Planning a trip to Savannah
Visitor Information
Tourist Offices -- The friendly and efficient MLK Visitor Information Center, 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., on the west side of the Historic District (tel. 912/944-0455; www.visitsavannah.com), is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm. The center offers an audiovisual presentation ($5 adults, $2 children), organized tours, and self-guided walking, driving, or bike tours with excellent maps and brochures.
Alternatively, the Visit Savannah Visitor Information Center is at 101 E. Bay St., just up from the riverfront (tel. 877/728-2662 or 912/644-6400), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm.
There are smaller visitor kiosks at the River Street Visitor Information Center, 1 W. River St. (on the riverfront; tel. 912/651-6662), open daily 9am to 8pm (Jan–Feb until 6pm), Forsyth Park at 621 Drayton St. (tel. 912/233-7848), open daily 8am to 7pm, and Ellis Square at 26 Barnard St. (tel. 912/525-3100), open daily March to July 10am to 10pm (Feb and Nov until 8pm; Dec–Jan until 6pm; Aug–Oct until 9pm).
Neighborhoods in Brief
City Layout
In Savannah, every other street—north, south, west, and east—is punctuated by greenery. The grid of 21 scenic squares was laid out in 1733 by Gen. James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia. The design—still in use—has been called “one of the world’s most revered city plans.” It’s said that if Savannah didn’t have its history and architecture, it would be worth a visit just to see the city layout.
Bull Street is the dividing line between east and west. On the south side are odd-numbered buildings, on the north side even numbered.
Neighborhoods in Brief
The Historic District -- The primary reason to visit Savannah, the Historic District encompasses both the Riverfront and the City Market. It’s officially bordered by the Savannah River and Forsyth Park at Gaston Street, and Montgomery and Price streets. Within its borders are more than 2,350 architecturally and historically significant buildings in a 2 1/2-square-mile area.
Riverfront -- River Street is where the Historic District meets the Savannah River, though in terms of architecture and atmosphere it is a little different (and lower down) than the more stately streets to the south. Once lined with warehouses holding King Cotton, it has been the subject of massive urban renewal, turning this strip into a row of restaurants, art galleries, shops, and rowdy bars. The original source of the area’s growth was the river, which offered a prime shipping avenue for New World goods bound for European ports. In 1818, about half of Savannah fell under quarantine during a yellow-fever epidemic. River Street never fully recovered and fell into disrepair until its rediscovery in the mid-1970s.
City Market -- Two blocks from River Street and bordering the Savannah River, the City Market district was the former social and business mecca of Savannah (the actual market building was demolished in the 1950s). The city of Savannah decided to save what remained of the district in the 1980s. Today the district comprises a 4-block area of restored warehouses and shop fronts adjacent to Ellis Square, offering everything from antiques to collectibles, including many Savannah-made products. And everything from seafood and pizza to French and Italian cuisine is served here. Live music often fills the nighttime air. Some of the best jazz in the city is presented here in various clubs.
Victorian District -- The Victorian District, south of the Historic District, holds some of the finest examples of post–Civil War architecture in the Deep South. The district is bounded by Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and by East Broad, Gwinnett, and Anderson streets. Houses in the district are characterized by gingerbread trim, stained-glass windows, and imaginative architectural details. In all, the district encompasses an area of nearly 50 blocks, spread across some 165 acres. The entire district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Most of the two-story homes are wood frame and were constructed in the late 1800s on brick foundations. The district, overflowing from the historic inner core, became the first suburb of Savannah.
Getting Around
The grid-shaped Historic District is best seen on foot—the real point of your visit is to take leisurely strolls with frequent stops in the many squares. Parking garages and lots in the city center are plentiful but do fill up at peak times. The most central are the River Street Lots (Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, $1/hr.), the Bryan St. Garage ($1/hr.; $2 overnight; Sat–Sun $5) with entrances on Drayton and Abercorn streets, and the Whitaker St. Garage ($2/hr., max. daily rate $16) at 7 Whitaker St. Visit www.savannahga.gov for the latest rates.
By Car -- Outside the Historic District your own wheels will be much more convenient, and they’re absolutely essential for sightseeing outside the city proper.
All major car-rental firms have branches in Savannah and at the airport, including Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 912/964-9595 at the airport; www.hertz.com); Avis (tel. 800/331-1212; www.avis.com), with locations at 422 Airways Ave. (tel. 912/964-1781) and at the airport (tel. 912/964-0234); and Budget (tel. 800/527-0700; www.budget.com), with offices at 7070 Abercorn St. (tel. 912/966-1771) and the airport (tel. 912/354-4718).
By Bus -- Chatham Area Transit (CAT) runs the city bus network. You’ll need exact change for the $1.50 fare; transfers are free. The central bus station is the Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center, 610 W. Oglethorpe Ave., where you can buy passes Monday to Friday from 7am to 8pm. Day passes are $3, 7-day passes are $16, and a 10-ride pass is $15. Bus #4 runs out to the Oglethorpe Mall, while bus #20 runs to Skidway Island State Park, though if you intend to stay in the Historic District you won’t need to use regular buses much. More useful are the CAT-operated free shuttles. Park your car in the Liberty St. Parking Garage (Mon–Fri only; $1/hr.), and take the free Liberty St. Parking Shuttle to Bryan Street (Mon–Fri 6:20–9:10am and 3:40–6:20pm). Otherwise the extremely useful “dot” Express Shuttle (Mon–Sat 7am–9pm, Sun 11am–9pm; free) runs all over downtown every 20 minutes or less, passing the Visitor Center, Forsyth Park, and a number of parking garages. The River St. Streetcar (Fri–Sun noon–9pm; free), an authentic 1930s trolley, runs along the Savannah River waterfront, from Morrell Park to the western end of the strip, though it is sometimes suspended for maintenance. For route and schedule information, call CAT at tel. 912/233-5767 or visit www.catchacat.org.
By Ferry -- The Savannah Belles Ferry runs from River Street at City Hall (Hyatt Hotel), across to Hutchinson Island, the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, and the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort & Spa. The service is free, and runs daily 7am to midnight, every 20 to 30 minutes (no service Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day).
By Taxi -- The base rate for taxis is $2, plus 32[ce] per 1/6 mile thereafter, not to exceed $3.60 for the first mile and $1.92 per mile thereafter. For 24-hour taxi service, call Yellow Cab at tel. 912/604-9845 (www.yellowcabofsavannah.com).
Fast Facts
Dentist -- Call Abercorn South Side Dental, 11139 Abercorn St. (tel. 912/925-9190; www.dentistsavannahfriday.com), for complete dental care and emergencies Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3pm.
Doctors & Hospitals -- There are 24-hour emergency-room services at Candler General Hospital, 5353 Reynolds St. (tel. 912/819-6000; www.sjchs.org), and at Memorial University Medical Center, 4700 Waters Ave. (tel. 912/350-8000; www.memorialhealth.com).
Emergencies -- In an emergency, dial tel. 911. If the situation isn’t life threatening, call tel. 912/651-6756 for the fire department and tel. 912/651-6675 for the police.
Pharmacies -- Drugstores are scattered throughout Savannah. The most central CVS Pharmacy is at 119 Bull St., at State St. (tel. 912/232-1129), open Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, and Sunday 10am to 6pm. The nearest 24-hour CVS is at 4725 Waters Ave. (tel. 912/355-7111), near Memorial Hospital, 5 miles south of the riverfront.
Post Office -- Post offices and sub–post offices are centrally located and generally open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm. The most central office is at Telfair Square, 118 Barnard St., open Monday
Getting There
By Plane -- Savannah Hilton Head International Airport (tel. 912/964-0514; www.savannahairport.com) is about 8 miles west of downtown (15 min. drive), just off I-16 at 400 Airways Ave. for details of airlines and flights. The airport visitor center is open daily 9am to 10pm (tel. 912/966-3743). Taxis into the city center charge a flat fare: the Historic District is $28, Hutchinson Island is $34, hotels near the airport are $10–$15, Hilton Head Island is $85, and Tybee Island is $53. These rates apply to one person—there’s an extra $5 charge for each additional person in the taxi, and a $1 airport surcharge.
CAT runs the 100X Airport Express bus service between the airport and Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center, 610 W. Oglethorpe Ave., on the western edge of the Historic District (a 10 min. walk from Telfair Square, and 6 min. from the Visitor Center). The bus operates Monday to Saturday every hour from around 6am to 7pm, and Sundays 9:30am to 4:30pm. Fares are just $1.50 one-way.
The K-Shuttle (tel. 877/243-2050; www.kshuttle.com) is a minivan service that runs between the airport and the resorts of Hilton Head Island, daily from 10am to 11:45pm every 1 to 2 hours. Rates are $45 one-way or $80 round-trip.
By Car -- From the north or south, I-95 passes 10 miles west of Savannah, with several exits to the city, while U.S. 17 runs through the center. From the west, I-16 ends in downtown Savannah, and U.S. 80 also runs through the city from east to west. The city lies 106 miles southwest of Charleston via I-95 and U.S. 17 (around 2 hr. drive), 250 miles southeast of Atlanta via I-16 and I-75 (3 hr. 30 min.), and 140 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida, via I-95 (around 2 hr.)
By Train -- The train station is at 2611 Seaboard Coastline Dr. (tel. 912/234-2611), some 4 miles southwest of downtown; take a cab into the center (around $10). The station serves the Amtrak Silver Service/Palmetto route between New York, Washington D.C., Orlando, and Miami. Trains travel twice a day between Savannah and Charleston (2 hr.). For schedules and fare information, contact tel. 800/872-7245 or visit www.amtrak.com.
By Bus -- Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com) and Southeastern Stages (tel. 404/591-2750; www.southeasternstages.com) offer regular service to Savannah from Charleston (1 daily; 2 hr.), Atlanta (5 daily; 4 hr. 30 min.), and Jacksonville (7 daily; from 2 hr. 15min.). The bus station is at 610 W. Oglethorpe Ave. (tel. 912/232-8186), at the CAT local bus terminal on the edge of the Historic District (6-min. walk from the Visitor Center).
