Why You Should Visit

I want to spend a bit of time today telling you why you should visit the Savannah, Georgia area. The best reason is, of course, to come see Carol and I. There are several other reasons as well. Someone recently put out their top ten and I want to share those with you. Some have been the subject of blog posts here in the past and the others will be shared in future posts. It might be best to start here on Tybee Island.

1. Tybee Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open to the public and for a mere $8.00 you can climb the 178 steps to the top and see beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean and Tybee Island. The lighthouse has a 9' tall first order Fresnel lens. It sits on the grounds of the former Fort Screven and Battery Garland across from the lighthouse holds a museum. Your $8.00 admission to the lighthouse also grants you a tour of the museum.

2. Fort Pulaski National Monument. Just a short drive toward Savannah from the Tybee Island Lighthouse the 19th century fort designed by Napoleon's engineer is worth a stop. It was occupied by the Confederates during the Civil War and was captured by Union Forces. You can learn the story of the Immortal 600 who were held at the fort during the Civil War. It has great views of the Savannah River and the marsh.

3. River Street. Heading into the city of Savannah a great place for shopping and souvenirs is found on the River Street walk. As my dear friend Mike discovered, be careful with the gophers. They are an addictive candy made with caramel, chocolate and pecans. There are many festivals held on River Street during the year. The two most recent were Bacon Fest and Oktoberfest. While held on different weekends it is difficult to see where you could go wrong with bacon or beer.

4. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The Catholic cathedral was dedicated in 1876 and is a stunning work of architecture. It has beautiful stained glass windows, a 9,000 pound altar made of Carrar marble and a Noack pipe organ with 34 ranks and 2,308 pipes. Mass is held at noon Monday through Saturday and no pictures are allowed during services. The Cathedral is open for tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

5. Colonial Park Cemetery. A short walk from the Cathedral is Colonial Park Cemetery. It is the oldest intact cemetery in the city. It was established in 1750 and was the city's primary cemetery until 1853 when it was closed to interments. It is well worth a walk around.

6. Savannah's Squares. The city of Savannah was planned around 4 public squares. The number of public squares eventually grew to 24 and at this time 22 remain. Many are surrounded by 19 century mansions and lined with live oak trees. Many of the squares contain monuments including the bronze statue of James Oglethorpe in Chippewa Square and the marble monument to Casimir Pulaski in Monterey Square.

7. Forsyth Park. This is the final stop in downtown Savannah. It is a 30 acre park located at the southern edge of the historic district. It has a beautiful two-tiered white cast iron fountain that was featured in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It has large expanses of grass, and a couple of playgrounds to entertain children. It is also home to a farmer's market on Saturday mornings.

8. Bonaventure Cemetery. This is a 150 year old cemetery which serves as the final resting place of notables like Johnny Mercer and Conrad Aiken. It has some spectacular sculpture and elaborate burial vaults. The live oak trees and views of the river make it worth the short drive.

9. Wormsloe Plantation Historic Site. This was the subject of a recent blog post and will be subject of a longer visit by us in the near future. Established in 1737 by Noble Jones it is known for its beautiful mile long entrance drive lined by live oaks draped with Spanish moss.

10. Bluff Drive. Isle of Hope lies in the southeastern portion of Savannah and was first inhabited in the 1700's. Bluff Drive begins at LaRoche Avenue and ends at Nobel Glen Drive. On one side are views of the Intracoastal Waterway and on the other are antebellum-style mansions and quaint cottages.

Come on down and see the sights. There are plenty of other things that make a visit here worth the time and leave you anxious to return and see more.