Attractions and Things to Do on Your Vacation in Savannah
Savannah:
Andrew Low House - Built in 1848 by merchant Andrew Low, whose son, William MacKay Low, married Julliette Magill Gordon, the founder of the Girl Scouts. Its carriage house served as the Girl Scouts’ headquarters. 329 Abercorn St
African American Monument - Erected on July 27, 2002, the monument is an 11-12’ high bronze monument which depicts a black family caught in a tight embrace with broken shackles at their feet. The monument commemorates and honors contributions of African-Americans to the cultural, social, educational, economic, and spiritual life of the community. Rousakis Plaza/River St
Beach Institute (African-American Cultural Center) - Established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association to educate newly freed African-Americans in Savannah. Today it serves as a showcase for African-American arts and crafts exhibits. 502 East Harris St
City Market - Located on the site of the old City Market demolished in the 1950s is a four-block area of restored restaurants, shops, studio/art galleries, and taverns. The City Market Art Center is a visual arts complex of studio gallery spaces. Jefferson & West St. Julian St
Davenport House Museum - This first restoration project of the Historic Savannah Foundation, built in 1815-1820 by Isaiah Davenport, is now a museum featuring delicate plasterwork and period furnishings. It is an exceptionally fine example of Federal Architecture. 324 East State St
Emmett Park - Contains old harbor lights erected in 1852 to warn mariners of the graveyard of British vessels scuttled in 1779. There is also a fountain commemorating three ships named for Savannah as well as a Vietnam Veterans Memorial listing residents killed during that war. Bay and E. Broad St
Factors Walk - This area is known for its iron bridges and cobblestones. Many of the shops and cafes here were once the offices of cotton factors (brokers), who bid on the contents of wagons passing below. Between River St and Bay St
Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home - This 19th Century home near Lafayette Square was the birthplace and childhood home of noted southern writer Flannery O’Connor. The parlor floor has been restored and contains a small museum dedicated to the author. 207 E. Charlton St
Forsyth Park - Laid out in 1851, this park is especially beautiful in spring with blooming azaleas, flowering trees, and a large fountain dating back to 1858. The Park features the Fragrant Garden for the Blind. Bull St between Gaston and Park Ave
Green-Meldrim House - Built in the early 1850s, the house was occupied by Union General William T. Sherman during the Civil War. The house, one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the South, is a National Historic Landmark. 14 West Macon St
Jepson Center - The building, designed by Moshe Safdie and opened in 2006, features over 7500 square feet of gallery space for major traveling exhibitions of contemporary art and installations of work from the permanent collection.
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace - Savannah’s first registered National Historic Landmark, the birthplace of the founder of the Girl Scouts in the US, was built between 1818 and 1821. The house was restored to the period of 1886, the year of Juliette Low’s marriage. Corner of Bull and Ogelthorpe Ave
King-Tisdell Cottage - This restored 1896 Victorian cottage serves as an African-American culture & history museum featuring art objects, documents, and furniture appropriate to the 1890s. The cottage is being renovated at this time. 502 East Harris St
Oatland Island Wildlife Center - Take a stroll on a 2-mile long trail & learn about Georgia’s unique coastal habitats, plants, and animals. The center is a unique unit of the Chatham County school system and offers educational programs for students through the 12th grade. It is also open to the public. 711 Sandtown Rd
Owens-Thomas House Museum - Built in 1816-1819, this house is considered to be the finest example of Regency architecture in the country. It contains many furnishings of the original owners and has a formal walking garden. 124 Abercorn St
Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum - Dedicated to the life and services of African-Americans & their contributions to civil rights & equality in Savannah. It features exhibits designed to illustrate and tell the civil rights story. 460 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Round House Museum - The National Historic Landmark is dedicated to railroad heritage and is the oldest & most complete Antebellum railroad manufacturing & repair facility still in existence. 601 West Harris St
Savannah History Museum - This former railway station, a National Historic Landmark, houses displays depicting the city’s history, including an 1890 steam locomotive, a cotton exhibit with a genuine cotton gin, and artifacts from Savannah’s wars. 303 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge - This complex is 28,000 acres of freshwater marshes, tidal waters, and swamp. It is home to waterfowl, alligators and other reptiles, birds and fish. This is one of seven coastal refuges in the coastal area.
Savannah Riverfront - Bordering the Savannah River, Savannah’s renowned Riverwalk features a nine-block brick concourse for strolling, picnicking, and ship watching. Boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and pubs are housed in restored cotton warehouses.
Ships of the Sea Museum - Features a large collection of shipping artifacts, memorabilia, and models ranging in length from a few inches to eight feet. The museum is located in the historic Scarborough House, built in 1819. 41 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Telfair Academy - Designed by British architectural prodigy William Jay, the Telfair Academy is a former mansion built from 1818-1819 for Alexanter Telfair. Bequeathed to the Georgia Historical Society in 1875 by Mary Telfair to be used as an art museum the Telfair opened its doors in 1886.
Waving Girl Statue - Savannah’s renowned Riverwalk area features the famous statue, a tribute to Florence Martus. From 1887 to 1931 the Savannahian, in search of her long-lost lover, greeted every ship entering Savannah by waving a cloth.
Surrounding Areas:
Fort Pulaski National Monument - Built between 1829 and 1847, the fort was named for Revolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski, and engineered in part by Robert E. Lee. The fort was damaged in 1862 and captured by Federal Troops. It is a unit of the National Park Service. US Hwy 80, 15 miles east of Savannah.
Fort Screven - Located on Tybee Island, Ft Screven was one of the last coastal artillery batteries along the East Coast. It was built in 1875 & manned during the Spanish-American War and both World Wars. The Tybee Museum is at the Fort. US Hwy 80, 18 miles east of Savannah
Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum - The museum honors the more than one million men and women who served in the Mighty Eighth Air Force since it was created in Savannah in 1942. It includes exhibits, archives, theatre presentations, and a library/education center. 175 Bourne Ave, Pooler
Old Fort Jackson - The oldest standing fort in Georgia. In 1775, during the Revolutionary War, the earthen battery was built on the site. The original brick fort was begun in 1808, and manned during the War of 1812 and during the Civil War. It now houses historical displays. 1 Fort Jackson Rd, 2 miles east of Savannah
Tybee Island Lighthouse - The original 90-foot structure, completed in 1736, built of brick and cedar piles, was soon destroyed by a storm. A second tower, built in 1742, was the third lighthouse in America. The structure which stands today dates to 1866. 30 Meddin Dr, Tybee Island
Tybee Museum - Located in an 1898 Coastal Artillery Battery, the museum traces the island’s history as well as housing gun and doll collections of particular interest. At Fort Screven across from the Tybee Lighthouse, US Highway 80, 18 miles east of Savannah
Tybee Pier and Pavilion - The current Tybrisa Pavilion on Tybee Island was dedicated in 1996. It replaced one built in 1891 by the Sentral of Georgia Railroad, and became a well-known destination for day trippers and seasonal visitors. Fire destroyed it in 1967. Tybee Island
