Looking to spend one day in Savannah? We’re sharing a detailed Savannah itinerary and guide with everything you need to know before you visit including where to stay, the best food and drinks, the best things to do in Savannah, and more! Ready to plan your own Savannah adventure? Keep on reading!
Savannah, you are gorgeous! From the beautiful architecture, to the Spanish moss, to the cobblestone streets (be careful, they’ll trip ya!), we had so much fun wandering around this historic city. We spent one day in Savannah and fell in love with the charm, hospitality (it’s nicknamed the “Hostess City of the South”), beauty, squares and parks, and the delicious food.
Savannah is the oldest city in the state of Georgia and when you visit Savannah, you feel like you’ve stepped into history with all of the well maintained and beautiful older buildings. Despite being a tad touristy, the city has still kept its historic charm. We dare you to walk around and not constantly say “wow, this is gorgeous!”
There are so many things to do in Savannah that you could easily spend more than one day (and we recommend it!), but if you’re short on time like we were, we still felt like we were able to experience a lot of what Savannah has to offer in one day!
Here’s our one day in Savannah itinerary, plus some tips about the city, suggestions of where to stay, and extra ideas of things to do in Savannah if you have more time.
Want to see our other adventures in Georgia? Check out these vlogs!
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When to visit Savannah
Savannah is known for having a subtropical climate. Rainfall occurs year round and the winters are very mild, while the summers can be a bit hot and muggy.
We visited Savannah at the very end of February and the weather was perfect! The highs were in the 60’s and there was plenty of sunshine to warm us up a bit. Had we visited a couple weeks later, we could’ve had the chance to see Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, which is one of the largest in the country! While the crowds would’ve been crazy for this, if you’re a big St. Patrick’s Day fan, it may be worth planning your trip around.
Fall is also a great time to visit Savannah because the temperatures are nice, the summer crowds have died down, and the holiday crowds have yet to hit. November can be a fun time to visit for events, like the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon and the Savannah Food and Wine Festival.
While some months may be a bit more pleasant than others, Savannah’s climate makes it a great year round destination.
Warning; Savannah can have a bit of an odor to it. Our friends who work at the paper plant say that it’s due to the nearby plant. It was a different smell than we had smelled before and depending on the wind it can be mild or not as pleasant. We still LOVED the city despite this, but it’s something to be aware of.
Getting to Savannah
If you’re flying to Savannah, the best airport to fly into is the Savannah/Hilton Head Island International Airport (SAV), which is located just 20 minutes from the downtown historic part of town. While this airport is very convenient, the only airlines that fly into it are: Air Canada, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Frontier, Sun Country, and United.
If you’re loyal to a different airline and want to use miles, the Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is 2 hours south of Savannah. While not nearly as convenient, it could make for a fun road trip (we recommend checking out St. Augustine nearby!).
Savannah is also relatively close to some other major cities by car. It’s 3.5 hours from Atlanta, 2.5 hours from Columbia, SC, and 2 hours from Charleston.
Getting around Savannah
There are many reasons why we loved Savannah, but it’s walkability is definitely towards the top of the list! The historic area of Savannah is roughly 1 square mile, which makes exploring by foot super easy. We parked our van right off of E. Bay Street for the majority of the day and were able to see 90% of the sights we wanted to without moving spots.
There are a few sights that require a little bit of a drive, so if you want to have the freedom to explore, you may want to rent a car. Uber or Lyft would also be a good option, as nothing is too far, but we recommend looking at their fare estimator tools (Uber, Lyft) to see how much you’d expect to spend.
Another option for getting around Savannah is to take one of the Old Town Trolley Tours. Tickets cost $31.67 for one day or $53.90 for two days (you save 10% if you buy online!). The trolley allows you to get on and off unlimited times at all 15 stops (with 100+ points of interest) in the main historic area. If you want an easy experience to get around without walking, while learning a bit about the city, it’s worth checking out. They offer free parking for ticket holders as well!
Where to Stay in Savannah
If you want to be in the heart of it all, we highly recommend staying near the Historic District in Savannah. Not only is this area absolutely gorgeous, but you’ll be able to walk almost everywhere! Here are some recommendations of specific places to stay, including Airbnbs and hotels.
Airbnbs
Y’all! The Airbnbs in Savannah are absolutely beautiful! There are so many historic homes and buildings you can stay in that’ll give you a local feel. We’d highly recommend staying in an Airbnb if you can. Here are some that caught our eye!
- Option #1: A very beautiful, modern 1 bed, 1 bath Victorian right by Forsyth Park!
- Option #2: This 2 bed, 2 bath townhouse is not only walkable to the top sights, but also absolutely stunning with its exposed beams and design!
- Option #3: Located in the heart of the action, this gorgeous 1 bed, 1 bath apartment is professionally managed to ensure you have a great stay!
- Option #4: This 1 bed, 1 bath carriage house has tons of luxurious amenities, like a great mattress and sheets, a cool coffee maker, and more!
Hotels
- Homewood Suites Historic District/Riverfront
- DoubleTree Historic Savannah
- Andaz Savannah
- Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Historic District
- Marriott Savannah Riverfront
One day in Savannah itinerary
This Savannah itinerary is almost identical to how we spent our one day in Savannah. Although we weren’t able to see everything, this Savannah itinerary will show you the big highlights of the city and take you to some of the best restaurants!
Looking for more ideas of things to do in Savannah? Make sure to check out our “if you have extra time” section!
- Start your morning with coffee at Perc Coffee. We loved this coffee shop! They roast their own beans, have a unique space, and have delicious drinks. It’s about 1.5 miles from the historic area, so plan to take a car/Uber/Lyft to get there!
- Take a stroll at Forsyth Park. This park is one of the most famous landmarks in Savannah and is even more beautiful in person! The spanish moss, fountain, and flowers are oh so magical. We recommend going here early to avoid any crowds (especially if you want to snap a photo!). They have a farmers market at 9 AM on Saturday mornings too!
- Grab breakfast at The Collins Quarter, a very popular breakfast spot in the Historic District, Cafe M, a french cafe, or Maple Street Biscuit Company, a biscuit hotspot!
- Wander around Historic River Street, which used to be home to cotton warehouses, but is now full of shops, restaurants, and bars. While you’re there, make sure to stop by Savannah’s Candy Kitchen for fresh pralines!
- Continue wandering around Savannah’s Historic District. During our one day in Savannah, we just wandered around without much of a plan. There are 22 historic squares, tons of old buildings, a City Market, lots of shops (check out The Paris Market & Brocante!), and beautiful churches to check out in this area and it’s fun to just get lost and see what you find!
- For lunch, grab a quick bite at Savannah Seafood Shack, which has fried seafood delicacies, or Zunzi’s, which is an off the beaten path South African spot. These are both order at the counter restaurants and pretty affordable.
- While wandering around the Historic District, make sure to stop by Chippewa Square, which was featured in a scene in Forrest Gump, where he sits on a bench. Unfortunately the bench was just for the movie and is now in a museum, but it’s still fun to find the spot where the bench was and pretend to sit on it!
- Grab a sweet treat at Leopold’s Ice Cream. This old school ice cream parlour is said to be a “must-visit” stop while in Savannah. We had heard from many that the lines were crazy and they weren’t lying!
When we arrived, there was a line down the street, which moved pretty quickly and helped us work up more of an appetite. Which you’ll need, because the scoops here are huge! We both got sundaes and it was a struggle to finish it all.
They have many flavors to choose from, including classics, unique twists, and even a couple vegan options. It’s definitely worth a stop while in Savannah…just be prepared to wait!
- Visit Bonaventure Cemetery, which has been voted one of the top 10 most beautiful cemeteries in the world! It’s famous not only for its beauty, but because the movie, ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’ was filmed here. The cemetery is free to access, although you can pay for a more detailed map or to use their GPS guided app.
You can also take a tour with Bonaventure Cemetery Tours, which will give you the most information about the cemetery. It’s a little bit of a drive from the Historic District, so you’ll need to take a car to get there.
- End your day with dinner back in the Historic District. We highly recommend Treylor Park, which is known for having a unique twist on Southern classics. We got their PB&J wings and shrimp and grits tacos, both of which were super good! If you want something a bit fancier, check out The Olde Pink House or Cotton & Rye (closed Sundays).
If you have extra time…
Looking for more things to do in Savannah? Here are some additional restaurants, coffee shops, and sights to check out!
Food
- The Ordinary Pub
- The Fitzroy
- Bull Street Taco
- Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room: This restaurant is only open Monday-Friday from 11 AM-2 PM. For $23 a person you get a family style seating with over 22 dishes of southern food and also includes dessert!
- Fox & Fig: a vegan spot!
- Fork & Dagger
- Vinnie Van Gogos
- Goose Feathers Cafe & Bakery
Sweets
- Back in the Day Bakery
- Pie Society
- Byrd’s Famous Cookies
- Duck Donuts
- River Street Sweets
- Mirabelle Savannah
Coffee
- The Coffee Fox
- The Paris Market & Brocante
- Savannah Coffee Roasters
- Bitty & Beau’s Coffee: an amazing coffee shop run by those with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
- Foxy Loxy Print Gallery & Cafe
- The Gallery Espresso
Breweries
Activities
- Take a day trip to Tybee Island for some beach time!
- Drive 2 hours north to the beautiful city of Charleston!
- Visit Wormsloe Historic Site, which has been featured in movies, like The Last Song. It costs $10/adult to enter, but if you just want to see the tree lined drive into the site (which is the most popular and said to be the best part), you can do this for free.
- If you’re a baseball fan and you’re here during the summer, be sure to make a trip to historic Grayson Stadium to catch a Savannah Bananas game! You might even be lucky enough to catch a classic battle with the Macon Bacon!
- Take a Savannah Riverboat Cruise on a cool, old school riverboat!
- Visit and explore more of the 22 squares in the historic area.
- Get out in nature at Skidaway Island State Park
- Explore the American Prohibition Museum, which is the first and only museum in the United States dedicated to the history of Prohibition
Ready to explore Savannah?
Pin this One Day in Savannah itinerary to help plan your trip!
I want to explore Savannah! Great tips!
You’d love it! It’s gorgeous!
I have a dilemma and would like your opinion. We have to check out of our Air BB and have all day before we get on the plane. Where can we store our luggage while still exploring?
Hi Brandy! We know this dilemma well! We have used Bagbnb and Luggage hero before to store our bags before check in or after check out! We haven’t used it in Seattle, but we bet they have it. The airport also has storage I believe, although that may be out of the way. Hope that helps!
During fall, Savannah stays warm, great for spending time outdoors at festivals or walking around the city. The Savannah Jazz Fest and the famous Savannah Harbor Boat Parade of Lights are some of the best ones to attend with kids. They love it! We will be back by next year, and I started to check through https://www.visitsavannah.com/things-to-do for some additional things to do in savannah ga.
One day will never be enough to explore all the wonders of Savannah Georgia! I really love visiting the place! My year will never be complete without a visit to there! I really miss Downtown and it’s attractions! I’ve really been visiting sites like visitsavannah.com and reading blog on Savannah just to really get to feel that I’m back there again!
One day is definitely not enough! But we love to create guides for those who have very limited time and want to see a lot in a short period of time!