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How many days in Savannah? 3 days of squares, oaks and Lowcountry food
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Savannah was laid out in 1733 by James Oglethorpe on a grid of wards, each built around a green square, and 22 of those squares survive, shaded by live oaks hung with Spanish moss. The result is one of the largest historic districts in the United States, best seen on foot. Give it three days: one for the squares, the house museums and Forsyth Park, one for the river and its history, including the history of slavery that built the city's wealth, and one for Bonaventure Cemetery, Wormsloe and the beach at Tybee Island. Walk early or late in summer; midday heat and humidity are heavy from June to September.
Short answer
Two days covers the squares, Forsyth Park, a house museum, River Street and Bonaventure. Three days adds Wormsloe, Tybee Island and Fort Pulaski, and more time in the museums.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The squares and Forsyth Park
Morning. Start at Johnson Square, the first and largest of the squares, and walk south along Bull Street through Wright, Chippewa (where the bench scenes of 'Forrest Gump' were filmed), Madison and Monterey squares; each is a few minutes from the next. At Monterey Square stands the Mercer Williams House, the setting of the book 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil', with guided tours (about US$15-20).
Afternoon. Continue to Forsyth Park, 30 acres of oaks with the white fountain of 1858 at its north end, and rest in the shade. Then visit the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters on Oglethorpe Square, a Regency house of the 1810s whose tour focuses equally on the enslaved people who lived and worked there; one Telfair Museums ticket (about US$25-30) covers it, the Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center.
Evening. Dinner at The Olde Pink House, in an 18th-century mansion on Reynolds Square, known for Southern dishes such as fried chicken and shrimp and grits (mains about US$30-45), or at a smaller restaurant around Broughton Street. End with a scoop at Leopold's Ice Cream, open since 1919.
Savannah allows you to carry an alcoholic drink in a plastic to-go cup (up to 16 oz) on the streets of the Historic District, but not in glass and not in cars.
Day 2: River Street, City Market and Savannah's history
Morning. Walk down the steep stone steps from Bay Street to River Street, where cotton warehouses line the Savannah River, and through Factors Walk, the iron bridges and ramps where cotton brokers once worked. Watch the huge container ships pass on their way to one of the busiest ports in the US.
Afternoon. Visit the First African Baptist Church on Franklin Square, one of the oldest Black congregations in North America, whose building of the 1850s has breathing holes in the floor that tradition links to the Underground Railroad (guided tours several times a day; check times). Then see the Cathedral of St John the Baptist on Lafayette Square, a French Gothic cathedral with stained glass (donation).
Evening. Wander City Market, four blocks of restored buildings with galleries, bars and live music, then take a ghost tour or a trolley tour after dark; Savannah tells many ghost stories about its old houses, so treat them as storytelling rather than history.
The free Savannah Belles Ferry crosses the river from City Hall to the convention centre on Hutchinson Island, a 5-minute ride with a good view of the skyline.
Day 3: Bonaventure, Wormsloe and Tybee Island
Morning. Drive or take a taxi about 15 minutes east to Bonaventure Cemetery (free), a riverside cemetery of the 19th century with oak-lined paths and carved monuments; the singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer is buried here. Then go to Wormsloe State Historic Site (about US$10-12), where a 1.5-mile avenue of more than 400 live oaks leads to the ruins of a colonial tabby house.
Afternoon. Continue about 30 minutes to Tybee Island, Savannah's beach. Climb the Tybee Island Light Station, about 178 steps (roughly US$12-15), for the view of the coast, then swim or walk the beach and pier. On the way, Fort Pulaski National Monument shows a brick fort breached by rifled cannon in the Civil War (about US$10).
Evening. Eat shrimp and fish at a seafood shack on Tybee, or return to Savannah for a Lowcountry boil of shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. Watch the sunset from the back river on the island.
Wormsloe gates close in the late afternoon and the avenue is best in morning light; parking on Tybee is paid by app or meter almost everywhere.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Day 1 as written and combine River Street in the morning with Bonaventure and Wormsloe in the afternoon on Day 2. You lose Tybee Island and Fort Pulaski.
Got extra days?
A 4th day can go to Charleston (about 2 hours by car), or to Hilton Head and Bluffton in South Carolina (about 45-60 minutes). Nature lovers can take a kayak or boat trip in the salt marshes, and families can spend more time at the beach.
Where to stay in Savannah
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Midtown / airport hotels | Chain hotels with parking, 10-20 minutes from the Historic District by car. | US$110-170 |
| Mid-range | Historic District | Inns and hotels on the squares, walk everywhere. | US$200-350 |
| Mid-range | Starland / Victorian District | Guesthouses and rentals near Forsyth Park, with local cafés. | US$170-280 |
| Comfort | Riverfront and boutique hotels | Restored mansions and design hotels on River Street and the squares. | US$350-650 |
Getting around
The Historic District is about 2.5 km from the river to the south end of Forsyth Park and easy on foot. The free DOT Express Shuttle loops through downtown, and the free Savannah Belles Ferry crosses the river. Parking downtown is metered or in garages (about US$2-3 an hour or US$15-25 a day). Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is about 20-25 minutes away by car or rideshare (about US$30-40). Amtrak trains stop west of downtown. For Bonaventure, Wormsloe and Tybee, you need a car, a rideshare or a tour.
What to eat in Savannah
Savannah cooks the food of the Lowcountry, the coastal plain of Georgia and South Carolina. Order shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, she-crab soup, fried chicken with collard greens and mac and cheese, and pecan pie or peach cobbler. Many places serve Lowcountry boil and fresh oysters in season. A diner breakfast costs US$12-18, a Southern lunch US$15-25, and a dinner at a well-known restaurant US$50-90 per person with drinks, before a tip of 18-20%.
Best time to visit
March to May, when azaleas bloom in the squares and highs are 22-28°C; the St Patrick's Day parade in mid-March is one of the largest in the US and fills every hotel. October and November are also pleasant. Summer, June to September, is hot and humid, often above 32°C, with afternoon storms and hurricane risk. Winter is mild, around 15-18°C, and quiet.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | US$70 | US$140 | US$280 |
| Food & drink | US$45 | US$85 | US$150 |
| Sights & tickets | US$15 | US$45 | US$80 |
| Local transport | US$8 | US$20 | US$50 |
| Total per person, per day | about US$140 | about US$290 | about US$560 |
Approximate 2026 prices in US dollars before tips. Hotels add about 13% in combined hotel and sales taxes plus a Georgia fee of about US$5 per room per night.
Before you go
Common questions
Do I need a car in Savannah?
Not for the Historic District, which is compact and served by a free shuttle and ferry. Parking there is limited and paid. You need a car, a rideshare or a tour only for Bonaventure Cemetery, Wormsloe, Fort Pulaski and Tybee Island. Many visitors rent a car for one day and leave it at the hotel the rest of the time.
How many squares does Savannah have?
Twenty-two survive of the 24 laid out in the original city plan, which began with four squares in 1733 and grew as the city expanded. A few were lost to roads and development in the 20th century, and Ellis Square was rebuilt as a square after a parking garage was demolished. Walking Bull Street from Johnson Square to Forsyth Park passes five of them.
Is Savannah good for a weekend from Charleston?
Yes. The two cities are about 2 hours apart by car, and many travellers visit both. Charleston is larger, with more plantations and a busier restaurant scene; Savannah is greener and more relaxed, with its squares and open-container rule. Two nights in each makes a good long weekend or the core of a week in the Lowcountry.
Is Savannah safe for visitors?
The main tourist areas of the Historic District are busy and generally safe, but use normal city care: keep to lit streets at night, do not leave valuables visible in cars, and use rideshares late in the evening. Some areas just outside downtown are less safe after dark, so ask your hotel for advice on where to walk.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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