I am not even going to venture to call this a Savannah “guide” because there are SO many things we didn’t do while there because…

1. We were only there for two non-consecutive half-days.
2. Having Charlie in tow meant we wanted to keep our activities toddler-friendly (bless you, people who suggested fancy antique stores…not going to happen ;) But I’m sure they’re amazing!)
3. It poured rain almost the whole time on the second day we were there.

Despite all that, we had a good time poking around this beautiful, historic city, and look forward to returning for a longer trip soon! While this list is nowhere close to a comprehensive one, I’d love to share a few things we did enjoy doing. If you’d like more recommendations, be sure to check out the comments on this post!

Mansion on Forsyth Park: We stayed here our first night because of its location–Dave was planning to spend the following day working from the hotel while Charlie and I headed out to walk around the city, and we wanted the flexibility to come and go separately as we wanted/needed to. Let’s just say we weren’t the typical clientele with a toddler in tow, but the hotel was beautiful and right across the street from the Forsyth Park playground (see below). The beds were SO comfortable and the bathroom was giant, which was a big bonus when Dave and I needed a place to hang out after Charlie went to sleep in the room. According to the Instagram DMs I received after posting about this, it turns out hotel bathroom parties are totally a thing for parents, ha!

Forsyth Park playground: I’m not sure if there are multiple playgrounds in Forsyth Park, but the one we visited multiple times was between E. Gwinnett Street and E. Hall Street. It is AMAZING and huge–there were so many little sections of it that I’m sure keeps kids of all ages thoroughly entertained. It’s also pretty shady since there are oversized umbrellas covering sections of it, not to mention the giant Spanish moss-covered oaks surrounding it. Speaking of which, I’m convinced the Spanish moss around Savannah is some of the best in the South…just take a look at that picture below!

Walking on Bull Street: Callie Beale sent me a fabulous list of Savannah suggestions, and one thing she mentioned was to walk from place to place via Bull Street if I could. I could totally see why–it’s a central street that leads to many of the hot spots, leads you through many of the parks and squares (one of the coolest things about Savannah!), and has such charming architecture. I happily pass this tip along to anyone visiting Savannah soon :)

Savannah Bee Company: I visited the Savannah Bee Company flagship for the first time back in 2013 and was all too happy to return, since I’ve been loyal to their delicious honey ever since! They have a fabulous sample bar so you can try all the different varieties–I bought a jar of their orange blossom honey this time, but have previously bought acacia, tupelo, winter white, and “honey for tea.” I also enjoyed sampling some of their personal care products. Dave bit the bullet on their On-The-Go Calming Balm, which might be a magic potion because we totally think it worked! One more important note on this store: there’s an adorable “beehive” play area for kids that was a LIFESAVER during our rainy trip. I brought Charlie twice and they were so sweet about it! If you’re traveling to Savannah with little ones, it’s a must-stop.

Mirabelle Café: This café is tiny (on the ground floor of a charming boutique hotel that I’d love to stay in someday!), but beautiful. The bar and walls in the dining area are covered in the swoon-worthy Cole & Son Hummingbirds wallpaper–yes please! I went for their lavendar latte, which was delicious. Perhaps best of all, the café is right across the street from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, which is breathtaking and absolutely worth a visit, whether you’re Catholic or not :)

The Paris Market: Oh, The Paris Market! I fell in love with this charming antique store/café back in 2013 as well and was all too excited to return. It’s as authentic as can be (I arrived just as a woman bringing in warm, fresh croissants for the bakery arrived, and she was speaking French–dreamy!) and the store is perfectly curated. Whether you go for unique gifts and home decor, or simply a croissant, it’s a must-visit that I know I’ll return to anytime I’m in town!

(I don’t have pictures of either place we ate, but they were:)

The Public Kitchen and Bar: We headed this direction in the hopes of eating at Soho South Café, but when it was closed for maintenance, they sent us across the street to their sister restaurant, The Public. It was a little pricier than we had been hoping for for lunch, but the food was tasty and the restaurant was well-designed. I’m not sure I’d go back, but it wasn’t a bad option.

Crystal Beer Parlor: We’re beginning to realize that since Charlie’s food is so restricted (he’s allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, and almonds), our experience of eating out together is much easier if we eat at places that have kids menus–our go-to order for him at restaurants is a plain burger patty, and we prefer not being charged the full price of a giant adult burger for that (ahem, The Public ;)). This can be tough because SO few of the restaurants we like to eat at have kids menus, but not only did Crystal Beer Parlor have one, they also specifically mentioned an allergy menu. PRAISE. All three of us enjoyed our lunch meals here, and it was a treat to be at a casual restaurant that was still full of history. Definitely recommend, especially with kids!

A few more places that were on our list that didn’t fit into this particular trip were Collins Quarter, Leopold’s Ice Cream, Flannery O’Connor’s childhood home, The Olde Pink House, and Bonaventure Cemetary. Next time!

Have you been to Savannah? What were some of your favorite activities and places?