In Search of Warmer Climes: December in Savannah, Georgia
The Fountain at Forsyth Park is an often photographed fixture in Savannah.
UPDATED: 2/5/2023
This is the first post in a two-part series. Part two, which focuses on the Florida portion of this trip, is viewable here.
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While we are not big amusement park people, we planned a family trip to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando over Christmas in 2013. Given less than ideal flight options from our hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, we decided to turn the trek into a road trip and bake some extra stops in, including Savannah, GA, and some coastal spots in Florida far removed from Orlando’s hustle, bustle, and tourists.
On our first day, we drove from Roanoke, VA, to Savannah, GA, which is about a 7 hour drive. We felt every moment of those hours and ended up in bumper-to-bumper traffic that lengthened the trip. It was dark by the time we checked into our hotel, Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, which is located along the riverfront (obviously) and fairly centrally located. We absolutely loved this hotel with its unique character and décor of a Gothic nature.
We loved walking down the picturesque streets of downtown Savannah.
The railroad tracks were converted into a streetcar system in 2009.
I’ve been to Savannah a couple of times, though only for short visits. My favorite part of Savannah is the feeling it evokes - the Gothic architecture of its historic houses, Spanish moss, wrought iron fences, and statues. Even in the winter, there is a sense that the heavy southern humidity is on the fringe, waiting to slither back in at its first opportunity and rest its heavy weight upon your chest.
In the morning, after checking out of the hotel, we decided to visit some of the quick hits of the city before tackling the next four hours of our trip. One of the aspects of travel that never ceases to amaze me is how much you can see in little bits of time when you are in full go mode and have done research in advance so that you don’t need to waste any time figuring out what to do or the most efficient route to take. In just a half day, we were able to see a number of amazing sites that Savannah has to offer. Other visitors could certainly spend much more time at these spots, and of course Savannah has a lot to offer that we didn’t even get to enjoy - namely great Southern cooking!
Before sharing some of the activities we enjoyed, let’s set the stage with a short version of Savannah’s geography, lay-out, and history of this Southern city.
This old and steep staircase makes for a better picture than a staircase.
Morning light over the water reflects in the windows.
Cracked Earth - A World Apart World War II memorial is a globe split in two, you can walk between the haves and see the names of fallen soldiers.
the geography of savannah, georgia
Savannah is a coastal city, which is true of most of the early cities in the United States. Coastal locations provided easy access to shipping routes in an era when over-land travel was much slower and more cumbersome. Savannah is also barely in the state of Georgia; just across Savannah River is the state line with South Carolina. Fingers of land jut out in Savannah’s vicinity and are home to a number of islands (e.g., Tybee Island) popular for summer crowds as well as protected land managed as wildlife refuges. A number of rivers cross through parts of the city, and the overall area is quite marshy.
Savannah is about two hours south of Charleston, North Carolina, and 3 1/2 hours away from Atlanta, Georgia. Because of the similar shared history and the proximity to Charleston, combining both cities in one trip would be fun. If you would like to read more about Charleston, you can read about our 4-day Charleston trip here.
the history of savannah, georgia
Of course history itself extends as far back as we can trace it and then keeps on going into the lost recesses of time, but the telling of history always requires a starting point. For purposes of this post, we’ll consider the history of modern-day Savannah back to the early 1700s. At that time, the land that is the state of Georgia today was the home to both Creek and Yamasee Native American tribes.
As was common at that time, these tribes had an established relationship with the British traders that operated in the vicinity. Over time, the burden of debt fell onto the shoulders of the native tribes. When the British required immediate payment, which they would accept in the form of either desired objects (e.g., fur) or enslaved natives, a war broke out. First the Yamasees and then the Creeks joined forces in attacking the British in the area in what is known as the Yamasee War, which lasted from approximately 1715 to 1717. After the war ended, the Creeks re-established a trading relationship with the British, which angered some of the Yamasees, who chose to form a trading relationship with the Spanish instead.
The disagreement over alliances led to a community fissure, and a group of tribal members left the Yamasees and Creeks to form a new tribe, called the Yamacraw. Chief Tomochichi led this new group that grew to about 200 people, and they settled near the Savannah River, where they established a community and thrived.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, British General James Oglethorpe began petitioning the government to set sail to the so-called New World to establish a community for members of society not thriving in their homeland. His plan eventually sanctioned, he set sail in 1732 on the Anne with a crew and landed in February 1733 near modern-day Savannah.
Tomochichi was anxious to create new trading relationships and welcomed Oglethorpe and his crew. The two men worked together to develop a community that was beneficial to both of their populations and wrote a treaty called the Articles of Friendship and Commerce to detail the arrangement. While this was a positive start, it was to be a short-lived experience. Tomochichi died a mere six years later in 1739. His nephew, Toonahowi, succeeded him and led the tribe until his own death four years later in 1743. Left leaderless and rudderless and with an influx of British settlers swarming the area, the small group of Yamacraws joined the Lower Creek tribe and ceased to exist as a separate unit. For those interested in reading more about the native people involved in the founding of the modern Savannah, check out Michael Freeman’s Native American History of Savannah (click the image of the book below to purchase it via our affiliate link).
(Click the link above to purchase this book through Amazon.)
Over the next 150 years, Savannah would play a role in both the Revolutionary War (where the Colonies (i.e., United States) broke away from Britain) and the American Civil War. Most famously, it was the final stop of Major General William Tecumseh Sherman’s “March to the Sea” as he took the Union army from a vanquished Atlanta to Savannah over about 5 weeks in the late fall of 1864. The March has lived in infamy for the scorched-earth methodology used by Sherman to crush the heart and soul of the Confederate south.
Having made his point, Sherman did not burn Savannah as he had other towns. He took a bit of a respite (earth scorching being exhausting work) and then headed north to the Carolinas and Virginia, where he combined his forces with those of Ulysses S. Grant and together they fought Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army, playing a pivotal role in the April 1865 surrender of Lee to Grant in Virginia on April 9th and then himself accepting the surrender of Confederate Johnston in North Carolina on April 26th. For more information on the location where Lee surrendered to Grant in Virginia, check out our post on Appomattox here. You can still visit the house where the surrender occurred!
Cracked Earth - A World Apart World War II memorial and surrounding buildings.
Evening along Savannah’s docks.
the lay-out of savannah, georgia
While we don’t typically share a lot about the lay-out of a city, Savannah’s lay-out makes it noteworthy. The old city is made up of 22 squares, which means an abundance of parks. Think of a square as basically a central green area with houses or other buildings lining it on four sides. The original city layout was developed by Oglethorpe and included 4 squares. Over time the city grew to as many as 24 squares, though some were lost through demolition. A large portion of the historic downtown also runs along the Savannah River, with the squares starting just near the river.
activities for a quick visit to savannah, georgia
Check out the map below for a general route and positioning of these spots in relationship to each other.
Savannah's Riverfront - Right along River Street you can enjoy wandering along old cobblestone streets, dining waterside at delicious restaurants (a perfect spot for seafood or southern fare!). All of the spots to see are nestled along about half a mile. Note that in general getting from the rest of Savannah down to the riverfront requires walking down steep hills or stairs so if accessibility is a concern, research your car-access options in advance.
Savannah's Historic Squares - The city was built with parks and green spaces that are each unique and scattered throughout the relatively small older part of the city. I’d recommend picking a few that are of interest, and it’s very easy to drive around and check them out. One famous square is Chippewa, which featured some scenes from the movie Forrest Gump, most famously the bench scene.
Forsyth Park - One of the historic squares, Forsyth Park is home to an oft-photographed fountain that is very picturesque.
Bonaventure Cemetery - I have always been interested in beautiful, old, or interesting cemeteries. If you are - or even if you don’t think you are - check out Bonaventure. It is a one-of-a-kind with some unique headstones. As well known as it is, the location is a bit off the beaten path but easy to get to. (You will need a car, as it isn't walkable from any of these other locations.)
Do you like finding locations in a city that correspond to a book? If so, definitely read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil , John Berendt's 1994 true tale of murder and intrigue set in Savannah and with many sites you can visit that are featured in the book.
Clouds are reflected in the sidewalk after an afternoon thunderstorm.
The Fountain at Forsyth Park in the morning light.
Spanish moss adorns the trees in Forsyth Park.
Bonaventure Cemetery has an impressive display of tombstones in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Bonaventure Cemetery road.
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Check out our other posts about Georgia:
Florida bound!
Come with us as we head to sunny Florida.