Chatham County · The Coastal Lowcountry · The Oldest City in Georgia
Savannah GA City Guide
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66 entries in the Savannah guide, indexed at build time.
Search all of GeorgiaDiscover the best restaurants, things to do, events, historic sites, parks, date-night ideas, family activities, tours, shopping and local favorites in Savannah, Georgia.
The Savannah guide on CityGuideGA is written for residents, visitors, families, couples, weekend travelers, wedding guests, relocators, home buyers, students, local business owners, and beach visitors. It is an independent local discovery resource, not a real-estate tour.
Savannah at a glance
The coastal city of squares
Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia, founded in 1733 by James Oglethorpe on a bluff above the Savannah River and laid out around a grid of public squares. That plan survives in the Historic District, the largest National Historic Landmark District in the United States, and it is what makes the city walkable, shaded, and distinct. The city sits on the Georgia coast, the gateway to Tybee Island and the Lowcountry, about 2.5 hours southeast of Atlanta.
The Historic District
The largest National Historic Landmark District in the US, built around Oglethorpe's squares.
River Street
The cobblestone waterfront of restored cotton warehouses, shops, and riverboats.
Forsyth Park
The city's signature green and the iconic 1858 fountain.
The Lowcountry table
Shrimp and grits, oysters, and the seafood rooms of the coast.
Things to do in Savannah
The anchors of a Savannah visit
Savannah's major draws are the Historic District squares, River Street, Forsyth Park, the museums, and the coast, all within a short walk or drive of downtown. These are real, open places; hours and tickets change, so check before you go. The full list lives on the Savannah things-to-do page.
The Historic District squares
Oglethorpe's original grid of public squares, the heart of the city.
See all things to doRiver Street
The cobblestone waterfront of shops, restaurants, and riverboats.
See all things to doForsyth Park
The signature green with the iconic 1858 fountain.
See all things to doThe Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
The landmark French Gothic cathedral with its twin spires.
See all things to doThe Telfair museums
The Telfair Academy, the Jepson Center, and the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters.
See all things to doTybee Island
The coast's beaches, lighthouse, and pier, a short drive east.
See all things to doRestaurants in Savannah
The Lowcountry table, district by district
Savannah's restaurant scene runs from the Historic District dining rooms to the seafood rooms of River Street and the Lowcountry kitchens of the coast. The city's restaurant list names only real, open places, tagged by district and the kind of meal, from fine dining to late night.
The full Savannah restaurant listCoffee, breakfast and brunch
The coffee counters and brunch rooms
Savannah mornings run on the Historic District cafes and the neighborhood counters: the Collins Quarter on Bull Street, Foxy Loxy in the Starland District, and the brunch rooms near the squares. The city's coffee and breakfast page carries the verified counters.
The Savannah coffee and breakfast listSavannah date night
An evening in Savannah
Savannah date nights usually start with a table and end with a walk: the Historic District squares at dusk, a River Street stroll, or a ghost tour after dark. The city's date-night page carries the evening list, and the live-music page carries the second act.
The Savannah date-night listParks and outdoor activities
The green side of the coast
Savannah's outdoor life is anchored by Forsyth Park, the squares, the riverside greens, and the beaches of Tybee Island. These are real parks with real addresses; hours and trail conditions change, so confirm before you drive. The full list is on the Savannah parks page.
Forsyth Park
The city's signature green, the fountain, the oaks, and the Saturday market.
See Savannah parksThe Historic District squares
Oglethorpe's public squares, each a shaded green with benches and monuments.
See Savannah parksEmmet Park
The riverside green above the bluff with river views.
See Savannah parksDaffin Park
The big Midtown park with Grayson Stadium and a walking loop.
See Savannah parksTybee Island beaches
The Atlantic beaches, the lighthouse, and the pier.
See Savannah parksLafayette Square
One of the original squares, with the Andrew Low House and the Cathedral nearby.
See Savannah parksFamily activities
Savannah with kids
Savannah is a family city: the children's museum, the railroad museum, Forsyth Park, and the Tybee Island day trip all land with kids. The family page carries the full list, from the free squares to the rainy-day museums.
Historic Savannah
The oldest city in Georgia
Savannah's history is written in its squares, its homes, its museums, and its churches, the largest National Historic Landmark District in the United States. The historic Savannah page is the careful orientation: the squares, the architecture, the museums, and the history told straight, without oversimplifying the difficult subjects.
River Street
The cobblestone waterfront
River Street is Savannah's riverfront, a cobblestone promenade of restored cotton warehouses along the Savannah River, now shops, restaurants, bars, and riverboat cruises. It is the city's most photographed evening walk, and the river page carries the full orientation: the restaurants, the shops, the river views, and how to get there.
Forsyth Park
The city's signature green
Forsyth Park is Savannah's great public green, 30 acres of lawns, live oaks, and the iconic 1858 cast-iron fountain at the south end of the Historic District. The park page is the local authority: what to do, the fountain, the walks, the Saturday market, and the nearby coffee and restaurants.
Ghost tours & haunted Savannah
History and legend, kept straight
Savannah's ghost tours are among the most popular things to do in the city, and they mix real history with folklore. The ghost-tours page keeps the two separate: what the tours cover, the historic cemeteries and haunted buildings, and the honest note that the legends are stories, not proven fact.
Live music & nightlife
The rooms after dark
Savannah's nightlife runs from the live-music rooms and jazz bars of the Historic District to the rooftop bars and the River Street taverns. The live-music page carries the venues and the late-night food.
Tours
The guided city
Savannah is a city you see best with a guide: walking tours, historic tours, ghost tours, trolleys, food tours, river cruises, and architecture walks. The tours page lists the operators and the tour types.
Beaches & the coast
Planning a beach day? Explore Tybee Island.
Savannah is the gateway to the Georgia coast, and the classic beach day is a short drive east to Tybee Island, about 18 miles down US 80. The coast page connects the city to the beaches, the boat activities, the fishing, the dolphin tours, and the coastal nature.
Shopping & boutiques
Broughton, River Street, and City Market
Savannah shopping runs from the Broughton Street retail row to the River Street shops and City Market, with antiques, gifts, local art, and specialty food across the Historic District. The shopping page carries the storefronts.
Explore Savannah by area
The districts that make up Savannah
Savannah is best understood as a set of distinct districts, from the Historic District and River Street to the creative Starland District and the leafy residential Ardsley Park. The cards below link to the areas with dedicated guides; the rest are described here so the coverage can grow.
Historic District
AreaThe original city laid out by Oglethorpe around the public squares, the largest National Historic Landmark District in the US.
Open the area guideDowntown Savannah
AreaThe walkable core of squares, Broughton Street shopping, and the edge of River Street.
Open the area guideRiver Street
AreaThe cobblestone waterfront of restored cotton warehouses, shops, restaurants, and riverboats.
Open the area guideCity Market
AreaThe open-air block of galleries, shops, and restaurants in the western Historic District.
Open the area guideVictorian District
AreaThe residential district south of the Historic District, named for its Victorian-era homes.
Open the area guideStarland District
AreaThe creative neighborhood on Bull Street, local art, vintage shops, coffee, and independent restaurants.
Open the area guideThomas Square
AreaThe Midtown neighborhood around the square, part of the creative Starland energy.
Open the area guideArdsley Park
AreaThe early-20th-century residential district of tree-lined streets around a central park.
Open the area guideMidtown Savannah
AreaThe broad district south of the Historic District, home of the Starland energy and the neighborhood rooms.
Open the area guideSouthside Savannah
AreaThe commercial and residential south side, the everyday Savannah beyond the historic core.
Open the area guideThunderbolt
AreaThe coastal village on the Wilmington River, a short drive east, part of the coastal connection.
Open the area guideIsle of Hope
AreaThe historic coastal neighborhood on the Skidaway River, known for its waterfront homes.
Open the area guideExplore Savannah by category
The Savannah guide, by category
Local businesses
The independent rooms that make Savannah local
Beyond the national names, Savannah runs on independent shops, cafes, and services scattered across the districts: the boutiques of Broughton Street, the coffee rooms of the Starland District, and the restaurants that the whole city defends. The business directory carries every verified local business.
Living in & moving to Savannah
What it is like to call Savannah home
Living in Savannah means living with the coast, the port, the college students, and the visitors. The economy runs on tourism, the Port of Savannah, healthcare, SCAD, and Georgia Southern's Armstrong campus, and the city's character shifts district to district, from the walkable Historic District to the family neighborhoods of Ardsley Park and the south side.
The daily facts are the same across them: Savannah and Chatham County are separate governments, and the school question is answered by address through the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. The historic core is walkable; most errands and the commute assume a car.
If it were my house, I would spend one full Saturday walking the Historic District squares before I ever opened a map of the county.
Moving to Georgia from North Carolina? Here is what to know.
The honest living note
Every Savannah address sits in Chatham County, and the school boundary and the flood zone are address-specific facts to verify for the exact lot. The district guides describe the character and the walkability, but the official details are the ones to confirm.
Visitor itineraries
The honest ways to spend the city
The itineraries page carries the useful plans: one day in Savannah, a weekend, a romantic weekend, Savannah with kids, a historic weekend, a food weekend, and a Savannah plus Tybee weekend.
Parking & getting around
The walk, the car, and the coast
The Historic District is famously walkable, and the rest of the city and the coast assume a car. The getting-around page covers the walking, the parking garages and street parking, the trolleys, public transit, bikes, and the drive to Tybee.
Savannah questions, answered
Straight answers about Savannah
What is Savannah Georgia known for?
Savannah is known for its Historic District, the largest National Historic Landmark District in the United States, laid out by James Oglethorpe in 1733 around a grid of public squares. Add River Street, Forsyth Park, the moss-draped oaks, ghost tours, and Lowcountry cooking, and you have the Savannah identity.
What are the best things to do in Savannah?
The short list: walk the Historic District squares, spend an evening on River Street, see Forsyth Park and its fountain, visit the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the Telfair museums, and take a day trip to Tybee Island. The things-to-do page carries the full list.
Is Savannah walkable?
The Historic District is famously walkable: the squares, River Street, and Forsyth Park are all connected on foot. Most of the rest of the city, and Tybee Island, assumes a car.
What is River Street known for?
River Street is Savannah's cobblestone waterfront, a promenade of restored cotton warehouses along the Savannah River now filled with shops, restaurants, and bars, with riverboat cruises and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge framing the view.
Is Forsyth Park worth visiting?
Yes. Forsyth Park is Savannah's signature green, 30 acres of lawns and live oaks anchored by the iconic 1858 cast-iron fountain, with the Saturday farmers market and the Fragrant Garden.
How many days should you spend in Savannah?
A weekend covers the Historic District, River Street, and Forsyth Park with a ghost tour or museum in between. Add a third day for Tybee Island or a deeper historic and museum pass.
What are the best restaurants in Savannah?
The honest list starts with the Olde Pink House and Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room in the Historic District, the Grey in Midtown, and the seafood rooms of River Street. The restaurants page carries the verified list, real and open only.
What should couples do in Savannah?
A Historic District dinner, a River Street walk at dusk, a river cruise or ghost tour after, and a slow morning at Forsyth Park. The date-night page carries the combinations.
What can families do in Savannah?
The Savannah Children's Museum, the Georgia State Railroad Museum, Forsyth Park, and the Tybee Island day trip are the family anchors. The family page carries the list.
Are Savannah ghost tours worth it?
They are among the most popular things to do in the city. A good tour keeps the real history separate from the legends; the ghost-tours page explains the difference and lists the settings.
How far is Savannah from Tybee Island?
Tybee Island is about 18 miles east of downtown Savannah, roughly a 30-minute drive down US 80.
Where should you stay in Savannah?
The Historic District puts you in walking distance of the squares, River Street, and Forsyth Park. The hotels and inns of the district are the classic choice for a Savannah visit.
What is happening in Savannah this weekend?
The honest answer lives on the events calendar, filtered to Savannah, and the this-weekend page. Every entry is verified against the official source before it runs; nothing is invented.
Need a home pro?
Plumber, electrician, roofer, or HVAC in Savannah
For home services in Savannah, the guide points to HomeGuide, the matching service that connects homeowners with vetted local pros: plumbers, electricians, roofers, HVAC, painters, handymen, and landscaping. CityGuideGA stays a discovery site; the trades conversation happens on HomeGuide's Savannah page.
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Find a home pro in SavannahHomeGuide matches homeowners with vetted local pros in Savannah, GA. CityGuideGA and HomeGuide are separate services.
Savannah real estate
Thinking About Moving to Savannah?
Explore Savannah neighborhoods, homes, and the living conversation with local real-estate guidance from Rob Dietrich | eXp Realty. This guide stays an independent local discovery resource; the real-estate conversation happens separately, on Rob's own site.
Rob Dietrich, REALTOR® · Georgia Real Estate License #384162 · eXp Realty, LLC · Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate brokerage services are provided through eXp Realty, LLC.
Nearby areas & day trips
Around Savannah
These are the coastal communities and nearby destinations connected to Savannah, presented as nearby areas and day trips rather than Savannah districts. The coast page carries the Tybee and coastal connection.