The Ultimate Savannah, Georgia Travel Guide: Where to Eat, Stay, Shop, and Fall Completely in Love
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There are cities you visit, and there are cities that get into your blood. Savannah is the second kind.
My mother grew up here, which means I have been arriving in this city my entire life — not as a tourist mapping out itineraries, but as someone who knows where the light falls on Forsyth Park in the morning and which squares feel different in the rain. Over the years Savannah has been the backdrop for a dozen different versions of my life: childhood visits, a girls’ trip with my own daughter, mother-daughter weekends where we eat too much and shop too long (and spend too much LOL) and somehow never want to leave. It is two hours from where I live in the Jacksonville area, which means it is also my most reliable escape when I need Spanish moss and cobblestones and a glass of something cold on a porch while I people watch.
What I can tell you, after all those visits, is this: Savannah is one of the most beautifully layered cities in America. It rewards slow walkers, curious eaters, and anyone willing to look past the obvious. And whether you are coming for a romantic weekend, a bachelorette, a girlfriend getaway, or a mother-daughter trip of your own, it will not disappoint.
Getting There
Savannah is remarkably easy to reach. The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) receives direct flights from most major East Coast and Southeast cities, and the airport sits just ten miles from downtown. If you are driving from northern Florida, Jacksonville is about two hours south. From Atlanta, plan around four hours. Charleston is a scenic two-hour drive north on I-95.
Once you are in the Historic District, you will barely need a car. The city is famously walkable, with most restaurants, shops, hotels, and attractions within comfortable strolling distance. My daughter and I certainly got our steps in on our last trip there! Parking in the Historic District can be tight, so if you are driving, check whether your hotel offers valet or parking packages — most downtown properties do, often at a surcharge.
Why Savannah Is Unlike Anywhere Else
Savannah was founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe as one of America’s first planned cities, and that planning is still visible everywhere you look. The Historic District is laid out on a grid of 22 squares — small, moss-draped parks anchored by fountains, statues, and towering live oaks that have been growing since before the Revolution. Walking from square to square, past antebellum mansions and cast-iron balconies and churches that have been standing for two centuries, feels less like tourism and more like stepping into a very well-written novel. Honestly, I can wander through these stone streets for hours with no plan, no itinerary, just strolling through this peaceful city.
The city is also, famously, haunted — or at least deeply preoccupied with its own ghost stories, which amounts to the same thing experientially. Bonaventure Cemetery alone is worth a visit in full daylight, with its moss-covered paths and sculptural monuments that have made it one of the most photographed cemeteries in the country.
None of which is to say Savannah is stuck in the past. The food scene has exploded over the last decade, driven partly by the presence of SCAD (the Savannah College of Art and Design), which has brought tens of thousands of young, creative people into the city. The dining is genuinely exciting, the boutiques are interesting, and the energy on Broughton Street on a warm evening is one of the best things in the South.
Where to Stay in Savannah
Savannah rewards staying in the Historic District. The city was designed to be lived at a walking pace, and a hotel within those 22 squares puts you inside the experience rather than driving into it. Here are my recommended options that cover the range from luxurious boutique inn to polished modern hotel, all centrally located and on my favorites list.
The Marshall House
Savannah’s oldest operating hotel, built in 1851 on Broughton Street, is exactly what you want from a historic Savannah hotel: original hardwood floors, cast-iron verandas overlooking the street, rooms with decorative fireplaces, a full Southern breakfast included each morning, and a nightly wine and hors d’oeuvres social. It is also rumored to be haunted, which feels exactly right. The location directly on Broughton Street is unbeatable for shopping and dining. Check rates and availability at The Marshall House.
Perry Lane Hotel
If The Marshall House is Savannah’s old soul, Perry Lane is its sophisticated younger sibling — a Luxury Collection property with rooftop yoga, an outdoor pool, afternoon tea, and art woven into every corner of the property. The rooms are beautifully appointed and the staff is exceptional. It remains the most stylish hotel in the city and is worth the splurge for a special occasion. Check rates and availability at Perry Lane Hotel.
JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District
For something genuinely different, the JW Marriott at Plant Riverside District occupies a converted 19th-century power plant on the waterfront, surrounded by Savannah’s premier entertainment and dining district. It is dramatic in a way that most Savannah hotels are not — soaring ceilings, industrial bones, spectacular river views, and a cluster of restaurants and bars just steps from your room. This is the one to book for a bachelorette group or a trip that wants both history and nightlife. I spent several days here recently and found it to be the perfect location. Check rates and availability at JW Marriott Plant Riverside.
Kehoe House
An adults-only Victorian bed and breakfast in a stunning 1892 mansion on Columbia Square, the Kehoe House is all ornate chandeliers, antique furnishings, and the kind of quiet that only happens when the building is genuinely old. Full breakfast is included, afternoon tea is a ritual, and the staff knows the city the way only people who have been in one place for decades can. This is the one for a truly romantic or restorative stay. This is one of the most iconic places to stay and one of my favorites. Check rates and availability at Kehoe House.
The Gastonian
An adults-only inn in a pair of 1868 Italianate mansions on Gaston Street, a short walk from Forsyth Park. The rooms are lush with antiques, canopy beds, and fireplaces, and the daily made-to-order breakfast and afternoon wine reception are the kind of details that make a trip feel genuinely unhurried. For a mother-daughter trip or a girlfriend getaway that wants comfort over cool, this is the one. Check rates and availability at The Gastonian.
Check out other hotels in Savannah
Where to Eat in Savannah
This is where Savannah really earns its keep. The food here is the product of 300 years of coastal Southern cooking, filtered through a university town sensibility that keeps pushing it forward. Here is where to spend your meals.
The Olde Pink House
An 18th-century mansion on Reynolds Square that has been feeding Savannah since 1771. This is the essential Savannah restaurant — dim, candlelit, genuinely beautiful, with a menu built around shrimp and grits (voted best in the city multiple times), crispy scored flounder, and crab stuffed grouper. Book ahead, ideally two months in advance for a weekend table. If you cannot get a reservation upstairs, walk in to Planters Tavern in the basement, which serves the same kitchen’s food in a more casual setting and frequently has space on a walk-in basis.
Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room
There is no other dining experience quite like this in American food. Mrs. Wilkes has been operating out of what was once a boarding house on Jones Street since the early 1940s, and the format has never changed: communal tables, strangers passing bowls, and approximately 20 rotating Southern sides arriving all at once alongside fried chicken and cornbread. Open for lunch only, Tuesday through Friday. Arrive early — the line forms before the door opens and moves steadily. It is worth every minute of the wait.
Kayak Kafé
My personal lunch anchor in Savannah, and it has been for years. Locally owned, casually brilliant, and consistently voted the best salads and best vegetarian food in the city. The downtown location is right at 1 East Broughton Street, which makes it a perfect midday stop between shopping. The Southwestern Wild Shrimp Tacos are what I order every time — they source only locally caught shrimp, antibiotic-free proteins, and organic produce wherever possible. There is also a Midtown location at 5002 Paulsen Street for when you venture beyond the Historic District.
Cotton & Rye
Savannah’s most quietly excellent restaurant — a neighborhood bistro in the Victorian District with a seasonal menu that takes local ingredients seriously without being precious about it. This is where the people who work in the city’s best restaurants go on their nights off. Reservations recommended.
Vic’s on the River
For the full Savannah riverfront experience, Vic’s delivers — a 19th-century cotton warehouse with views of the water, excellent crab cakes, and pan-seared sea scallops that are worth the trip on their own. There is also a 160-year-old hand-drawn Civil War map preserved on a wall inside, which is exactly the kind of thing that makes Savannah impossible to resist.
Treylor Park
Unpretentious, irreverent, and very good — a Downtown Savannah staple for elevated comfort food and creative cocktails. The fried bologna sandwich and the pimento cheese are local legends. No reservations, first come first served.
The Collins Quarter
For breakfast or brunch, The Collins Quarter on Bull Street is the best in the city — a Melbourne-inspired café with exceptional coffee, lavender lattes, and a brunch menu that will ruin you for hotel continental breakfasts. Expect a wait on weekend mornings. Worth it.
Leopold’s Ice Cream
You do not leave Savannah without going to Leopold’s. A Savannah institution since 1919, still owned by the original family, still making ice cream the same way. The butter pecan and Savannah Cream are the ones to know.
Shopping in Savannah
Broughton Street is the main shopping corridor and it is genuinely good — a walkable stretch of independent boutiques, national retailers, art galleries, and the kinds of stores worth walking slowly through. The street itself is architecturally beautiful, with 19th-century commercial buildings that have been well preserved, and the combination of people-watching and window shopping makes it one of the best retail streets in the South. One you don’t want to miss and one of my favorite places for home decor inspiration: Paris Market on Broughton.
A few places worth finding on and around Broughton: the SCAD Shop in the SCAD Museum of Art for design-forward gifts and art objects, and the various independent clothing and home goods boutiques that change regularly but are consistently worth exploring.
City Market, a few blocks west of Broughton, is a cluster of galleries, gift shops, and restaurants around a cobblestoned courtyard. More touristy than Broughton, but the art galleries are genuine and worth the wander.
If you want to take something edible home: Savannah’s Candy Kitchen on River Street for pralines and peach confections, and the Savannah Bee Company for locally sourced honey in more varieties than you knew existed.
Spas in Savannah
Savannah moves at a pace that makes a spa afternoon feel entirely appropriate, and the city has several excellent options. My daughter and I booked an entire spa day and it was perfection.
Woodhouse Spa in the Eastern Wharf District is the most luxurious day spa option — 7,000 square feet of treatments, a serene Quiet Room, and a signature Sculpt facial that regulars plan trips around. Their spa packages are well designed for a half or full day and make an excellent centerpiece for a bachelorette or girlfriend getaway.
Milan Day Spa in the Historic District is consistently rated the number one spa on TripAdvisor in Savannah — a beautifully run operation offering massage, facials, and nail services with a personalized approach most hotel spas cannot match. Book in advance.
Sweet Water Spa in the Historic District is a cozy, intimate day spa using clean and organic products exclusively. Excellent for facials and a quieter, more personal experience.
Poseidon Spa at Plant Riverside District is the option for guests staying at the JW Marriott — a waterfront spa with hydrafacials, massage, and body rituals that pair perfectly with a Plant Riverside evening.
Tours: History, Food, and Ghosts
History Tours
A narrated trolley tour is the best possible orientation for a first visit to Savannah. Book a Savannah history trolley tour here for a loop through the Historic District covering the squares, architecture, Civil War history, and the founding story of America’s first planned city. The guides are well-informed and the pace lets you flag stops you want to return to on foot.
For a more atmospheric approach, the walking tour through Bonaventure Cemetery gives you the full story of the city’s most extraordinary burial ground. Book a Bonaventure Cemetery walking tour here.
Food Tours
The Savannah First Squares Culinary and Cultural Walking Food Tour is the best way to eat your way through the city with context. Three hours, six stops across the Historic District, tastings covering everything from honey to fried green tomatoes to Southern sweets, and a local guide who ties the food history to the city history as you walk. It is also an excellent orientation to the squares — you leave knowing the city better for having done it.
Ghost Tours
Savannah takes its haunted reputation seriously, and the ghost tours here are considerably better than the average city version. The candlelit walking tour through the Historic District covers the city’s documented history of yellow fever epidemics, Civil War occupation, and centuries of accumulated tragedy — stories that are genuinely unsettling because they are largely true. Book the Savannah candlelit ghost walking tour here. Evening departures, approximately 90 minutes, and a good option even for the ghost-tour skeptical — the history alone justifies the evening.
The Savannah Experience by Travel Style
Couples: Stay at Perry Lane or The Gastonian, dinner at The Olde Pink House, cocktails in Planters Tavern, a morning at Forsyth Park, and a ghost tour after dark. That is as close to a perfect Savannah weekend as I know.
Mother-Daughter: The Marshall House for the location and included breakfast, Kayak Kafé for lunch, Mrs. Wilkes for the communal experience, Broughton Street for the afternoon, a joint spa treatment at Woodhouse, and Leopold’s for dessert before everything closes.
Girlfriend Getaways: JW Marriott Plant Riverside for the vibe and group energy, food tour first morning, Broughton Street shopping, Cotton & Rye for dinner, ghost tour, and the open container laws doing the rest of the work.
Bachelorette: JW Marriott Plant Riverside or Perry Lane, spa day at Woodhouse, dinner at Vic’s on the River, Plant Riverside District for the nightlife, ghost pub crawl after dark. Savannah’s walkability and open container laws make it one of the best bachelorette cities in the country.
What to See Beyond the Squares
Forsyth Park is the heart of the city — a 30-acre park anchored by an iconic antebellum fountain, with walking paths and a farmers market on Saturday mornings.
Bonaventure Cemetery is not a morbid attraction. It is one of the most beautiful and photographed places in Georgia — Spanish moss, sculptural monuments, and a profound quiet worth the twenty-minute drive from downtown.
Wormsloe Historic Site is nine miles from downtown and worth the trip — a canopied avenue of live oaks more than a mile long leading to the ruins of colonial Georgia’s earliest estate. The photographs you will take on that road are some of the best of your trip.
SCAD Museum of Art on Boundary Street is free, rotating, and excellent — contemporary art exhibitions curated by one of the world’s great design universities in a beautifully restored 19th-century building.
River Street is unapologetically touristy, but the cobblestones, the river views, and the general energy are genuinely fun. Go during the day for the shops, in the evening for the atmosphere.
When to Visit Savannah
Spring — mid-March through May — is the best time. The azaleas bloom, the heat is manageable, and the Savannah Music Festival runs through April with events across the Historic District.
Fall — September through November — is the second best window. The summer heat breaks, the crowds thin, and the city feels like it exhales.
Summer is hot and humid, but the city never really empties. Build your afternoons around air conditioning if you go in July or August.
St. Patrick’s Day is the second largest celebration in the United States, drawing enormous crowds and a city-wide energy unlike anything else. Book months in advance if this is your target weekend.
Practical Tips
Open container laws allow you to walk through downtown with a plastic cup from any bar — a fact that significantly affects the energy of any evening. Bars will pour your drink into a to-go cup at the door.
Parking in the Historic District is limited and metered. If your hotel has valet, use it. The garages on Liberty and Bryan Streets are reliable alternatives.
Reservations at The Olde Pink House, Perry Lane, and Cotton & Rye book out weeks in advance in spring and fall. Plan ahead.
Most squares have benches, shade, and water fountains — the city was designed to be walked slowly, and the infrastructure reflects it.
Travel Insurance
Any time I travel — even for a quick weekend two hours from home — I protect my trip. Things change, plans shift, and having coverage in place is worth it. Get a quote for your Savannah trip here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Savannah, Georgia
What is Savannah, Georgia known for? Savannah is known for its stunning Historic District with 22 moss-draped squares, antebellum architecture, and cobblestone streets. It is also one of the most celebrated food cities in the South, one of America’s most haunted cities, and home to SCAD, one of the world’s leading art and design universities.
How many days do you need in Savannah? Two to three days is the sweet spot. Two full days covers the major squares, a trolley tour, two or three excellent meals, Broughton Street shopping, and an evening ghost tour. A third day adds Bonaventure Cemetery, Wormsloe, Tybee Island, or a full spa day.
Is Savannah good for a bachelorette party? It is one of the best cities in the country for a bachelorette. The walkability, open container laws, range of hotels, excellent restaurants, ghost tours, and general atmosphere make it a consistently top-ranked bachelorette destination.
What is the best area to stay in Savannah? The Historic District is the best area for almost every type of visitor. Staying within the squares puts you walking distance from virtually everything.
What is the best time of year to visit Savannah? Spring (March through May) for the azaleas and the Music Festival. Fall (September through November) for the best weather with fewer crowds. Summer is hot but busy. St. Patrick’s Day weekend requires planning well in advance.
What are the best restaurants in Savannah? The Olde Pink House for fine Southern dining, Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room for the communal lunch experience, Kayak Kafé for lunch, The Collins Quarter for brunch, Vic’s on the River for seafood, and Cotton & Rye for a dinner off the tourist circuit.
Is Savannah good for a mother-daughter trip? There is nowhere better. Walkable, beautiful, full of excellent food and shopping, genuinely interesting historically, and paced for lingering. I have made this trip multiple times in both directions and it never runs out of things to offer.
How do I protect my trip to Savannah? Travel Insurance Master offers coverage for trip cancellations, travel delays, and medical emergencies. Worth having for any trip, even a short one.