Savannah, Georgia's Best things to do
Where to Eat, what to see, and how to get spooked in Savannah, Georgia, all while saving money and staying true to Budget Travel.
Savannah is chuck full of fun history. I know, I know, you probably hit the snooze button when you just read history.... But this part of the U.S. has been around for so long, so many things have happened here. It sometimes boggles my mind to think about events that happened RIGHT where I happen to be standing. Wild stuff man, wild stuff.... But my favorite part of Savannah by far is.... THE FOOD. It's all deep fried and delicious and unique.
Also as I'm sure you have figured out by now, Jayk and I travel a lot, and we always travel on a tight budget and look for any and ALL ways to save even a little cash on our trips so we can save for more trips in the future, so of course I'll be discussing just how we were able to hit the best of this city without breaking the bank. So, let's dive on in.
Where to eat in Savannah:
Let's start with the absolute essential part of making or breaking a trip... GOOD FOOD. When I'm hangry (which is about once every 2-3 hours) I'm not having fun. So we eat OFTEN on our trips.
Dark Shark Food Truck's Fried Peaches on a Stick
At Dark Shark, their main dishes center around Fish Tacos, but what I want to talk to you about is their Fried Peaches on a Stick. They literally skewer a peach, roll dough around it, dip it in a batter, fry it, and then roll it in sugar. It's decadent. It's delicious. It's dangerous if you bite into it before it cools down and get a blister on the top of your mouth like me... But overall, a great way to appreciate those Georgia peaches! They do move around throughout the city, so check their facebook page to see where they are located the day of your visit.
Fiddler's Crab House:
Located right on river street in the north historic district, Fiddler's has the best fresh seafood. One thing I found about the south is that no two places do shrimp and grits the same. Of all the Shrimp and Grits I've tried, these were my favorite. Their fried mushrooms were amazing as well, and I’m typically not a mushroom fan, so that's saying something. Another Southern classic they have is "She-Crab-Soup", which was equally great. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the food here, because well instead of "feed eats first" it was "Lenny eats first" this day because I was starving, and this hit the spot!
River Street Sweet's Candy Shop:
Also Located on River Street (if you couldn't tell by the name) this Candy shop has homemade goodies and treats for days. They are best known for their pralines, which I still crave everyday. The story is that a couple opened up the Sweet shop together, but after getting a divorce, one continued to run the River street shop, and the other opened up Savannah's Candy Shop using the exact same recipes just around the corner. So, if one is busy, you most likely will get the same great candy from either one. My husband loves their fudge, and I swear by their coconut clusters. This makes for a great souvenir to bring home as well! That is if you can keep yourself from eating it all before you make it home like I did....
Leopold's Ice Cream:
Leopolds has the CREAMIEST ice cream. While they are known for their tutti fruitti and pistachio flavors, I personally was a huge fan of the almond and honey cream flavor, with coconut as a close second. If you choose to get a cone, ask for a cup to go with, because the second you step out of the shop your ice cream will melt in the Georgia heat. Take my advice, so you don’t end up with ice cream running down to your elbow within the first 30 seconds. Leopold's has been around since 1919. Staying in business that long means they really must know how to make a good ice cream! Leopold's is located on Broughton Street.
What to do in Savannah, Georgia:
There's really two way's you can go in Savannah, historic, or spooky. I recommend doing a mix of both!
Take a Trolley Tour:
Savannah is set up on a perfect grid system, with a town "Square" in the center of each city block. A trolley tour is the best way to see each of these unique town "Squares". To take a Trolley tour through the city with a guide, start at The Savannah visitors Center right next to the Savannah College of Architecture and Design (SCAD). We paid $5 to park there for half the day, and most if not all trolley tours leave from this lot. There are also nice and clean public restrooms in the information building in this lot. If you happen to take the "Old Savannah Tour's" Trolley tour, you can park for free. This is the only free parking we could find in the city, The Old Savannah Tour's will be located in the southern part of the Historic District just west of Orleans Square. The Trolley tours are the best way to see the entire city and to learn about just how much has happened in just one city. You can see the bench where Forrest Gump sat and said "Life is like a box of Chocolates", the first house in the U.S. to have electricity installed, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, The North and South Historic districts, the East Victorian District, and where so many other movies were filmed. I highly recommend starting your day with a trolley tour before doing anything else in Savannah.
Walk River Street:
River Street is another MUST DO for Savannah! If you didn't catch on in the food section, River Street is really where a large portion of Savannah's tourism occurs. This famous cobble-stone street has something for everyone, fine dining, desserts, the River Street Candy store, a stunning view of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge over the Savannah River where you can also take ferry rides, and so many places to shop, especially for Georgia themed Souvenirs.
Take a Ferry on the River:
As mentioned in the last section, you can take a Ferry on the Savannah River! They have smaller more modern ferry's, as well as historical ferry's based on Steam Boats from early Savannah. You can look into doing a river cruise on their official website here.
Ghost Tours:
If you like spooky scary stuff, you are in the right place. There are many Ghost Tours available in the area, and most begin after 5 or 6 PM. A few of the stories we heard included that the CVS Pharmacy in town closes before dark everyday, or crazy things begin happening in the store such as the lights turning on and off, and products flying off of shelves. The Pirate House restaurant is rumored to have the ghost of a pirate still living there, and so many more that I won't spoil! Whether you are a believer or not, the Ghost Tours are entertaining and fun for everyone.
Visit all of the Town Squares:
Savannah is unique as in rather than having one town square, they actually have 22! Savannah's 22 squares are located across a one-square-mile area of downtown. Each has a name and a small park within the center. Some have statues and memorials, other's have fountains and benches. They each are different and worth stopping at as you walk the city!
Visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist:
This beautiful Cathedral is 166 years old! It is in Lafayette Square. Mass is daily which limits touring hours, so please be respectful of worshipers when visiting.
Ways to save money while visiting Savannah:
It wouldn't be a Leaving with Lenny Blog post if I didn't cover all the best ways to save money while visiting Savannah. Sharing how to budget travel is my passion!
Free and/or affordable parking options:
The only free parking that we were able to find was located in the southern part of the Historic District just west of Orleans Square. You do have to take a trolley tour with the Old Savannah Tours company, but you will most likely be paying to do a tour AND to park if you go anywhere else in the city, so it’s worth it. There is also very affordable parking near The Savannah Visitor's Center right next to the Savannah College of Architecture and Design (SCAD). We paid $5 to park there for half the day, and most if not all trolley tours leave from this lot. There are also nice and clean public restrooms in the information building in this lot.
Price check:
If you plan to do a guided trolley or ghost tour, most of them will leave from the same area. Don't just hop on the first bus you see! The southern people are the kindest, and won’t mind at all if you pop by to ask how much their specific tour is. Because they are all in the same lot, you can find the cheapest and soonest tour quickly. On one tour we did, the guide offered us a discounted rate when we circled back to him!
$8 Tours:
A lot of the guided tours can be pricier, but there are quite a few self guided tours within the local museums and buildings that only cost $8!
If doing a bus tour, choose the all day option for a free shuttle.
A few of the bus tours offered “all day tour passes”. This means that you are free to board the bus at anytime from any stop, not just during your scheduled tour. This acts as a free shuttle throughout the day which is convenient.
Walk instead of using Uber/Lyft:
The city is very walkable. You can get anywhere you need to be on foot in under 15 minutes. Uber and Lyft can add up quick, and traffic can get backed up on these narrow roads, so sometimes walking is just as quick as catching a ride.
Seasonal Travel:
We've found that in the off season of visiting tourist locations, prices are often reduced as demand is down for their services. Try to book in the off season where you can!
Links to things I loved having on this trip:
All items are linked both in the item title as well as at the end of the description.
I was late to the hat trend, but ever since hopping on it, I have LOVED this hat. When I'm on vacation I don't want to do my hair, and the Georgia humidity made my hair frizzy and greasy, so this hat saved my bad hair day over and over again! Linked here.
When checking a bag, I love using this hard side roller luggage. Again, Kenneth Cole has the best quality. You can buy a single carry on, or a 2 or 3 piece set. Linking the 2 piece set I have here!
These biker shorts were perfect for the plane ride, and walking around in the South Carolina heat all week! Very Versatile and comfortable, I dressed them up and down the entire time! Linked Here.
These leggings genuinely compete with Lululemon, and are only $25!! Absolutely Buttery Smooth. I wore them on the plane home as well as during the days we traveled a lot. I have them in 5 different colors and wear at least one pair almost every day whether to the gym or dress them up with a cute tee. Leggings linked here!!
These jeans are stretchy and lightweight, but also high quality! Perfect for eating all of those yummy southern dishes and not having your jeans fit too tight after if you know what I mean. These also weren't too hot even in the August heat. Jeans Linked Here.
I love this shirt if you are wanting to dress up your outfit a bit more, while not sacrificing comfort. (If you haven't caught on, comfort is huge to me lol). Linked here!
These sandals slip nicely into a backpack or suitcase. I loved them for our beach days! Also completes a cute outfit with the shirt and jeans linked above! Linked here.
I'm a big Fan of Cheetah, and These cheetah sandals also pair great with the outfit above. Cheetah Sandals linked here!
We used this tripod our entire vacation to capture pictures! The bluetooth remote is easy to use and this made getting memorable shots a breeze! Tripod Linked here.
Those fried peaches on a stick look incredible!