Visiting Savannah and Charleston

[mystang52]

DW and I are thinking about spending a week or so visiting Charleston and Savannah late October or first week in November. We'd fly to one, then drive to the second and fly home from there.
We enjoy history, and frankly some of the hokey things like the Ghost Tour. Suggestions on what to do, see, and rip-offs to avoid?

 

[Montecfo]

I was in Savannah this spring and Charleston last fall. I think the horse drawn carriage rides are a lot of fun and you see a lot in Charleston. You can also just walk and admire the period architecture and beautiful homes. Charleston in particular is just an eye-feast in that regard. Make sure you get down the the Battery, it is just beautiful. Fort Sumter is nearby but we have not visited it. You can tour plantations nearby but have not done so in quite a few years. Same with tours of historical homes. We have done so much of that it is not something we prioritize but you can. Ditto hostoric churches.

We enjoyed visiting the 24 squares ( beautiful and diverse) in Savannah and the riverfront is amazing. We saw the busses there for ghost tours but we passed on that. Of particular interest was all the movies filmed in the area and the locations (including most famously Forest Gump).

The most enlightening thing we did in Savannah area was to visit Pinpoint, Ga which is one of the last Geechee settlements remaining intact. Very interesting on the lives of residents of these communities founded by enslaved people.

If you like barbecue, we have eaten all over the south and found Sandfly Barbecue in Sandfly Georgia (near the pinpoint community) to be remarkably good on a trip where we experienced only excellent meals. And we did experience sandflies in Savannah, but your trip timing will allow you to avoid them.

If you are familiar with the late author Pat Conroy (Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, and others), this low country region was where he grew up and lived, particularly In nearby Beaufort, SC. And it is where movies based upon his novels are set.

Beaufort is kind of a smaller less touristy Charleston, also with great history, carriage rides, charming downtown and a beautiful waterfront. We spent a day there this spring before heading to Savannah.

Plenty of walking, nice people, amazing food and history in all three locations. It's a great trip.

 

[38Chevy454]

Savannah has the old downtown with lots of attractions, restaurants and bars, the various park squares, and then all around are the old houses that are open for tours. You can get a trolley pass and ride along the path jumping on and off. The Prohibition Museum in downtown is interesting (a little hokey, but OK) and a good way to escape the heat for a bit. Also in Savannah is the old cemetery which is actually pretty neat to see and is free to visit. Many really old graves, some celebrities graves (if you care, I don't get excited about this), and some neat history and architecture. There are people buried there born and lived before GA was an official state. Cemetery is several acres, you can spend half a day or more walking all around if you want. Even though Savannah is a port city for shipping, it is not really on the water. It is inland through some tidal marsh areas. For beach type area you go short drive to Tybee Island.


I like just going to old town Savannah and hanging out along the river, or near there. I can only see so much of old houses, more interesting to DW than me. We visit in our RV, so no recommendations for hotels around the downtown area.

 

[Souschef]

We took a tour called Southern Splendor. We visited Charleston, Savannah, and Beaufort as part of the tour.
I have attached our trip story.

 

[Sunset]

Very close to Savannah is Fort Pulaski, We found it interesting.

https://www.nps.gov/fopu/index.htm

 

[PaunchyPirate]

In addition to just exploring the cities on foot or by carriage, we enjoyed visiting the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier coupled with a harbor cruise out to Fort Sumter and back. It makes for a nice day away from the quaintness that is Charleston. Lots of war history on display.

 

[ItsAllGood]

Our daughter lives in Charleston. When we visit, we spend bookend weekends with her and visit Savannah the week in between. Charleston has many great restaurants and roof top bars. Spend time just wandering in the historic downtown area. Amazing houses and gardens.

In Savannah our favorite places to stay are the Kehoe House and the Inn on West Liberty. Both are fantastic B&Bs in beautiful old houses in the historic district. Some tours we've done more than once: Savannah Bike tour, Noble Jones walking tour. I recommend reading (or re-reading) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It gives you a great feel for the flavor of Savannah and its fun to spot some of the places while wandering around. Some favorite restaurants: Cha Bella (farm to table) Vics on the River (pecan crusted sea bass!), Pink House (classic), the Collins Quarter.

I recommend a stop in Bluffton on the way between Savannah and Charleston. It's a little town with a small district full of little galleries with local art. A great cafe for lunch right in the middle.

I second a visit to Ft. Pulaski, outside Savannah on the way to Tybee Island. Take the free tour with the ranger, they bring the history to life. We had a similar experience with the smaller Old Fort Jackson, just outside Savannah.

If you like gardens, the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in North Charleston is really good. Take the little boat tour they offer out in the marsh.

Enjoy!

 

[Markola]

If you are familiar with the late author Pat Conroy (Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, and others), this low country region was where he grew up and lived, particularly In nearby Beaufort, SC. And it is where movies based upon his novels are set.

Beaufort is kind of a smaller less touristy Charleston, also with great history, carriage rides, charming downtown and a beautiful waterfront. We spent a day there this spring before heading to Savannah.

Good advice. Beaufort is well worth a couple of nights. Stay at the Rhett House Inn if you can, and have the grits. Also, near Beaufort is the fascinating Penn Center, one of the best cultural centers anywhere about the Gullah Geechee culture and African American history generally.

http://www.penncenter.com/

 

[mystang52]

Thanks, everyone. I've noted all of these recommendations. Thank you all so much!

 

[TNBigfoot]

Charleston: Sightseeing; Patriots Point, Ft. Sumter, CSS Huntley. Dining; High Cotton, Or restaurants in Mt.Pleasant (across river)

 

[brett]

DW and I are thinking about spending a week or so visiting Charleston and Savannah late October or first week in November. We'd fly to one, then drive to the second and fly home from there.
We enjoy history, and frankly some of the hokey things like the Ghost Tour. Suggestions on what to do, see, and rip-offs to avoid?

We were in both a number of years ago. While in Charleston we came across what I think was a tourist booth of some sort in the centre of town. They were selling a book that offered admission to a number of sites. Historical home in Charleston and entry/tours of several plantations outside Charleston.

We we not sure but we did buy it and were very pleased. We saw things that we might otherwise have missed. It was great value. Wish I could remember more about it.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

Great advice so far, just jumping in to second hitting Beaufort and Ft Pulaski. The Mighty Eighth Museum in Pooler (just outside of Savannah) is also pretty cool.


And if you go to Beaufort... really good sandwiches at Alvin Ords!

 

[DireWolf]

Some great suggestions. I really love the food scene in Charleston.

You’d also be fairly close to Jekyll Island (about 90 minutes from Savannah). It’s a pretty interesting place, with its historic millionaires village and scenic driftwood beach.

 

[Markola]

You’d also be fairly close to Jekyll Island (about 90 minutes from Savannah). It’s a pretty interesting place, with its historic millionaires village and scenic driftwood beach.

And where the Federal Reserve was created, in secret.