We spent last Thursday to Sunday in Savannah, Georgia. We had never been before, but it was a short 4 hour drive from our home and seemed like a wonderful place to entertain our five year old daughter the last few days of her spring break.
My daughter and I drove straight out to the Oatland Island Wildlife Center on Thursday to spend the afternoon. They have a very small nature center inside, but the real attraction is the 1 3/4 mile trail outside with natural habitats interspersed. I will say my one big mistake was worrying too much about sunscreen (virtually the whole trail is shaded) and not nearly enough about bug spray (the bugs were OUT). Also consider that you will be walking on dirt/leaf lined paths - a maxi skirt, although ideal for driving, is not your best choice. I'd allow about 2 hours total to go through the center and keep in mind that although they say they close at 5, some of the exhibits close at 4. Picnic lunches would definitely be fun - there are tables out front. Adults are $5, children 4-17 are $4, 3 and under FREE.
There is NOTHING like the coastal south. The oaks, the spanish moss… I die.
On the trail
The cougar was hilarious. He was sleeping in the back of his enclosure when we came up, saw my daughter, and got into a pouncing position. Then he immediately ran up to the glass. It honestly seemed more playful than attacking, but I was still happy for the barrier! He then posed for the kids.
Boardwalk over the marsh
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on Bay Street, and I really loved the location. We were right between City Market/Ellis Square - which is a wonderful mix of restaurants, shops, and open space - and the riverfront, which combines historic Savannah with modern charm. The staff could not have been more pleasant or helpful, and the rooms were clean and comfortable. Very nice pool and deck area as well, and the small gym is open 24/7.
Ellis Square Water Spray - so much fun for kids! My daughter went in in her clothes, but I saw tons of kids better prepared in bathing suits. There are restroom facilities available there for changing. There is also a nice open park here that we played in every evening - always a great mix of people. One night there was even a speed Scrabble game going on!
If you are looking for an easy and FREE way to get around the city, check out the DOT buses, streetcars, and ferry. They go all over Savannah and we couldn't believe they didn't cost a thing! The buses were pretty standard and we always felt safe. The one complaint I have with Savannah is that virtually all parking is paid. We ended up leaving our car with the hotel for most of the weekend.
Friday, we headed out to Tybee Island. Tybee is 20-30 minutes out of Savannah and WELL worth the trip. People familiar with the SC coast might compare the feel to Myrtle Beach, but on a much smaller scale. The beach is pretty wide and the water is knee deep for quite a way out, making it very kid friendly. I would try to get as far away from the pier as you can - that is where the crowds tend to congregate - but even with Spring Break in full force, we didn't feel crowded. Great for shell hunting! Be prepared to pay for parking anywhere on the island - signs will guide you to good places.
The pier does have small booths for food and drink, if you are interested. Fishing is available at the far end.
Glad we didn't have to deal with any of this!
No pictures of this, but we also visited the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. We feel good about the fact that our donations went towards conservation on the island, but at $4/person, we spent about 15 minutes inside - the exhibits are very limited. They do coordinate beach walks that might be much more interesting, but for what it provided, I would probably skip it the next time.
We grabbed quick drinks and appetizers at Fannie's (great shrimp, casual outdoor beach dining) before heading out, planning to stop at The Crab Shack on our way off island. This place is nothing but cheesy, but it's a lot of fun for the kids. Lots of cool pirate themed decorations and photo ops, small gators you can feed with a fishing pole, and the genius idea of trash cans in the middle of the table for your seafood scraps. Think nothing of coming here in swimsuit coverups and full of sand. CASUAL is the word.
Other places to consider in the direction of Tybee - UGA Aquarium and Marine Education Center, Skidaway Island State Park, and Fort Pulaski.
Back in Savannah - more old oaks. They are everywhere. Any good trip to Savannah will include time to just wander through the many squares.
Wandering back into City Market. Definitely a fun place to explore! There was live music every night we were there and often other types of performances.
Savannah Candy Kitchen in City Market (they also have a location on River Street). This place is candy HEAVEN with any type you could imagine. The arm in the picture above was dropping freshly made peppermint taffy in the container for purchase.
And if you were lucky enough to be there, you would get a fresh peppermint taffy sample tossed at you!
The Chart House on River Street. Didn't eat here, but was stunned by the gorgeous building on our way down to explore.
Sculpture on the river front
Saturday morning, we were happy to discover that the scheduled rain had not arrived, so we could explore the city! We had brunch at the Cajun inspired Huey's on River Street - be prepared for a line but it's worth it! The food is delicious, especially the authentic beignets!
City Hall
After brunch, we headed up to the famous Forsyth Park by way of the squares. Anywhere you walk in Savannah, be sure you are on the alternate streets where the squares are. Not only are they more pedestrian friendly, you don't want to miss the beauty! They are all a little different but all so charming.
Pulaski Square
Chatham Square
We finally made our way up to Forsyth Park and were not disappointed. What a gorgeous place and quintessentially Savannah :)
The Fountain
Much of Forsyth Park is wide open green space - great for impromptu games of ball or just lots of running! There are also two sizable playground structures and a cafe.
We took the DOT bus back to our hotel and again home from dinner that evening. On the way to dinner, we grabbed a pedi-cab (possibly my daughter's favorite part of the whole trip). These are a great way to get around, but will not always be there when you need them :) We ate at The Pirate's House, which is an old pirate treasure storehouse. Wonderful history here, which the roaming costumed pirates will happily fill you in on, and very good food as well. All kids get free pirate hats! You can make a reservation and I'd recommend it.
Sunday, we sadly packed up and left our hotel. On the way out of town, we stopped at the Georgia State Railroad Museum and the Savannah Children's Museum, which are on the same grounds. If you want to hit the children's museum, pay at the gift shop at the railroad entrance - they will give you a bracelet and a code for the gate. You can do both museums together or either separately. Keep in mind that they are both completely outdoors except for the inside of the train cars.
Exploring in the train cars
Overview of the children's museum. It is built in the remains of the old railroad buildings, and is has an absolutely amazing aesthetic. They also have tons of activities for little ones and lots of coming attractions!
The maze structure might have been my favorite part, although I also loved the garden area and reading nook. Our daughter wanted to stay forever!
Overall, we thought Savannah was an entirely charming Southern city and we are very excited to go back someday. I am looking forward to exploring more of the historical aspects of the city (when the little one is able to walk more) as well as exploring more of the coastal areas.
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