Savannah & Tybee Island
You’ll find the hospitality in Savannah to be genuine and enthusiastic.
Savannah | Places to Stay
There are many wonderful historic inns and boutique hotels in Savannah. During my first visit, I really enjoyed visiting the Kimpton Brice Hotel. The concierge there absolutely made my visit and of course I had frequent traveler status at the time, so that didn’t hurt. On my most recent visit, my friend and I decided to pursue a vacation rental. I learned recently that many vacation rental agencies can offer you a lower price than what is advertised for the same property on the more popular booking apps. Nothing against those apps--just a suggestion that if you see the property is managed by a company, you’ll save a few bucks working with them directly.
KIMPTON BRICE HOTEL
We found this stunning property in the heart of Savannah called Southern Hall and had a really positive experience working with the rental company, Southern Belle. This particular property was ideally situated for us--just a bit off the beaten tourist path but still easily accessible to the heart of Forsyth Park, and a quick walk to just about everything you’d want to see or do in Savannah. If you find your way to Southern Hall, be sure to avoid the super cute cafe on the corner called Mate Factor. Yes, really, skip it. Here’s why.
SOUTHERN HALL
Savannah | Places to Eat
Of course, the toughest thing about Savannah is having enough time to eat in all of the places you want to eat. We quickly learned that reservations are best made far, far in advance during high season. If you find yourself there without reservations, don’t fret--just do what we did and explore some of Savannah’s awesome bars! Although we had each come with recommendations from friends, we asked a local--the bartender, Greg, at a wonderful neighborhood restaurant called Cotton & Rye. Don’t miss the cornbread, ask for Greg, he’ll give you oodles of genuinely awesome places to visit and honest feedback on which touristy spots to avoid.
COTTON & RYE
It was Greg who introduced us to what would become a highlight of our trip, the speakeasy called Alley Cat Lounge. Listen...they serve Cheez-Itz as bar snacks. What more do you need to know? You can find them on Instagram. We also loved the Bamboo Room Tiki Bar, where we pre-gamed our dinner at the world famous Husk Restaurant (booked in advance, still a late reservation!). Although the founding James Beard Award winning chef has since departed, Husk is a treat, don’t miss it.
BAMBOO ROOM TIKI BAR
HUSK
Everyone you tell you’re going to Savannah will tell you not to miss the ice cream at Leopold’s. It’s legendary, mostly for the line. The ice cream is good but if you’re not in the mood to wait on line, do what we did...get it at the airport instead--just be sure to check the hours.
LEOPOLD’S
We didn’t make it to another dining destination, The Grey. We tried to book reservations ahead of time, couldn’t get a table or even a seat at the bar. And the day we tried to show up at the bar at opening, the bar was closed. But we did discover in the historic district is The Grey Market--where they also serve food! Definitely a fast casual vibe, but if you can’t get in to the main spot, it’s a nice alternative.
THE GREY
Savannah | Things to Do
You’ll find the hospitality in Savannah to be genuine and enthusiastic. It was that Kimpton Concierge who gave me a five minute guide to how to explore Savannah on foot--start at the river and make your way through town on Bull Street. You’ll see most of the city’s most famous squares and find plenty of food and shops along the way! On this most recent trip, we also really enjoyed the trolley tour offered by Old Savannah Tours. I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusive nature of their guides.
OLD SAVANNAH TOURS
Finally, Savannah is full of artists and makers. Here are a couple of my favorite small shops, which you’ll discover if you do stroll along Bull Street.
E SHAVER BOOKSELLER
SATCHEL
Tybee | Places to Stay
If you’re looking to make more than a weekend of your trip to Savannah, consider spending some time over on “Savannah’s Beach,” Tybee Island. About a 25 minute drive from historic downtown Savannah, Tybee is a medium sized beach destination that has a slower pace, lots of wide, beautiful beaches and something for everyone.
We found our vacation rental via Oceanfront Cottage. You’ll find, especially during the high season, there is a minimum week-long stay at most rentals so plan accordingly. There are plenty of rental agencies--again, you can certainly book via AirBnB or VRBO but you’ll get a slightly better price when you go direct.
Tybee | Places to Eat
We chose to stay on the quieter part of the island near North Beach and the Lighthouse. This was still walkable to some great restaurants and had we rented bikes we could have easily used those to get to the “heart” of town. We enjoyed the climb to the top of the historic lighthouse, the good vibes, music and food at the North Beach Cafe and the sweet farmer’s and artists market. By far our favorite find at the market were Palmetto Pops--locally made sweet frozen treats. If you’re prepared with a way to keep them frozen, I recommend stocking up! They are not as easy to find as we had hoped. We found the sole grocery store on the island--for a larger selection, be sure to stop at any one of the major grocers just before you cross to the bridge. We learned you can also call ahead your order to the IGA!
Tybee | Things to Do
North Beach has a lot of parking and is less busy than the other beaches on Tybee. You can rent umbrellas and chairs and the bathrooms and changing area are clean.
If you’re interested in getting out on the water, there are plenty of ways to do so. We had a great kayaking tour that took us to the historic lighthouse.
Here are some of the other great finds around Tybee:
Sundae Cafe--Small, locally owned, DELICIOUS. Call for reservations or takeaway.
Tybean Coffee--Adorable coffee shack with great beverages.
Tim’s Rentals--One regret, we didn’t get bikes! You should.
The Deck--by the owners of Collins Quarter in Savannah and right behind the dunes.
Seaside Sweets--We tested, this is the best ice cream on the island! House made gelato.
Tybee Beach Massage--Dawn said it was one of the best massages she’d ever had! They are the only game in town and book up fast, so be sure to schedule ahead of time.
The Breakfast Club--A Tybee legend and SUPER efficient. Be sure to check hours before you go and be prepared to stand in line. The wait isn’t terrible at all.
