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Savannah Roadtrip – Weekend Warrior
- By Michael Lakus
- Read Time: 5 min
When In Savannah
We will start off January keeping it in the United States with an easy vacay to Savannah, Georgia. Currently living in Florida, I was able to make my first trip of 2020 a road trip! What originally was a solo weekend for golf at Hilton Head, turned out to be a serendipitous, full-fledged Savannah experience with friends.
Below is a short video recap that captures most of the spots in Savannah, in true weekend warrior fashion.
Travel Logistics
For this trip I was able to drive, so I saved on not needing airfare. Airbnb was $400 for a weekend (2 nights, split between 4 people). Although the city is definitely walk-able, rideshares were never more than $15 (normally $5) for the places we went slightly outside the city. Food and activities I'll consider discretionary, and prices were reasonable.
Day 1 - Swamps, Seafood, Sweets
On arrival in Savannah, I stopped by our quaint, stylish Airbnb before hitting some of the spots further outside the city, such as the Wildlife Refuge and Tybee Island. The refuge was pretty cool since they had a 4 mile dirt road that would take you right through the marshland. I was able to spot a few gators chilling on the banks, too.
Swamp vs. Marshland
Per my rideshare drivers, I was very directly told that Savannah has marshlands, not swamps. Apparently swamps are typically deeper with more trees. So there you go.
After that quick excursion, it was off to Tybee Island. The weather was not holding up so great, so the beach was a no-go. However there was a sweet double rainbow following the rain! From what I could tell, though, it’s a massive beach. Nevertheless, I’m still biased to my Florida beaches! Anywho, due to the weather, I ended up at a restaurant not far from the coast called The Crab Shack. It was here, that I had an excellent low-country boil with snow crab, shrimp, sausage, corn and potato. I’m pretty sure I had heart palpitations following the amount of delicious seafood I consumed.
Last, but far from least, I made a stop at the famous Leopold’s Ice Cream in the historic district of Savannah. My love for ice cream knows no bounds, and I got a souvenir coffee chug mug to go with it 🙂
Savannah Socialite – “Milk and dark chocolate ice creams bursting with roasted Georgia pecans and swirled with bourbon-infused caramel.”
Need I say more?
Day 2 - Walking Savannah
With everyone now at the Airbnb, Saturday was all about historic downtown Savannah. This day was jammed pack with experiences. I’m honestly surprised by how much we accomplished. Before heading downtown, we took a walk through Forsyth. There is so much going on here during the weekends!
After the stroll, the day officially started with a highly recommended breakfast at Treylor Park. The spicy bloody Mary absolutely wrecked me, while the PB&J wings were my saving grace (seriously, best wings I’ve had). Thanks for the recommendation, friends!
And to think the day is just getting going. Aside from the many, many squares we walked through on the way to different locations, we took a look down at the river-walk before making it back to Broughton Street (main street) for some mead tasting at Savannah Bee Company.
Mead Facts
American mead seems to be more artisan and carbonated, whereas European mead is typically simpler in taste with higher ABV.
In the afternoon, we got outside the district to check out the 18th century Wormsloe Plantation, which is quite a popular spot for photos on the oak avenue. It’s wild to think those who originally planted the oak trees never would see what it would ultimately become.
Following the walk down Oak Avenue, it was tea time back in the heart of Savannah. We did it straight proper at Gryphon. The afternoon tea included a tower of assorted pastries, scones and sandwiches. Many students from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) work and even contribute to the decor at Gryphon. Cool place!
Day 2.5 - Nightlife
It would be a disservice if I failed to mention some bars and lounges. We all agreed that Alley Cat Lounge was top. Their menu was amazing at giving drink suggestions through a variety of ways (bartender, horoscope, ABV, etc) and the cocktails simply delivered. We even got 10% off the check for not splitting the bill.
Savannah definitely had a lot to choose from overall, so I think there would be something for everyone. We also checked out the laid back Savoy Society and Prohibition. With another night, I think a rooftop bar on the river, or even a riverboat would be the move. Overall, good times.
Day 3 - Hilton Head Golf
Alas, it’s golf time! You ever have those days where everything is awesome and life is just flowing? Well that’s how this day was out at Hilton Head, even if I was slightly hungover and lost so many golf balls I was forced to search the woods for more. Today was a DAY and I was happy to be out on the course playing 18 solo at my own pace.
In conclusion, I believe a weekend in Savannah (even though Hilton Head is in South Carolina), is more than enough time to get a feel for the city. On the flip-side, if I were to go back, I bet I could have a completely new experience, too. Savannah is compact, but boasts bold sights, sounds and smells on every corner. In retrospect, I am curious to see how it compares to its neighbor, Charleston. Maybe another road trip is in order!
-ML
Recap of Places
- Wildlife Refuge – 4 mile drive through marshland
- Tybee Island – big time beach and The Crab Shack
- The Crab Shack – low-country boil all day!
- Leopold’s Ice Cream – a must
- Forsyth Park – always something going on here
- Treylor Park – brunch spot with PB&J wings
- Savannah Bee Company – mead tasting for $10
- Wormsloe – 18th century picturesque plantation
- Gryphon – afternoon tea time!
- Alley Cat Lounge – our pick for a cocktail bar
- Hilton Head – for the golfers
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Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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