Savannah, Georgia is an enchanting city in south Georgia that has beautiful architecture, incredible food, and rich history. This little corner of the south is relaxing and inviting. This post will guide you to some of the best restaurants, shopping areas, and iconic landmarks for the perfect Savannah, GA weekend getaway.
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Weekend in Savannah
A charming little city, a weekend in Savannah makes for the perfect little getaway. Here I'll share what we did, where we went and what we enjoyed to hopefully help you plan your next trip.
How to get to Savannah, Georgia
My boyfriend and I drove from Atlanta into Savannah after work on Thursday evening. Depending on where you're coming in from, flying is an option, also. Savannah has its own airport (SAV), which is a nice size, easy to navigate and has its own southern charm.
We arrived around 10pm and checked into our Airbnb. It was economical in comparison to the hotels, quaint and up to date, and it was two blocks adjacent to Forsyth Park. A good friend of ours recommended Zunzi's Sandwich shop. While it was tasty for a late night dinner, it definitely wasn't the best meal we ate all weekend.
Savannah is known for it's food & service industry, and it surpassed our expectations! You may see some different restaurants listed here than what you typically see when you research Savannah eats (Olde Pink House, Vics on the River, etc.) and that's because I booked reservations late. It ended up working in our favor; as locals directed us to the best to them (and not tourist traps!!)
Quick note: For our weekend in Savannah, we didn't have reservations for any of our meals. Because it was just two of us, I was okay with it. It gave us a ton of flexibility on when and where we could eat. So here's the play by play of our Savannah, GA weekend getaway.
Day 1 in Savannah
We started off our 2 days in Savannah with a long walk around the city on Friday morning. We popped into Forsyth Park, seeing the 19th-century old fountain. It's lined with overarching trees and We wanted to explore and see it all! I recommend snagging a coffee at the boutique coffee shop, Franklins, while you venture.
Because we visited in the month of July, it was about 105 degrees plus humidity. It rained every day! Our itinerary is comprised of walking, eating, and drinking. Savannah is known for its rich history, Ghost tours, and home to a lot of museums. This post focuses on the good eats 🙂
After our long morning walk, we retreated to back to our place to shower (because we were incredibly sweaty and gross) and we called in lunch pick-up to Starland Cafe. We were both working Friday and needed something quick. It was SO good; but it did take a long time. Be sure to order ahead of time or prepared to wait.
Once the rain cleared by dinner time, we ventured back into the city to The Artillery for cocktails. This area is charming; and I highly recommend a drink there. You could eat at Public House next door after happy hour, too! We walked into further towards the water to The Emporium for another cocktail before venturing to The Fitzroy for dinner.
Words cannot describe how magnificent our meal was at The Fitzroy. We split fries as an appetizer and shared the meal of the day: 4oz filet with buttery, garlic mashed potatoes. It was insane. We also had a phenomenal server here, Stevie. He really recommended at lot of the places we went to afterwards. We had no idea how much the service industry supports Savannah!
We actually met up with our server after dinner and his friends; they took us to the local bars and entertained us. We were sooo impressed with every server's southern hospitality. Of course, we ended the night with a large ice cream cone from Leopold's. The line was long, but certainly worth the wait. PSA: if you call the waitstaff by their names, they're 100% more likely to serve you better! AND, you feel more connected to them.
Below captures a few snaps from throughout the day!
Day 2 in Savannah
We decided to snooze in on Saturday without any alarms. It's vacation, right?!? We walked through River Street, the History District (Rainbow Row), and more of the pathways we covered the previous day. I have a tendency to plan everything down to the minute. This trip was quite the opposite. We read, we relaxed, we went with the flow. And it was blissful.
While we saw so many trolleys and other planned tours, we took Savannah at our own pace. We grabbed brunch and Bloody Mary's at The Common Restaurant downtown. Get the Bacon Bloody Mary - oh my goodness! SO good. Jack ordered the breakfast burrito and I went for the Common Salad. The burrito was decadent, but my body was craving the salad. A follower of mine told me dinner is even better than brunch, so you can't go wrong!
We stopped by the iconic Paris Market (a very cute shop in the heart of the city); but it was closed due to a private party. We also had plans to drive out to Tybee Island for a beach afternoon; however, the rain also showered those plans. We ended up taking a nap on the porch of airbnb and reading while the listening to the rain. You could explore the famous museums in the area if it rains while you're touring Savannah. The American Prohibition Museum attracted our interest.
We drove away from town to the Vault Kitchen and Market for dinner (another recommendation from our server Friday night). If you've followed me on Instagram while we've lived in Atlanta, you know that Fudo ATL Sushi in Brookhaven is our all time favorite sushi. The Vault's sushi rivaled it. We recommend the Tuna Tartare for an app, The Traveler roll, and the Spider roll. Oh my goodness, I'm still dreaming about it.
We woke up Sunday morning, grabbed breakfast from Franklins, and headed back to Atlanta. All in all, Savannah, Georgia is an enchanting city in south Georgia that has beautiful architecture, incredible food, and history enriching. This little corner of the south is relaxing and inviting. It makes for a perfect weekend getaway!
Recommendations from a Local
It's incredible to connect with you on Instagram because you have so much knowledge on places that you either live or traveled too before. One of my childhood friends now resides there and she provided an incredible list of recommendations:
Food
- Collins Quarter (Brunch) the original is located on Bull St.
- The Public (Dinner)
- Leopold's Ice Cream (the line is long, but worth the wait)
- The Fitzroy (Dinner)
- The Olde Pink House (Savannah classic)
- The Grey (Dinner)
- Vics on the River (Dinner)
- Gallery Espresso - favorite coffee in Savannah
Bars
- Alley Cat Lounge - super cool underground bar!
- Peregringe - it's a rooftop bar on top of the Perry Lane Hotel (stunning views of the city)
- City Market & the bars on River Street are super popping if you are looking for nightlife.
- Myrtle & Rose. Rooftop bar with great appetizers!
Things to Do
- Forsyth Park (a MUST)
- The River District/River St. There are a ton of restaurant and bars here
- Walk around the Savannah historic district
- The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (beautiful church)
- The Paris Market (The coolest Shop ever)
- Check out some local museums or snag a ferry ride during sunset.
Other Places to Travel
Whether you're planning a short getaway to Savannah, Georgia or just passing by, this blog post has you covered for quick recommendations, full day activities, or a mix of both. If you live here and have a hidden gem or another favorite that I glossed over, be sure to leave your recommendations in the comments for readers to utilize. I hope you enjoy your time in the Peach State!
If you're headed to north Georgia, be sure to check out our Weekend Getaway to Dahlonega, Georgia itineary. Flying into Atlanta anytime soon? This Atlanta Travel blog post stays up to date with the best eats around the city. I referenced Visit Savannah frequently to learn more about the city, too!
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to share about traveling that can aid your experience or be shared with others. Let me know if you have any questions; happy to answer them below! Safe travels! XO Courtney Paige
Lily says
Went to Savannah in February and loved it! Would love to go back and try some of your recommendations. A must have for Southern food is Mrs. Wilkes. Family style meal with delicious fried chicken and biscuits
Tonia Tucker Kirven says
You missed the best place to eat in E Bay St. Treylor Park is by far the best restaurant in Savannah!!
karen says
we were just in savannah last week & a friend recommended treylor park. so glad we went as it was fantastic & will definitely go back!
Michael Cobb says
I drove into Savannah last year from Cincinnati and had a great time. I stayed at Planter's Inn, which was a bit overrated but had a great price for its downtown location. It's also right next to the Old Pink House, which I really enjoyed. The food, ambience and history were phenomenal! Also, I want to second your opinion that the American Prohibition Museum is worth the time and cost. I didn't get a chance to check out The Artillery but I'll definitely do so the next time I'm in town!
Hal says
If you missed Wiley’s BBQ while in Savannah you deserve to be from New York. Best ever. Lived there in years past. Wiley’s is under new ownership since passing of owner but has the same faithful pitmaster and staff. It’s first in state, 2nd in US. This is where you go for a food coma and real food.
Bob says
Try The Haunt restaurant next time for something different and delicious
Judy Heaney says
Going to Atlanta and Savannah in September and so excited !