TBT: Lovely Savannah!

Have you ever visited a city and you know right away that you will LOVE that city long after you leave? For me, one of those cities is Savannah, GA. I had the opportunity to visit Savannah for a week in the summer of 2016 – my favorite trip of 2016!

It is easy to fall in love with the Southern charm of the city. From great parks, to amazing food and beautiful nearby beaches, Savannah has it all.

Savannah is filled with many, many parks located throughout the downtown area. Two of my favorite parks were Forsyth Park and Chippewa Square. Forsyth Park is the home to the famous Forsyth foundation – I was told that the fountain is one of the most photographed fountains in the US! The foundation was built in 1858 and sits amongst many Spanish moss trees. The park is a great place to sit and people watch. I like to keep a travel sketchbook with me, so I used some of my afternoons in the park sketching.

Forsyth Fountain

Forsyth Park

Travel sketching in Forsyth Park

Of course, when you visit Savannah, you have to stop by Chippewa Square home of the infamous ‘Forest Gump’ bench. Fun fact – the bench is actually a prop used for the movie. Many people come looking for it – I did! – but it now sits in the Savannah History Museum.

Chippewa Square – the view from where the ‘Forrest Gump’ bench was in the movie.

Savannah is in close proximity to very beautiful beaches and if you are visiting the area you should stop for a visit to one of them. My favorite beach during my visit was Tybee Island, which is located about 18 miles east of Savannah. The town of Tybee is small but very nice and the beaches will take your breath away. I spent several late afternoons and evenings just hanging out a the beach: people watching, sketching or swimming in the ocean.

Spectacular

Tybee Island Light House

Savannah is full of great places to explore and eat. Here are a few of my favorites that I found when I visited.

Navajo Sisterhood Recommendations

Places to See

• Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
• Savannah College of Art and Design – make sure to visit both the SCAD Museum of Art and the SCAD design store!
• Savannah Waterfront – full of great shops, restaurants and incredible views of the river.
• Telfair Museums – there are three museums that you can explore with your admission!
• ‘Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil Tour’ – the famous book and movie that everyone asks about when they visit Savannah.
• Take advantage of the tours they offer. There are so many to choose from such as Historic Tours, River Tours, Food Tours and if you are brave enough, Haunted Ghost Tours!

Places to Eat

• Mrs. Wilkes Dinning House – a very popular Savannah restaurant and worth the wait! Mrs. Wilkes Dinning House has great Southern food and guests sit in communal tables. A little tip for you, get in line early to get a seat.
• Leopold’s Ice Cream – if you are looking for great sweets stop by this Savannah establishment. I visited in the summer and the line to get ice cream went around the block!
• The Crab Shack – A fun and casual place right outside of Tybee Island. Great seafood, drinks and they even have an alligator pond!

If you get a chance to visit Savannah, do it! It is one of the most amazing cities in the US and I know I will be back again for a visit!

-Bridget