Southern Sun & Lots of “spirits”
A Long-Weekend Spring Escape to Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is a historic coastal town situated on the Savannah River, which opens into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s known to be one of the most haunted towns in America. Combine that with its rich history, open container laws, beautiful weather, and proximity to Tybee Island, it was the perfect choice for our family getaway in spring. In April, Savannah is a pastel-hued dream: blooming azaleas, perfect patio weather, and cobblestone streets that have witnessed a lot of historical moments. For our family of seven, it was the ideal escape from the Northeast to learn about history, try great drinks and food and enjoy a new city.
Arriving on Friday and departing on Tuesday, we flew into Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, a 20 minute drive to downtown. We opted to Uber to downtown and around as needed. We rented a car for one day when we ventured to Tybee Island.
We splurged and stayed at The Alida (a Marriott brand), a riverfront hotel with a pool and rooftop lounge situated conveniently on the edge of all that Savannah offers.
April weather in Savannah
The weather during our stay was mid 70s to mid 50s at night. Of course, check the Weather in advance to plan for packing and activities!
Day 1: Spirits of Savannah
We arrived in Savannah in the early afternoon, put our bags down and immediately headed to the rooftop bar at the hotel, while others in the group settled in. The views were incredible, and it was a great place to cheers the beginning of our vacation.
Our first family adventure was a Boos & Booze Tour with a meeting point at Tandem Coffee & Spirits, where we began to learn what makes Savannah haunted. Next up, four stops at unique bars with their own haunted stories to accompany their delicious drinks.
The first and probably the most memorable, was a historic bar at 1790 Inn — complete with unexpected key lime pie shots and ghost stories about a woman named Anna. Highly recommend checking this place out even if you don’t do a tour!
The second stop was a stark contrast from the first spot, Mint to be Mojito, a bright, tropical, vibe where we ordered different types of mojitos and cocktails as well as ordered some appetizers.
Next, we headed to River Street stopping by the Cluskey Vaults (haunted and spooky of course) along the way. At The Warehouse, an old dive bar with views of Savannah River, we gulped down a couple of “the coldest, cheapest beer in town” as we listened to more haunted encounters on River Street (I can’t share the content – you have to visit to experience!).
Our final tour stop was The Bootlegger Speakeasy. The bartenders here were so friendly and
We rounded off the night with dinner at Spanky’s, “Home of the Original Chicken Finger”, a packed, casual spot with comfort food and maybe the best fries in Savannah, perfect after a spirited bar crawl.
Tip: With the open container policies, a Boos & Booze tour is perfect for enjoying a drink along the walk. There are rules to the policy so be sure to follow accordingly!
Cocktails from the Rooftop of the Alida Hotel in Savannah, GA
Day 2: Walking Through History
We started our Saturday morning with a walking group tour via Genteel & Bard History Walking Tour. Meeting at 151 Bull Street and concluding near 222 E. Harris Street, we visited different squares like Chippewa, Madison and Monterey, walked through South Historic District streets, and soaked up Savannah’s layered stories of fever, war, and everything in between.
Tip: Chippewa Square is where the famous Forrest Gump bench scenes were filmed.
After the tour, our group went our separate ways – hanging by the hotel pool, walking along the river, or shopping in town.
By evening, it was time for one of Savannah’s signature dining experiences at Husk Savannah, where Southern cuisine gets a refined, seasonal twist. After dinner, we watched the sunset along the Savannah River and then wandered over to Savannah Taphouse to watch a UConn (my alma mater) play in the Final Four. It was the perfect atmosphere for college basketball and sports in general. We even had a TV at our table all to ourselves!
Talmadge Memorial Bridge from River Street in Savannah, GA
Day 3: Choose your own adventure
We started out the morning with a late brunch at the Rhett, a restaurant at the hotel opening up to the busy streets of Savannah. Walking off our meal, we through Forsyth Park before heading to the pool at Alida to sip on cocktails and soak up the sun. Some of the group also went shopping, visited historic sights on their list, or strolled along River Street.
For dinner, we chose the rooftop at The Fitzroy where we had great food, drinks and service.
Pool at the Alida Hotel
Day 4: Tybee Island Adventures & the best dinner in Savannah
After three days in the city, we were ready for some ocean action. We picked up a rental car and headed east to Tybee Island — just under a 30-minute drive from downtown.
We reserved a 90-minute private dolphin watching cruise through Capt. Derek's Dolphin Adventure, sailing around Tybee Island and seeing a ton of dolphins along the way. The crew was great and I highly recommend booking this excursion!
After the cruise, we stopped at The Deck Beach Bar which gave us the perfect perch to watch a the eclipse paint the sky. Our last stop was at Tybee Lighthouse where we climbed up 178 steps to enjoy the panoramic views from the top. The stairs are very narrow and there are platforms to stop every so often.
For dinner we headed back to Savannah for what would be the best meal of our trip at Common Thread Savannah who delivered a cozy, elevated meal that highlighted local ingredients and thoughtful presentation. This place wasn’t on our radar but came highly recommended by a local.
Since we didn’t make it to Leopolds, the famous ice cream shop in town previously, we had to make some room in our tummies on our last night. Leopolds brings you right back to the 1900s with its an old-timey atmosphere and the ice cream was delicious too!
Tip: I like to make dinner reservations for the beginning nights of our trip and then leave the later nights open for potential recommendations from locals! This can be tricky if your trip is over a weekend so you could always have backups booked too.
