History, Haunts, and Southern Hospitality in Savannah, Georgia

by Melissa Teutsch on July 13, 2026 in Travels,
A wide walkway lined with benches leads toward the white tiered Forsyth Park fountain, with water sprays visible around it. Massive oak trees draped in Spanish moss arch overhead, and visitors sit on benches and stand near the fountain.
Share
FacebookXLinkedInEmail

Savannah, Georgia, has a reputation for a few things: cobblestone squares, oak trees dripping in Spanish moss, a ghost story on every corner, and Southern hospitality. 

My son and I spent a long weekend there recently putting all of it to the test. Here are all the details you need to plan your own trip to “The Hostess City of the South.”

Where to Stay: Perry Lane Hotel

The exterior entrance of Perry Lane Hotel, featuring a gray brick facade with white ribbed archways, hanging lanterns, planters filled with tropical greenery, and a black BMW parked out front on a cobblestone street.
The entrance to Perry Lane Hotel, tucked into Savannah’s Historic District and within walking distance of pretty much everything you’d want to do in the city. Photo courtesy Perry Lane Hotel.

My 13-year-old son is a card-carrying history nerd. This is a kid who knows his way around findagrave.com and plans stops at cemeteries on road trips so he can see the graves of notable historical figures. Savannah, founded in 1733 as the site of the Colony of Georgia, is basically his Disney World. Our home base for the weekend was the Perry Lane Hotel, and it turned out to be a great fit for both of us—him with his historical to-do list, me with mine (which was mostly “find good food and see pretty sights”).

Perry Lane Hotel is part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection and it more than earns its luxury label, with curated art throughout, stylish rooms, and the best staff I’ve ever encountered. The location can’t be beat either. Perry Lane sits right in the middle of the Historic District and within walking distance of pretty much everything you’d want to do in Savannah.

The rooftop pool at Perry Lane Hotel, with a checkered black-and-white tile deck, wicker loungers cushioned in sage green and pink stripes, hanging rattan egg chairs, and a green-and-white striped cabana. A white church steeple rises above the treeline in the background under a blue sky.
The rooftop pool at Perry Lane Hotel offers loungers, cabanas for rent, and views of the city, with poolside food and drink service just steps away. Photo courtesy Perry Lane Hotel.

But the location is only part of the appeal—Perry Lane has plenty going on inside the hotel too:

  • The Rooftop. Their adorable rooftop pool has plenty of loungers of different varieties as well as cabanas you can rent, and there’s poolside food and drink service, which meant I could sip a frozé (frozen rosé, if you haven’t met one) while my son swam. The rooftop deck also has bocce ball, bean bags, and other lawn games—fun for kids and just as fun for adults when paired with a cocktail from Peregrin, the rooftop bar.
The rooftop bar and lounge area at Perry Lane Hotel, with green sectional sofas topped with yellow and white striped pillows, wicker chairs, round concrete coffee tables on artificial turf, and wooden planters filled with tropical foliage. A bar with black stools sits under a wooden pergola with hanging ferns and string lights, with a colorful floral mural in the background and the Savannah skyline visible at sunset.
Peregrin, the rooftop bar at Perry Lane Hotel, features lounge seating, tropical greenery, and skyline views. Photo courtesy Perry Lane Hotel.
  • Emporium Kitchen & Wine Market. We ate at Emporium, the on-site restaurant, for both breakfast and dinner one day. The breakfast menu is a good mix of traditional American dishes and Southern favorites like a crab omelet and shrimp and grits. For dinner, my son went with the skirt steak while I had the fettuccine a la crème made with ají amarillo, a Peruvian yellow chili with a fruity, mild heat.
  • The Quirky Details. Perry Lane leans into unique, quirky art all over the property, and my son especially loved the small statues by the elevators that guests are encouraged to rearrange. He made a point of documenting the different positions they’d been left in throughout our stay, as well as rearranging them some too. (It might be the most he’s ever engaged with contemporary art. He also found it humorous that they put the statues “to bed” at night so they don’t get up to any hijinks after hours.) The hotel also has a coffee shop on-site, which is always appreciated for early mornings, plus bicycle rentals and an arcade if you want to keep the fun going indoors.

Things to Do in Savannah

Savannah is a walking city, and the best way to see it is to just start walking. That said, tours are worth the money here. There’s so much history (and so many ghosts) packed into this small footprint that a good guide will show you things you’d otherwise walk right past.

A stone monument with a bronze relief plaque depicting a historical figure rises above a hedge of green shrubs in Johnson Square, Savannah. In the background, the gold-domed Savannah City Hall stands under a blue sky with an American flag flying on top.
The base of a statue that sits in Johnson Square, one of Savannah’s original squares, with the gold-domed Savannah City Hall visible in the background. Photo courtesy John Hayden Teutsch.

Historic Walking Tours. We did Noble Jones Historic Walking Tours’ “Savannah Saunter Historic Walking Tour,” which was thorough, detailed, and full of the kind of stories my son loves. Highly recommend it if you want the real history without the fluff.

Ghost Tours. Savannah is often called the most haunted city in America, and after doing two ghost tours here on separate trips, I believe it. This time we did Cobblestone Tours’ Haunted History Tour. (Fun fact: between our two Savannah ghost tours, only one ghost story overlapped. That’s how many hauntings this city has to offer.)

Food Tours. For a fresh spin on the food tour concept, we did the Underground Donut Tour, which was as yummy as it sounds. On a previous visit we did Savannah Taste Experience’s First Squares Food Tour, which is excellent if you want a broader taste of the city.

Museums. The American Prohibition Museum is a must, and it comes with a working speakeasy inside—great for adults, and a fun history lesson for kids. Savannah’s Pirate Treasure’s Museum has real pirate loot you can view, as well as a bar that serves kid-friendly mocktails, which my son thought was extremely cool. We also spent time at the Telfair Museums where the price of admission gets you access to three locations: Jepson Center for contemporary art exhibits, Telfair Academy for 19th and 20th century American and European art, and the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, with tours that focus on the art, architecture, and history of the home through the lens of slavery. 

If you love getting to see how the wealthy lived in the beautiful mansions scattered throughout the Historic District, then you’re in luck, as there are many house museums that allow you access to view these homes, including the Mercer-Williams House, made famous by the novel turned film “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” (While at Telfair Academy, you can also view the “Bird Girl” statue from the cover of this book. It was originally on a grave at Bonaventure Cemetery but it was moved to Telfair to protect it from vandalism.)

City Market. Savannah’s City Market was established in the early 1700s as the city’s commercial and social hub. Today it houses restaurants, bars, shops, and art galleries. You’ll want to wander through it, and make sure to stop at Savannah’s Candy Kitchen for pralines and Byrd Cookie Company (they have samples of all their flavors for you to try before you buy). The local art galleries around City Market are worth ducking into as well. 

A weathered stone statue of a seated woman in flowing robes holding a wreath of flowers sits atop a pedestal at Bonaventure Cemetery, surrounded by moss-covered oak trees with Spanish moss hanging from the branches.
Bonaventure Cemetery, just outside of Savannah, is known for its ornate statuary and famous oaks draped in Spanish moss. Photo courtesy Melissa Teutsch.

Cemeteries. No trip to Savannah is complete without a stop at Colonial Park Cemetery, just a block or so from Perry Lane Hotel (even better if done on a ghost tour), and Bonaventure Cemetery just outside of town. Bonaventure is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I’ve ever been to. I don’t really care about walking around cemeteries, but it’s worth visiting just to see the beauty in person. (Of course my son had a list with location coordinates of graves he had to visit.) We were tight on time when we stopped there, but they do offer paid guided tours in golf carts as well. 

Other Savannah Highlights. You can’t miss taking the walk to Forsyth Park (home of the famous fountain), as well as walking down River Street. Leopold’s Ice Cream is a must. It’s been a Savannah institution since 1919. And if you’re in search of even more Instagram-worthy spots, Wormsloe State Historic Site is where you’ll find the iconic oak-lined driveway (and if you’re a history buff, park and walk the site to read the historical markers). We also enjoyed visiting the animals at Oatland Island Wildlife Center as well.

A long paved road stretches into the distance, lined on both sides by towering live oak trees whose branches arch overhead to form a canopy draped in Spanish moss, casting dappled shadows across the ground.
The famous oak-lined driveway at Wormsloe State Historic Site—one of Savannah’s most Instagram-worthy spots. Photo courtesy Melissa Teutsch.

Where to Eat in Savannah

Beyond the food tours and hotel dining, Savannah has so many great restaurants, it was hard to decide what to suggest. A few to add to your list:

–The Pirate’s House — touristy, yes, but if you have kids, they will love it.

–Little Duck Diner — retro diner vibes and a fun menu.

–Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room — Southern family-style, a Savannah staple.

–Vic’s on the River — high-end Southern with river views.

–Treylor Park — creative Southern comfort food with a great atmosphere.

–The Olde Pink House — famously haunted, and the food is worth the visit even if you don’t believe in ghosts.

Nearby: Tybee Island

The black-and-white Tybee Island Lighthouse rises above tall dune grasses and a sandy beach in the foreground, under a cloudy gray sky.
The Tybee Island Lighthouse, Georgia’s oldest and tallest, is just 20 minutes east of Savannah. Climb the 178 steps to the top for 360-degree views of the island, the Atlantic, and even South Carolina on a clear day. Photo courtesy Melissa Teutsch.

If you have an extra day, Tybee Island is just 20 minutes east of Savannah and makes for a perfect beach day. Rent bicycles and ride around the island, climb to the top of the Tybee Lighthouse for panoramic views, and grab lunch at Huc-A-Poo’s Bites & Booze—a colorful outdoor pizza spot. Cap it off with a swim in the Atlantic, and you’ll head back to Savannah with sand in your shoes and no regrets.

TIPS:

  • Savannah is very walkable within the Historic District, and Perry Lane puts you in the middle of it. You can leave the car parked, but if you find yourself too tired to walk back (or caught in a rainstorm), Perry Lane has a car service that will pick you up or take you anywhere within a 2 mile radius. 
  • Savannah has open-container laws in the Historic District, meaning you can walk from bar to bar with your drink in hand. Ask for a to-go cup.
  • Book ghost and history tours as well as make restaurant reservations in advance, especially in peak season. They fill up fast.
  • If you travel to Savannah in the summer, it will be hot, although if you’re a Texan, it will probably just feel like home. Pack the bug spray, though, especially for the walking tours.
  • If you were a Girl Scout or have a Girl Scout in the family, you’re probably already familiar with Savannah and the connection to Girl Scouts and its founder, Juliette Gordon Low. There are several sites connected to Girl Scouts and Juliette, so make sure you add them to your itinerary. 
  • Tybee Island is worth a full day, not a half-day. Plan accordingly.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cover Photo courtesy Melissa Teutsch.

A native of Louisiana, Melissa Teutsch enjoys hiking, reading, baking, dabbling in home improvement on her 109-year-old home, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two kids. When she’s not working full-time in the publishing industry, she’s planning trips to new places for her family or taking day trips to explore the North Georgia and North Carolina mountains.