I remember the exact moment that I pulled the laminated spine of Fodor’s Savannah from the bookshelf at Barnes & Noble my senior year of high school. I sat down in the middle of the aisle as my mind filled with visions of Spanish moss, ghosts in lace (Chloe) dresses and gracious porches. I watched Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil that night and fell in love. This is not the way you fall in love with, say, New York or Los Angeles—centers of commerce and culture that quickly shape exciting young careers. This was a steamy primal lust for the Muses. Muses that smell like spray starch and battered Weejuns.
Savannah oozes beauty and sadness and poetry and history and art. I have lived here for over twenty years. Every single day that I am home, I see a new building that I want to squeeze, renovate, or decorate—and, then, I daydream about the parties. Savannah is the Hostess City of the South.
I now split my time between Savannah and New York City and I’m often asked for my notes. Here they are in no particular order:
Fall is the perfect season to visit. Check the weather as it can be hot as hell way into October. Savannah children are known to strip from their Halloween costumes after the first block. Another great time is early spring, when bursting azaleas reclaim entire lanes of some streets in disobedience of their wonderland medians.
Stay at Bardo, Savannah’s newest hotel. It has a 1960s spirit, a cozy bar and a glamorous pool. I suggest friends book the poolside suites with private terraces. You can swim well into November.
Map a route but leave lots of room for your inner flâneur. I enjoy walking through Olmstead-designed Forsyth Park and down Bull Street, the epicenter of downtown. Make a Johnny Mercer playlist and sing along to Savannah’s native son. You might Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive as you circle the iconic fountain. Surprises await.
Savannah is a drinking city. Walk around with an open container in the Historic District. It’s an excellent time to rethink bourbon. I like The Original Pinky Masters for a dive or Artillery for refined. Timex or Rolex, stay clear of the center.
Make sure you don’t miss these annual happenings in the park full of music and food and local fodder: Symphony in the Park, Shalom Y’all Jewish Festival, The Greek Festival and every Saturday is an excellent farmer’s market with little sussies to bring home. The Savannah Film Festival throughout SCAD’s historic theaters on Broughton Street is always the last weekend of October through the first weekend of November. It premiers all of the new splashy films plus SCAD student work.
SCAD Museum of Art is first on your list. The Andre Leon Talley exhibition is on view into January 2026. The Vogue editor and icon was a long time supporter of the college and this is sure to offer an intimate glimpse into his extraordinary life.
If you are a Midnight fan, The Mercer Williams House is well worth the frustration of a guided tour. The Renaissance revival home c.1860 remains full of Jim Williams’ famed antique treasure.
The Owens Thomas House & Slave Quarters, a Neoclassical mansion c.1819, offers architecture and history through the lens of the wealthy homeowners as well as the enslaved people who lived there. The dining room is spectacular.
Jonathan Stalcup is an extraordinary guide to the architectural history of the Historic District. He hosts walking tours and will work with you on a route that suits your interests. His company is called Architectural Savannah. This is a serious academic tour. PSA: I can’t think of anything more torturous for a young child.
Book a dressy dinner at Elizabeth on 37th. I like to sit in the dining room to the right of the entrance against the porch.
An evening at The Grey is the most stylish option by far. Start with cocktails and oysters in the diner car and then sit for dinner in the 1938 Greyhound bus station which showcases Mashama Bailey’s “Port City Southern” dishes. Watch her Chef’s Table Season 6 Episode for homework and a sense of place. They also have a kicked-back Sunday brunch.
If you can wait for a community table at Mrs. Wilke’s Boarding House absolutely covered in delicious country cooking… remember: patience is a (tourist) virtue. The line wraps all the way around picturesque Jones Street. Bring a book and a smile.
Death & Company just opened Municipal Grand in a googie ‘60s building where all locals used to pay their water bills in person. Their bar serves a “Jalisco Swizzle” with mezcal (I’m a Texan) in long glass with lots of ice. The perfect cure for unsightly souvenir shops seen along the way.
Sit at the bar at Brochu’s in the Starland Yard neighborhood. They are known for the best fried chicken in the state. It’s hip but not too complicated or cutesy. The whole chicken dinner and the Little Gem Big Crunch salad could be my last meal. It’s loud so choose this for the end of the trip when you’re not interested in talking.
If you’re in the neighborhood, don’t miss Common Thread for farm-to-table (think Olmstead in Brooklyn) and Late Air if you like natural wine, Basque cheese cake, and wear a wool beanie in June. It’s at the end of my block and a go-to.
Save a late afternoon for Tybee Island, which is less than 20 minutes from Bardo. Park at the Back River Beach at the end of Fisherman’s Walk and explore to the left. If you’re sporty, loop the island. I prefer to turn around at sunset and have a drink. Begin the night at Sea Wolf, which has hipster hot dog vibes and oyster costumes in the men’s room. They also have a delicious kale salad and cold noodles, the only place you’ll find Sancerre. End the night at The Sugar Shack with any one of their thirty ice cream flavors dripping down the dash of your rental car. You can also tie one on at AJs, bring a tambourine and a second wind. Uber home.
Call Island Shuttle Boat Tours and book a morning with Captain Dan Folds. Cruise around and past the Isle of Hope, of pirate booty legend, and house hunt on the picturesque bluff. Take a dip in the divine brackish—it builds character—swim past (but not in, please!—alligators) the Lowcountry marsh grasses. Dock at The Wyld for the world’s best fried shrimp for lunch on the water but in the shade. If you’re an indoor pet, it is the best way to experience the marsh landscape without dedicating a day to sweat. However, Savannah is sweat.
Cathy Thomas, Savannah Healing Arts, will give you the massage of your life. I’m only sharing this because none of you have time for a massage on this trip.
The Hearse Ghost Tours website advertises Dad Jokes. The Pedal Pub is a giant bike that accommodates group parties my friend dubbed the “Whooooo… Girls”—always on bachelorette weekends. Both of these local businesses can be booked for private parties. Make your own route, write your own script. It is a screaming blast. I once hired the open-air hearse to transport out-of-town guests to and from a dinner party at my house.
Take a pedicab everywhere. Tip well and keep the same cyclist all weekend.
You will need a car or tour guide for Bonaventure Cemetery, with its windswept Spanish moss, ancient oaks, and elegant monuments. Johnny Mercer is buried here and the (real) Moon River is not far.
Late airport arrivals should book a car in advance. Taxis and Ubers are scarce if your delay leans to late night. Or, you’ll have to ride share with 10 flight attendants and stop at every Hilton along the way.
If you do visit in fall, remember that locals have just survived a hot and oppressive summer. Slow-vannah is a small price to pay for the magic in the coastal air.
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