Thread: Savannah, GA
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Old 05-12-2014, 05:36 AM   #7
BrokenLinkage
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alabama
Posts: 487
Savannah has the largest contiguous historic district in the nation, and is a bit less self-consciously stuffy than Charleston, its classy northern sister. For both, if you have an interest in architecture or history, you will not be disappointed b/c there are too many items to list (or see in one visit).
Similarly, Savannah has always had a disproportionate share of fine dining opportunities. These used to be fairly constant but now, like the restaurant industry everywhere, these change over time, and my info is out of date. I presume William's Seafood is still in business, and is highly recommended for a low-brow fish house. The Pink House downtown, as mentioned above , has always been very good. (In fact I took a prom date there a long long time ago.) I believe 1790 and Mrs Wilkes Boarding House closed, but now there is Paula Dean...
If you have kids, don't miss dining at the Pirate's House - you won't hate it and they will have a blast. But you really need up-to-date referrals from a local, b/c the food scene is not as driven by advertising as it is most places.

As for other sights, spend an afternoon at the kitchy but unspoiled Savannah beach, after a 2 hr visit to Fort Pulaski on the way. Time it right and you'll get a cannon demonstration, and the fort itself is impressive. Maybe check out Bonaventure cemetary, and certainly Factor's Walk / River Street back in town. Check out a production at SCAD for cheap quality entertainment. Stop by the Telfair Academy for an hour or two, or check out Jack Leigh's old photography gallery. Maybe go crabbing along the jetty at the beach, or charter a boat to go fishing in the rivers and sounds south of town. Drive down Johnny Mercer Blvd to the Yacht Club late on a weeknight and see the river that inspired the song Moon River.
Go on a quest to find someone who still speaks gullah, or an actual native of Defauski island, or someone who can weave a water-tight low country basket, or the birthplace of UGA's mascot, or the grave of someone who signed the Declaration of Independance, or 3 styles of colonial architecture that predate the existence of the USA, or the location and significance of Oglethorpe's garden, or a pre-Columbian shell mound on one of the islands, or the name and other achievements of the designer of Fort Pulaski, or how rifled cannon factored into its history, or find an actual shrimper who will sell you shrimp off the back of his boat, or why the downtown squares are laid out as they are, or find a fountain with swans and Neptune with his trident, or the real location of the Bird Girl statue from the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, or see if Sylvan Island is still the wealthiest neighborhood in the nation, or find someone to take you gigging flounder by lantern light, or water ski past wild alligators, or whatever. There is plenty to do, but only a small fraction of it will be pre-packaged in a tourist brochure.

Or you could just ride around in a tour bus with some other tourists, eat some really good food, and get tipsy, maybe tear up a bit thinking about the Waving Girl before going to bed, and think about what you might do on the next trip. Depends on what you are up for. Just steer clear of the Chatham Artillery Punch, or you will still be tipsy the next morning. Have fun. Hopefully someone local will weigh in with more current restaurant recs.
ps It is probably too early, but if the sand gnats are out already, find Avon SSS or you will suffer.
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