3 Days in Savannah | Where to Stay, Eat & Explore

By Hannah Gamonez

The first time you walk beneath the canopy of live oaks draped in Spanish moss, you’ll start to understand the appeal of Savannah. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in America, and, accordingly, one of the most photographed. There’s history around every corner, with restaurants set inside 18th-century mansions, public squares designed for wandering, and ghost stories locals tell with a completely straight face. (Savannah is often called the most haunted city in America for a reason.)

It’s also one of the most walkable cities in the American South, worth exploring by foot over a long weekend filled with great food, rich history, and world-class shopping. While three days here won’t show you everything, it will give you enough to understand why people keep coming back.

Here’s how to spend three perfect days in Savannah, Georgia.

Day 1: Check In, Walk the Squares, and Find Your Footing

Check into The Perry Lane Hotel, one of the best hotels in Savannah, Georgia. Bold local art covers the walls, the lobby hums with energy from morning until late, and the rooftop bar, The Peregrin, offers some of the best city views in Savannah.

Once you’ve settled in, head to Collins Quarter on Bull Street. It’s an Australian-inspired café that locals love. Try the spiced lavender mocha, which really isn’t as floral as it sounds. Savor your drink while you get your bearings, and then start walking.

From there, you’ll start to see what makes Savannah so easy to explore. Its historic district is built around 22 squares woven into the city grid, each one shaded by ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss.

Head toward Forsyth Park, where the iconic white fountain anchors the city’s most beloved green space. (And yes, it’s exactly as photogenic in person as it looks in every photo you’ve ever seen of Savannah.)

Before you leave, wander back to the Garden of Fragrance, a tucked-away garden designed originally for visually impaired visitors where scent, not sight, leads the experience.

When you’re ready for some shopping therapy (who isn’t?), head to Broughton Street, Savannah’s main shopping and strolling street, in the heart of the historic. This is where you’ll really notice the influence of the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), from the galleries to the storefronts. (If you’re intrigued, detour to the nearby SCAD Shop, part boutique and part gallery, for unique pieces made by students and former students.)

Stop into The Paris Market, one of my favorite shops. Be forewarned: it’s completely dangerous for anyone who loves a beautiful object. There’s also a small cafe just inside the front door with pastries for a quick pick-me-up.

*Image courtesy of Old Town Trolley Tours*

For dinner, book a table at The Olde Pink House at least a week in advance (we called a few days out and got a 9:15 PM reservation, which we did not regret, though we fell asleep immediately after). It’s set in a beautiful (and yes, pink) 18th-century mansion that glows at night. The shrimp and grits, crispy flounder, and pecan-crusted chicken are exactly what you want your first Savannah dinner to taste like.

End the night at The Bootlegger, a 1930s-inspired speakeasy within walking distance of the Olde Pink House.

Day 2: A Famous Cemetery, The Savannah River, and the Most Haunted City in America

Start your second morning at Mirabella Cafe, a sweet little coffee shop right across the street from the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, one of Savannah’s most stunning buildings. The cafe specializes in gourmet waffle dishes and exceptional coffee. Get the peach waffles if they’re on the menu. After all, you are in Georgia.

After breakfast, take a drive to Bonaventure Cemetery, about 15 minutes from downtown. If any cemetery could make you understand why Savannah inspires so many ghost stories, it’s this one. Set under towering oaks, with winding paths and weathered statues, it’s a setting that feels surprisingly peaceful. It’s haunting in the most beautiful sense of the word.

It also happens to be home to the statue on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. (If you haven’t read it, read it before you visit, as it will change how you see the whole city.)

Back in town, spend the afternoon along River Street. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s definitely worth doing. The former cotton warehouses now hold shops, bars, and galleries to explore.

From there, choose your history. The Telfair Academy is the oldest public art museum in the South and is well worth a slow walk through. If you’d rather go smaller and more personal, the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace tells the story of the woman who founded the Girl Scouts right here in Savannah.

Keep things casual for dinner. Treylor Park takes comfort food somewhere it has no business being and somehow pulls it off completely. Order the PB&J wings. (Trust me.)

Finish the day on an evening ghost tour, something you can’t leave Savannah without doing. Genteel & Bard offers tours that are less gimmicky and more storytelling.

After the tour, make one final stop at Leopold’s Ice Cream on Broughton Street. Open since 1919, it’s an institution, and the line is always out the door (it’s just that good!) I recommend trying the Savannah Socialite flavor. It’s milk and dark chocolate ice cream with roasted Georgia pecans swirled with homemade bourbon-infused caramel. It’s exactly as good as it sounds, and a very satisfying way to end a night full of ghost stories.

Day 3: One Last Stroll and a Coastal Detour

Grab breakfast at Savannah Coffee Roasters, an unfussy setting with good, strong coffee and breakfast favorites like the chicken biscuit, perfectly fried chicken served on a buttery biscuit.

Since you’ve spent two long days in the downtown area, take a short road trip to Tybee Island, a 30-minute drive from downtown.

It’s a different mood entirely, with more flip-flops than antiques and more beach bikes than horse-drawn carriages. Walk the pier, put your feet in the sand, then grab lunch at Bubba Gumbos for Lowcountry favorites served in a dockside atmosphere.

*Image courtesy of the Perry Lane Hotel*

For dinner, head back to The Emporium at the Perry Lane Hotel. Start with the charcuterie board (they specialize in meats and cheeses, after all), then order the stuffed poblanos. You’ll understand why we’re being so specific once the meal arrives.

Make time for one final drink at Peregrin rooftop. Savannah looks especially good from above, and there’s something satisfying about ending where you can see it all laid out below you.

Three days won’t cover everything here, but that’s part of the charm. Savannah leaves just enough unexplored to make a return trip feel inevitable.