Savannah Countdown
With three weeks left in Savannah, we already had our flights to Buenos Aires booked and were starting to look forward to our next adventure.
For 91 Days, the southern jewel of Savannah, Georgia, was our winter home. From beautiful squares to historic houses, unforgettable restaurants and an eccentric cast of characters that could be (and actually is) straight out of a novel, we tried to capture everything that makes Savannah so special.
The Savannah History Museum
Found in the old railway shed of the Central of Georgia, the Savannah History Museum is a good place to stop for an overview of the city's development through the ages.
Greene Square
Named after revolutionary hero Nathaniel Greene, whose monument and burial site is at Johnson Square, Greene Square was laid out in the 1790s and developed into the center of Savannah's black population.
Monterey Square
The most famous house on Monterey Square is the Mercer-Williams House, where Jim Williams shot Danny Hansford dead, as detailed in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Clint Eastwood's movie adaptation was filmed on location here.
The Andrew Low House on Lafayette Square
Andrew Low was a Scot who moved to Savannah when he was sixteen. He entered the cotton business and, by the time he was in his thirties, had become the leader of uncle's company and the richest man in the city.
Chef Jerome and The Old School Diner
One of the area's best-kept secrets is found a half hour south of Savannah, in the small village of Townsend: The Old School Diner, owned and operated by Chef Jerome. A couple friends invited us to the restaurant, where we enjoyed some deliciously unhealthy food, and had a rollicking good time that won't be forgotten.
Oglethorpe Square
Oglethorpe Square was laid out in 1742, the last of the six squares that were originally planned for Savannah.
In Love with Savannah
It started as a crush. Like gum-smacking girls, giggling together at their lockers while the dreamy blue-eyed quarterback passes by, we were initially just obsessed by Savannah's beauty.
Crazy Taxi Drivers and Other Savannah Characters
In most cities, you hail down a taxi and drive in silence to your destination. At best, the driver comments on the weather, or is talking on his cell phone in a language you don't understand. You'll pay your fare and think how uneventful and efficient that taxi ride was, if you think of it at all.
Seeing Savannah’s Evil Side from a Hearse
What could be better than touring Savannah in a hearse with a raised roof, so you can poke your head out the top? Nothing comes immediately to mind, does it? I mean, a ghost tour in a tricked-out hearse is kind of like the pinnacle of human culture.
Columbia Square
Although it was neglected throughout much of its history, like most of the city's eastern side, Columbia Square has now enjoyed a thorough restoration to become one of Savannah's loveliest spots.
Colonial Park Cemetery
A historical marker in Savannah's Colonial Park Cemetery reports that "nearly 700" victims of the 1820 yellow fever epidemic are buried there. In fact, exactly six-hundred and sixty-six people died of the disease.
