If you’re visiting Savannah for the first time, like it was for us, the amount of things to do and see can be quite overwhelming! But don’t worry, I put together the ideal weekend itinerary for first time Savannah visitors. Even though we were only there for 2 days, we felt like we saw a lot and were able to get a really good feel for the city. Savannah is the perfect destination to explore over a weekend as it’s not too big and most of it can be explored by walking around.

Let’s get right to it!

Our Saturday Itinerary:

Trolley Tour – This tour was a great way to get familiar with the city and to learn fun facts about some of the city’s best attractions. The trolley stops throughout the city and we were free to hop on and off.

Lunch at Fitzroy – The Fitzroy is an Australian inspired pub with a delicious brunch menu. We had the Moroccan Scramble (it has a good kick in terms of spice), and the French Toast with mango tea poached pear and homemade Australian honeycomb. So good!

The American Prohibition Museum – The first and only museum in the United States dedicated to the history of Prohibition. You will get transported back in time to the early 1900s when anti-alcohol rallies swept the nation. It is a fun museum, where you can learn about American prohibition history while enjoying the cute displays. The best part is the speakeasy bar where you can get a drink!

Shopping – We walked around City Market where you must visit Savannah’s Candy Kitchen and try their freshly made pecan pralines! Oh, and Byrd’s Famous Cookies – a family business that has been around since 1924 – where you can taste many flavours of cookies! Follow that with shopping on Broughton and River Street, which is also a great Instagram photo spot!

Drinks at Alley Cat Lounge – This is a cute basement bar serving up delicious cocktail. You enter this bar through an entrance off an alley – hence the name.

Dinner at Husk – Their tagline is “a celebration of southern ingredients” and that, they do! This was by far our best meal in Savannah. The restaurant is located in Savannah’s historic district. The location is a converted mansion with a beautiful interior. The raw bar and southern inspired fare, are comparable in taste to a high-end restaurant in Manhattan, but for a fraction of the price.

Rooftop Drinks – What better way to spend the evening than a cocktail at a rooftop bar? The Lost Square, located at The Alida Hotel, is perched above the riverfront and offers great views of the city and yummy drinks. This bar is super cozy with a fireplace and comfortable couches.

Late night – If you are looking for gay nightlife in Savannah, look no further! The most popular venue is Club One. This multiple level gay hangout is full of entertainment, including the top floor with regular drag shows, dance floor and cute basement bar with the occasional karaoke night.

Our Sunday Itinerary:

Brunch at Collins Quarter – This place is crazy busy during weekend brunch. There was a line out the door by 10:30, so make sure you get there early! Collins Quarter is styled after Melbourne’s historic Collins Street and serves up some Aussie charm. The food was good but carb heavy!

Tour of the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters – We were guided through one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in America as well as the original slave quarters designed to house the slaves who maintained it. This house also had indoor plumbing on all floors before the White House!

Walked down Bull Street to Forsyth Park – Bull Street is super-cute with its boutique streets, cafes and chocolate stores. It was such a beautiful walk cutting through several squares where you can sit down for a second just to people watch or take pictures. Forsyth Park is Savannah’s largest and oldest public park. Located near the middle of the park is the beautiful Forsyth Park fountain – one of Savannah‘s most well known icons and most photographed places in the city.

Drinks at The Grey – This is a local favourite serving contemporary Southern dishes with a fusion mix – all set in a completely renovated Greyhound bus station from the 1930s. We only sat at the bar for happy hour drinks and oysters, but this is apparently the place to be. We even saw Janelle Monae at the bar!

Dinner at Alligator Soul – It was definitely one of the fancier places we’ve been in Savannah, even though it had a very unassuming entrance tucked away in the basement of a building. They serve lots of farm to table items, and of course, alligator!

Ice Cream Dessert – If you are in Savannah, you must try Leopold’s ice cream! It is a favourite for locals and visitors alike. It is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor from the 1900s, with award winning homemade, super yummy ice cream. There are so many flavours to try you may need to go every day!

Add-ons: We didn’t do it this time around, but the Savannah Haunted History Tour is very popular. This is where you can learn about all the dark secrets of the city. Another popular one is either going on a self-guided or professionally guided tour of the sites found in the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Where We Stayed: Perry Lane Hotel

As much as the city has to offer, I almost want to visit Savannah again just to stay at the super chic Perry Lane Hotel. Everything from the lobby to the hotel room to the rooftop was modern and elegant. There are also plenty of slick amenities, including bike rentals, a rooftop pool with a bar and lawn games, a film screening room, and a karaoke and arcade area. The jar of Byrd’s Cookies in your room is a nice bonus, and well worth another visit!

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