Savannah-short & sweet
 

I will try to keep this short and sweet, impressions and information rather than a step by step trip report..

Jax Fl is 140 miles from Savannah, we made the trip in about 2 hours. It helps to have a mad Yankee behind the wheel and no traffic.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, on Bay St & River St.
We got a B&B package, a little expensive, but so are the rest of the B&Bs and hotels in town.
The location was excellent, the rooms were a wee bit tired but we lucked out with a Bay St view on the corner which also gave us a river view. Ask for that room!
It was incredibly hot and humid..I know it is the Deep South, but this was even making the locals sweat! Happily , as you walk from square to square, there are more than enough cafes, tea rooms, bookstores and galleries to go into and take breaks from the heat and do some fun shopping or at least browsing.
I managed to do both.

River St is both fun and tacky, plenty of tee shirt shops and restaurants as well as a couple of artist shops that were fun..
That is where you will find the freshly made pralines..... so sweet and tasty! I managed to eat just one chocolate covered praline, I think that might be a record for me.

We thought we might take a horse and carriage tour or a Trolley tour, but since it was so hot, we ended up doing our own walking and exploring. They were hosing the horses down in City Market trying to keep them cool, how could I ask one to pull me around town!?

We walked from the Hotel on Bay St to Forsythe Park..stopping at E.Shavers bookstore (Thank you Olive Oyl) ..taking photos of every statue, most of the houses and a lot of the flowers. ( dln- I took many garden photos!)
And a photo of the old guy carrying a big sign that said They Plan To Murder Us.
I did not ask him who They were.

There were so many galleries ( Gallery 440 on Bull St ) is very nice. City Market with all the artist spaces .and tea rooms, the Gryphon ( high tea) is appealing, and churches and historic houses, waaay too much to try to see in two days.

But we did see All the squares and we went to the Telfair Museum, a welcome respite from the heat and walking and a peaceful lovely small museum.
The little girl statue from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was in the museum as well as a really nice painting of Kahlil Gibran as a young man. And there was a very touching and powerful painting called The Black Prince of Crecy- (the 16 year old Prince of Wales standing over the body of an old blind knight who has fallen in battle during the 100 Years War..) It is worth a stop when visiting Savannah.

And now for the Food Part!

Restaurants! So many, how and which to choose!?
We had a late lunch at The River House on River Street.. very fresh and tasty!
Dinner...Garibaldi's on Congress Street. Downstairs, dark and quiet, upstairs (where we ate) a wonderful Ballroom! Huge windows, huge mirrors with gilt frames and huge chandeliers overhead. It would have made a great apartment!
I had a whole scored Flounder (whole,head and bones) and the Yankee had Duck and risotto..both excellent. Dessert : Fruit sorbet and chocolate tart..
Half a bottle of Pinot Noir brought the total for the two of us (with appetizers) to $100-
Saturday lunch was a small cafe on a side street near the Telfair and we had lemonade and cinnamon scones. Home made and delicious.
Saturday dinner: The Olde Pink House...the most haunted and photographed house in Savannah according to our waiter-Kevin.
A perfect waiter btw.
I had roast portabello mushroom with grilled tomotoes, and seared Halibut with potato au gratin and dessert was flourless chocolate tort..(of course)
The Yankee had artichoke fritters stuffed with goat cheese and Grouper stuffed with blue crab with a twice baked potato..dessert was sorbet.
Glasses of wine and the bill came to $110-

We never found out why, but as we came into our hotel room after dinner Saturday night, they had a fireworks show on the river, which we were able to watch from our room. It was a perfect ending to an almost perfect weekend.

We will probably go back in the fall and see all the Historical Houses that we missed. It is a lovely town, the people were without exception, polite and friendly and helpful.
I think I could live there if I had really super air conditioning in my home ~

Thanks to all who gave me advice and helped me plan this trip..
Scarlett

So glad you enjoyed Savannah and the Hyatt and the River House, Miz Scarlett! I've never had a bad meal at The River House........... :-)

Excellent report, Scarlett. It's nice that you are so close -- easy to go for a weekend. I've never been to Savannah, but have wanted to visit since I read "the book."

Scarlett! Your trip report reminded me of all the good places we've visited on our many trips to Savannah. I like River Street, which as you pointed out, does have its tacky bits but also has those throngs of people and hustle and bustle. It IS fun to wander around down there. I like sitting with a nice cool drink and watching the freighters go by. My children, when they were young, liked to play in the fountain and in that sandbox that's shaped like a row boat.

I had forgotten about the booksellers--that was good of Olive Oyl to tell you about that. Isn't it an interesting shop?

Any favorite squares? Monterey is mine. I'm not surprised you mentioned the heat. I don't think anything is hotter than a coastal town in the summer, whether it's Savannah, Charleston, or New Orleans (yes, I've done them ALL in the summer...!)

Welcome home. Glad you had a nice time. Thanks for the report.

Hi Scarlett! Great report! Nice balance of history, culture and yummy eats. ;) Makes me hungry for another trip to the sultry south!

Did you encounter any of those "noseeums" (small biting flies) while you were there? I recently posted asking about this.

Hi! Thank you all ((F))

Craig, we saw no insects, mosquitos or no seeums..it might have been too hot for them :) I have dealt with those little buggars before-in St Martin and Jamaica, there was no problem this weekend in Savannah.

Scarlett, did Pup have a good time while you were away? I gather he didn't make the trip with you.

Well, too bad the trip was so brief. Don't toss the ideas you were sent. A return visit makes sense.

Pup stayed here with a sitter and was spoiled rotten.
Yesterday was his birthday so we had a party and he forgave us for leaving him. He would have been a miserable pup in that heat ((&))

I am definitely saving all the lists that everyone was so kind to give me..when our son visits, we will try to spend a few days in Savannah, hopefully, in cooler weather.

H'lo darlin'

Glad you "did" the Olde Pink House -- they seem to specialize in great waitstaff, as well as history and good food. Did you happen to see the bar in the basement? Straight out of "Midnight" for gracious plus decadent.

When we came back from our first visit, we ran out to rent and re-watch "Midnight" movie, despite my feeling that the locals in the tackier shops kind of beat that movie to death.

Did you see any of the gardens in bloom ? --it's a bit late for the spring spectacular but the crepe myrtles (crape?) should have been lovely, and I love Spanish moss wherever it is.

... for future reference: Sapphire Grill downstairs, where it's cooler and the service is better, as indictade. It's quiet, so not to worry. The upstairs is warm, and when there's humidity, it's uncomfortable up there.

Short and sweet report, also a cheery one to brightemn this grey dreary day as we wait for MORE rain.
Belated birthday wishes from Misha to pup.

We did wait for a minute for our table, downstairs in the Pink House bar. Dark and crowded with someone playing a piano. I was too warm and cranky to appreciate it, I wanted a table in front of an a/c..
The wait staff in all of the restaurants were great, this one guy, Kevin, was just so amiable and spoke of his love for Savannah, where he was born and raised.
There is an art gallery in the City Market that is owned and run by 3 women artists. One of them was Chinese and painted the most wonderful watercolors of poppies and birds.
The gardens were full of hydrangeas, big ones! Pink and white flowers were in the trees too. Crepe Myrtles are still in bloom, as they are here in Jax..what a pretty tree!
Did you know that once a year, the city of Jax gives away 2 crepe myrtles to any and all residents?
All I remember about the movie was Kevin Spacy and I think Jude Law?

Merci, cigale!
Pup wishes Misha and you a dry sunny day!
At least there is no drought in Boston :)

Scarlett, when you go back to Savannah in cooler weather, you will REALLY, REALLY enjoy the place. Maybe it's just me, but if I visit a place for the first time, and I'm melting and sweltering every time I step outside, I just can't appreciate it as I want to! I tell people to visit Savannah and Charleston in Spring or Fall for the first time......... :-) But it's always lovely, just sometimes too steaming for me! (As is Raleigh, and I live here!)

I love Savannah any time of year but the weather this weekend was horrendous.

When I ran Friday morning, the heat index was already at 92 degrees at 8AM.

Glad you had such a good time!

Movie: Kevin Spacey and John Cusack, directed by Clint Eastwood (w/daughter in movie as un-needed love interest). Excellent for atmosphere, fun to see scenes where you've walked, and who could forget the Lady Chablis?

Miss Scarlett, a friend and I are tentatively planning on going to either Savannah or New Orleans; I think I may opt for Savannah! (although the thought of running into Anne Rice in a local café in New Orleans does sound enticing ? but never any guarantee, no cherie?).

Loved the resto report. Thank you, chica! Glad the mad Yankee was able to get you there and back in a mad dash with no injuries!! ;)

What guide books did you use? Did you find it necessary to have a good map or did you just wander & meander? I only ask because DLN mentions fave squares and I?m hoping a good map will have them named.

I really enjoyed your report!! :D



I so love hydrangeas!!!!!

Beatchick, try this website for a peek at some Savannah squares: http://www.rjh2.com/SavannahSquares/

I love both Savannah and New Orleans (my sister-in-law grew up there so we have an "in" in that city) but if you went to Savannah, you could meet up with Scarlett! You know you would dine and shop well and see all the sights--what a fun visit that would be!

Simply focus on the Historic Section, running from Bay Street down to, and including Forsyth Park. Plan to walk, and certainly spend time in the sqaures, and walking past the houses that abut the squares. You cannot get lost. Congress Street serves as a good landmark, as well as a place to enjoy conviviality, some rather nice galleries and decent restaurants.
Wise to avoid spending time along the river, where it's strictly a tourist affair. It's humid, so take you time.

Access the SCAD webite and learn about their studios, shows, ang galleries.

Glad to hear you enjoyed dinner at the Pink House. I've never had a bad meal - or waitperson experience there. Have done a lot of entertaining there, and every time was a big success. When I knew I was arriving into Savannah late for business, I often booked the Planter's Inn next door. It's not my favorite inn...but the room service was from the Pink House. Nothing better than settling in on a four poster bed for a picnic dinner from one of my favorite restaurants! Life is good!

What do you all think of Savannah as a place to spend the winter away from the northeast's bitter cold? Would the historic district be OK for a single, older woman? I don't like Florida and need to be close to good restaurants and activities.

Beatchick, I used maps online while planning, this trip came up very quickly and we had about a day to plan it. When we arrived, the hotel had city maps with all the landmarks on them, no matter where you go, you can get free maps.
The squares are wonderful, each one is its own little town within the town. I want to live on Monterey Sq I think :)
I will find my sites that I used for research and post them here.
You and your friend will enjoy yourselves, no doubt, but do try to go when it is cooler.
Here is one site that was good for Savannah info~

http://www.savannahgeorgia.com/activities.htm#walking

:D :D

Glad it was a good, if hot trip, Scarlett. It could have been worse...you could have been in Tampa! It was about as miserable as it gets this weekend.

We used to love the 4th of July fireworks shows and would host a party for the managing committee on our patio, which faced the River to the north, and River St to the east. The fireworks were shot from that same position you saw, and the Savannah Symphony played beforehand in the plaza on River St. Of course their finale was the 1812 Overture, which marked the start of a loooong fireworks show, so we had terrific built-in entertainment! Fun times.

We have noticed by the way, that no-seeums like the same weather we do, at least in Savannah. Too hot or too cold, and they stay away. When it is perfect for us, they seem to agree and are a real nuisance. FL no-seeums must be a different breed or used to constant heat as they can be around anytime on our property providing there isn't much wind! :(

Olive Oyl, darlin!
I am busy downloading all the photos then will put them in an ofoto album, so all who are intersted, be prepared for a deluge of Savannah photos :)

For everyone that mentions the Movie (Midnight in the Garden...)in this thread and for anyone else that is thinking of a trip to Savannah, I would highly reccommend reading the book.

I read it before the first time we went to Savannah and only saw the movie a few months ago. The book is much more detailed.

This is one of those times where the book is SO much better than the movie!

Amen, Marilyn..... The book is the real story. SO MUCH left out of the movie, and other things so distorted, like the author having a female love-interest. But I love watching the movie, just to see Savannah, and for the music.

SusieQQ, Savannah would be a lovely place to spend the winter but I have to warn you. A lot of the locals I've run into are quite eccentric. John Berent wasn't exagerating when he wrote the book.

GoTravel, I just read on another thread that you are guilty of speaking the "P" word :)

GOTRAVEL:
Thanks for the info. I don't mind eccentric, infact I like it. My concern is that I have read a few reviews which say that the Historic District is not safe to walk in at night. Since I will be solo, it is a concern. What do you think?

SusieQQ, I lived there and did not walk at night. It is not a good idea. Now, could you probably walk 350 nights a year and be fine? Yes. I did routinely walk the two blocks from my health club back home at night several nights a week...but hustled out if it were dark. Would I live there again? Absolutely--we are thinking hard about it in fact.

Scarlett and GoTravel...Did you know The Devil Wears Prada? :D The book exaggerated too...it's not quite as bad as that, but the movie was a serious disappointment aside from, as Bonnie said, being able to see the city. I'm repeating myself, but these experiences don't come around every day so it was An Event in my life, (and puulllease don't anyone say &quot;puke&quot; to me :() but I got to sit next to John Berendt at a Savannah Hospitality Assn banquet honoring the person who had done the most to further Savannah that year. The honoree was Sweet Emma from the book and he came for the event. I lucked out in my seat placement <i>only</i> because DH happened to be president of the Assn that year ('94, shortly after the book came out.) He was not an easy dinner partner! Veeery quiet.

The Historic District:
People live there and work there and walk day and night. It is pretty well lit and while we were there, as late as 10 pm, people were out walking.
( We walked back to the hotel after dinner every night. There were always plenty of people out walking also, with and without dogs. I felt secure. )
I have no idea how it is in the winter, but as beautiful as the city is, I would try it!
Every park/square had notices that there were to be NO people in them after a certain hour, usually around 9pm, so that might be the cut-off point of when you should not wander too much late and alone.
Hope this helps, (from someone who was there only 2 days)

Pr&gt;)da

Thanks, all. I am going to go down in a couple weeks to look at some rentals. I probably will try it.

SusieQ, you have to let us know what you saw and how you liked it and everything!!
Would you like my photos from the trip for ideas? just email me at the above address ((F))

GoTravel,
We won't talk about the bags in my closet ( designer bag freak here) but would you like to weep with me over the Prada bag that got away? Marilyn knows about it already, I whined to her when it happened LOL

Sounds like a lot of you know a lot about Savannah. We'll be going for a day trip from Hilton Head with two small children. I've heard Lady &amp; Sons and Mrs Wilkes are pretty casual and thought they might be good for us? Any suggestions for good tours (walking or otherwise)? Thanks in advance!

snowrooster, I would recommend the Trolley Tours..open trolley buses and good guides..they stopped at the door of our hotel, but I think they stop for people all over town. Also they have in City Market, horse drawn carriages..the little ones might get a kick out of that.
Lady &amp; Sons was so busy the night we passed by on our way to Garibaldis that they were keeping the people waiting for tables, out on the street, lining both sides of the street.
I was just glad that I was not standing out in that heat waiting for a table.
Everything in Savannah is casual..although we dressed for the Pink House-I like to get dressed when we go out and the Yankee usually wears a shirt and slacks.
But most places will have a mix of both shorts/tee shirts and skirts and polo shirts.
You will no doubt be comfortable whatever you wear.
have fun~