Help me understand what Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC will be like at Christmas/New Year's
 

We're contemplating a getaway at Christmas time. Not sure yet whether it will include Christmas or if we'll leave just after, but we will most likely stay through New Year's Eve.

I've long been enamored with the idea of a combined trip to Charleston and Savannah. But, I'm afraid that the picture of these cities that I have in my mind includes gardens bursting with azaleas and spanish-moss covered live oaks.

I've enjoyed many cities - NYC, Chicago, Paris, London, San Francisco, etc. in the winter and we like visiting cities very much.

So, if we chose to visit these places in the dead of winter, what would it be like? It's difficult to find pictures in guide books of the "off-season" cities. :)

Both cities will still be very very green, and the Spanish moss will still be draped on the trees in Savannah (it is still trying to recover from Hugo in Charleston). That doesn't go away unless it's blown away!

The live oaks which are so important to Savannah and Charleston's landscape do not lose their leaves. Camellias may even be in bloom. Azaleas, which are everywhere, will also be green, but not in bloom. Pansies will be blooming in the squares. These cities never have the winter look, really.

In Savannah all the squares will be decorated. The city provides the materials...flocked ribbon for bows, real evergreen garlands for draping, and the residents of each square decorate their square as they like, so each is as different as the squares are. My husband and I volunteered to do one of the commercial squares each year, Wright Square, where the Post Office is located. It was something I cursed as I made all those bows, but in truth, thoroughly enjoyed and amazingly, in the 4 years we did it, I think only one or two bows were ever taken.

It really is a lovely time to be there. Temps will be crisp but not uncomfortable and the welcome mat is always out.

You paint such a pretty picture! Thank you. :)

Here in Michigan, if I don't have to wear a heavy parka, scarf, mittens and hat on Christmas it's a heat wave, so I think we'd enjoy the temperatures very much.

There's no guarantee about the weather, but we spent one New Year's Eve day playing on the beach on Cumberland island and the kids actually splashed in the surf some. For several years I spent Christmas in South Georgia and it was alway warm enough to wear short sleeves during the day! (Which contracts nicely with someone I met in Juneau, Alaska who spent a summer building a cabin outside Denali NP and bragged that she had two whole weeks that she could wear Tshirts without a jacket!)

Don't expect flowers but it will be lovely. The lights will be out and you can walk around or drive around town.

You are talking about a 2hr+ drive between the 2 cities so I guess you will be spending only part of the time in each? I have been in Charleston right after Christmas and before NY's 2 yrs ago and it was very nice. Temps were fairly mild (60's) and it was sunny but as other posters have pointed out you can never tell. I have been to both cities and found them to be very different. I tend to like Charleston more but have also spent a lot more time there than in Savannah.

My bougainvillas bloom all year long.

Charleston and Savannah both will be lovely that time of year. The ocean water temp will keep downtown Charleston balmy.