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Claudia Fenner is a writer, photographer and travel |
| When Lady Astor of England visited Savannah in 1946 she remarked that the city was like a “beautiful woman with a dirty face.” Things have certainly changed since then. Savannah has cleaned up its face and is a historical and beautiful gem of a city. Downtown Savannah, which is made up of 22 park like squares, largely retains the original town plan designed by founder James Oglethorpe in 1730. Bring your walking shoes because Savannah is a wonderful city to see on foot. The historic district is in a compact area that is easy to navigate and explore. Did you know that the bench that Forest Gump so famously sat on was in downtown Chippewa Square? The bench however, now resides in the Savannah History Museum. In addition to the squares there are many historic homes such as The Juliet Lowe House, the birthplace of the founder of the Girl Scouts. Don’t miss the iconic “Bird Girl” by Sylvia Shaw Judson at the Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center for the Arts. You can stroll along River Street and enjoy the waterfront views. Broughton Street, which is the center of the downtown shopping area, has been fully revitalized and is thriving. Be sure to make time to visit beautiful Forsyth Park with its stunning fountain constructed in 1858. A perfect hotel in the center of it all is the Hampton Inn Historic District. This family friendly hotel oozes old Savannah charm with its brick walls and hardwood floors. It offers free breakfast, Wi-Fi and a rooftop pool to cool off in on warm summer days. For reservations and information go to http://m.hilton.com/mt/hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/index.html. A fun and relaxing way to see the city is to take an Old Town Trolley hop on hop off bus tour. The friendly conductors narrate your tour with a fascinating and fun mix of history, trivia and humorous stories. The trolleys run every 20 minutes from 9am to 6pm. For more information and to purchase discounted tickets on line go to www.trolleytours.com/savannah/. Southern food is at its best in Savannah. An old favorite is the Pirate House on Broad Street about a block from the Savannah River. The building dates from 1753 and there is actually a pirate that roams around and visits with the guests. At $13.95 the lunch buffet is a real comfort food treat. For more info click on www.thepirateshouse.com. Savannah is aptly called the “Hostess City of the South.” Now is the time to say YES to their wonderful hospitality and pay Savannah a visit! |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 