Welcome To Savannah!
Savannah is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. A strategic port city in the American Revolution and during the American Civil War, Savannah is today an industrial center and an important Atlantic seaport. It is Georgia’s fifth-largest city, with a 2018 estimated population of 145,862. The Savannah metropolitan area, Georgia’s third largest, had an estimated population of 389,494 in 2018.
Each year Savannah attracts millions of visitors to its cobblestone streets, parks, and notable historic buildings. These buildings include the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA), the Georgia Historical Society (the oldest continually operating historical society in the South), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South’s first public museums), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African-American Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in the U.S.), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in the U.S.).
Savannah’s downtown area, which includes the Savannah Historic District, the Savannah Victorian Historic District, and 22 parklike squares, is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated by the U.S. government in 1966). Downtown Savannah largely retains the original town plan prescribed by founder James Oglethorpe (a design now known as the Oglethorpe Plan). Savannah was the host city for the sailing competitions during the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta.
The city of Savannah and the surrounding area boast a bounty of things to do during your visit. Below are some resources that may aid you in gaining the most from your visit.
Old Savannah Trolley Tours
Explore the best-known locations around Savannah’s historic district, on this hop-on, hop-off trolley. This is a great option if you’re in the city for a limited number of days, and want to cram as much sightseeing as possible into just an afternoon. The trolley covers 22 squares, and shows off some of Savannah’s prime landmarks, like the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Temple Mickve Israel, the Sorrel Weed House, the Juliette Gordon Low Home, the Mansion of Forsythe Park, the Mulberry Inn and the Pirates House. There are 15 different stops, and you can hop off the trolley whenever you want to go exploring, and you can be assured that another one will be right there to pick you up, nearly whenever you like, as they come around every 15 to 20 minutes.
Harper Fowlkes Historic Home
If you want to see historic, REAL LIFE living, this is a must see! Alida Harper left her home to the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Georgia to be used as state headquarters. She wanted future generations to see the lifestyle of the mid 1800’s. Her will stipulated that the house is to be properly maintained and can never be sold. Period pieces abound, and the Alida lovingly collected all of the furnishings, including her silver, china and crystal. The home features a traditional southern garden that you are welcome to roam and enjoy. Our tour guides are friendly, informed, and ready to greet you and make you feel at home. There are fascinating architectural details, artwork and interiors to see. Learn about all the unique features and history of the Harper Fowlkes House by touring the home, located at 230 Barnard Street on Orleans Square in historic downtown Savannah, Georgia.
The Savannah Waterfront
River Street was historically significant as a warehouse row, highly supporting the cotton industry. However, River Street was abandoned for decades after the yellow-fever epidemic, only to be rediscovered and put back into use after the 1960s. Now, guests can walk the cobblestone streets and see centuries of history laid out before them, as they walk past the dozens of businesses within the previously abandoned warehouses right on the river.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Called the most impressive building in all of Savannah, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist certainly will make your jaw drop. Towering spires and stained glass take your breath away, whether you’re attending a religious mass, or enjoying a guided or self-guided tours. These tours are available 9-11:45 a.m. and 12:45-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday, for the very affordable price of just $2. The cathedral was built where it now stands in 1876, but a historic fire destroyed much of what was there in 1898. In just two years, the cathedral was rebuilt, and now it stands to represent the tradition of faith within Savannah.
Telfair Museum of Art
The oldest art museum in the South, the Telfair Museum is housed inside a classical Regency mansion, designed by an English architect and purchased by the son of the Georgian governor. The home was completed in 1819, and it stayed within the same family until 1875, when the last surviving member of the Telfair family left the home and all of its furnishings to the Georgia Historical Society. The structure was enlarged just eight short years later, adding a sculpture gallery and rotunda. The grand opening was a superb affair, attracting famous faces such as Jefferson Davis. Now, when you visit, you’ll see carefully restored interior rooms, paintings from German Impressionists and the American French, period furniture, silver and other items. Additionally, the museum houses the largest public collection of paintings by Kahlil Gibran, more than 80!
Tricentennial Park
Here you’ll find three different museums — the Savannah History Museum and Battlefield Memorial Park, the Georgia State Railroad Museum and the Savannah Children’s Museum.
Bonaventure Cemetery
For more moss-laden oak tree goodness and a taste of Southern spooks (the South does have a good helping of gothic flair, by the way), head to Bonaventure Cemetery. One of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world, it’s on many a visitor’s bucket list. Free to enter, the property is more than 100 acres.
Old Fort Jackson Historic Site
Old Fort Jackson is the oldest standing brick fort within Georgia, built in 1808. It attracts 50,000 visitors each and every year, and for good reason. The fort is named after a Georgian governor who freed Savannah from the British rule, and it was at one time one of the strongest fortifications in the entire United States, as it was built entirely of earth, then faced with brick and then topped off with a wooden platform. Additions were made to the fort during the War of 1812, and it looks much the same today as it did at that time.
Fort Pulaski National Monument
Built in the 1800s, Fort Pulaski stands on an island in the river, between Savannah and Tybee Island. It was the first Confederate masonry fort to fall under Union cannon fire, which marked a turning point in military history.
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, a house museum created specifically for girls, and celebrating the woman who founded the American Girl Scouts. Juliette was born in the home, now owned by the Girl Scouts of the USA, in 1860, and it was there, in 1912, that she kicked off the creation of the Girl Scouts.
Forsyth Park
A beautiful, green, lush landscape, it’s popular with both tourists and locals alike, and you’ll find 30 acres of trees, flowers and other foliage. There’s also nearly always something going on here, from the open air concerts, to a farmer’s market that’s open every Saturday. Forsyth Park is also home to one of the most photographed spots in all of Savannah — the huge, gorgeous fountain.
City Market
The City Market is four blocks of open air shopping, all surrounded by restored warehouses with tons of cute extra shopping, plus dining and art. There are plenty of open air concerts in the square as well, and it can be a great stop for just sitting and people watching. Do keep in mind, though; the market is home to a few bars, and so you may find that the evening crowd gets a little rambunctious.
The Owens-Thomas House
A prime example of English Regency architecture, the house was built in 1819 and is large enough to fill an entire block. Designed by an English architect, the home was built by a Bermuda merchant, and then later purchased by a congressman. Now, it’s a National Historic Landmark.
Colonial Park Cemetery
It’s been in business since 1750, and you can see graves from some of the very first colonists, as well as many, many of those who died during the yellow-fever epidemic of 1820.