We drove through Savannah in 1973 on the way to Orlando — a station wagon full of kids who could tell, even then, that this was somewhere different. Fifty years later it still is.
In 1971 we drove through Savannah on a family road trip from Washington DC to Orlando — a station wagon, four brothers, no seatbelts, the kind of drive that took two days and felt like a month. We didn’t stop long, but long enough. Even as a child you could sense that Savannah was operating at a different frequency than the highway towns around it. The squares, the moss, the heat, the weight of the place. It registered even through a car window. That impression has held up across everything that’s been written about Savannah since — and a great deal has been written, because it turns out the child in the station wagon was right.
Is Savannah Right for Your Trip?
The honest guide to one of the most beautiful cities in the American South.
Walk the Squares at Dawn
22 historic squares — each one a small park surrounded by antebellum architecture draped in Spanish moss. Walk them before the tours arrive. Forsyth Park last. The city at dawn is a completely different place than the city at noon.
Search HotelsHilton Head — 40 Minutes
Hilton Head Island is 40 miles from Savannah — an easy day trip that dramatically expands what a Savannah visit can be. Beach, bike paths, wildlife. Every Savannah trip should include at least one Hilton Head day.
Hilton Head GuideMarch & October
Spring and fall are the sweet spots — mild temperatures, azaleas in March, the St. Patrick’s Day festival (second largest in the US), and October’s cooler air without the summer humidity that makes midday walking genuinely difficult.
Search HotelsThe Historic District
A historic inn, B&B, or boutique hotel within walking distance of the squares. Savannah’s historic district is genuinely walkable — the right base means you don’t need a car for most of what matters.
Search RentalsWhy Savannah
Savannah is what happens when a city survives intact. Founded in 1733, it was one of the few Southern cities not burned during the Civil War — General Sherman ended his March to the Sea here in December 1864 and chose to spare it, presenting it to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. The result is one of the most architecturally preserved historic districts in the United States.
The grid of 22 historic squares — each one a small park surrounded by antebellum townhouses, churches, and public buildings — is what makes Savannah visually unlike anywhere else in America. The squares are not decorative. They were designed by James Oglethorpe in 1733 as the organizing principle of the city, and they still organize it today. Walking from square to square, under the live oaks draped in Spanish moss, with the 18th and 19th century architecture on all sides, is the Savannah experience that no photograph fully prepares you for.
The Squares
There are 22 of them — down from the original 24, two lost to traffic over the years. Each one has a name, a history, and a different character. The best way to experience Savannah is to walk all of them, starting early, before the tours arrive.
Forsyth Park
The largest green space in the historic district — a 30-acre park anchored by the famous 1858 cast-iron fountain, the most photographed image in Savannah. Walk through it at any hour but dawn is best — the fountain, the Spanish moss, the quiet before the city wakes up.
Chippewa Square
The square where the bench scenes of Forrest Gump were filmed — the original bench is now in the Savannah History Museum. The square itself is surrounded by beautiful architecture. Worth finding even if you don’t care about the film.
Madison Square
One of the most beautiful of the original squares — the Green-Meldrim House on the west side is where Sherman set up his headquarters after sparing Savannah. Open for tours.
The Historic District
The Savannah Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District covering 2.5 square miles — the largest such district in the United States. Factor Street, Broughton Street for shopping and restaurants, River Street along the Savannah River for the tourist energy and waterfront bars. The Leopold’s Ice Cream on Broughton Street has been there since 1919. The line is worth it.
Walking shoes only. Savannah’s historic district is best experienced entirely on foot. The cobblestones on River Street are beautiful and genuinely difficult in heels or dress shoes. Wear comfortable shoes and plan to walk several miles each day.
Where to Stay
Stay in the historic district — a boutique hotel, B&B, or historic inn within walking distance of the squares. Savannah has excellent small hotel inventory in beautifully restored antebellum buildings. The experience of staying in a historic Savannah inn is genuinely different from a chain hotel on the outskirts. Worth the premium.
Search Savannah Hotels and Rentals
Historic district inns, boutique hotels in restored antebellum buildings, and vacation rental homes. Book early for St. Patrick’s Day and spring azalea season — both fill months in advance.
Where to Eat
The Grey
The most celebrated restaurant in Savannah — housed in a restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal, James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey. One of the best restaurants in the American South. Reserve well in advance.
Olde Pink House
The Savannah institution — a 1771 Georgian mansion turned restaurant, the oldest building in Savannah still used for its original purpose. Southern classics, the full historic setting, the kind of place that earns its reputation across generations.
Leopold’s Ice Cream
Since 1919 on Broughton Street — Savannah’s ice cream institution. The Tutti Frutti is the signature. The line is real and worth joining.
Savannah and Hilton Head
Savannah and Hilton Head Island are 40 miles apart — less than an hour on US-278. The combination of the two makes for one of the great short Southern trips: the history and architecture and restaurants of Savannah, the beach and bike paths and wildlife of Hilton Head. Either can anchor the trip with the other as a day trip. Both deserve more time than most visitors give them.
Quick Reference: Savannah Georgia
| Category | The Answer |
|---|---|
| Airport | Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) — 15 miles from downtown |
| Historic squares | 22 remaining — walk all of them, start at dawn |
| Best time | March (azaleas, St. Patrick’s Day) or October (cool air, no humidity) |
| Avoid | July and August — heat and humidity are genuinely oppressive |
| St. Patrick’s Day | Second largest celebration in the US — book months ahead |
| Must see | Forsyth Park fountain at dawn — the most photographed image in Savannah |
| Best restaurant | The Grey — book well in advance |
| Day trip | Hilton Head Island — 40 minutes, beach and bike paths |
| From Charleston | About 100 miles south via I-95 — 1.5 hours |
| From Atlanta | About 250 miles east via I-16 — 4 hours |
The station wagon slowed down as we passed through Savannah in 1971. Even my father — who famously never stopped for anything — slowed down for Savannah. That is the truest thing I can tell you about it.