What are the top five cities on your U.S. bucket list?
I always seem to ask questions that I find impossible to answer myself.
Sorry........
If you've been following me for awhile, you know that
I want to go everywhere I haven't been, and back to everywhere I have been.
I figure I'll need several hundred years to accomplish that goal.
Nevertheless, I am doing my best to get to as many places as I possibly can.
Just about a year ago, in late January,
I crossed Savannah off the tippy-top of my American city bucket list.
And, since then, I've had the opportunity to go back a second time.
(Pictures in this post are from both visits).
On our first trip to the Hostess City, we arrived in the late afternoon,
early enough to enjoy the last couple hours of sunlight.
Our hotel, the Kimpton Brice, was in the historic district.
I would highly recommend it for aesthetics, service and location
(and it's super dog-friendly, too).
We tried to pack in as much as possible into our 24 hours in Savannah,
I logged almost 20,000 steps in one day.
Oy, my aching feet......
12 THINGS TO DO IN 24 HOURS
1. Dine in Southern style at The Olde Pink House.
Assuming you arrive in time for dinner like we did,
you'll be hungry, and want to start your 24 hours in Savannah with dinner.
Ask most people for a restaurant recommendation,
and they'll likely tell you The Old Pink House in Reynold's Square.
A bona fide landmark, the restaurant is housed in an historic mansion,
making you feel like you're dining in someone's home.
The menu features Lowcountry cuisine.
Try the Tavern Platter.......
the combo of fried green tomatoes, Portabella mushrooms,
and artichoke fritters was delish!
Now, charge your FitBits and go get a good night's sleep, because tomorrow is a full day!
2. Start the morning with breakfast at B. Matthews.
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| Veggie Scramble at B. Matthew's |
Two words.
Veggie Scramble.
I don't think I've ever enjoyed eggs more.
Back home, my scrambled eggs would come with a banal side of toast,
but at B. Matthew's, a huge homemade biscuit accompanied my eggs,
which was swoon-worthy!
The restaurant's interior is both cozy and contemporary.......
a look I call "modern brick."
Located in the historic downtown area,
B. Matthew's features traditional and new-American style dishes
made with the freshest ingredients.
Lunch and dinner are also served.
3. Explore the squares.
What gives Savannah its unique character are the 22 park-like squares
spread throughout the historic district.
As soon as I stepped outside our hotel into Washington Square,
I immediately knew that the answer to my "could I live here" travel-litmus test
was a big fat yes, y'all!
Oh, to have a house facing one of these squares!
Mr. GS, Sadie and I walked through
-- and rested our combined eight tootsies --
in quite a few of Savannah's charming squares.
The most well-known is Chippewa Square,
where Forrest Gump memorably sat on a park bench,
telling his life story to anyone who would listen.
The bench is no longer there.......it's in the Savannah History Museum,
but that didn't stop us from taking selfies
on other less distinguished benches in the square.
A perfect example of "Stupid is as stupid does," I suppose.
4. Ogle the architecture.
A good portion of the buildings in Savannah are of historical or architectural importance.
So many styles are represented........
Georgian, Federal, Italianate..........
or pick your Revival style..........Greek, Romanesque and Gothic.
Our walk through the squares took us past dozens of spectacular homes.
If we had more time, I would have loved to go on
an architectural walking tour.
The beautiful homes of Savannah are worthy of their very own blog post
(and they will get one!).
5. Check out Mercer Williams House.
If the name rings a bell, it's likely that you remember
the Mercer Williams House from the book or movie,
Midnight In The Garden Of Good and Evil.
The mansion was built in the mid-1860s,
but achieved mainstream fame about 100 years later when its owner,
Jim Williams, was accused of killing his assistant in the house.
Although I'm sure I saw the movie years ago,
I can't remember the outcome of the trials........
DON'T TELL ME - I'M STILL READING THE BOOK!
Now a museum, the Mercer Williams House is open to the public.
6. Visit Forsyth Park.
In the heart of the historic district,
Forsyth Park is a mecca for both locals and tourists.
It is 30 acres of greenery in an already lush, green city.
The entrance from Gaston Street leads to a
wide pedestrian boulevard graced on either side
by live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss.
From there, we caught a glimpse of the park's crown jewel,
a 160-year old fountain at the north end of the park.
Forsyth Park has all of the usual things you'd expect to see in a park...........
a playground for kids, lots of walking paths,
tennis and basketball courts,
and a big field where concerts are sometimes held.
There's also a fragrant garden for the blind,
and a weekly farmer's market on Saturdays.
7. Stroll down Bull Street.
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| Six Pence Pub |
Bull Street is one of Savannah's most historically important and picturesque streets.
I'd highly recommend a stroll down this pretty boulevard
after you leave Forsyth Park.
But don't take my word for it.......it's been called one of the 10 Great Streets in America.
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| Soda Pop Shoppe |
And no wonder........as you wander along Bull Street,
you'll pass many beautiful homes, interesting shops, mature trees,
trendy restaurants and peaceful squares.
8. Shop on Broughton Street.
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| Paris Market and Brocante |
Broughton Street has lots of boutiques filled with clothing, jewelry,
antiques, home furnishings, gourmet foods, and more.
Along with some recognizable brand names,
it's a great mix of both international designers and goods
from local artists, designers and artisans.
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| The Spice and Tea Exchange |
One of my favorites is Savannah Bee Company,
where you can find everything honey..........
Soaps, candles, beauty products, apparel, home goods,
and of course, honey, in a multitude of flavors.
Tupelo honey is their signature product,
and honey, in my opinion, you haven't tasted honey till you've tried tupelo.
I'm addicted to the honey body wash with mint and lemongrass........it smells heavenly!
Thank goodness I can order their products online.
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| Savannah Bee Company |
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| Savannah Bee Company |
The store is so attractive - I could do an entire post on the interior alone.
9. Have Ice Cream at Leopold's.
Sometimes, you've gotta have ice cream for lunch, right?
Leopold's (on Broughton Street) is Savannah's legendary ice cream parlor.
With its stellar review on Tripadvisor,
there was no way I was skipping this 100-year-old institution.
Yes, they've also got a cafe menu,
but why bother with a salad when I could opt for a dish of Caramel Swirl?
10. Admire the beautiful live oak trees.
Live oaks are an iconic emblem of the south,
and in fact, they are the official state tree of Georgia.
Beautiful even in winter, these evergreen trees
elegantly adorn the streets of Savannah.
The stretch of oaks along River Street form a tree canopy,
and I do declare I heard them whisper
"Welcome to Savannah" as I walked under them.
It was either that, or "There are pralines over yonder."
I can't be sure.
11. Walk down to the riverbank.
Our hotel was just across the street from the Savannah river front,
so this was the perfect place to end our day.
There are shops, restaurants, a hotel, stately live oak trees, and of course,
park benches to sit and stare at the Savannah river.
There were a number of stores to explore at street level........
but there's a whole other world down at sea level.
Take the historic steps down to the river.
There are signs advising you to do so at your own risk,
but I didn't find it to be at all a problem, and I'm usually a scaredy cat.
Stop into the Savannah Candy Company and watch them make pralines.
If you can walk out of that store without buying any,
well, bless your heart, you're a better woman than I am.
12. End the day with a unique dinner at Treylor Park.
Chicken and pancake tacos.........
PB & J chicken wings........
Grilled apple pie sandwich...........
Fried oreos..........
Think it sounds weird?
It was a-MAY-zing!
That's not just my opinion........
90% of all Tripadvisor reviews rate Treylor Park
as Excellent or Very Good.
The atmosphere is fun, the cocktails are festive,
and if the weather permits, there's an outdoor beer garden out back.
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| Avocado Fries With Sriacha Aioli at Treylor Park |
We barely had enough time in 24 hours
to scratch the surface of what Savannah has to offer,
but it did give me an ample taste of what this fantastic city is all about.
I'm hungry for more.
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