4 Best Sights in Savannah, Georgia

Named for Casimir Pulaski, the Polish count and Revolutionary War hero, this must-see sight for history buffs was designed by Napoléon's military engineer and built on Cockspur Island between 1829 and 1847. Robert E. Lee's first assignment after graduating from West Point was as an engineer here. The fort was thought to be impervious to attack, but as weapons advanced, it proved penetrable. During the Civil War, the fort fell after bombardment by newfangled rifled cannons. The restored fortification, operated by the National Park Service, has moats, drawbridges, massive ramparts, towering walls, and an informative visitors center. Trails, picnic areas, and a protected bird refuge surround the park.

Members of the "Greatest Generation" formed the famous World War II squadron called the Mighty Eighth in Savannah in 1942. Within a month, they answered the call to arms and shipped out to the United Kingdom as part of the Allied Forces. Flying in Royal Air Force planes, the Mighty Eighth was the largest Army Air Force during World War II and played a major role in defeating the Nazis. Exhibits at this museum begin with the prelude to World War II and the rise of Adolf Hitler, and continue through Desert Storm. You can see vintage aircraft, fly a simulated bombing mission with a B-17 crew, test your skills as a waist gunner, and view interviews with courageous World War II vets. The museum also has three theaters, a chapel, an art gallery, and a 7,000-volume library.

The oldest standing fort in Georgia was garrisoned in the War of 1812 and was the Confederate headquarters for the river batteries. Surrounded by a tidal moat, the brick fort guards Five Fathom Hole, the 18th-century deep-water port in the Savannah River. Inside you'll see exhibits that highlight the life of a soldier in the 19th century. Blacksmithing demonstrations, traditional music programs, and battle reenactments—including live cannon and musket firings—are among the attractions.

In 1736, General James Oglethorpe gave 500 acres to Noble Jones, who was required to build a small fort to protect Savannah from an attack up the Skidaway River. Wormsloe is the only property in Georgia remaining in the hands of descendants of the original owners. Over the years, the land was used to produce cotton, as well as fruits, vegetables, and silk. In later years it served as a dairy farm and rice mill. Many of the 400 oaks planted along the mile-and-a-half entry in 1891 still stand proud today—you might recognize them from the movie Forrest Gump. Today, you can tour the tabby fort ruins, wander around the historic cemetery, and take in colonial plantation reenactments.