Discovering Savannah: Southern Charm and Hidden Gems

Places to shop

• The Paris Market Cafe: A cute little gift shop with a cafe full of seasonal drinks, sandwiches and desserts inside. It is full of curated and delicately picked items for purchase as a gift or for yourself.

• Jeres Antiques: A humongous warehouse full of some of the finest antiques I have ever seen. This is such a fun shop to walk through to see original (these are not replicas) furniture from the 18th, 19th and 20th century. I think the upstairs will surprise you if you find your way there!

• Avalon Exchange: This is an incredible thrift store for clothing if you are in the mood to grab a coffee and sift through funky vintage clothing on of your afternoons in Savannah. They are constantly rotating the stock as they receive new donations, so there will always be something new to look at or try on!

Places to see

• African Art Museum: This is a non-profit museum full of art to help educate and start conversations about the power, diversity and spirituality of African Art

• Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist: On Sunday, February 6, 1898, this cathedral caught fire and was nearly destroyed. It was rebuilt and then reopened on December 24, 1899. It is an active church and is not available for self-guided tours, so check the website to confirm mass times.

• E. Shaver Bookseller: This is Savannah’s oldest independent bookstore. They have rooms after rooms full of books. This shop is full of books you will not find at a Barnes and Noble! Take a stroll through history when you visit this shop.

• JW Marriott Hotel experiences: Even if you are not staying at the Marriott in Savannah’s Plant Riverside District, this is still a great spot to check out their fascinating collection of dinosaur fossils and gemstones at this unique museum. This will be a great stop if you’re traveling with your little ones!

• Gingerbread House: This house is considered one of the most outstanding examples of “Steamboat Gothic gingerbread carpentry.” When I found out about the Gingerbread House, I chose not to look it up on maps, and I walked around the city until I found it.

Things to do

Bonaventure Cemetery tour: This tour of Bonaventure Cemetery is the most popular tour of this cemetery. Get to know some of the most famous 'residents' of Bonaventure Cemetery, including Little Gracie, Conrad Aiken, Johnny Mercer and more. You'll enjoy a peaceful walk through the cemetery, enjoying the beautiful scenery and sometimes the local wildlife.

Savannah nighttime ghosts and gravestones tour: Enjoy Savannah’s darker side with this exclusive nighttime entry into two of Savannah’s most haunted venues, Andrew Low House and the Perkin’s & Son’s Ship Chandlery.

The Savannah underground: An immersive, 90-minute ghost hunt exploring Savannah's horrifying past. Travel through Savannah by trolley, hearing the haunting tales of the past.

Savannah Old Town trolley tour: A live-narrated, 90-minute tour with open-air sightseeing perfect for taking pictures. Visit over 100 points of interest with 15 conveniently located stops throughout the city.

Foodie adventures

• The Olde Pink House: This will always be a top favorite place to have a meal. I recommend trying to make reservations well in advance because they are always booked up. Every time I have gone, it was a walk-in with a pretty hefty waitlist, but it is well worth it. The lower level is called Planters Tavern, and that used to be an old slaves quarters. If you want to experience this meal with everything it has to offer, I would suggest you dine at the Planters Tavern downstairs rather than the Olde Pink House area.

• Little Duck Diner: This is a very cute and cozy breakfast/brunch spot to visit for tasty food and cute drinks. There are certain drinks on the menu that come with a little rubber ducky in them, and it is so precious. (Yes, you get to keep the rubber ducky)

• Collins Quarter: This is a crowd favorite in the city of Savannah, and they have two locations, both being equally delicious. The one in Forsyth Park has a beautiful view of the park if you can snag an outdoor seat.

• Chocolat by Adam Turoni: This is an Artisan chocolate shop handcrafted in Savannah. The displays are set up to look like a library that you get to walk around with a little plate and tongs to hand-pick all the items you want. It is all made in-house and you can see the production area behind a clear glass wall. It is a unique way to shop for chocolate, and each flavor is more delicious than the last.

• Leopold’s Ice Cream: An iconic ice cream shop serving up old-fashioned sundaes and milkshakes. They have seasonal flavors that you likely won’t see at too many ice cream shops back home. It is worth a stop if you’re craving a sweet treat.

Cocktail hour

• Mint To Be Mojito: Offers fresh ingredients in all of their mojitos, and if you work hard enough, you may be able to find out the secret code to a speakeasy. They also have really good empanadas. I mean like seriously good empanadas.

• Peacock Lounge: This is a nice cocktail lounge and the ambiance is historic and moody.

• Better Than Sex - A Dessert Lounge: This is technically a dessert lounge, but their cocktails and shots are all the rage. This is quite an experience from the moment you sit down, to the moment your server asks for consent. With award-winning desserts and witty names for the menu items, this will be one of those places that you’ll never forget.

• Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos: This is a late-night bar with dueling pianos for entertainment. They have a full bar and serve classic pub eats if you get hungry watching the show!