Planning the ultimate road trip in the Southeast USA? We’d recommend carving out at least one day in Savannah, Georgia. The leafy and historic city of Savannah was one of our biggest surprises while roaming through the South. And we discovered that Georgia’s second-biggest city is every bit as charming & hospitable as its nickname “The Hostess City of the South” implies.
We never have a problem filling out our first 24 hours in this lovely city. Our biggest difficulty always comes in trying to figure out what to leave out!
On our 1-day Savannah itinerary, we’ll spend much of our time roaming around the city’s Historic District, sprawling several blocks south of the Savannah River. Along its cobblestone streets, we’ll find many of the city’s most interesting attractions for travelers. We’ll stumble upon historic houses, beautiful city squares, and museums, and get a chance to explore Savannah’s burgeoning culinary scene.
Ready to figure out where to go in Savannah in one day? Get started with our complete 1-day trip plan!
Our recommendations for where to go in Savannah in one day
Enjoy a morning walk in Forsyth Park
Looking for a quiet start to our day in Savannah? Let’s set our sights on Forsyth Park. The massive 30-acre park sits on the southern edge of Savannah’s Historic District
We think Forsyth Park is the perfect introduction to green and leafy Savannah. On our first visit to Savannah, we absolutely loved strolling along the park’s walking paths, meandering through a weeping canopy of moss-covered oak trees flanked by wide-open fields.
Besides its relaxing pathways, the most interesting feature in Forsyth Park is its iconic fountain. Built in 1858, the glorious fountain resembles those at Place de la Concorde in Paris. We often saw the fountain ringed by artists and street performers looking to catch the eyes of locals & visitors.
Before heading into Forsyth Park, let’s grab a coffee to go at The Sentient Bean (13 E Park Ave). We love the superb selection of fair-trade coffee to fuel your day at this popular local café.
Explore around Lafayette Square
From Forsyth Park, let’s continue our first 24 hours in Savannah with a walk north along Bull Street. When we hit Madison, we’ll swing two blocks east to land at Lafayette Square, one of the 22 historic squares on the 18th-century original city plan.
Lafayette Square is famous for its glorious fountain and the historical buildings surrounding it. Next to the square, we spotted the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. In our opinion, it’s one of the city’s most beautiful churches—and we totally think that it’s worth a peek if you’ve got time on your 24-hour Savannah itinerary.
Andrew Low House, a favorite stop on Savannah ghost tours, also sits on the western edge of the square. While planning our visit, we learned that this 200-year-old house, which is one of Savannah’s most popular museums, is reputed to be haunted. Even if the paranormal doesn’t interest you, we still think Andrew Low House is worth checking out for its historical value.
Bookworms can also visit the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home. The house sits on the southeastern tip of the square. Take a guided tour of the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home to learn more about the famed Southern Gothic American author.
Walk through early American history at Colonial Park Cemetery
Now, let’s walk north of Lafayette Square along Abercorn Street. Within two blocks, we’ll land at Colonial Park Cemetery. Dating back to 1789, Colonial Park Cemetery is one of the city’s most important burial grounds, and, in our opinion, an interesting and relaxing place to ramble.
We learned on our Savannah trip that several notable locals are buried at the cemetery. The most famous we found is Button Gwinnett, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
If you’re interested in early American history—or just want some fresh air—we’d recommend taking a stroll around this 6-acre park.
Relax in Chippewa Square
From the cemetery, let’s walk east two blocks to continue our tour of Savannah in 24 hours at Chippewa Square. Dating back to the early 19th century, this spectacular square sits near the center of the Savannah Historic District.
Chippewa Square is wedged between Bull Street, Hull Street, and W Perry Street. The square commemorates the Battle of Chippewa during the War of 1812.
The first thing we noticed at Chippewa Square was its centerpiece: a spectacular nine-foot statue of General James Oglethorpe. Around the statue, we enjoyed the shaded canopy of mature trees and a garden.
If you’re a film buff with a keen eye, you might recognize Chippewa Square from the movie Forrest Gump. The park provided the backdrop as Forrest narrated his life story to passers-by from a bus bench.
(We can see one of the actual benches used in the film at the nearby Savannah History Museum.)
Visit the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters
Savannah’s historic houses are among our favorite places to visit in Savannah. One of the most interesting we’ve seen is the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. The museum is less than a 10-minute walk northeast of Chippewa Square.
Built in 1819 in English Regency style, the Owens-Thomas House dates back over 200 years. Today, the home still remains one of the finest examples of the Regency architectural style in the United States.
We’d recommend hopping onto a guided tour of the home to explore its historic rooms. They’re jam-packed with interesting art & architectural pieces, along with interactive exhibits.
Outside the main house, explore the carriage houses and the beautiful Parterre Garden. We’d also suggest saving time for a tour of the Slave Quarters. As emotional as we found visiting this part of the house was, it’s necessary to get a more well-rounded history of the home.
Cool down at Leopold’s Ice Cream
The Georgia heat got you down? Before continuing, let’s pop into Leopold’s Ice Cream. Located a block north of the Owens-Thomas House, Leopold’s is one of the oldest ice cream parlors in the United States. (We’ve heard it’s even been voted as one of the best in the world!)
Brave the line-up and give it a lick to see what all the fuss is about. (Whether you grab a cone, sundae or float, we promise: It’ll be worth your while.)
Grab some delicious food at City Market
Need a break from Savannah’s history? Let’s walk a few blocks northwest to the City Market. Open since the 1700s, the open-air market spans four blocks between Franklin Square and Ellis Square.
Walking through City Market for the first time, we spotted a barrage of vendors peddling everything from handicrafts to artwork. The square is also surrounded by several art galleries, restaurants, and bistros.
Built up an appetite? We think City Market is the perfect place to stop for a bite with a side of people-watching. For quick pub food, pull up a chair at the Café at City Market (224 W Saint Julian St) or at the unfortunately-named Wet Willie’s (20 Jefferson St).
Want a more upscale lunch? We’d suggest chowing down on seafood & steak at award-winning Belford’s Savannah (315 W Saint Julian St) on Monterrey Square.
Stroll down River Street
From City Market, it’s a few blocks north to River Street, a popular avenue running along the historic Savannah riverfront. With its beautiful historic building, we think River Street is one of the most interesting areas to stroll around in the Historic District.
Many of the historic buildings along the waterfront and River Street were once warehouses connected to the cotton trade. Since their heyday, they’ve been renovated and restored. Today, we can find some of the coolest hotels, galleries, and restaurants in the city here.
Whenever we stroll along River Street, we love weaving into its boutiques to do a little casual shopping and passing by plenty of cafés and pubs. We always try to take a moment here to stop for a sip and enjoy fantastic views over the Savannah River.
In our experience, nearby Bay Street also has an excellent selection of bars & restaurants to choose from. The peanut butter & jelly wings at Treylor Park (115 E Bay St) are the stuff of legend. A distinctively and unapologetically British pub, Churchill’s (13 W Bay St) is also worth a stop for a pint.
RELATED: Top-Rated Day Trips from Savannah, GA
Got a sweet tooth? Pop into River Street Sweets (13 E River St). Its signature pralines are a crave-worthy Southern delight—and one of our favorite sweets we tried in the city!
Enjoy the sunset on a Savannah Riverboat Cruise
To explore the riverfront to its fullest, we’d recommend carving two hours in your evening for a Savannah Riverboat Cruise. Hop aboard the historic Georgia Queen for a relaxing sunset cruise you won’t soon regret.
When we’ve visited Savannah, we love hopping on this cruise to enjoy the refreshing river breeze while watching the sun dip below the city from the open-air deck. Grab a drink from the onboard Skyline Bar and Grill and float by the city sights to the sounds of live music, recreating a 1950s-era Southern vibe.
PRO TIP: Want to save time? Book your Savannah Riverboat Sunset Sightseeing Cruise online!
Chomp on Southern food delights in Savannah Historic District
Back on shore, let’s head back into the Historic District to enjoy a delicious dinner. While roaming through the area, we always find a wide selection of great restaurants & gastropubs to choose from. You’ll find a variety of great choices at every price range along River Street and Bay Street.
Some of our favorite restaurants around the Historic District include:
- The Vault Kitchen & Market (2112 Bull St): We’re big fans of the creative Asian fusion at this top-notch restaurant. Dig into innovative toothsome favorites like lemon coconut soup, roasted duck dumplings, or spicy Korean BBQ tacos. The historic location, inside the old Bank of America building, is pretty sweet, too.
- Cotton & Rye (1801 Habersham St): Set in yet another historic building, this gastropub puts its own unique spin on Southern classics like shrimp & grits, Southern fried chicken, and mac & cheese. For a distinctly local starter, might we suggest the Savannah crab rice?
- Elizabeth’s on 37th (105 E 37th St): With its location inside a historic mansion (we’re sensing a theme here), this classy fine-dining restaurant is the perfect spot for a romantic dinner after a day of sightseeing. Lock into their chef’s tasting menu to experience a variety of local seasonal dishes like blue crab cakes and Georgia shrimp chowder.
Another option is to head down to Starland District, south of the historic center. Not long ago, the neighborhood was a no-go zone for visitors. In the last decade, Starland has cleaned up its act, and today, it’s one of the hippest up-and-coming neighborhoods in central Savannah.
Starland District is jammed with cool cafés, restaurants, vintage shops, and craft breweries. Grab some Southern comfort food at the food trucks around Starland Yard (2411 De Soto Ave) or sip on craft beer at the popular Two Tides Brewing Company. (12 W 41st St).
(For safety at night, though, we’d still recommend using a taxi to travel to and from Starland.)
PRO TIP: Savannah is often listed as one of America’s most haunted cities. Add a little creepiness to your evening with the Savannah Haunted History and Ghosts Walking Tour. The ghost tour visits 8 locations. Stops include Kehoe House, Davenport House, The Juliette Gordon Low House, and The Cursed Wright Square.
Where to stay with 24 hours in Savannah
For first-time visitors, our favorite area to stay in Savannah is the Historic District. Whenever we search for lodgings here, we’ve been able to find hotels & accommodations in all price ranges, from budget to luxury.
River Street Inn
Located on the waterfront, this historic inn is the perfect choice for your adventure. We’re charmed by the rooms here, which show off both modern and turn-of-the-century motifs. The hotel’s daily wine and hors d’oeuvres reception is classy and fun for guests.
Olde Harbour Inn
This historic riverfront inn dates back to 1812. We like the spacious rooms here, which are surprisingly modern given the hotel’s heritage façade. Like other top hotels in the area, the inn hosts a nightly wine & cheese event.
Perry Lane Hotel
For a luxury stay in Savannah, we think this 5-star hotel is quite the gem. The stunning & modern rooms get us every time, but it’s amenities like the elegant outdoor pool that we really think push this property ahead of the pack.
More Savannah itinerary ideas
Bonaventure Cemetery
We think the famous 160-acre Bonaventure Cemetery is a little too far outside the city center to visit on a time crunch. The cemetery is known for its spectacular Victorian monuments and its appearance in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Tybee Island
Got a day to spare? We’d start it off with a trip to Tybee Island. Located about 30 minutes east of the center, this barrier island is known for its military fort, museums, and some of our favorite beaches around Savannah. History buffs will love the 19th-century Fort Screven.
When to visit
The best time to visit Savannah is between March and June. In these spring and early summer months, we think the weather in Savannah is at its best. With the warmer weather returning, the city’s trees and flowers spring back into bloom. Visiting at this time of year, we can enjoy Savannah at its most colorful.
The high season in Savannah falls in its summer months during the school holidays. Not only are prices higher, but July and August, in our experience, are also uncomfortably hot and wet in Savannah. Unless unavoidable, we wouldn’t recommend visiting at this time of year.
Winter is the cheapest time of year to travel to Savannah, but also the coolest. In winter, temperatures can dip as low as 30°F (3°C). If you don’t mind bundling up, we often find some fantastic accommodation deals at this time of year.
How to get there
By air
Savannah is served by Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). The airport is located 8 miles (13 km) northwest of the city center. Several major airlines fly into SAV from destinations around the United States, including:
- Allegiant Air
- American Airlines
- American Eagle
- Delta Air Lines
- JetBlue Airways
By road
Savannah is well-connected by road to other major cities in the Southeast. Popular routes and estimated driving times include:
- Atlanta, GA (3h47m)
- Charleston, SC (1h58m)
- Charlotte, NC (3h48m)
- Jacksonville, FL (2h2m)
- Montgomery, AL (5h23m)
- Myrtle Beach, SC (3h53m)
- Nashville, TN (7h31m)
- St. Augustine, FL (2h48m)
- Asheville, NC (4h43m)
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