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mikemo Aug 4th, 2004 05:24 AM

Brief Savannah ??s
 
I have read all the posts and threads and have a DAL fare sale opportunity to visit (valid until 20 Dec.) which must be purchased today.
Should we go in Oct, Nov or Dec?
Is crime (especially the violent variety) as bad as has been mentioned?
Many thanks.
M

GoTravel Aug 4th, 2004 06:05 AM

October will be beautiful. Hot and sunny with little to no humidity.

December and November are both very pleasant also.

In my many years of traveling solo to Savannah, I've never had a problem.

Olive Oyl lived there for some time as her husband was the GM of the Hyatt and they lived on property. Do a search and she has given excellent advice.

I love Savannah Mike. I'm sure whichever month you visit you will have a very nice time.

kcapuani Aug 4th, 2004 06:13 AM

I, too, would suggest Oct or early Nov for great weather. As for crime, I am not certain. There are some run down sections (as in most cities) but Savannah is just so lovely. I have never encountered anything remotely suspicious in my visits.

OO Aug 4th, 2004 06:46 AM

mikemo...it's hard to put the crime issue in the proper perspective. You as a tourist might be able to walk from one end of the historic district to the other at all hours of the night or day and see nothing, nor feel uncomfortable. It isn't an every day or even an every week occurrence, but there is crime there, most often after dark, so we curtailed walking we did to daylight hours, or if we walked after dark, walked only in well touristed areas...River St or City Market, not the quiet residential areas of the historic district. There IS a problem, and although odds are it would never touch you, why chance it. Just be smart about where you walk after dark, keep it to a minimum in quieter sections and you will be fine. I was out and about in the historic district every day for 4 years and never had a bit of trouble, nor felt the least uncomfortable during my daylight travels.

As everyone has said, October is beautiful, but November and December pleasant as well--warmer than Dallas, and December has the added advantage of the squares being decorated for Christmas. The city provides the materials...real pine garlands, ribbon etc, and the residents of each of the squares provide the labor and ideas. Each square lends itself to being decorated differently from the next, so they are all fun to see. We volunteered each year (well...the first year we were called and every year thereafter they counted on us) for one of the commercial squares, Wright square, where we wrapped the 4 old lamp posts with garlands, and swagged more garlands on the wrought iron fence surrounding the monument, fastening the swags with large bows. I cannot tell you how many of those $#%^ bows I made each year! Almost amazingly...only a couple were ever stolen. At any rate...that too is a pretty time to see the city. Decorations were completed by the end of the first week in December.

Don't worry too much about the crime situation. Odds are it would never touch you. It is there; it does not come from the very harmless, polite, and absolutely non-confrontational little homeless populaton that finds Savannah's climate hospitable to their lifestyle, and who you will notice here and there, but from the fact that there are housing projects outside both the east and west boundaries of the historic district and a very deteriorated neighborhood to the south of it. It is just something visitors need to be aware of and behave wisely, not be misled by the very serene small town appearances.

Scarlett Aug 4th, 2004 07:00 AM

Hi Mike :)
We were there in the summer heat, but everyone told us to come back in the fall. I think we are planning a trip in early Nov.
You need to be able to walk all over the town, comfortably. Wherever we went, we walked, as did many many other people, making us feel secure wherever we were.
The city seems to be surrounded by not so great neighborhoods, but a tourist would never walk that far, I think.
I hope you go, it is a lovely town~

mikemo Aug 4th, 2004 02:49 PM

Thanks all,
The Zeigler was our fav, but they raised the prices from $150. to $200.per which wipes out the DAL (horrible small seat) fare advantage!
PASS!!!!!
M


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