Savannah, Georgia is a lovely historic city with quite a few things to see. There are lots of historic houses, which we love! We visited over Fourth of July and didn’t have a car, so we stayed closed to the historic downtown area. Therefore, we didn’t venture out to Bonaventure Cemetery or other far away sites. Read on to see our recommendations of what to do in Savannah GA!
Colonial Park Cemetery
Address: 200 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401
This six-acre cemetery is the oldest in the city and conveniently located within walking distance of historic Savannah, no need to drive! There are many notable burials, including Button Gwinnett who signed the Declaration of Independence for GA. You will find signs throughout the graveyard.
| Tip: We recommend visiting in the early morning before it gets too hot! We visited around 9am. |
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Address: 222 E Harris St, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: Mon-Sat: 9am- 11:45am, 12:45pm – 5pm
Website: https://savannahcathedral.org/visit/
The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist is the head Catholic Church in Georgia, and it is the oldest in the state. It has a beautiful interior and amazing architecture, worth a visit!
Jones Street
Known as the prettiest street in Savannah, and possibly the US! It is lined with gorgeous homes and mossy trees. Located near other attractions, it is certainly worth walking down and highly recommended in regards to what to do in Savannah GA.
Forsyth Park
Address: 13 E Park Ave, Savannah, GA 31401
This 30-acre park is an icon of the southern city. The park is the largest and oldest one in Savannah, and it is a hub for locals and tourists alike. Its fountain is one of the most photographed features. It is a very romantic spot with the mossy trees and street performers playing music, full of Southern charm!
| Tip: On Saturday mornings, they hold a farmer’s market! |
Mercer Williams House
Address: 429 Bull St, Savannah, GA 31401, Website: http://www.mercerhouse.com/
If you have seen the movie or read the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, stopping by this house is a must! The story is based around the real-life murder that occurred in the house; the owner was the killer and was eventually acquitted! We didn’t take the tour of this house because we heard that the home is still owned by the family and the tour doesn’t discuss the murder at all. Instead, we visited the outside and even went into their quaint gift shop.
| Tip: Watch (or read) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil before visiting Savannah! The film came out in 1997 and many Savannah locales are in the movie. In fact, Savannah has a lot of movies filmed there, including Forrest Gump, The Last Song, and Glory. |
City Market
Address: 219 W Bryan St, Savannah, GA 31401
City Market is a great stop if you are wondering what to do in Savannah GA. It is a roughly four-block open air market with restaurants, bars, shops, and art galleries. The market dates back to the 1700s as the city’s central marketplace and continues that tradition today.
Andrew Low House
Address: 329 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm. Tours are offered on the hour and half-hour daily
Website: http://www.andrewlowhouse.com/
This was the home of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts. When she married, she moved in and lived here until her death. Confederate General Robert E. Lee even stayed in one of the bedrooms. It is a beautiful home with an interesting history!
| Tip: Admission is normally $10; however, you can buy a “Pioneers in Preservation Pass” for $21 that includes the Andrew Low House, Davenport House, and Ships of the Sea Museum. It’s a great bargain if you are going to see multiple sites! |
Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum
Address: 41 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: Closed Mon, Tues-Sun: 10am-5pm
Website: https://www.shipsofthesea.org/
Originally the home of William Scarbrough, who is buried in Colonial Park Cemetery, it has now become a maritime museum. It exhibits ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques. Savannah was a popular shipping port and still is today.
Savannah History Museum- Tricentennial Park
Address: 303 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: 9am-5pm, Website: http://www.chsgeorgia.org/SHM
Located in Tricentennial Park, the museum covers Savannah’s history from its founding in 1733 to today. Much of it focuses on the American Revolution, and there is a nearby battlefield. However, it also has “modern” artifacts like the bench from Forrest Gump!
Telfair Museums
Website: https://www.telfair.org/
Telfair is actually made up of three separate museums. You purchase one ticket ($20 per adult) for admission to all three!
Telfair Academy
Address: 121 Barnard St, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: Tues-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun-Mon: 12-5pm
Telfair Academy was the original museum and it is the oldest art museum in the Southeast! One of its popular artifacts is the sculpture Bird Girl by Sylvia Shaw Judson; it was made popular by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and was originally located in Bonaventure Cemetery. However, too many visitors to the cemetery who wanted to the touch the statue lead to deterioration and it has been moved into the museum’s climate controlled environment.
Jepson Center
Address: 207 W York St, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: Tues-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun-Mon: 12-5pm
This is the modern art branch of the Telfair Museums and has rotating exhibits. The architecture itself is stunning!
Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters
Address: 124 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401, Hours: Tues-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun-Mon: 12-5pm
This historic house is part of the Telfair Museums and it is a guided 45 minute tour that runs every 20 minutes. The tour examines the family history of the house and also examines the enslaved people of the estate and their lives. If you want to learn about slavery in Savannah, this was one of the best sites that addressed slavery.
| Tip: On busy days, tours fill up! We went to check-in for a tour and the next available tour wasn’t for another two hours. We signed up for the tour and then returned later; keep this in mind when planning a visit! |
