My latest trip to the city of ghosts and good eating was way different than previous vacations years back. This coastal community on the banks of a river of the same name that divides Georgia and South Carolina, and the Atlantic Ocean, whose seaport is the third busiest in the U.S., still retains the mysterious antebellum charm that many adore. However, I was surprised to find that she is now shedding some of her old clothes and evolving into a more modern lady.
Let’s start with an old favorite: The Lady and Son’s Restaurant. I’m going to be straight with you, our meal, served family style (aka “all you can eat,) was very filling but many dishes had an out of the can flavor. If you like cheese biscuits and fried catfish, it’s worth the money just for these two phenomenal offerings.
Our first night in town we scrambled to find somewhere for a late dinner and found ourselves on a wet, outdoor patio having fish and chips at an Irish Pub, but with a lovely view nonetheless. A large group of soggy thrill-seekers traipsed by on one of the many walking tours of the city’s haunted pubs.
There is a massive new resort-style luxury hotel, restaurant, and shopping complex constructed by Marriott that anchors the West end of historic River Street. Inside is artsy and extravagant, including a remarkable exhibit of life-size replicas of what employees of the Savannah Power Company, built in 1912, the original inhabitant of the site, would have looked like. Another artistic wonder is the enormous Generator Hall, rich with historical exhibits featuring the former power plant, modern art, and shopping opportunities.
A few shots of vintage ornamental iron that is prevalent along gates, doorways, and eves in the Historic District.
Rusty cherubs and scrolls adorn a simple iron gate that guards a grave in the Bonaventure Cemetery, which dates back to 1850. Old concrete pillars pay tribute to the dead and provide a resting place for human and animal visitors.
Savannah has its share of buildings no longer in use and barely hanging on until someone decides to breathe new life into them. It’s an age-old dilemma for many historic cities: revive or rebuild.
Thousands of visitors each week crowd River Street, the pre-revolutionary war hot spot where all things cotton and rice were stored, traded, and received from ships traveling the Savannah River. These staples, along with slaves, helped make Savannah a very prosperous city. These 200 year old warehouses and offices are now gift shops, restaurants, and bars.
Some things were familiar in Savannah, like this street vendor selling handmade baskets, families enjoying the river walk, and pedestrians, including a number of Savannah College of Art students, dotting nearly every street. A new sight was dozens of help wanted signs, reflecting Savannah’s shortage of labor due to Covid-19, just like every other American city. There was no lack of rickshaw drivers or people who took up posts at the same spots every day.
There are so many opportunities in Savannah for studies in architecture.
No trip to Savannah is complete without a visit to Wormsloe Plantation, an 800-acre site notable for a 1.5 mile dirt drive lined with thousands of oak trees planted in 1891. It was established by one of Georgia’s founders, Noble Jones. It’s now a state historic site and you can hike to the ruins of the family’s original home that overlooks the Isle of Hope Peninsula, which allows a back route to the city of Savannah.
This post is in memory of the best dog ever, Ollie Gator Welch, who was a very good boy, and took his last vacation ever with us to Savannah.
