My first love with Savannah was from reading the book Savannah by Eugenia Price in college, many, many years ago. I fell in love with the design and romance of the city as Ms. Price described how the city would have looked in early 1800s, weaving her characters with actual people from the time that lived in Savannah. I was hooked. And it is now my favorite vacation spot.
Many things have changed since then, but Savannah has managed to save twenty-two of the original twenty-four squares that gave the city its allure for me. These squares are little parks throughout the historic center of the city. And of course, who can drive through Savannah without adoring their live oaks with Spanish moss or their Victorian homes?
Talk to me for any length of time and you’d think I vacation there every summer. In truth, my first stay in Savannah was in 2018. A quick day trip was next in June of 2019. And on July 19, 2019, Kim and I set out to spend the weekend there with our son. It’s a nine-hour drive for us. But we had promised a beach visit to our son, Jacob. And Kim wanted to experience Savannah and discover why I loved the city so much.
Crossing the bridge from South Carolina into Georgia brought tears to her eyes. She looked at me and we both knew we were home. We drove through the historic district and headed over to Tybee Island where we had booked a room at the Sandcastle Inn.
Now, we had done our research on hotels that were LGBTQ friendly, and the Sandcastle Inn had not been on the list, but the discounted price was appealing, and online pictures were very nice. It was the only disappointment of the whole trip. We had to stuff the bottom of the door with towels to keep critters from crawling in because there was an inch gap. The room was a typical two queen room, but the cleanliness was not impressive. A quick wipe down with Clorox wipes proved not all surfaces had been cleaned. But it was very close to the beach.
And so, we headed down to the beach and walked along toward the Pier. Next to the Pier is a street of shops and restaurants. We stopped at Rock House, a small bar and grill. I ordered the calamari and Kim and Jacob ordered shrimp. Jacob did not like the beer batter on the shrimp but taking that off he enjoyed his food. Kim said the shrimp was very good. The calamari were amazing. The service was good. We arrived before the crowd, which started showing up shortly after our arrival. And the service was still good.
With full bellies, we shopped. Savannah Georgia is well known for its hospitality. The shops were packed with tourists. But everyone was still very friendly. We ended up getting beach towels, a hat for Jacob and a coffee cup for me. As is to be expected in shops meant only for tourists, prices are more than would normally be. Overall, though, I was pleased with our purchases.
The next morning, we ventured out to the Sunrise Restaurant. They had a breakfast buffet, which Kim and Jacob tried. I wanted a waffle and bacon. The buffet had scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast sticks, sausage, fruits and amazing little corn dogs. The waffle and bacon were good. They were very busy even though it was already mid-morning. They will tell you on Tybee, that they are on Island time.
After that, we headed to the beach. It was only four days after a full moon and the waves were kicking. We went under several times. Of course, it is much harder to stay standing when you have a scared eight-year-old clinging on to you for dear life. Kim and I had to take turns just to keep up with keeping him above water. Even when I went out on my own, though, it was as if I had no balance. Still, the ocean was rejuvenating. It was a beautiful day and perfect for our family.
If traveling to Tybee Island, the trip is not complete without seeing the Tybee Lighthouse. One hundred and seventy-eight steps to the top lead to a view of the island and ocean like no other. It was breathtaking, amazing, and well worth the money to go in.
Next, we headed to River Street, where we ate at Joe’s Crab Shack. They have fantastic Melon Berry Margaritas. The food was spectacular. Kim’s favorite (mine is still the calamari at the Rock House). We were able to dine on the patio next to the river. Even though it was a very hot day, the breeze on the patio made it comfortable. With our bellies filled, we went shopping down River Street. There were a lot of people around, but we never felt crowded. We were able to walk in the shade and stayed comfortable most of the day. Comfortable shoes are definitely a requirement for a trip to River Street. While we were there, we also got to see the “Waving Girl” statue. Our favorite purchase of the day was at Fannie’s Your Aunt, where they sell Life is Good wear. We were able to purchase matching LGBTQ t-shirts that say “Love Wins”. It was the perfect end to our day.
On Sunday, we were sad to say good-bye to Tybee Island, so made a quick trip to the beach early before the crowd arrived. Jacob was able to find several seashells to add to his collection. It was a gorgeous way to start our day. Still not wanting to leave, we went into Savannah where we decided to take a self-guided walking tour of some of the squares. We were moving a little slower, so it took longer than expected. It was well worth the walk.
Our trip to Savannah Georgia was splendid. The history of the city mixed with Tybee Island’s beach was the perfect blend to help get us centered again. We will be visiting again. There is so much more to see and do. And so many places to stay. We can’t wait to return.