Savannah Feature

Savannah's Historic District offers a number of wonderful family activities, and not all of them are historic home tours. The surrounding areas, particularly the islands to the east of downtown, provide plenty of other options for family fun.

In the Historic District

One good bet for the kids is the Tricentennial Park, which includes the Savannah Children's Museum, the Georgia State Railroad Museum (where you can catch a ride on an antique steam engine during warmer months), and the Savannah History Museum. Another spot where families flock is the ArtZeum section of the Jepson Center for the Arts, which includes interactive exhibits designed to entertain the younger crowd. When it starts to get hot outside, hit the fountain at Ellis Square, a popular destination for kids of all ages who want to run through the jets of water shooting up from the ground. Forsyth Park is another great spot to spend some quality time. There's a large playground, as well as open fields perfect for tossing a Frisbee or football. The restored historic fort across from the Mansion on Forsyth offers public restrooms, a café, and a visitor information kiosk. For older kids who want their own scene, the Sentient Bean coffee shop on the south end of Forsyth Park is one of the city's few all-ages venues and features a variety of live music, films, and other programs during the evening.

Outside the Historic District

Among the most popular destinations for families in the area is Tybee Island. Whether it's a day on the beach relaxing, or having a bit more of an adventure by renting bicycles, kayaks, or other equipment. The Crab Shack capitalizes on family traffic with a large display of baby alligators that allows for up-close viewing of the indigenous reptiles. The Oatland Island Wildlife Center is just a few miles east of downtown Savannah, and features a zoo, among other exhibits related to local history, flora, and fauna.