ended the tour at Perkins and Sons Ship Chandlery. It is here that shiphands were abused.
It departs from 301 East River St. General admission starts at $37.56, and children under 6 aren’t allowed on evening departures. There are several tour options, and departures start at 6:40 p.m. and run until 9:40 p.m.
Day 2: Brunch at Rhett
Getaways are better when started with brunch. Rhett serves traditional brunch, like Eggs Benedict favorites. However, find entrees with a Southern twist, like Chicken and Waffles. And there’s a Bloody Mary bar.
Located in The Alida, 412 Williamson St., Savannah. Open daily for brunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are recommended for weekend brunch.
Time to Spend: 1 to 2 hours
What’s Closeby: JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
Visit the Telfair Academy
Inside the 1819 two-story, pale ochre Neo-Classical Regency-style mansion is a collection of 19th and 20th-century art. The museum features the Rotunda Gallery and a sculpture gallery.
On my visit, I saw Bird Girl by Sylvia Shaw Judson, made famous for its cover feature on the book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Telfair Academy features three separate locations: Telfair Academy, Jepson Center and Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters.
Located at 121 Barnard St., Savannah. Open Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Adult admission for all three is $30, students are $20 and kids (to 12) are $10.
Time to Spend: 1 to 2 hours
What’s Closeby: Jepson Center
Explore the Jepson Center and the Children’s Art Museum
The Jepson Center is located in a modern building that opened in 2006. During my visit, it hosted a fascinating traveling exhibition. It offers exhibits focused on contemporary art and photography.
The newly opened Children’s Art Museum is an interactive space on three levels. It features art on the walls and engaging activities that encourage exploration.
Located at 207 W. York St., Savannah, Open Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is included in Telfair Academy.
Time to Spend: 1 to 2 hours
What’s Closeby: Telfair Square
Take the Owens Thomas House and Slave Quarters Tour
In a similar style to the Telfair Mansion, the Owens Thomas House offers a look into the lifestyle of the affluent in Savannah in the 19th century. Visitors will see the original furnishings and art as they learn about how the enslaved worked behind the scenes.
After touring the main house, the tour continues to the slave quarters behind the garden. The juxtaposition of the conditions helps to tell the story.
124 Abercorn St., Savannah. Open Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is included in Telfair Academy. The 45-minute tours are first-come, first-served and every 15 minutes.
Time to Spend: 1 to 2 hours
What’s Closeby: Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Museum, founder of Girl Scouts
Walk through the Colonial Park Cemetery
Established in 1750 when Savannah was the capital of British Georgia, this downtown cemetery stopped accepting burials in 1853. It became a city park about 40 years later.
As the oldest cemetery still instanct in Savannah, visitors can stroll through to see the old gravestones. Ghost tours frequent the Colonial Park Cemetery and it is rumored to be haunted.
Located at 200 Abercorn St., Savannah. Free to enter and open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Time to Spend: 1 hour
Dinner at Olde Pink House
This fabled restaurant is located in a mansion built in 1771. Rumored to be haunted, tour buses frequently circle the eatery.
Inside, diners can peruse a Southern menu with appetizers like Crab Cakes and Fried Green Tomatoes. Entrees include seafood options like Flounder and Fried Shimp along with Fried Chicken.
Located at 23 Abercorn St., Savannah. Open for lunch on Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Open daily for dinner from 5 to 10:30 p.m. (11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday).
See the Waving Girl Statue
Florence Martus would wave at ships approaching Savannah from 1887 to 1931, after looking for her long-lost love. Today a statue stands in her place.
Located at 508 E River St, Savannah.Free to Enjoy.
Walk along the Waterfront
Once home to longshoremen and warehouses, this area now offers a cobblestone street with lots of space for strolling. There are several parks with shopping, restaurants and pubs.
Located along W. River St. Free to Enjoy.
Take in the Night Lights from Myrtle and Rose Rooftop Bar
Savannah’s rooftop bars offer one of the best views in the city. See passing boats, and the night lights twinkle on. Each rooftop bar offers its own vibe; the Myttle and Rose Rooftop Bar offers lots of tables and furniture for conservation.
Located at 500 W River St., Savannah. Open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday from noon to midnight, Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Where to Stay in Savannah
In a repurposed 1912 power plant, the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District is perched along the Savannah River. Located within three buildings, guests will enjoy upmarket lodging and dining.
If not staying in the property, walk through its lobby. JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District’s lobby mimics a natural history museum with dinosaurs and mineral displays.
Located at 400 W. River St., Savannah.
