2 days in Savannah

Day by day

1. Day 1: Forsyth Park and The historic squares

   Forsyth Park, The historic squares, River Street and Factor's Walk and Bonaventure Cemetery, then River Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Forsyth Park

      On Saturday mornings a farmers market sets up at the southern end.

   2. Late morning

      The historic squares

      Chippewa Square is where the bench scenes of Forrest Gump were filmed, Monterey Square is overlooked by the Mercer Williams House and the Temple Mickve Israel, and Lafayette Square faces the cathedral's twin spires.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Shrimp and grits

      Restaurants around the City Market, Broughton Street and River Street.

   4. Afternoon

      River Street and Factor's Walk

      Iron footbridges link the upper floors to Bay Street along Factor's Walk. Today the warehouses hold bars, restaurants and candy shops, and container ships pass close enough to read their names.

   5. Late afternoon

      Bonaventure Cemetery

      It appeared in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and is about 6 km east of downtown.

   6. Evening

      River Street

      Bars and live music in converted cotton warehouses, plus rooftop venues at Plant Riverside.

2. Day 2: Owens–Thomas House and Slave Quarters and Telfair Academy and Jepson Center

   Owens–Thomas House and Slave Quarters, Telfair Academy and Jepson Center, First African Baptist Church and SCAD Museum of Art, then City Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Owens–Thomas House and Slave Quarters

      The tour gives equal weight to the urban slave quarters behind the house, where a ceiling painted 'haint blue' by enslaved people survives.

   2. Late morning

      Telfair Academy and Jepson Center

      Across the square, the modern Jepson Center hosts contemporary exhibitions and a hands-on gallery for children.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Southern fried chicken, family style

      Long-running family-style dining rooms in the historic district, where queues form before opening.

   4. Afternoon

      First African Baptist Church

      The present church was built by its members, many of them enslaved, in the 1850s; guided tours cover its history and the pews and floor patterns from that period.

   5. Late afternoon

      SCAD Museum of Art

      It shows changing contemporary exhibitions by international artists and the college's alumni.

   6. Evening

      City Market

      Live music on outdoor stages and bars with patios around the market courtyards.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Mercer Williams House (South Historic District): Even if you skip the tour, the view of the house across Monterey Square at dusk is one of the best in town.
• Swap in Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (South Historic District): Visit on a sunny morning when light comes through the windows, and dress respectfully.
• Swap in Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard): Combine it with First African Baptist Church for a half-day on Black history in Savannah.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–14 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.1 hours in December to 14.2 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Walking is how to see Savannah: every few blocks opens onto another square, and most sights are within 25 minutes of each other.

More or fewer days

• One day in Savannah
• 3 days in Savannah

Questions travellers ask