We kicked off 2026 with a two hour 15 minute drive to Savannah, Ga. Savannah and Charleston are sister cities, we heard several times. This visit made me realize what a compliment this is to both Southern cities, and that they do nicely complement each other.
Over a long post-holiday weekend, we walked, boated, dined, and even had a pirate ghost encounter!
Our accommodations were the Andaz Hotel, a Hyatt property near the riverfront and City Market. Alesia and I had a nice experience at the Andaz several years ago so we knew it was a fine hotel in a central location. We parked our cars in an adjacent city garage and didn’t use them until we left on Tuesday. Tip: The hotel parking is much more expensive than the city garage just down the street.
Within just a few-mile radius of the Andaz Hotel there is so much to see and do. From Saturday to Tuesday the weather became clearer and warmer. This photo is of Alesia in the City Market. The top of the Andaz Hotel is seen in the background to the left of the clock.
Savannah is a very walkable city. Monday, according to my iPhone’s health app, I logged a whopping 13,394 steps. That’s almost seven miles.
This photo is of us at Forsyth Park, Savannah’s oldest (1840s) and largest park (30 acres).
Savannah, founded in 1723, is considered America’s first planned city and is, per this article, a National Historic Landmark District visited by millions of people every year.
Today known as the Oglethorpe Plan, the general called for Savannah to have a series of wards surrounding 22 central squares with requirements that there be lots on the east and west sides of each square for public buildings and churches.
Many of the early churches are still here such as the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. The first cornerstone was laid in 1835. The church was heavily damaged by a fire in 1899.
Trees (many live oaks with Spanish moss!), plants, shrubs, flowers and grass were also important ingredients to the urban design. There’s plenty of shade, and the grounds are well-maintained. Savannah is pretty much litter-free, at least from what I observed.
The synagogue Congregation Mickve Israel is seen through the trees in this photograph. The structure was built in 1878 but its Jewish congregation formed much earlier in Savannah in 1733, just six months after Gen. Oglethorpe arrived here. The temple is the only Gothic-style synagogue in North America, according to its website.
The monument, designed by architect William Strickland, was completed in 1830. The inscription reads in part, "Soldier, Patriot, The Friend of Washington, This Shaft Has Been Raised By The People Of Savannah In Honor Of His Great Services To The American Revolution."
Mike and I stand in front of the Nathaniel Greene “shaft.” I’m holding Christopher Gadsden’s famous “Don’t Tread on Me” flag that helped symbolize the American colonies' grievances against British rule. I wrote about Charleston Revolutionary War leader Gadsden in my 2022 book, “Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston.” I purchased the Gadsden Flag at a riverfront gift shop. I’ve always wanted one!
Another Revolutionary War figure is honored in the Historic District. Gen. Casimir Pulaski was a Polish nobleman and commander who came to America at the behest of French ambassador Benjamin Franklin, whom he met in Paris in 1777. Pulaski would become known as "the father of American cavalry."
Pulaski's time on earth ended Oct. 9, 1779 when he was mortally shot by the British while leading an attack during an effort to recapture Savannah.
The 55-foot marble monument, erected in 1854, is located in Monterrey Square.
Fort Pulaski near Tybee Island, Ga. was named in his honor.
Nearby in Madison Square is the Sgt. William Jasper Monument, installed in 1888. I recognized Jasper's name from the heroics he performed in the Charleston area in June 1776 during the Battle of Sullivan's Island.
It's appropriate that Sgt. Jasper is holding an American flag. It was an act of bravery he did at least twice in battle.
Details of Jasper’s courage are documented in the plaque below.
At Charleston's White Point Garden near the harbor is the Defenders of Fort Moultrie statue that features a depiction of Sgt. Jasper at its top. Jasper was 29 years old when he died. The “Sister Cities” remember the young man’s courage and patriotism.
I was drawn to this building from across the street. I felt like I was being watched! In the front yard to the right is a large bust of David, a replica of Michelangelo's 16th century masterpiece.
Wait, what is near David in that corner of the yard?
This is II Porcilino, a sculpture of a boar born or made in Florence, Italy.
The mansion was home to Armstrong Junior College from 1935-1966 when it moved, needing more space.
The college still exists in Savannah on Abercorn Street as a campus of Georgia Southern University.
(Photo courtesy Savannah Morning News)
The Armstrong Kessler Mansion today is privately owned and also serves as an event venue. Interested in renting the space? Details here.
Walking around this part of Savannah, you also see numerous beautiful old houses. No two look alike.
The architectural styles are wide-ranging. Like Charleston, Savannah is protective of its old buildings and seeks to preserve and restore, rather than demolish.
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Coming out of the antique store Jones & Bull, conveniently located and Jones and Bull Streets, we spotted another unique-looking building.
This six-story marble, brick and terra cota structure was built in the early 1900s as a Scottish Rite Temple for local Masonic organizations.
In 2019 it was purchased by the Savannah College of Arts and Design.
SCAD's creative mission is exemplified by the old Scottish Rite building's first floor. Here you will find a British double-decker bus converted to a cafe. We enjoyed a short coffee break here.
In the Historic District are several home tour opportunities. Mike and Christine picked an excellent one for us, the Mercer Williams House. Ever read the book or seen the film “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”? Central figures in both are Jim Williams, a successful antiques dealer and impactful preservationist who helped save more than 50 Savannah structures. Also central to the story is the 1860s Bull Street home and property he bought and extravagantly restored in the late 1960s-early 1970s.
The 1994 non-fiction novel by John Berendt depicts Williams’ place in Savannah high society (and its peculiarities) and the 1981 death of his young friend and associate Danny Hansford. Williams faced murder charges. There were multiple trials. Ultimately he was acquitted then died a year later in 1990 of pneumonia in his home.
Kevin Spacey played Williams in the 1997 Clint Eastwood-directed film.
The 35-minute tour is first-rate. We learned how the construction of the home began in 1860 for Hugh Mercer, a West Point graduate who became a Confederate general in the Civil War. Due to the war, the home would not be finished until 1868. And Mercer never lived in it, which is odd. He sold it after the war.
Photography is prohibited on the property and inside. Williams' family members own the home and some live here so the tour only covers the first floor. But it’s a beautiful home with a great story.
And I bought this Santa Claus to add to my collection. The price was marked down significantly post-Christmas, 40-percent off.
This week I ordered all Santas to report to this table for deployment into storage until next December. I have around two dozen Santa figures…and counting.
Another must-see site in the Historic District: an impressive arched entrance, erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1913, is part of Savannah’s oldest burial grounds. Colonial Park Cemetery broke ground (pun intended) in 1750 and was closed to new burials in 1853.
In those 100 years, 9,000 people were buried within its six acres. The interred include a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Button Gwinnett. The former Georgia governor is also known for dying from a gunshot wound in a duel with a political rival in May 1777.
James Wilde also died in a duel. He and a fellow U.S. Army officer faced off in January 1815 “on the Carolina side of the river near Savannah.” The nature of the quarrel is not known, according to the sign. The gravestone in the foreground states that “Lieutenant Wilde was shot through the heart in the fourth exchange of fire by Captain Roswell P. Johnson.”
“A tragic affair of honor” it was.
The extra signage above and on the flat ledger stone Mike is reading help bring these long-ago deaths to life.
There are a number of these large red brick family vaults. Chambers underneath could have rows of caskets.
The cemetery, like everything we saw in this district, is well-maintained with many trees. It is very open. Many of the 9,000 souls here may not have proper markers for their graves. I say this because it doesn't seem like there are 9,000 grave markers here.
Colonial Park is one of several old cemeteries in the area. Boneventure is the largest and most representative of the 19th-century Victorian rural cemetery movement that crossed the Atlantic Ocean from England and France. I’ve been to Boneventure Cemetery before. It reminds me of Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery that I know so well.
The Savannah River is another attraction with lots to see and do.
There are historical displays to contemplate such as this unique World War II memorial called “A World Apart.” The earth is divided by the war’s Pacific and European theaters. The names of 527 Chatham County service members killed in the global conflict are listed in Georgia granite.
The memorial was installed in 2010.
The riverfront also bustles with restaurants, shops and hotels. I purchased my Gadsden Flag at a shop near here. See the photo earlier in this post.
Christine did some shopping too!
As an aside, “Savannah” is derived from different names for Shawnee Indians who were here much earlier than 1733, it’s safe to say.
From our hotel just after sunrise I walked the short distance to the riverfront and took these pictures.
All aboard!
The Georgia Queen is quite spacious offering a top deck and below decks for dining and when the weather isn’t so comfortable. This day was a bit drab but OK for doing most of the tour outside.
The gold-domed building is Savannah City Hall.
The architecture is Renaissance Revival. City Hall opened in 1906.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Beloved, shown earlier, is viewed from the river. The church’s twin spires are 214 feet tall.
The Savannah Riverboat Cruises company has a smaller second boat, the Savannah River Queen. I’m glad we were on the big boat.
Earlier on we received a send-off from Florence Martus, “Savannah’s Waving Girl.” The legend is that for 44 years Florence greeted every ship entering the port by handkerchief during the day and by lantern at night. She lived from 1869-1943 and her statue was placed here in 1972. More on her story here.
Since 1808, Fort Jackson has been protecting Savannah from attack.
But during the Civil War Gen. Sherman’s Union forces couldn’t be deterred and Savannah was captured on Dec. 21, 1864. Sherman famously presented the river city to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift.
We received a booming salute when the Georgia Queen passed Fort Jackson!
Speaking of booming, that would be
the Port of Savannah, one of the biggest and busiest in the U.S.
The guide told us Savannah is the nation’s third busiest. Rankings I looked at have it fourth, behind Los Angeles, Long Beach and New York. Maybe he combines the two California ports as one.
On this day a tugboat was helping the bulk container Tai Stamina steam out to sea. Savannah's port is boosted by
massive Garden City Terminal, which features the largest single terminal container facility in the Western Hemisphere. That terminal is up the Savannah River a ways and was not on the tour.
I’m curious why so many birds are following the tugboat. I’ve seen such avian interest in shrimp boats but never for a tug. What food could be attracting such a flock?
As our tour started to wind down the sun started to come out.
The Georgia Queen delivered on a smooth, scenic sail and our knowledge about Savannah- past and present- was greatly enhanced.
So what’s next? How about Savannah’s City Market! This is an open-air emporium of shops, restaurants, museums and more historic markers.
I took this image just before sunrise one morning.
This is the market as it’s meant to be: full of people.
There are lots of locally owned small businesses here. Byrd’s Famous Cookies, founded in 1924, are baked in Savannah.
There are four locations in the area. We all came home with bags of Byrd’s tasty cookies.
Alesia and I had a light lunch outside at one of the cozy restaurants after our arrival early Saturday afternoon.
This fellow invites visitors to come into his Pirates & Treasure Museum. There’s also a Prohibition Museum.
A dramatic sculpture depicts the largest unit of African descent who fought in the American Revolution. They were part of the American effort in 1779 to recapture Savannah from the British. The men were from what is today Haiti.
All of this is a short walk from the Andaz Hotel where we stayed. The hotel is seen behind the Christmas ornaments decoration.
That’s music legend Johnny Mercer (1909-1976) in the foreground. A Savannah native, Mercer was a songwriter, singer and co-founder of Capitol Records. His popular songs include “Moon River” and scores of others.
Mercer is buried at Boneventure Cemetery in Savannah.
We were so fortunate to have nice weather the entire time of our stay.
As I'm writing this the Charleston area, two hours north of Savannah, is having freezing overnight temperatures.
Savannah seems full of clever restaurant and shop names and advertising gimmicks. Here are a few we observed.
Sorry Charlie’s Oyster Bar on Congress Street.
People were flocking to Flock To The Wok on Whitaker Street.
Sunday Sunday also on Whitaker Street offers a blend of Vietnamese, French and American cuisine. Next Savannah visit I’d like to go to Sunday Sunday whatever day it is since it’s open seven days a week.
We must have walked by this moving automated exhibit three times during our outings. This is in front of Seoul Beak Ban restaurant, also on Whitaker Street.
It would have been fun to shop for our favorite Joseph at Joseph’s Clothiers but the location on West Broughton Street was closed.
We went three for three for excellent dinners. The first night we went to Husk. Alesia and I are familiar with Husk. Chef and entrepreneur Sean Brock opened his first Husk in 2010. The one in Savannah launched in early 2018.
For my entree I selected the South Carolina Swordfish. Served over lima beans, it was delicious! I hope the Charleston Husk serves this because I’m eager to have it again.
Everyone enjoyed their meals. Kudos to Alesia for picking this “elevated Southern cuisine” establishment.
Night two found us at one of Savannah’s oldest restaurants, The Pirates’ House. Mike recalls the Harwood clan going here when our father was stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. more than 50 years ago.
The East Broad Street restaurant has a colorful backstory befitting its name.
Known for fried chicken, it did not disappoint. One gripe was how dark it was inside. Pirates’ House has a large gift shop but we just couldn’t find any souvenirs to bring home.
The walk back to the hotel was ghoulish! This looked up to us from a cellar.
I hope he made a good impression on the lady he’s giving flowers. Something of Dishonor reads her
sash. Note the severed hand on the ground.
Chive Sea Bar and Lounge on W. Broughton Street was the choice for our final dinner. Mike gets credit for this pick.
I opted for the halibut and loved it.
For dessert the key lime cake was a hit.
Just a few more photos to wrap up this lengthy post. This caught my eye at the Jones & Bull Antique Store.
The carving reminds me of the winged cherub motifs seen on some 18th and 19th century gravestones.
Carriage tours are available but we chose to get our steps in, walking everywhere except for one Uber ride to The Pirates’ House restaurant.
Everyone seemed pleased with the Andaz Hotel. Everything we wanted to see and do was within easy walking distance.
Tuesday morning, before we left Savannah to return home, the big Christmas ornaments display was being mismantled marking, you could say, the official end to the holiday season.
Thank you Alesia, Mike and Christine for a wonderful start to 2026! We have already begun to discuss where the next time, next location might be!
Savannah was great! And so was St. Augustine, Fla., where the four of us rendezvoused in early January 2024. See my post from that trip.
This might just be becoming a family tradition- hope so!
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