Savannah, Georgia
 

I need several recommendations for hotels, B & B's, restaurants, and touring attractions for Savannah, Georgia for late April. The four of us are married, well-traveled, in our 50's, but we would like to make it a "girls only getaway" for at least 5 days.
Our accommodation preferences would include something reputable, fairly priced, and convenient for accessing the city. Major hotel chains would be considered, but cozy and charming would be more suitable.
Thanks!

There is a Hampton Inn in a terrific location right downtown on the edge of the historic district. It is one of those Hampton Inns that are much better than the roadside variety (cf Charleston, Islamorada, Coral Gables). Unfortunately, there is also a Hampton Inn nearby and with a similar name that is very ordinary.

Past threads on here have gone into this and other hotel recs.

Search them.

Thank you Ackislander for your reply.
Anyone else have more info for me.

GoodLuckGirl, there are SO many threads on Savannah - plenty to read for ideas. Have you had the chance to read some of those for recommendations?

Agreed -- you'll find a lot of good info on attractions and food in Savannah by doing a site search.

I would definitely recommend staying in the historic district, as most everything you'll want to see and most everyplace you'll likely want to eat or drink is located there, plus it's a reasonably safe area. Areas outside this one in Savannah may be more dicey.

1895 Inn is wonderful - but might be more on the romantic side - you can't beat the location.

We loved Noble Fare for dinner...

Okay, here goes. If I were going with three friends for about 5 days.

I'd stay at the Staybridge Suites on Bay street. The location is great. It is the Holiday Inn group's suite hotel and each room has a little kitchenette. The fridge will come in handy for leftovers. A good breakfast is served free each day including hot items (biscuits, eggs, bacon/sausage) and you can make your own waffles. Lots of other choices too. A couple of nights each week they offer a happy hour kind of thing and the night I was there it was Fiesta Night with chili and chips, etc with beer and wine - all free. The lobby is gorgeous with a fireplace. Parking is only $7 day. The staff is very nice. The building merges old and new but the rooms are modern and very nice. On the corner is one of my favorite sandwich places. Lots of restaurants in walking distance. Be sure to eat at the Pink House one night. River street is just across the street, but Savannah is NOT River Street. Take time to stroll the squares - all the way down to Forsyth Park.

On your first full day take one of the trolley tours. It will give you an overview of the city. If you want to take a horse-drawn carriage too, go to City Market to catch one there. There are a few little shops at City Market (mostly art) and a couple of okay restaurants, but IMO the better restaurants are not in City Market and/or River Street. Serviceable, but there are better options elsewhere.

If you like Thai/ Vietnamese food there are several options on Broughton Street. The guy at the hotel recommended Saigon and it was fabulous. I even ordered what he recommended, because IMO locals know where the good stuff is. The fridge came in handy for the leftovers and the microwave to zap it the next day.

If you want Southern cooking, be sure to go to Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House. I like Paula Deen's Lady and Sons at City Market, but some folks don't. So be it. And L&Ss you can order from the menu or go through the buffet. I love the aspargus sandwich there.

Another favorite place for lunch is http://www.sohosouthcafe.com/
Great when you are walking the squares.

My favorite place to shop is the SCAD store, although I don't often buy - http://www.savannahga.net/activities/shopscad.html

Across the street from the store is a great tea room run by SCAD students, the Gryphon Tea Room
http://www.teamuse.com/article_040203.html

I'd definitely take one of the walking tours.

Be sure to read "The Book" before you go.

That's a start. Those are my "must dos".

Take a day trip out to Tybee Island.
Get up early and eat at The Breakfast Club and then walk the beach afterwards.
http://www.tybeeisland.com/dining/brclub/Default.htm

If you are there for five days, consider a day trip to Jekyll Island. Tour the historic district to see how "the other half" lived. If you like to bike, it's a great place to bike around the island. If you like to kayak, their marsh tour is great.

That's a start. Those are some of my favs.

Here's another HUGE recommendation for Staybridge Suites. We love that place!

I want to thank all of you for your input. I will do some research per your advice.
But, my goodness, Starrs, you really outdid yourself. Now I am truly excited. I am so appreciative of your recommendations. Looking forward to the wonderful city of Savannah and the suggested restaurants.
Thanks!
GoodLuckGirl

Excuse my naivety, but did you mean " Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt when you referenced "The Book"?
GoodLuckGirl

There's more where that comes from - from me and lots of other posters on this forum.

Doing a search for "Savannah" or just choosing to look at Georgia posts will lead you to lots of great ideas.

I go often. I don't get to play like a tourist every time, but I love it even when I can't.

>>>did you mean " Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt when you referenced "The Book"?<<<

Yes. Everybody means it when saying "The Book".

One of Savannah's highlights is, believe it or not, a cemetary. Bonaventure Cemetary is one of the world's most beautiful graveyards. And if you have read "The Book", you know why. Be sure to have a flask with Madeira (sherry will do) with you when you go there.

In fact, when we were sitting on the "Bench" (Conrad Aiken's) tombstone, we started a chat with another visitor who turned out to be a relative of Johnny Mercer and a musician himself. As is happens, we found out that we had some common ground, as he had been to Germany where we come from. Aren't such experiences priceless?

I admit, we had been to the cemetary on a misty day in early January, and there were no other visitors. This added to the graveyard's atmosphere.

Other diversions from the city are the Skidaway trail, which is a beautiful walking trail through the marches, and Fort Pulaski (on the way to Tybee Island).

Three great B&Bs in the historic district are found at SavannahInns.com -- Zeigler House has kitchenettes. In addition to B&B rooms, Azalea Inn has a carriage house with 2 bedrooms and a pool-side efficiency. Green Palm Inn has 4 bedrooms, plus manages a 3-BR vacation rental. Presidents' Quarters Inn's has a beautiful courtyard, plus oversize loft suites where the bedroom is private/upstairs and socializing space with wet bar for visiting/planning, etc. Presidents' Quarters prides itself on "all things Savannah" and offers a 50% off discount for Sunday when staying 3 or more days on a long weekend.

Any recommendations for a river cruise in Savannah?

Thanks to all of you. I will read "The Book". And thanks for the suggestion of the sherry. Is it a custom, or just to take off the edge?

Last year I booked at The Mulberry Inn (which is a Holiday Inn, but you normally wouldn't even know that. I quickly joined the Holiday Inn rewards program (easy and free) as it would give me free parking, but when I checked in, I also got upgraded to a huge and wonderful suite. The guy at the desk told me that being a Priority member "almost guarantees" you that upgrade there every time.

I loved the location as well as the hotel, facing Bay Street and near most of the historical sites. Quick walk to Pirate House or Pink House and all the places along River Street.