If only Savannah’s old mossy oaks could talk. What stories would they tell? I have only known Savannah to be a popular backdrop to Hollywood movies (think, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”, “Glory”, and of course the ever-classic “Forrest Gump” to name just a few). I was drawn to visit Savannah in early October because of it’s beautiful backdrop.
Fall seemed like a wonderful time to see Savannah; the humidity is less thick and the temperature is perfect to explore the town comfortably. What better place to get properly spooked just in time for Halloween and for good historical reason? Little did I know Savannah deserved that reputation ten-fold.
In the daytime, Savannah proper is quaintly situated, graced with adorable shops, and lures you in with its thoughtfully designed parks. However, Savannah’s violent history casts long shadows over its charming squares, whether you dare to learn of it or not. Once the sun goes down, you can’t help but surrender to Savannah’s alluring mystique. Now, I’m not trying to scare you. Savannah just happens to apparently have, well, a few “visitors” from time to time. Savannah is more than just a few supernatural spectacles, however. Spending a few days in Savannah is absolutely memorable; dive into history reading each park’s plaques and statues, take romantic evening strolls, opt for historical carriage rides, and cruise it’s quaint and quirky shops. Savannah is completely walkable and explorable within just a few days time, while learning a thing or two.
Traveling from the west coast, I decided to pack a punch by hitting up more than one city after the long trip. Starting out in Charleston, we thought we could take a few hours to drive to Savannah. Yes, the two are relatively a stone’s throw from each other. I have wanted to see both towns for some time and Charleston and Savannah’s pulse couldn’t be more different from each other. It only took roughly two hours from one city to the next. I was perfectly happy to stare at stretches of swamp land in between. As a Californian, the swamps intrigued me and I welcomed the long car ride questioning whether I would see an alligator rear its head or not.
We arrived in Savannah around sunset to our adorable bed and breakfast, the Eliza Thompson. What to do when the sun sets in Savannah? It was time for an evening stroll around the town’s infamous squares of course! The grandiloquent oaks were a sight to see even at night. Without an agenda, we eventually found ourselves at the doorstep of Perry Lane Hotel, which we discovered has a spectacular rooftop bar. Lucky for us, a frosé machine (frozen rose slushy) called and came with a spectacular view. I love to catch a cityscape of what I am about to explore when traveling; it prompts me to think, “What’s in store for me here?”I sipped my frosé and gazed upon the unfamiliar landscape with piqued interest. Putting our curiosity aside, we decided to make it an early night to catch our zzz’s with a full day of adventuring ahead of us.
Savannah proper is not large. In fact, it’s explorable in about 2-3 days. James Oglethorpe (the British parliament member who colonized Savannah) had quite a thoughtful eye; the city is carefully laid out in gorgeous squares, with either a fountain or statue sitting centrally proud. Reading the statues and plaques gives you only a minute taste of what lies beneath your feet. Savannah’s history is intensely gruesome with each walking step. What seems like beautiful squares are actually burial grounds upon burial grounds of… American history. I’m so glad we decided to “keep it light” the first few days and avoided tours until the latter part of the trip. I was already freaked out that our bed and breakfast claimed a ghost graced its quarters. Let’s just say I’m “supernatural-sensitive” and this town is apparently ripe with hauntings. I am confident Walt Disney came here for Haunted House inspiration through and through (architecture, storyline, and decor).
I needed holy water. Not far from Eliza Thompson and just a few squares away, is the stunning Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Catholic or not, it’s worth a peek inside for its beautiful architecture, stained glass windows and unseen blessings you will need with Savannah’s paranormal activity. You bet I lit a candle and said a little prayer for me, myself, and I.
Still keeping it light, we headed to Broughton Street to shop. The Paris Market and Brocante was a delightful shop to peruse. What seems initially like a cafe, also sells candies, antiques, jewelry, and every charming item you could possibly want to outfit your home. Don’t miss the lower floor; this store will take some time and is quite pleasant to leisurely poke around. Grab an espresso, perhaps?
After shopping Broughton, zig-zag back along the perpendicular streets. There are little gems to discover along the way. Another place to check out is Chocolat by Adam Turoni. It’s a decadent chocolate shop on Broughton, but the cutest spot is off Bull Street. Grab that “box of chocolates” (a la Forrest Gump) and hang out on a local park bench and strike up a conversation. Yes, I mirrored Forrest and sat in Chippewa Square and contentedly ate my chocolate (“when-in-Rome”). What a lovely way to enjoy your chocolate and truly take in Savannah’s gorgeous surroundings. Turoni’s chocolate boxes are also a thoughtful souvenir for loved ones, as you can pick out each truffle individually in adorable book-like boxes.
A Georgian friend of mine recommended Collin’s Quarter for lunch and what a treat it was! As a lectin-free eater in the south, I gorged on their delicious beet salad for lunch more than one day, generously decorated with goat cheese and walnuts. I also had to order a lavender latte for an opulent, floral and unique treat to-go.
Wandering the streets, we happened upon Alex Raskin’s Antiques. This is a must if you love antiques and/or… creepy buildings? Even if antiques aren’t your “thang”, just ask to go upstairs… I dare you. It’s a four-story decrepit mansion filled with antiques. The problem is, there’s really not a soul… or should I say a living person (ghosts I’m sure are abound), on each level. Its unlit upper floors are jam-packed with antiques. As you ascend each flight, the eyeballs of portraits pointedly stare back at you. No lights, no people, just flights and flights of antiques… in Savannah. I was creeped out and only made it to the third floor. Feeling chicken, I said, “Time to turn around?” My friend adamantly agreed, “Yes, definitely!” We descended floors in high speed as if an ax murderer were hot-on-our-heels. Worth the peek, but only a few floors-worth for me. I must say, I got out of the building lightening-fast and breathed a big sigh of relief.
It was easy to relax once outside, as Savannah’s surroundings are an architectural dream. Yes, the squares are all adorably manicured, but the houses that line the streets are individually stunning; whether kept up or run down. It’s downright pleasant to languidly peruse the neighborhoods and gaze upon each house’s unique presence. Not far off, we stumbled upon Forsyth Park. It’s gorgeous to be sure, with opulent fountains, statues, and walkways lined with old lanterns and of course more stunning oak trees. Spanish moss cascading off old oak boughs never gets old. Wait for a breeze and watch it drift back and forth; it’s simply mesmerizing and something inside tells me it will always be so.
Venture a little further to the riverfront lined with quirky shops, a few restaurants and bars and a view of the Talmadge Bridge. Another walkable sight is the design district, with a sprinkling of stores for clothing, jewelry, and home decor. City Market is another spot to check out if you’re looking for more of a “touristy” series of stores. Or how about walking to the world’s St. Patrick’s Day countdown clock? Savannah has the second largest St. Patty’s day parade in the US. I had no idea, but fun to see the clock counting down the days, hours, and seconds until green beer, pinching strangers and alcohol-induced visions of leprechauns are an all-day normal occurrence. Speaking of feeling Irish, with all of this walking, are you feeling winded and weary yet? It’s perfectly legal in Savannah to have a libation or “roadie” on hand as you walk the streets. PS- we hit up Perry Lane Hotel’s rooftop bar more than once for convenient frosés to-go.
It’s not like we really needed a roadie while staying at the Eliza Thompson Bed and Breakfast. Eliza offers a late afternoon wine & cheese hour for their guests, a complimentary breakfast in a charming courtyard and if that wasn’t enough, an evening dessert hour? Eliza, you may spook its visitors with your beyond-the-grave salutations, but you are one hell of a hostess!
Speaking of hosting, Savannah has great restaurants and even had options for her lectin-free guest (yours truly). Circa 1875 is an amazing French restaurant, with a wonderful menu, charming staff and cozy interior. The bar next door is equally as charming. Looking for an opulent southern classic? The Olde Pink House is a must. We ventured downstairs to the piano bar but felt like we instead went back in time. The brick walls, candlestick-strewn walls, and cozy wooden chairs felt set back in colonial times. Take your time here, enjoy the piano music, order a great cocktail and of course, dine on some excellent southern fare. The collard greens were the best I had in the south, along with a decadent sweet potato sprinkled with pecans. I was in food-heaven and for a moment forgot about the ghosts…
Not so fast! I just had to take a haunted hearse tour that I saw cruising the squares at night. “Um… we’re doing that”, we said in unison as we saw a hearse roll by. Done deal; we called, we booked and conquered. Silly as it is, we found ourselves shortly thereafter climbing into the back of a hearse and ready for a ghost story or two. The driver and tour guide was a riot, wearing “a famous voodoo shaman’s” bones around his neck for protection. To shield his hearse guests from ill-willed spirits he tapped the shaman’s dwarf-like femurs (?) around us and said a prayer or two. Bones and prayers, I have to remember that for future reference. Armed with our spells, we coasted along at a slow pace all around town and listened to gruesome tales of violence, terrifying hauntings, and not-so-happy endings. The tragic stories seemed innumerable and left me feeling more spooked than I was before. It may be a little cheesy, but you can’t help but wonder if there is any truth to it all…
Don’t believe in ghosts? How about taking an innocent carriage ride to learn of Savannah’s history during the day? Ghost or no ghost, Savannah’s colonial background carries a heavy weight. You may start to believe hauntings are inescapable in a town that was quite literally built on the dead. The gory history dates back to pre-colonial days and let’s not forget Sherman’s March!
Can’t get enough of the dead, can we? Well, I went straight for the zombie’s jugular and headed just outside town to the Bonaventure Cemetery. Get out your hiking shoes, this cemetery is large and quite a stunning site to see. Walk along the most beautiful graves appropriately sheltered by more of Georgia’s gorgeous moss-covered oak trees. I love walking cemeteries; tombs each have a unique identity and the names and dates have you guessing what story lies beneath the grave. Making our way back along a nearby river, a new “entry” made its way through the maze of graves. I didn’t realize Bonaventure takes new editions. Another day, another entry. I guess that’s life… and death. Needless to say, if you like cemeteries or want to feel like you’re walking on the set of “True Blood”, spend a day at Bonaventure with the dead.
I found I don’t have to travel to the far reaches of the world or even outside of my own country to experience something completely different, foreign, and unknown. Food, culture, and even language (okay it is English, but I had to say, “Come again?” a few too many times with the accents I encountered). Let’s not forget the joy of learning history that is uniquely different from my own turf. Try going south, I mean… really south; Savannah south for some spooky fun.
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