Savannah

Understand

Savannah, the historic riverside birthplace of Georgia, was settled in 1733 by British colonists led by General James Oglethorpe and Colonel William Bull. In 1864, when General William Tecumseh Sherman and his Union Army marched in, the mayor of Savannah gave Sherman's men run of the city in exchange for leaving it untorched. As a result, Savannah is one of the few major cities in the South with antebellum charm and architecture remaining intact. Southerners joke that in Atlanta, the first thing locals ask you is your business; in Charleston, they ask your mother's maiden name; and in Savannah, they ask what you want to drink. It's partly that ethos that keeps the city tourism industry flourishing, along with a little help from what locals call "The Book": Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (also a feature film). The local art school, Savannah College of Art and Design, also keeps the city awash in accessible, affordable art.

Climate

Savannah's climate is classified as humid subtropical. Winters are short, and summers are long, hot, and humid. The typical summer heat index averages around 99 °F (37 °C) during the day and 77 °F (25 °C) at night. Periods of high heat and humidity can see heat index climb upwards to around 110 °F (43 °C), not going below 81 °F (27 °C) at night.

Watch Parts of Forrest Gump were shot in Chippewa Square.

Tourist information Visit Savannah website

Getting there

By car I-95 and I-16 are readily accessible to the city.

By plane 1 Savannah/Hilton Head Island International Airport (SAV IATA). Has a delightful glass-covered square with benches and shops in the center of the terminal, echoing the public squares in Savannah's Historic District. Rental car, Grayline shuttles, taxis, and other ground transportation are on the lower level to take you to Savannah. American: Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Washington Reagan. Delta: Atlanta Airport, Detroit, New York LaGuardia. JetBlue: Boston, New York JFK. United: Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles, Houston George Bush Intercontinental, Newark.

By train Amtrak operates a passenger terminal at Savannah. Silver Meteor trains (once daily) run between New York City and Miami, Florida; Palmetto (once daily) runs the same route to the north, but its southern terminus is Savannah. Floridian (twice daily, once in each direction) is a temporary route that combined two older routes while access to New York City is restricted due to tunnel construction; it runs from Chicago to Miami via Washington, D.C. and Savannah. The modernist 2 Savannah Station is located on 2611 Seaboard Coastline Dr, almost five kilometers outside downtown Savannah. Bus 29 offers limited services to the station.

By bus Greyhound - The Greyhound station is on W. Oglethorpe Ave. inside CAT's Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center, about a half mile from River St.

Getting around

By public transit Chatham Area Transit (CAT) has bus services fanning out from an intermodal Transit Center downtown on W. Oglethorpe Ave. It also operates the free dot Shuttle (Route #5) that winds its way around the Historic District, the free Savannah Belles Ferry that runs across the Savannah River between the Historic District and Hutchinson Island where the Convention Center is, and a free streetcar along River Street on weekends. ConnectOnTheDot has information about fare-free transportation in downtown Savannah, comprising an express shuttle and the Savannah Belles Ferry.

By car The major east-west street through the Historic District is Bay Street, and the major north-south street is Abercorn, which begins at Bay Street and extends south through the city. Parking in the Historic District can be challenging but there are several public parking garages including an underground 1100-space parking garage beneath Ellis Square. On-street parking in the city at metered spaces is free on the weekends, but the spaces fill quickly beginning around mid-morning. Parking spaces nearest to River Street are the fastest to be filled.

On foot Savannah's Historic District is a good area to see in the daytime by walking. The Historic District is roughly one mile by one mile, bounded in the north by the Savannah River, the south by Forsyth Park, the east by East Broad St., and the west by the Visitor Center and MLK Jr. Blvd. The downtown public squares (see below) provide more than a day's worth of strolling. Self-guided audio walking tours and personal tour guides provide background on the history surrounding you.

By bicycle Savannah has limited biking facilities around the city, including:

painted, unprotected bike lanes heading north along Lincoln from Victory Street to Colonial Park Cemetery as well as south along Price Street from Bay Street to 41st Street. painted, unprotected bike lanes heading east/west along Liberty Street and Washington Avenue from Bull

See

1 Bonaventure Cemetery. Fans of "The Book" will find Johnny Mercer's grave here, along with those of Conrad Aiken and other Southern notables. The view of the river is wonderful, and the Spanish moss creates a delightfully spooky atmosphere. 2 City Market. City Market is a mixed-use project in the northwest corner of the Historic District. The rehabilitation of the four-block area began in 1985. The result is a facility that economically could not be replicated today. City Market has established itself as a destination for entertainment, dining, and retailing in downtown Savannah. To create an anchor attraction that would attract both tourists and Savannah residents, the developer emulated its successful Torpedo Factory project in Alexandria, Virginia and established the Art Center at City Market. This group of working studios for artists occupies approximately 19,000 square feet (1,800 m2) of space and has created an opportunity for other tenants of City Market to establish and operate viable food, entertainment, and retail businesses. In addition, City Market has three apartments and approximately 11,000 square feet (1,000 m2) of office space. Ellis Square is immediately west of City Market and has an interactive fountain, information kiosk & an underground 1,100-space parking garage making it very easy to park in the heart of the historic & tourist area.

3 Forsyth Park. This large public park, which marks the southern edge of the Historic District, is ringed with bed and breakfasts and crowned with a beautiful fountain. They filmed Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil here. So stay in the park, admire the Spanish moss, and imagine yourself next to John Cusack under the dripping Spanish moss. 4 Georgia State Railroad Museum, 655 Louisville Rd, ☏ +1 912-651-6823. Daily 9AM-5PM. Features several vintage pieces of rolling stock, an operating model train layout, and an operating turntable. Adults $7.70, children (2-12) $4.90. (updated Aug 2019) 5 Grayson Stadium

Do

Take a Riverboat Cruise on the Savannah River Queen or the Georgia Queen. Visit the Savannah Visitors Center and the Savannah