Savannah combines a deliberately planned city layout with museums, cultural offerings, a large park and Savannah City Market. Its attractions vary considerably: some take you to former workplaces or into the city’s history, while others focus on art, local studios or outdoor activities. This makes Savannah an interesting place to stay if you want to get to know different sides of the city.
City history and historic sites
Savannah’s documented history began in 1733, when General James Oglethorpe and the 120 passengers aboard the ship “Anne” landed on a bluff overlooking the Savannah River. Savannah is considered America’s first planned city. Oglethorpe laid it out in a grid of streets connected by public squares and parks. Here, city history and urban planning go hand in hand: the grid describes not only the streets, but also their connections to public squares and green spaces.
Individual sites also tell different parts of the city’s history. Bonaventure Cemetery was established on the historically significant grounds of Bonaventure Plantation. The Georgia State Railroad Museum is located in the former workshops and terminal facilities of the Central of Georgia Railway and is a National Historic Landmark. Pin Point Heritage Museum is housed in the former A.S. Varn & Son Oyster and Crab Factory. These places represent different themes: a historic plantation site, former railroad facilities and the history of a community.
Gullah/Geechee culture and its interpretation are at the heart of Pin Point Heritage Museum. The museum is an educational center where visitors can learn about this culture firsthand from residents who grew up in the community. Guests learn about ways of life related to daily routines, religion, language and food. This makes Pin Point a different kind of experience from a visit focused primarily on buildings or technical facilities.
Art and culture at the SCAD Museum of Art
The SCAD Museum of Art offers exhibitions, film screenings, lectures and gallery talks. Guided tours must be booked in advance. If you are planning a tour, check the latest availability and program details before your visit.
The museum also houses the Walter and Linda Evans Center for African American Studies. It offers public programs, workshops, lectures and symposia on African American art and culture. This brings different formats together under one roof: exhibitions and film screenings at the museum, as well as programs at the Center with a particular focus on African American art and culture.
For young visitors, the museum offers immersive activity packs with touch panels, scavenger hunts and other art activities. Check whether these packs are currently available before your visit. They offer a specific activity for young guests, while tours and public events provide other ways to engage with art and culture.
City Market: studios, shops and Southern pralines
Savannah City Market spans four city blocks between Franklin Square and Ellis Square in the heart of Savannah. Visitors can enjoy its restaurants, bars, shops and studios. On the second floor of City Market, the Art Center is home to dozens of studios belonging to local artists, and visitors are welcome. The market brings together a variety of offerings: you can spend time in the studios or focus your visit on the restaurants, bars and shops.
The food on offer at City Market includes freshly baked, sweet Southern pralines for visitors to enjoy. Specific vendors and availability may change. Together with the studios and shops, this makes for a different experience from the historic museums: City Market brings food, art and businesses together across four city blocks.
Green spaces at Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park covers 30 acres and offers sports fields, walking paths and open green spaces. These features make the park a destination in its own right alongside the museums and City Market: options range from sports facilities to paths and open areas. So when comparing Savannah’s offerings, it’s not just the subject that matters, but also the format—a museum with tours by appointment, a market with studios and shops, or a park with sports facilities and green spaces.
These differences can help you shape your stay around your own interests without confusing the various offerings. If you’re interested in the city’s origins and planning, its history and historic sites provide plenty of points of connection. Art lovers can explore exhibitions, programs and studios; those looking for a variety of options in one place can consider City Market. Forsyth Park rounds out the selection with walking paths, sports fields and open green spaces.
Discover more destinations: Tybee Island, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Georgetown.
View the regional travel guide: Chatham.
