Four days covering all of Savannah's layers: the 22 historic squares, the Telfair Museums, Bonaventure Cemetery, Tybee Island, the Mercer-Williams House, First Friday on Broughton, the Starland District, and every good restaurant in the city. For travelers who want to understand what makes Savannah the best-preserved pre-Civil War city in America.
Orient yourself in the Historic District: walk the northern squares from Bay Street to Forsyth Park, visit the Telfair Museums (the Owens-Thomas House is the best single-building museum in Savannah), and find the Olde Pink House Planters Tavern for dinner.
Start at Johnson Square (the oldest, 1733, with a central obelisk to Nathanael Greene) and walk south through Reynolds, Warren, Washington, and Chippewa squares. Chippewa is where the bench scenes in "Forrest Gump" were filmed (the bench is not there — it's in the Savannah History Museum — but the square looks the same). Each square has a different central monument, different surrounding architecture, and a different character: some are quiet residential parks, others are tourist focal points. The morning light in the squares before 10am is the best photography window.
The Owens-Thomas House on Oglethorpe Square (1819) is the finest surviving Regency-style mansion in the United States — the work of English architect William Jay, with a curving Ionic portico, a Venetian window, and an intact urban slave quarters on the south side (one of the first sites in the country to interpret urban slavery). The Telfair Academy (the museum building, 1818) has the Savannah fine art collection. Both are operated by the Telfair Museums; a combination ticket covers all three Telfair sites.
The Olde Pink House on Reynolds Square: she-crab soup, crispy scored flounder, and grits in a 1771 Georgian mansion. The Planters Tavern in the basement is the bar version — same kitchen, no reservation required, bourbon selection that reflects Georgia's appreciation for Tennessee and Kentucky. The house pours Savannah-area bourbon and rye alongside the national brands.
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" tour of the actual locations from the book: Mercer-Williams House, Bonaventure Cemetery, the squares where the story unfolded. The book made Savannah famous; the tour puts the 1981 murder trial in its correct architectural and social context.
The Mercer-Williams House on Monterey Square (built 1868, finished 1871) was the home of antiques dealer Jim Williams, where the shooting of Danny Hansford occurred in 1981 and which forms the center of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." The house is a museum now — the first floor is open for tours ($12.50) showing the Williams family's antiques collection. The actual room where the shooting occurred is on the tour. The context matters: this is a story about Old Savannah money, social gatekeeping, and the slow Southern Gothic of a city that has never quite caught up with the 20th century.
The Wyld Dock Bar is on the marsh east of downtown — a covered outdoor bar and restaurant directly on the Wilmington River with shrimp, oysters, and Georgia coastal seafood. It's 10 minutes east of Bonaventure Cemetery and worth the detour: the marsh views, the fresh shrimp, and the complete absence of tourist-district energy make it the best midday stop in Savannah.
James Beard Award-nominated chef Mashama Bailey's Port City Southern cuisine in the 1938 Art Deco Greyhound terminal. The food is exceptional; the room is one of the most beautiful restaurant spaces in the South. Book 2-3 weeks in advance for weekend dinners. The full menu with wine is $150+ per person; the bar menu is significantly less.
Tybee Island beach day (the lighthouse is worth the climb), back to Savannah for the evening. If this falls on a First Friday, Broughton Street hosts gallery openings and street activity that is the best evening out in Savannah's arts scene.
Tybee Lighthouse (built 1736, rebuilt 1773, current structure 1867) is the oldest and tallest lighthouse in Georgia — 154 steps to the top, with views of the barrier island chain and the Atlantic. The museum is $12 and includes a coastal fortifications exhibit in the former gun battery below the lighthouse. The beach is a 5-minute walk; bring chairs and plan to spend 2 hours in the water. Parking at Tybee is $2/hour; arrive by 10am on weekends to get beachfront parking.
The Collins Quarter on Bull Street is a Melbourne-influenced café that does the best all-day brunch food in Savannah — avocado toast, shakshuka, honey-lemon ricotta pancakes — but the dinner menu extends into Southern small plates and cocktails. The room (an 1866 building with exposed brick) is consistently the best mid-range dinner option in the Historic District that isn't already sold out.
First Friday on Broughton Street runs on the first Friday of each month — gallery openings, street performers, food vendors, and the full Savannah social scene out on Broughton in the evening. The galleries on and around Broughton include SCAD-affiliated spaces, independent contemporary galleries, and the Telfair shops. Even on non-First Fridays, Broughton Street in the evening is the walkable spine of Savannah's social life.
The Starland District (the arts and coffee neighborhood south of Forsyth Park) in the morning, the southern squares in the afternoon, and SAV departure. Leopold's one more time before leaving.
The Starland District south of Forsyth Park is where Savannah's creative economy actually lives — independent coffee shops (The Sentient Bean, Foxy Loxy Print Gallery and Café), SCAD student galleries, small-batch retail, and the Savannah Bee Company flagship. It has the organic urban neighborhood character that the Historic District lost to tourism. Walk the blocks around 40th and Bull Streets; get coffee at the Sentient Bean.
Leopold's on Broughton Street one more time before leaving Savannah. The lemon custard or the Savannah Smiles (lemon vodka, lemon curd, and vanilla ice cream, a milkshake version) for the departure. The line is always worth it.
Ride-share from the Historic District to SAV is $18-25 and 20 minutes. Allow 90 minutes before flight departure.
Create a free Wanderer account to save “4-Day Savannah Deep Dive” and access the full block library.
Join free — become a WandererNo credit card required
Flights, stays, and experiences — find the best options for your dates.
Compare hundreds of airlines. See the cheapest dates and book directly — no markup.
Search flightsPowered by Travel Payouts
Bundle your flight and hotel to unlock package savings — usually cheaper than booking separately.
Powered by Expedia
Compare prices across hundreds of hotels, resorts, and rentals — free cancellation on most.
Search hotelsPowered by Expedia
Museum tickets, guided tours, and day trips — skip-the-line access, most with free cancellation.
Browse experiencesPowered by Tiqets
Pre-book a private transfer — fixed price, meet-and-greet, no surge pricing.
Book a transferPowered by Welcome Pickups
Compare rental cars from top agencies — pickup at airports, hotels, and city centers.
Compare ratesPowered by Expedia
Whole homes, cabins, and condos — more space, full kitchens, and local neighborhoods.
Browse rentalsPowered by Expedia
Trip cancellation, medical coverage, and emergency evacuation — get a free quote in minutes.
Get a free quotePowered by Travelex