Things to Do in Savannah

In the very center of Savannah’s historic district lies a green oasis called Forsyth Park. It is one of the favorite places for locals to sit in the shade and escape from the relentless sun. Many tourists also rest their tired feet in this park. It is a great place to people watch, have a picnic, take your dog for a walk, go for a jog in the morning, or dribble a soccer ball with friends.

With 30 acres of green space, huge mature trees, and countless flowering bushes (annuals and perennials), the park is a riot of colors throughout most of the year and one of the best things to do in Savannah. There are often concerts in the open air, and the Farmer’s Market takes place here every Saturday. You will not be able to resist taking a photo of the beautiful old fountain, one of the most popular and most photographed attractions of Savannah, Georgia.

The Savannah Historic District is a National Historic Landmark established in 1733. It has been remarkably preserved to this day. This lovely part of Savannah sees thousands of tourists every year who stroll through the old original squares and enjoy magnificent Gothic, Georgian, and Greek Revival buildings and mansions, parks, and fountains. The area of the Historic District lies between the Savannah River, E. Broad Street, Gwinnett Street, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

Some of the most famous mansions and buildings include the Owens-Thomas House on Oglethorpe Square built in 1818, the Gothic Revival Greene House on Madison Square, and the Teach Institute, Savannah’s first black school, located on East Harris Street. If you are wondering what to do in Savannah, Georgia, stop by the Savannah Visitor Center located in the beautifully restored Central of Georgia railroad station to learn about self-guided tours offered in Savannah.

Located along the Savannah River, Savannah’s historically rich Waterfront once served as the location where many warehouses stood 200 years ago during the time when cotton was king. Because of the yellow-fever epidemic and the resulting quarantine in the early 1800s, the area was abandoned for more than 100 years.

In the 1970s, Savannah Waterfront and its 200-year-old cobblestones were rediscovered, leading city planners and local landowners to transform the location and its empty warehouses into the lively and exciting Savannah River waterfront area you see today. With more than 80,000 square feet, the formerly abandoned warehouses of River Street house over 70 businesses, including art galleries, restaurants, shops, and much more. Since its refurbishment, River Street has become a busy and popular tourist attraction.

When it comes to Savannah restaurants, there are many amazing choices and not enough time. One way to get a pretty good idea as to what Southern food and Southern hospitality are all about is to take one of the Savannah Taste Experience Food Tours. The tour recommended for the first time visitors is The First Squares Food Tour, which takes you on a journey that allows you to sample foods from seven unique restaurants and food stores around the original squares built in Savannah.

The second tour explores hidden gems in mostly residential neighborhoods, and it goes behind the scenes of the restaurant kitchens, stopping for chats with the chefs and locals about their city. Both tours are three-hour long walking tours, so you can stretch your legs between meals and really get a feel of the spirit of the charming, historical city of Savannah.

Located on Ocean Science Circle, The University of Georgia Aquarium is a kid-friendly and educational tourist attraction on Skidaway Island just southeast of downtown Savannah. The exhibits feature the marine animals that live along the coast of Georgia, and there are sixteen tanks that house many species of fish and reptiles like turtles. Children enjoy the touch tanks, which allow them to get up close to see the animals.

There are also exhibits of fossils of extinct animals like wooly mammoths and mastodons, fascinating creatures that once lived in the Skidaway area. Group tours and summer camps are offered at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium, which is open Monday to Saturday. The University of Georgia Aquarium is one of the best things to do in Savannah GA for families.

30 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, Georgia, Phone: 912-598-2496

Six women set their minds on starting a farmers’ market in 2009 in beautiful Forsyth Park, a location where everyone feels welcome. The idea was to create a place where everyone can have access to healthy, locally produced food, and to give the local farmers a chance to show the fruits of their labors.

The Forsyth Farmers' Market (FFM) only features food sold by those who grow and produce it. You will find nearly everything there, including bread, cheese, eggs, honey, produce, preserves, coffee, and much more. A token system allows people who use SNAP (food stamps) to double their value and get access to the healthy, wholesome food.

1 W Park Ave, Savannah, Georgia

Chef Darin's Kitchen Table is a hands-on cooking school in the Victorian district of Savannah where Chef Darin Sehnert will suit you up in an apron and get you started on a wonderful culinary journey. His goal is to demystify cooking techniques and teach his students to understand basic, yet essential ingredients.

The teacher and his students gather around the kitchen table and cook together, discussing different techniques, sharing stories, talking about ingredients, and basically enjoying themselves. You will be slicing and dicing, frying and baking, and, the best part, at the end you will sit down at the table with your teacher and fellow students and eat everything you worked so hard to prepare. Taking one of these cooking classes is a great way to spend an evening and have an interactive learning experience with Southern cuisine.

2514 Abercorn Street, Suite 140, Savannah, Georgia, Phone: 912-662-6882

Visiting the magnificent, authentically furnished Gordon family home, which looks just as it did in 1886, is a truly marvelous experience. Famous for being Savannah’s first Registered National Historic Landmark, this old mansion is a wonderful example of the city’s romantic past. However, the real reason to visit this remarkable place is to learn about Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA.

This fine 51-year-old lady from a rich Southern family started a worldwide movement that promoted girls’ strength, individuality, and intellect through new outdoor and educational programs in 1912. The house, the place of Low’s birth, is now owned and managed by the American Girl Scouts. The house contains collections of Juliette’s possessions and fine art as well as an excellent library that focuses on the literary tradition of the written word created by women across cultures and throughout time.

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, 10 E. Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah, Georgia, Phone: 912 233-4501

Founded in 1966, the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum features memorabilia related to 18th and 19th century ships that were displayed in the 1819 William Scarbrough House and Gardens. The establishment was in the Greek Revival style of architecture, and the home belonged to one of the owners of the “Savannah,” the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The garden is one of the largest in the Historic District, and it is filled with colorful, stunning flowerbeds. Inside the house, the main attraction is the collection of ship models, artifacts, and ship-related paintings. There are nine galleries that display various kinds of ships from old colonial sailing vessels to modern navy ships. The museum is open every day except Mondays.

41 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Savannah, Georgia, Phone: 912-232-1511