5 Best Things to do in Savannah

If you are searching for the top things to do in Savannah, Georgia look no further — you found it! Savannah is such a fun spot to visit any time of year. Although I would advise against going in the middle of summer because it is very hot…. unless you plan to visit Tybee Island. Tybee Island is a beach that is about 20 minutes from Savannah.

I’ve visited the area multiple times, and below you will find five of my top things to do in Savannah, Georgia. Remember, Savannah, Georgia is one of the places I offer a custom travel itinerary to.

1. Take a Tour of the City

It’s not just first on this list, it really is #1 when it comes to top things to do in Savannah, Georgia. The one thing I always do when I’m visiting any new place is take a tour of the city. Whether it be a walking tour or hop on hop off tour, it’s the best way to get a feel for the city you’re in. And always try to do it on your first day there.

Savannah is no exception to this. Book some kind of historical city tour for your first day. You can always do graveyard tours, ghost tours, food tours, etc too. Remember, Savannah is America’s most haunted city so a ghost tour would be a great choice. But, even with that, still be sure to do a historical tour first.

Below are some of the top tour options on Viator for Savannah — click here to view more. In my opinion, Viator is the best site to book tours on. It’s always the one I use on my trips.

2. Tour Churches

You will see churches on every “top things to do in Savannah, Georgia” list. However, most of them only mention one church and that’s a shame. There are many historical churches in Savannah. Most of them are beautiful and allow visitors to come inside. However, even if you can’t go inside it’s still beautiful to see the outside.

First African Baptist Church

It’s known as the oldest black church in North America. The congregation was founded in 1733 and this church was built in 1859. There is a museum here and you can book a guided tour of the church on their website. The museum has artifacts dating back to when the 17th and 18th centuries.

The church served as part of the underground railroad. There are holes in the floor in certain areas in the church. These holes served as breathing holes for slaves who were hiding under the floorboards.

Congregation Mickve Israel

It is the only gothic style synagogue in North America. The congregation was founded in 1733 and this synagogue was completed in 1878. You can book a guided tour by visiting their website. There is also a museum with artifacts that date back to when the congregation was founded.

Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist

One word: Gorgeous! The original cathedral was built in 1799 and the current one was built in 1873. Guided tours aren’t offered, however, the cathedral is open for self-guided tours.

Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist

3. Explore River Street

A trip to Savannah would not be complete without going to River Street! Many people consider it the top thing to do in Savannah, Georgia — with good reason. The street is cobblestone and there are a lot of shops and restaurants along it. It’s also where the river cruise sets sail from. Many cargo ships dock here too. The first time you see them in person you’ll be shocked. They’re massive!

As we know, Savannah has a dark past. And, river street specifically is part of that dark past and is known as one of the most haunted areas in Savannah.

Many people who were enslaved and survived the Middle Passage arrived in Savannah. Once they arrived they were stored in warehouses along River Street. A lot of those structures still stand, but of course, they have been repurposed. But, some of them still have holes and shackles in the walls where the enslaved people were chained. Many of the historical tours of the city include these holding cells.

There are also a lot of monuments along the street, including an African-American one and one for WWII.

4. Explore Forsyth Park

It’s one of my favorite spots in Savannah! The park spans about thirty acres and contains the famous fountain Savannah is known for. The fountain is actually one of the most photographed place in Savannah — I can see why. It’s beautiful! The trees are gorgeous too. I love seeing the spanish moss hang off of them.

Plan to eat brunch at Collins Quarter at Forsyth. It’s in the middle of the park and you can sit outside. The food and views are both amazing. Order the Vietnamese Iced Coffee — it is SO good.

5. Visit the City Market

The city market is an open-air market full of restaurants, souvenirs, desserts, and more. You will also find art galleries, the Prohibition Era Museum, and speakeasy’s.

The museum is the only Prohibition Museum in America and it’s worth a visit. It traces the history from 1850 to all the way through the Great Depression. Be sure to visit an art gallery too; Savannah is known as the top art-buying city in the US.

Although the market is fun, relaxed, and family-friendly during the day, that starts to change as nightfall comes. There are a lot of bars in and around the city market. The area can be fun in the evenings, but you don’t want to be there late at night. Fights tend to break out around the bars and in recent years crime and homelessness has become a problem in this area. Personally, I would go to the market early in the afternoon and be gone as it gets closer to the evening.

Bonus

A weird and unusual hidden gem in Savannah is the Graveface Museum. In other words, you probably won’t find it on many lists of the top things to do in Savannah, Georgia. However, I find it interesting.

Some people call it the serial killer museum. Although that isn’t wrong, it’s not all this museum has to offer. There is a collection of artifacts related to circus performers and medical oddities. In addition, there is a room that focuses on UFO sightings.

The upstairs is what tends to draw people in: the true crime area. There are a lot of artifacts relating to true crime, including sweat pants worn by Charles Manson, Jim Jones’ sunglasses, paintings by John Wayne Gacy, and more.

After that you can head downstairs for a palate cleanser: a pinball room. There are quite a few pinball machines and they’re all horror themed. 24-hour access to them are included in your admission tickets.