Some cities you visit; others slow you down, whether you like it or not. Savannah is the second kind. The Spanish moss, the squares, the cobblestones on River Street, the way everyone seems to have time to chat. Within about an hour of arriving, I’d stopped checking my phone and started looking up at the ironwork balconies.
This trip was a long weekend with the ladies, three full days, and we packed in a lot: a riverboat cruise, a food tour, the most beautiful cemetery I’ve ever walked through, two historic homes, and a pub crawl to finish it off. Here’s exactly what we did, what each place actually is, and why I think it deserves a spot on your list.
Savannah in 3 Days at a Glance
- Day 1: Coffee at Savannah Coffee Roasters, Brunch at Sunday Sunday, River Street Riverwalk, Savannah River cruise, food tour, the historic squares
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Day 2:Â Breakfast at B Matthews, Bonaventure Cemetery tour, lunch at Crystal Beer Parlor, Jones Street, Mercer Williams House, Forsyth Park, and a pub crawl and an extravagant almost midnight steak dinner
- Day 3: Coffee in the Forrest Gump Square, the Owens-Thomas House, Irish music and art galleries in City Market, rooftop drinks at Myrtle & Rose
Pro tip: Nearly everything in the Historic District is walkable, and the squares are laid out in a grid, so you rarely need a car once you’re parked. Bring your most comfortable shoes. Brick sidewalks and tree roots are not kind to cute sandals. Both of my friends regretted shoe choices at least once this weekend. There is a lot of walking.
Day 1: River Street, a River Cruise, a Food Tour and the Squares
Where to Stay in Savannah
For this trip, we stayed at the Marriott Savannah Riverfront. We loved looking out our window and seeing boats headed down the Savannah River. We even saw a dolphin! It is a little walk to the historic downtown, and honestly, I would stay at one of the hotels below for my next visit.
Other historic inn clients have loved staying at The Old Harbor Inn (on the river, but a little closer to the historic district), The Marshall House Inn (right in the middle of the action), the haunted Kehoe House, and The East Bay Inn.
It would be a splurge and treat to stay at the gorgeous JW Marriott in Plant Riverside. My friend said you can even eat in the power plant stacks.
Savannah Coffee Roasters
I love starting my day at a local coffee shop, and this industrial, bright cafe in the historic district was exactly my style, with friendly locals ready for conversation. Southerners are truly so friendly. I had a very yummy toasted toffee latte.
Sunday Sunday
We were waiting outside when this adorable cafe opened for brunch, and we enjoyed a spectacular brunch! It is bright and decorated in muted but happy island colors. The menu includes southern brunch staples as well as some Asian dishes. They even have great Vietnamese egg coffee (IYKYK- this brought me back to my 10 days in Vietnam). I am a sucker for a great old-fashioned, and the orange blossom old-fashioned was divine! We also had raspberry French toast and a mushroom French-style omelet.
Walk the River Street Riverwalk
We started where most people do, down on River Street. It’s the old cotton warehouse district along the Savannah River, and today those brick buildings are full of shops, candy stores, bars, and restaurants. Walk the length of it, watch the container ships glide past (they’re HUGE and shockingly close), and pop into whatever catches your eye. The stairs up to Bay Street and the houses adjacent to them are very pretty- especially at night. This area is very touristy.
Pro tip: The ramps and stairs down to River Street are steep and uneven, and the street itself is cobblestone. Take your time, especially after a cocktail or two.
Take a Savannah River Cruise
Next we got out on the water. Savannah Riverboat Cruises runs the big paddlewheelers right from River Street, and the narrated sightseeing cruise is about 90 minutes. You get the skyline, the waterfront from an angle you can’t get on foot, Old Fort Jackson, and a captain who tells the city’s story as you go. They also do sunset, lunch, dinner, and brunch cruises if you’d rather eat on board.
Pro tip: Parking downtown can take longer than you think. Give yourself extra time to find a spot before departure, because the boat won’t wait.
Do a Food Tour
A food tour on day one is my favorite way to get the lay of the land in a new city, and Savannah did not disappoint. You walk, you snack, you learn the history, and you leave with a list of places to come back to.
Wander the Historic Squares
We ended the day just wandering the squares, which is honestly one of the best free things to do in Savannah. When General James Oglethorpe laid out the city in 1733, he designed it around a grid of public squares, and more than 20 of them survive today. Each one has its own monuments, fountains, and live oaks, and the historic homes and churches facing them are a big part of the show. Pick a direction and go square to square. You’ll stumble onto half of the next two days’ stops along the way.
Day 2: Bonaventure Cemetery, Crystal Beer Parlor, Midnight in the Garden and a Pub Crawl
Breakfast at B Matthews
Are you seeing an extravagant breakfast theme here?
Morning Tour of Bonaventure Cemetery
I know a cemetery tour sounds odd on a girls’ trip, but trust me, this is one of my favorite things to do in Savannah. My dad was born near this cemetery, and it is the thing that most stands out in my memory from past trips. The Bonaventure Cemetery sits on a bluff a short drive east of downtown, and between the moss-draped oaks, the Victorian statuary, and the river views, it’s hauntingly beautiful.
We did a guided tour, and I’d recommend one. I knew we would eat a lot, so we did a walking tour. I actually prefer this because you spend more time looking closely at the flowers (the cemetery used to be a botanical garden for an old plantation house), graves, and artwork.
The grounds are big, and the guide brings the stories to life. Because it is so big, if you aren’t up for a long walk, you can also do a golf cart cemetery tour.
Don’t miss Little Gracie Watson, a six-year-old who died in 1889 and whose life-size marble statue is one of the most visited graves in the cemetery. People still leave toys and trinkets at her fence. Songwriter Johnny Mercer (“Moon River”) is buried here too, with a bench at his family plot inscribed with his song titles. And if you know the famous Bird Girl statue from the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, she was moved out of Bonaventure years ago and now lives at Telfair Museums downtown.
Pro tip: The cemetery gates are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go in the morning for softer light and cooler temps, and bring bug spray.
Lunch at Crystal Beer Parlor
Lunch was at Crystal Beer Parlor on West Jones Street, and it was one of the best meals of the whole trip.
It’s one of Savannah’s oldest restaurants, operating as a beer parlor since 1933, and the story goes it was a speakeasy during Prohibition. The walls are covered in old photos and memorabilia, the booths are cozy, and the food is pure comfort.
What we had: excellent shrimp and grits, great burgers, and some of the best peach cobbler I have ever eaten. I’m not exaggerating. Get the cobbler.
Pro tip: They’re closed on Mondays, so plan around that.
Stroll Jones Street
You’re already on it, so walk it. Jones Street is regularly called one of the prettiest streets in America, lined with brick townhouses, wrought iron, gas lanterns, and a canopy of live oaks. No tickets, no lines, just a gorgeous walk to the next stop.
Tour the Mercer Williams House
If you’ve read or watched Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the Mercer Williams House on Monterey Square is a must. The Italianate mansion was designed by John Norris for General Hugh Mercer (Johnny Mercer’s great-grandfather) and finished after the Civil War. Fun fact: Johnny Mercer never actually lived there. In 1969, antiques dealer and preservationist Jim Williams bought it and restored it; in 1981, it became the scene of the shooting at the center of the book.
The tour covers the first floor, which is still filled with Williams’s furniture and art collection. It’s elegant, a little eerie, and very Savannah. Family members still live upstairs.
Pro tip: Tickets are sold at the carriage house behind the main house on Whitaker Street, not at the front door.
Forsyth Park
From Monterey Square, it’s a short walk south to Forsyth Park, the city’s big green backyard, with its famous white fountain at the north end. Grab a bench, people-watch, and rest your feet before the evening. On Sundays, it has booths of artisans and merchants.
End with a Pub Crawl
We wrapped up the trip the right way, with a pub crawl. Savannah is one of the few places where you can carry an open drink in a to-go cup, which makes bar hopping extra fun. We did our crawl with Bad Kitty Pub Crawl, and Kerry was excellent.
Marbled & Fin
We were starving, so we had a post-tour swanky steak dinner with a new favorite amaro, See the Elephant.
Day 3: The Oldest Coffee Shop in Savannah, Slave Quarters and a Historic House Museum, and a Rooftop Bar
Day three was our history day, and if you love old houses as much as I do, this is the one to copy.
Gallery Espresso
This coffee shop is across the street from Chippewa Square, the famous Forrest Gump Square. The bench from the movie is no longer there, but it is still a lovely square to enjoy an espresso in. I especially enjoyed my friend’s cinnamon freddo while looking at the huge statue of James Oglethorpe, Georgia’s founder.
Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters
The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters on Oglethorpe Square was designed by English architect William Jay and completed in 1819. It’s considered one of the finest examples of English Regency architecture in the country. The stained glass and uniquely rounded walls and colors were very intriguing. What makes this tour stand out is that it doesn’t stop at the grand rooms. Behind the house is one of the oldest intact urban slave quarters in the South, and the tour tells the story of the enslaved people who built and ran this household alongside the family who owned it. It’s moving, and it’s important.
Pro tip: The house is run by Telfair Museums, and your ticket also gets you into the Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center, which is where you’ll find the Bird Girl statue.
We didn’t get to do the next four things because they aren’t open on Sundays or are closed too early for us to make it, but we will visit them next time.
Andrew Low House
A few minutes away on Lafayette Square is the Andrew Low House, built in 1848 for a Scottish cotton merchant who became one of the wealthiest men in Georgia. The reason most people come, though, is his daughter-in-law: Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, lived here and founded the organization in this house. She died here in 1927. The guides are excellent, and the silver and furnishings collection is stunning.
Pro tip: Tours leave every half hour, so you don’t need to plan to the minute. You enter the house through the garden.
Gryphon Tea Room
Time for a break, and tea, obviously. Gryphon Tea Room on Madison Square is run by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and sits in a former pharmacy inside the old Scottish Rite building. Think stained glass, mahogany apothecary shelves and chandeliers. They serve a proper tea along with sandwiches, scones, and lunch dishes.
Green-Meldrim House
Back on Madison Square is the Green-Meldrim House, and if you’re an architecture person, this one’s for you. Built in the 1850s for cotton merchant Charles Green, it’s one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the South, with a crenelated roofline, oriel windows, and a gorgeous curved staircase under a skylight. Its big claim to fame is that Union General William T. Sherman used it as his headquarters in December 1864, and from here he sent Lincoln his telegram offering the city of Savannah as a Christmas gift. Today it belongs to St. John’s Episcopal Church next door.
Pro tip: It keeps limited hours and is closed Sundays and Mondays, so check the website before you build your day around it.
Davenport House Museum
Master builder Isaiah Davenport finished this Federal-style home on Columbia Square in 1820, partly as his family’s home and partly as an advertisement for his skills. Here’s why it matters: in 1955, it was slated for demolition, and a group of local women raised the money to save it. They went on to form the Historic Savannah Foundation, which kicked off the preservation movement that saved much of the Savannah you’re walking through today. Without this house, this city would look very different. The museum also now tells the stories of the enslaved people who lived and worked here.
City Market
We then walked through City Market, which is very touristy, but has some nice local source art galleries and live Irish music in the street at Wexford Irish Pub,
Plant Riverside District
Here we enjoyed more vendors on the riverfront and the lobby of the JW Marriott, which has a whale skeleton and giant geodes.
Sunset Drinks at Myrtle & Rose
We spent our last night up high at Myrtle & Rose Rooftop Bar at Plant Riverside District. It’s a garden-style rooftop with drinks and small plates, and the river view is spectacular. The container ships pass so close you feel like you could reach out and touch them.
Pro tip: Make a reservation. It’s popular for a reason, and it’s 21+ after 8 p.m.
A Local’s Picks We’re Saving for Next Time
A friend who lives here sent us a list of her favorites, and I’m sharing it because local recommendations are gold. We didn’t get to all of these, so add them to your list for next time.
- Classic Savannah dinners: Vic’s on the River, Garibaldi’s, The Olde Pink House
- More favorites: Husk, Cotton & Rye, Common, and The Vault for Asian food (sushi and curries)
- Rooftops: Bar Julian at the top of the Thompson Hotel
- Wine: 208 Wine Bar, which you enter on Bay Street but has great river views
- Live music: The Wexford, an Irish pub in City Market with music outside
- Brunch: Toast All Day
- Nature: Wormsloe, with its famous oak-lined avenue (walk it or take the trolley)
- Starland Yard: food trucks
Is Tybee Island Worth It on a Short Trip?
We asked our local friend this exact question. Her take: Tybee is about 20 to 25 minutes from downtown and fun if you have the time, but with only three days, Savannah itself has plenty to fill them. If you do go, head to the north end, where you can climb the Tybee Island Light Station, rent bikes, and grab a drink at North Beach Grill.
Pro tip: During king tides, US-80, the only road onto the island, can flood at high tide. Check the tide chart so you don’t get stuck waiting for the water to go down.
Savannah Travel FAQs
How many days do you need in Savannah? Three full days is the sweet spot for a first visit. That’s enough for River Street, a cemetery tour, several historic homes, and a few great meals without rushing.
Is Savannah walkable? Very. The Historic District is compact and laid out on a grid of squares. Park once, then walk.
Which Savannah historic home tours are best? It depends on what you love. For architecture: Owens-Thomas and Green-Meldrim. For Girl Scouts history: Andrew Low House. For Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: Mercer Williams House. For the story of how Savannah was saved: Davenport House.
Do I need reservations? For popular rooftops like Myrtle & Rose and the well-known dinner spots, yes. Book tours ahead on weekends too.
Final Thoughts
Savannah is the kind of place that rewards slowing down: a long lunch, an extra lap around a square, one more house tour because you can’t help yourself. It’s an easy, beautiful, walkable city for a girls’ trip, and I’d go back tomorrow.
Have you been to Savannah? Which historic home was your favorite, and where’s the one place you’d tell me not to miss next time? Let me know in the comments!
Planning your own Savannah getaway? I’d love to help. Reach out to Adventurous You Travel Services, LLC, and let’s put together your perfect long weekend.