I dreamed of the southern city by the sea, warm with palms, oaks, and Spanish moss…With one day to explore Historic Savannah I had to plan the perfect itinerary. Wear a good pair of walking shoes and get ready to take in the sights!
Our day began at Forsyth Park [Drayton St + E Park Ave, Savannah GA], and as luck would have it a little farmers market was in progress. We perused the fresh produce and goods, enjoying the local flavor under a stretch of oaks. The park is the right size, just big enough that you can spend some time here, but not too big that you may get lost. I loved all of the unique details here…the larger than life xylophone, the little sitting garden, the confederate war monument, and of course, the famous fountain.
While you’re near the park don’t miss out on visiting the Chandler Oak Tree [3025 Bull St, Savannah, GA 31405]. It’s not right in the park, and there are no huge signs pointing you towards it, so you have to know where to look. On Bull Street border the park you will find it, fenced off for protection, under the care of the Savannah Law School.
Thought to be 300 years old, it is one of the oldest living landmarks around a grand and sturdy sight. Continuing down the road we came upon the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) campus. We popped into the admission center and had a great time looking at the eclectic array of art.
Afterwards we went into shopSCAD [340 Bull St. Savannah, Georgia 31401], the boutique with works for sale created by the students. They have a full on museum, SCAD Museum of Art, but we weren’t looking to spend too much time or money during our short duration.
When traveling to a new city, you so appreciate the little things. As we made our way from the park down towards the river, we took our time admiring the many squares of Savannah,
the lovely architecture, and even the distinctive cement on the sidewalk mixed with seashells.
Lunch was calling, so it was time for a stop at Zunzi’s [108 E York St, Savannah, GA 31401]. We weren’t about to waste our precious few hours standing on line for the popular Mrs. Wilkes, grabbing a sandwich at the local spot Zunzi’s was quick and tasty. You can even call ahead and skip the line that is usually cueing up down the block. The place is a hole in the wall. You can sit outside in the back, or take your food to a nearby square and picnic. A mix of international cuisines provides interesting flavor combos, and the conquistador sandwich was right on!
The thick fluffy French bread was an excellent base to hold this heavy sandwich. A mountain of baked chicken lettuce, tomato, and a serious slathering of special sauce was the best way to keep us going on our walking tour. From here it was just a few minutes of walking down to the Savannah River. Busy Bay Street holds many shops, fountains, monuments, and sights…
It is the gateway down to River Street. So find a set of stairs downward and take in the view of the water. Here you’ll find your slew of gift shops, restaurants, and tourists mulling about. What I was interested in was some dessert! We popped into Candy Kitchen [225 East River Street Savannah, Ga 31401] for a real treat. It smelt absolutely amazing, fresh pralines were being plopped onto a tray…ask for a sample to momentarily satisfy you while looking around.
I felt like I was about to find Willy Wonka, there were conveyor belts and pieces of candy flying from the air into buckets. Huge barrels of old time candy and all sorts of delectables behind glass. We were full from lunch thankfully – or it would have been a free-for-all. Just a chocolate praline for us to split, but oh man, was this morsel fresh as can be (still warm!) and divine. Nutty and chocolaty, yes our day was complete!
From the park to the river we walked approximately 1.5 miles. We love walking and exploring, so we didn’t mind taking different roads back to where we parked, but if you wanted to rest your legs hop on the DOT! Savannah has a free trolley that stops off at many locations in the city, perhaps near where you originally parked your ride. There is also a free 2 minute boat across the way to Hutchinson Island, but unfortunately it wasn’t operating when we were there…next visit! Drizzly weather could not dampen our time spent in this dreamy city which lived up to my expectations, and more!
You were right in the middle of it all!!
Brings back great memories of the time that I lived in Savannah – I actually used to teach at the law school, so you were right in my old neighborhood with the Candler Oak! I remember the warm pralines as well – they were my favorite.