My excitement for Savannah had been building up for a while, and I’m extremely grateful that I was finally able to visit. From historic haunted battlegrounds to famous movie sets, Savannah had a surprise waiting around every corner. I never stopped learning from this magical place during my solo visit. I made it to Savannah just before sundown, and the first thing I did was head straight to the water for a few pictures of the Savannah River and the Talmadge Bridge. My plans immediately went from, “I’ll call it an early night and get some rest.” to, “This is amazing. I need to explore and find some cool places.” I wandered up and down the historic, cobblestone River Street while enjoying the the late 18th-century style buildings and getting a feel for the city. The sounds of a live band drew me into The Warehouse for my first beer of the evening and a few games of pool. I met a group of new friends and enjoyed a round of drinks with them before we packed up and headed to our next bar. I carried a Southbound Scattered Sun local brew to our next bar. Savannah’s Smiles Dueling Pianos Bar was where the night truly began to take off. We stayed here longer than we stayed at any other bar that night. After all of our boogying on the dance floor (and sometimes the stage), we were ready for a more relaxed atmosphere. We meandered our way to Mata Hari Speak Easy just off of River Street. We didn’t stay too long, because the atmosphere was a little too chill for the group I had tagged along with. I took my mojito to go, and we headed to a more traditional bar to keep the night alive. Our next, and my final, stop was The Treehouse. The bar is on top of the city market, so I enjoyed most of my time here on the balcony chatting with my new friends. After I finished my last drink, I said my goodnights and parted ways with the awesome group that had allowed me to tag along with them. I arrived at my Airbnb to a lot of disappointment, but I won’t go on about my first bad Airbnb experience. I woke up early the next morning to start exploring. I was about 5 blocks from Forsyth Park, so I started my morning walking there. After a lovely stroll of listening to the birds chirp in Forsyth Park, I made my way toward the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. If you’ve seen the opening scene of Forrest Gump, you’ve seen a cameo of the famous “Sistine Chapel of the South.” The church’s nickname is completely understandable. Its beautiful architecture coupled with the vibrant paintings and pristine windows took my breath away. I couldn’t imagine attending a mass in such an extraordinary place After pulling it together and dragging myself out of the church, I headed over to Clary’s Diner for one of the south's best diner breakfasts. Even though I barely ate half my plate of stuffed french toast, I felt like I gorged myself. Afterwards, I walked back to my car to beat the 100-degree heat and allow my food to settle. I parked at the Savannah Theatre and walked to the iconic Forrest Gump bench in Chippewa Square. To my disappointment, there’s not actually a bench where Tom Hanks sat and narrated his life. Instead, there were big concrete barrier walls that make it very hard to get a cute picture One thing you will notice in Savannah is that there is a troop of Girl Scouts everywhere you go. That’s because the founder, Juliette Gordon Low, was born here and opened the first headquarters in Savannah. I have no shame in admitting that I was the only person older than 20 years old without a child on the tour of Juliette Gordon Low’s house. Low lived a truly inspiring life, and I admire her tenacity. I learned that she was an extremely creative woman. A majority of the artworks in her house, including the fine china, were creations of Juliette herself or her protege niece Daisy. After the tour, I walked back to my car to find a pesky parking violation, so I moved my car over to the City Market. The name made me think of fruit picking and snacking, but instead I found window shopping at wonderful art galleries and clothing shops. I walked away from the market while resisting the temptations of the candy shops and pralines to hold out for a slice of pizza at Sweet Melissa’s Pizzeria.
I can understand exactly why a ghost would never leave; Savannah’s haunting beauty is enough to captivate anyone. I can’t wait to come back and learn even more about this intriguing town and do ghost tours like the Boos and Brews tour with John!
1 Comment
6/10/2021 07:52:14 am
A very interesting and exciting journey. Thank you for the detailed story of your trip and your emotions, I wish you good luck
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Talkin' 'bout Tacos:
I'm Taylor, aka Tacos! I am sharing my journeys and experiences from across the world hoping to inspire travel and adventure in all who read. Archives
June 2024
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