One Day Vacay- Savannah, GA

Savannah, Georgia is a great destination for a day trip if you don’t mind driving a little bit further. Savannah is a very historic city that provides a lot of historical sites to learn about. Savannah has a lot of fun activities and festivals that happen seasonally that you could help you to plan your day trip. Since Savannah is a historical town, there is a lot of tourist places to see. Lucky for you, there is a lot of free things to do/ see in Savannah. We want to help you easily plan a day trip to Savannah by providing a list of places to see, places to eat, and activities to do when you visit Savannah, Georgia. Hope this helps!

Travel

The drive is only about 4 hours from the Atlanta area, and if you leave early enough in the morning you can make a great day trip out of it. You can either leave early enough for dinner and lunch or to have lunch and dinner in Savannah. This day trip has so much potential; to make this trip worth your wild, we suggest to leave very early in the morning. This ensures you enough time to view a large majority of Savannah and to also beat the traffic.

Festivals

St. Patty’s Day Parade

Savannah holds one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day events in the country every March 17th. Dress from head to toe in green and head out to the parade unless you want to get pinched! The parade is filled with school marching bands, dancers, and floats that go through the downtown district. Don’t worry though, the party goes on throughout the night with green beer and Irish featured drinks at the bars downtown.

Music Festivals

Savannah has the perfect atmosphere to have a relaxing get away, but what makes that better?! Live music! Savannah always has a destination with live music to relax with a drink and listen or sing along to. Savannah is holding the Savannah Stopover Music Festival in the historic district for three days. In the Fall, well known Jazz artists from all over the country and locally come to perform. Going to hear some of Savannah’s local music should for sure be on your list when taking a trip to Savannah.

Sights to see

Azaleas

Savannah has beautiful azalea trees all around the historic district. These trees typically blossom in late February or early March. They serve not only as a great view, but also as a great background for pictures!

Savannah Trolly Tour of Downtown

Trolly rides are always fun for a date or even a family experience. This is a great way to tour the city and see what all it has to offer. The tour guide will show you around all the beautiful and historic parts of Savannah, as well as teach you more about the city. The tour is very affordable, starting at only $25 with a duration of 1000 minutes. Showing over 270 years of American history in Savannah.

Nearby beaches

Tybee Island

Savannah not only has a great downtown life, they also have an amazing beach right down the road. Tybee is a beautiful beach only 30 minutes from Historic Savannah. On Tybee island you can take a nice walk down the beach, have a daiquiri beach side, or take a bike ride. There are many places to eat along side the water for a nice view while you eat. Savannah has the best of both worlds with a beach so close to downtown.

Jekyll Island

If you’re looking for another beach, Jekyll Island is only an hour and a half from downtown Savannah. Jekyll is a quieter beach alternative. It is a beautiful beach that has miles of beach access, so you can pick the perfect place to sit or go on a nice walk. They have more developed parks and natural alternatives. They have an enchanting driftwood beach at the northern tip with a bone yard forest of petrified trees.This spot is very popular for photographers.

Dinning

Olde Pink House Restaurant

The Olde Pink House Restaurant is in a charming pink house, great for pictures. This restaurant is a fine dining option great for a nice dining for the ending of your day trip. They have many different American food options and the great atmosphere serves for a great option for a romantic dinner option.

Joe’s Homemade Cafe

Joe’s Homemade Cafe serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch. This is a local spot that locals love. Trying local spots while on vacation is always a great way to experience new dishes and atmospheres. Joe’s features soups, salads, and sandwiches. They also feature they’re fresh baked bread and cakes, that are to die for. This little cafe needs to be on your day trip list!

Paula Dean’s Creek House Seafood & Grill

Everyone knows cooking idol Paula Dean, so why would you not want to try her amazing food at her personal Restaurant? This restaurant features some amazing recipes made by Paul Dean herself that include freshly caught seafood and some tasty southern dishes. This could be a great lunch spot or dinner option.

Vinnie Van Go-Go’s

Vinnie Van Go-Go’s is a very modestly priced pizza place. This Restaurant is great for anyone that just wants to grab a quick bite to eat, so they can keep exploring the city. They have delicious New York style slices of pizza to grab on the go or to eat in the restaurant.

Free things to do in Savannah

Bonaventure Cemetery

This is a beautiful cemetery in Savannah. Savannah is known to have a lot of haunted areas. This cemetery is a must go for anyone that is into ghosts. This beautiful cemetery is filled with 160 acres of tall live oaks, Spanish moss, and historic graves. This is a very popular spot for photographers, historians, and nature lovers.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

This Cathedral is filled with beautiful stained glass, intricate murals, and towering columns. This will absolutely take your breath away. It is open free of charge for self guided tours Monday through Saturday. The only thing the Church asks is a small donation to help preserve and upkeep the church to the fullest. This church is very historic and creates a beautiful ambiance during the tour. There is a lot of potential for some beautiful pictures to be taken at this church. Visitors have said that this church is like no other and should for sure be a stopping place during a trip to Savannah.

Savannah Botanical Gardens

The Savannah Botanical Gardens is free to enter. There is many trails to walk to view beautiful flowers and plants. This is a very relaxing garden to walk through if you’re wanting to have a laid back day trip. The garden not only provides many amazing landscapes to view, but also a two acre pond, seasonal blooming flowers, and a 1840’s farmhouse. The garden can be walked through at your own pace, so you can either spend all day here or even an hour. If you have never been to a botanical garden, I would highly suggest going. Not only do you have some amazing views, but you also can learn about a lot of different plants.

Savannah Belles Ferry

You can take a ride on the Savannah Belles Ferry on the River that provides a beautiful view of River Street. This ferry will take you to the other side free of charge. The ferry is a great way to get a different view of Savannah for free, while getting to take a relaxing boat ride. This will also give you a chance to rest your feet from walking around all day.

Mcqueen's Island Historic Trail

Mcqueen’s Island Historic Trail is a great trail to visit for outdoorsy people. This trail is 6 miles long, so you are guaranteed some great exercise. This Trail is also great for runners, who want a change of scenery on a run. The trail has some great views of the end of the Savannah River. It is very common to see dolphins jumping in the Savannah River while on the trail. Other wildlife you may encounter is box turtles, diamondback terrapin, bobcats, osprey, and pelicans. You will also encounter native plants to savannah such as cabbage palm, yaupon holly, and coastal cedars. This trail provides many different scenery. Hopefully you get to make your way over to this unique trail.

I hope that you all get a chance once in your life to visit Savannah, Georgia. Katie has been there many times and still hasn’t get to see everything. These are some of her favorite things to do/ see/ eat while in Savannah. I highly suggest planning out your trip to Savannah before you drive down, since there is a wide variety of activities to do and places to eat. Planning ahead will make your trip go smoothly and ensure you use your time wisely since it is a day trip. We hope this was very useful in planning a day trip or even an extended stay trip in Savannah. Happy Travels!