Our travel guide could not have stated it better: “Since 1733, Savannah has made a name for itself through its heritage, scenery, and arts, but most of all its hospitality.”
Completely our experience last month, when we had the pleasure of attending a very special military reunion in a location that neither of us had visited for any length of time, Savannah, Georgia! What a delightful city! The last day of April and the first few days of May provided beautiful weather of sunshine and daytime temperatures mostly in the 70s/80s and comfortable afternoon humidity levels. Shorts in the daytime; a light sweater in the evening. Perfection. (Just an FYI for those trying to anticipate weather conditions, did you know you you view historical weather data on this site – World Temperatures — Weather Around The World?! May help you know what to pack! 😉 )
If you’re interested in traveling to Savannah at some point, for a group reunion or just a nice relaxing holiday, read on for our experience!
Traveling to/in Savannah
Our travel itinerary was a little different than our normal departure from DFW (and, the trip home was another route – more on that below.) We’d just visited Pete’s family in Ottawa, so we traveled from there through Philadelphia to Savannah. Pretty seamless trip and we arrived early afternoon into SAV – it’s a nice airport!
We didn’t need to rent a car for this trip, so we quickly pulled up the LYFT app to schedule a ride. There was a sort of airport “ambassador” nearby, so we asked for directions to the shared ride pick-up area and found our way there, no problem. In case you have more specific questions or need help with anything, they do have a Visitor Information Center located baggage claim. Their website (https://savannahairport.com/visiting/info-center/) says it’s open from 8:30 am – 11:00 pm daily. They’ll provide directions, maps, information on area attractions; you can make copies, send a fax, mail a letter – you can even buy a lottery ticket. 😉
We had a friendly LYFT driver in a nice, clean car for our trip to our hotel – less than $25, including tip.
Our Accommodations
The hotel, the Holiday Inn Express, at 199 East Bay Street, is in the heart of the Savannah Historic District. The reunion committee secured a group block; even without the negotiated rate, it was quite reasonable – perhaps because the dates were mid-week and pre-tourist season? Regardless, we were somewhat surprised and quite pleased with the price given how close it is to everything we wanted to experience while there.
We thought our room was a bit of an odd shape/layout (our friends commented on this, too), but it was spacious and super clean (our non-negotiable when booking a hotel 😉). I’m not sure how many windows are in the other rooms, but we had two large ones on either side of a desk and mirror. We’d gladly take the windows! At one end was a queen-sized bed that had four pillows and nice linens.
The thermostat/HVAC controls were very responsive – I’m always cold, so the ability to find a comfortable room temp is really nice. Other in-room features were a pull-out sofa bed, and a large flat-screen TV with plenty of channels, even though we didn’t watch it much. Loads of electrical outlets throughout the room and two bedside tables with lamps and USB ports made things extra convenient. A wet bar with mini-fridge, plenty of drawer space, fluffy towels… and Bath & Body Works White Citrus Shampoo/Conditioner/Lotion were a nice treat! We could have used some more hangers, but instead of asking for them, we just used the top shelf and doubled up on hanging some things.
By the way, a quick side note… The green gift bag you see on the desk is a Welcome Gift from the reunion planning committee. In it, among other items, was a Travel Host Magazine for the Savannah & Tybee Island area that was a wonderful resource for maps, information, history, restaurants, and coupons.
As most everyone knows, Holiday Inn Express hotels include a complimentary hot breakfast buffet. Ours featured: a nice selection of egg dishes, bacon/sausage, cold cereals, fruit/yogurt, pastries, juice machine, hot coffee, and even an automatic pancake maker which was fun to watch!
Other hotel amenities include a nicely equipped workout room (another important feature for us), a roof top pool, deck and gazebo that gives a panoramic view of the Savannah River, a nice bar with plenty of seating, valet parking (at a cost), and an amazing Concierge service (“Teresa” was especially helpful!)
The Reunion group had also secured a Hospitality Suite for the week, the Azalea Room, complete with round tables and chairs, and long tables that were filled each day by the committee with snacks and beverages. The room was available anytime we wanted it to be open, just to gather, reminisce and look at old photos, chat or play a game of cards, and an impromptu 3-guitar jam session of classic rock memories. It even has a very large screen TV where we were able to connect a USB thumb drive for a quick slideshow.
Getting the Lay of the Land in Savannah’s Historic District
After a long day of traveling, Pete and I really were eager to get outside and go for a quick run to check out the area. We immediately headed to the Riverfront, which was just across the street. I discovered that my footing was not sure enough on the brick and stone streets to actually run, so we settled for a nice walk, going down to both ends of the street as far as we could go. The Riverfront is full of cute shops and restaurants, and the benches were filled with people just enjoying the beautiful day.
We spent the next couple of days experiencing the heart of Savannah and surrounding area…
Highlights of Our Trip
Tours: We always search out tour options when arriving in an unfamiliar city, either self-guided or guided. Savannah offers a couple of options for narrated “hop on/off” trolley tours so we decided to do that first to see it all, then go back to the spots we wanted to check out further. Old Savannah Tours did not disappoint! The city is designed around 22 historic squares, and our driver/guides provided interesting information about each of them. At some of the trolley stops, historic re-enactors boarded the trolley for a few minutes and gave a “first-hand” account of their experiences. Be sure to check out coupons and group discount options. Here’s a little snippet from our tour:
Shopping and Strolling Around The Squares
Savannah surely didn’t disappoint us when it came to scenery, museums, shopping and the arts! We spent an entire afternoon walking in and out of shops and galleries, viewing historic homes, and even sitting on a bench under the huge shade trees with a scoop of salted caramel blondie ice cream from the local Ben & Jerry’s!
Savannah Restaurants
As we mentioned, we enjoyed the daily breakfast buffet at the hotel, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t sample many local favorites for lunch, snacks, and dinner!
While walking around the Squares, we happened upon Clary’s Cafe around lunchtime. Sadly, we didn’t take any pictures, but sat at a sidewalk table for two and thoroughly enjoyed delicious Clary’s Cobb Salad with the charbroiled chicken breast, an iced tea, and a Coke. Our sweet server was so cute and funny; service was amazing. Doesn’t get more Southern than that. 😉
Dinner our first night was on the patio beer garden at Moon River Brewing Company. Picnic table seating on a beautiful, mild evening was really enjoyable. They offer an expansive beer list, mixed and soft drinks. I notice online they have a beer garden menu, but based upon what we actually selected, they must allow you to order off the pub menu even outside. 😉 Unique items that our table enjoyed: deviled eggs with smoked trout, bacon cheeseburger salad (no bun), and brisket tacodillas. Sadly, the tacodillas were mine and they never arrived until we were almost ready to go. But, they were really good; I still ate one before we left, and we enjoyed the leftovers the next day. 🙂 And, to be fair – I think they took the charge off our ticket. So, all was good; we really enjoyed the evening.
Skipping ahead to our last night in Savannah, the group banquet was held at The Pirate’s House. It was a great venue for a group banquet – we enjoyed private dining in one of their historic rooms with a specially crafted buffet menu. The room offered round tables with seating for six; the buffet was served down a small hall a few feet away. After dinner and dessert, the room was quiet and spacious enough to hold the annual reunion “meeting”. Just a really fun, unique experience in a former seafarer inn from 1753.
Jumping back to dinner on the second night, because it segues nicely into…
Tybee Island
Seven of us ventured out Wednesday night on an easy drive, 15 or so miles, to Tybee Island and The Original Crab Shack. Noted as the place “Where the elite eat in their bare feet!”, we chose a table in their indoor dining room (which still had the outdoor vibe because of the surrounding screens but without any bugs). Great server, once again, complete with quick wit and Southern charm. From the full-service bar, the gentlemen enjoyed mixed beverages or a bottle of beer, while the ladies chose white wine. As the designated driver, my iced tea was great! 😉
It took several minutes for us to make our dinner selections because of their extensive menu (“shackatizers”, soups & stews, “shackwiches”, and entrees). Interestingly, other than a Crab Plate order and my Chicken Salad Sandwich and Cape Cod Chips (they have a great “Not From the Sea” selection of chicken, ribs and pork for us landlubbers), the other five each ordered their own Low Country Boil of shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage (because really, who can visit the coastal South and NOT order the Low Country Boil?!)
You really should check out their pics on the website to see their whole offering – it’s amazing. The trays were piled high with deliciousness; I don’t think anyone actually could finish it all – which sadly means that we were all too stuffed to order dessert (read: key lime pie).
By the time we finished dinner it was dark, but we did venture over to see the Gator Lagoon (really the ONLY place I want to come upon live alligators. 😉 ) We didn’t realize it at the time, but their website says you can purchase alligator food and actually feed them.
Thursday afternoon, a couple of the guys went back to Tybee Island to check out the coast and the Tybee Island Light Station and Museum. Not a lot of info about their trip, since we girls did not go, but from the one picture we got, it looks like they had a good time! 😉 (Note, because we’ll definitely be visiting Savannah again, I did find a couple of Tybee guides online here and here.)
And, that pretty much wraps up a too-short trip to Savannah. But, before we go…
A Couple of Savannah Gems I Just HAVE to Mention…
One of the veterans in our group has a special business incubator/investor connection with one of Savannah’s craft breweries, Service Brewing Co. , and arranged a tour and visit to their tasting room after. What an amazing story of a veteran-owned and operated craft brewery dedicated to honoring those who’ve put their lives at risk and their country and community first. Grown from passion that began with a home brew kit, not only do they make great craft beer, they donate a portion of their revenue to charities that support service men and women and first responders.
The tasting room is stunningly designed to reflect military experiences – words here can’t do justice to the expertly defined space created from shipping containers, aluminum, and parachutes. Trust me – just go see it! And while you’re there trying one of their year-round (Ground Pounder was a favorite in our group) or seasonal varieties, see if you can take a quick tour – you won’t regret spending some time with these exceptional veterans and local business owners.
The other gem you can’t help but see posted in signs, billboards and banners all over town, is “SCAD” – The Savannah College of Art and Design, founded in 1978. SCAD is a private, nonprofit institution that prepares talented students for creative professions. From Accessory Design to Architecture to Visual Effects to Writing, there is opportunity to earn Certificate, Bachelors and Masters degrees in over 40 programs.
What’s especially cool is that, unlike a more traditional college campus, the academic buildings are scattered throughout town – the whole city is their main campus, with nearly 70 historic and beautifully renovated facilities interwoven throughout Savannah. It was fun to see SCAD students sitting in the Squares, studying, drawing, painting or taking photos of the amazing landscape and history of the city.
Saying Goodbye (for now!) to Savannah…
As I mentioned at the beginning of the blog, our routing for this trip was a little out of the norm. Our friends who rented the car had opted to fly in and out of Charleston, so for our return trip to DFW, we thought, “Why not?!” It allowed us to spend another couple hours with them and it was an easy two-hour drive up I-95. Returning the rental was simple, too – no shuttle required as the return area is within a quick walk to the terminal.
The Charleston airport is nice; check-in (them at Southwest; us with American) and getting through security was quick (even for me who didn’t have TSA Pre-check). One thing we DID notice was dining options seemed somewhat limited. They have a few, but finding available seating at any of them was difficult. After waiting about 40 minutes, we finally got a table at Jack Nicklaus Golden Bear Grill. Lunch was good and we had the extra time, so no big deal.
Just thought it was unusual there weren’t more accommodating options for travelers who may be hungry and in a hurry.
Notes for Our Next Trip to Savannah…
Such a quick trip, and if you’ve been to Savannah, I’m sure you’re saying, “But, you didn’t go here! And, you didn’t see this!” Yeah, we wholeheartedly agree! But, it just means we’ve definitely put it on our list to go visit again, soon!
We need to experience a Riverboat Cruise … visit more churches, gardens, museums and historical sites…
For those of you planning a destination event like this reunion, definitely consider Savannah in the springtime. With such a diverse offering of enjoyable activities for everyone (beach-goers, shoppers, history buffs, gallery lovers, and foodies – especially foodies!), you can’t miss by choosing Savannah.
For those of you who are from or have been to Savannah, what’s on your list of must-sees/to dos? 🙂
