Waterfront – River street
River Street in Savannah is a cobblestone-lined promenade steeped in history and Southern charm, stretching along the Savannah River where massive cargo ships glide past century-old warehouses turned into boutiques, galleries, and lively restaurants. Once the beating heart of Savannah’s cotton trade, the street still echoes with the legacy of its maritime past—from the ballast stones underfoot to the wrought-iron bridges of Factor’s Walk above. Today, it’s a vibrant blend of old and new: street performers, rooftop bars, and the shimmering lights of the Plant Riverside District mingle with monuments and preserved relics of the city’s complex history. Whether you’re sipping sweet tea on a balcony or watching the Georgia Queen paddle by, River Street invites you to slow down and soak in the soul of Savannah.
Waterfront – Bay Street
Bay Street in Savannah is the city’s historic backbone—an elevated east-west artery that once carried the weight of cotton empires and now hums with modern energy. Running parallel to the river, it’s perched just above River Street, offering sweeping views of the port and easy access to the city’s oldest landmarks. Once a hub for freight carts and streetcars, Bay Street evolved into a grand boulevard lined with stately buildings, including the iconic gold-domed City Hall. Today, it’s a blend of civic pride and Southern grit, where government offices, boutique hotels, and bustling traffic converge. Whether you’re crossing iron bridges into Factor’s Walk or catching the sunset from a rooftop bar, Bay Street is where Savannah’s past and present meet in motion.
Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park is Savannah’s crown jewel—a lush, 30-acre green oasis at the southern edge of the Historic District that blends elegance, history, and everyday life. Anchored by its iconic Parisian-inspired fountain (currently undergoing a meticulous restoration), the park is framed by moss-draped oaks, fragrant gardens, and stately monuments. Locals lounge on benches, play pickup games, or browse the Saturday farmers’ market, while visitors snap photos of the fountain and soak in the Southern charm. From the Confederate Monument to the Garden of Fragrance, every corner tells a story. It’s not just a park—it’s Savannah’s front porch, where the city gathers to breathe, celebrate, and simply be.
Owens-Thomas House
The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters is one of Savannah’s most architecturally and historically significant landmarks—a Regency-style mansion built in 1819 that offers a layered, honest look at the city’s early 19th-century society. Designed by English architect William Jay, the house showcases neoclassical elegance with its symmetrical façade, sweeping staircases, and refined interiors. But its true depth lies in its dual narrative: alongside the grandeur of the Owens and Thomas families, the museum also preserves and interprets the lives of the enslaved people who lived and labored on the property. From the preserved slave quarters and two-sided privy to the raw basement walls that bear silent witness to centuries of use, the site invites reflection on power, privilege, and resilience. It’s not just a house—it’s a mirror held up to Savannah’s complex past.
Children’s museum
Savannah Children’s Museum is a fully outdoor, hands-on play space tucked into the historic railway carpentry shop at Tricentennial Park. Kids can explore a sensory garden, puppet theater, art zone, maze, and reading nook—all designed to spark creativity and curiosity. Daily programs include STEAM activities, storytime, and meet-and-greets with resident tortoises.
Coming late 2025: a new indoor STEAM Center featuring Numbers in Nature, with a dazzling mirror maze and interactive exhibits on patterns in music, art, and architecture.
It’s a perfect stop for families pairing fun with learning—right next to the History Museum and Railroad Museum.
Davenport House
The Davenport House stands as a cornerstone of Savannah’s preservation story—a stately Federal-style home built in 1820 by master builder Isaiah Davenport, whose craftsmanship helped shape the city’s architectural identity. Located on Columbia Square, the house is more than just elegant symmetry and period furnishings; it’s the birthplace of the Historic Savannah Foundation, saved from demolition in 1955 by a group of determined women who sparked a citywide preservation movement. Inside, visitors encounter both the refined lifestyle of the Davenport family and the deeper, more complex narratives of the enslaved individuals who lived and labored there—including stories like that of Nancy, a domestic worker who resisted her captivity with remarkable courage. Today, the museum offers guided tours and a rare glimpse into Savannah’s layered past, where beauty and truth coexist in every room.
Webb Museum
The Webb Military Museum is one of Savannah’s most personal and compelling hidden gems—a privately curated trove of military history that feels more like stepping into someone’s memory vault than a traditional museum. Tucked into a converted shopfront near Columbia Square, it showcases hundreds of artifacts spanning eight U.S. conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm. But what sets it apart is the deeply human lens: uniforms, letters, diaries, and personal effects tell the stories of individual soldiers, not just battles. Curator Gary Webb, a lifelong collector and son of a U.S. Air Force officer, often guides visitors himself, sharing the emotional weight behind each item—from his mother’s WWII-era gas mask to a draft card he narrowly avoided using. It’s intimate, raw, and unforgettable—a tribute to service, sacrifice, and the stories that uniforms alone can’t tell.
Mercer Williams House
The Mercer-Williams House is one of Savannah’s most iconic and enigmatic residences, perched on the edge of Monterey Square with its bold red brick and Italianate grandeur. Designed in 1860 by architect John S. Norris for General Hugh W. Mercer—great-grandfather of songwriter Johnny Mercer—the house wasn’t completed until after the Civil War, and the Mercer family never actually lived there. Its most famous occupant was Jim Williams, a flamboyant antiques dealer and preservationist whose life (and the 1981 shooting of Danny Hansford inside the home) became the centerpiece of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Inside, the house is a study in opulence and eccentricity: soaring ceilings, imported tiles, stained-glass domes, and a collection of antiques that reflect Williams’s taste and legacy. Today, the Mercer-Williams House Museum offers a glimpse into Savannah’s layered past—equal parts elegance, mystery, and Southern Gothic allure.
St John the Baptist
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is Savannah’s spiritual and architectural masterpiece—a soaring French Gothic landmark that commands attention with its twin spires and intricate stained glass. Originally founded by French and Haitian immigrants in the late 18th century, the cathedral has endured hurricanes, fires, and centuries of change, yet remains a beacon of faith and artistry. Inside, white Italian marble altars, hand-painted murals, and Austrian Tyrol stained glass create a space that’s both reverent and radiant. Whether you’re attending Mass, admiring the craftsmanship, or simply soaking in the silence beneath its vaulted ceilings, St. John’s is a place where history, devotion, and beauty converge in breathtaking harmony.
Railways museum
The Georgia State Railroad Museum is a living tribute to Savannah’s industrial past, housed within the beautifully preserved 19th-century Central of Georgia Railway complex at Tricentennial Park. Its centerpiece is an 1850s roundhouse—an architectural marvel with a fully operational turntable and radiating stalls that once serviced steam locomotives. Visitors can explore historic railcars, watch blacksmithing demonstrations, and even ride on vintage steam or diesel trains on select days. The museum blends hands-on experiences with deep historical context, offering guided and self-guided tours through original machine shops, a preserved blacksmith shop, and more than a dozen locomotives and railcars. It’s not just a museum—it’s a portal into the golden age of rail travel, where Savannah’s role as a transportation hub comes vividly to life.