Things to Do in Savannah
My first-trip formula is one good route through the squares, one interior, and one evening plan. Tybee replaces part of a city day; it does not squeeze into the margins.
Written by Alex H., Charleston-based travel editorUpdated September 2026
Start in the Historic District. Its squares, museums, restaurants and most tour departures share one street plan, which lets a first day build naturally instead of bouncing across the city. River Street is below the bluff; Bonaventure, Wormsloe, Fort Pulaski and Tybee each need a deliberate transport choice.
A first-trip shortlist with the tradeoffs shown
| Choice | Why put it in the trip | Cost and timing | Constraint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk the squares | The ward plan explains central Savannah and connects many sights | Free; allow half a day for one route plus stops | Brick, crossings and weather slow the map pace |
| Visit one Telfair site | Choose art museums or a capacity-limited historic-house tour | Current $30 adult ticket covers three sites for seven days | Closed Monday; Owens-Thomas entry is first come within capacity |
| Forsyth Park | Fountain, paths and a natural extension south from the squares | Free; 20–30 minutes for a fountain stop | Events and current construction can change the ordinary route |
| River Street | Waterfront, ferry access and riverboat departures | Free to walk; cruises and food cost separately | Below Bay Street; use elevator locations to plan the grade |
| Bonaventure Cemetery | Burial history, monuments and more than 100 acres of cemetery grounds east of downtown | Free, daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Use a map and arrange transport |
| Fort Pulaski | A masonry fort and National Park Service interpretation | Current $10 for age 16+; allow a substantial half-day | Car-dependent; verify hours and alerts |
| Tybee Island | The practical ocean-beach day from Savannah | Current parking is $4/hour, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. year-round | US-80 traffic makes a fixed drive-time promise unreliable |
Visitor details checked September 1, 2026. I use the time allowances as planning ranges; meals, queues and events come on top.
How to fit the city into two days
On the first day, use Bull Street as the main line through Johnson, Wright and Chippewa squares, then choose one timed interior. Descend to River Street later only if the group is comfortable with the grade or can use one of the public elevators. On the second day, walk the southern squares toward Forsyth Park, then choose a museum, Bonaventure visit or longer guided tour. This split avoids crossing the whole district repeatedly.
Free does not mean schedule-free
The squares, Forsyth Park, River Street and Bonaventure Cemetery have no admission charge. Bonaventure still closes at 5 p.m.; River Street access changes with the bluff and street traffic; Forsyth events can occupy paths or lawns. Put their operating and access conditions into the plan even when no ticket is involved.
Choose a tour for what it changes
A walking history tour adds interpretation to a narrow route. A trolley covers more ground and may allow reboarding. A food tour uses a meal block, while a ghost tour is mainly an evening choice. Downtown riverboats stay on the Savannah River; dolphin and marsh trips can have different docks and transport needs. Compare within one format before using rating or price as the tiebreaker.
My two-day starting plan
Use the north squares and riverfront on day one. On day two, follow Bull Street south to Forsyth and add one museum or Bonaventure. If Tybee matters more, let it replace most of day two.
Bookable experiences
Explore Savannah tours by format
Pick the kind of experience first. The category cards use the leading current product image, and the comparisons account for both rating and review history.
Ghost Tours
Walks, investigations, trolleys, and haunted pub crawls
Food & Drink
Food walks, dinner tours, sweets, and cocktail experiences
Trolley Tours
Hop-on/hop-off, narrated overviews, and comedy rides
Boat Tours & Water
Riverboats, dolphin trips, sunsets, dining, and private cruises
History Tours
Walking, cemetery, museum, bike, and Black history tours
Browse All Tours
The complete ranked Savannah activity catalog
Continue with the decision you are making
Historic District and squares
Use one line through the ward plan, with a separate loop for the lower riverfront.
Open guide →Museums and historic sites
Compare free places, timed interiors and car-dependent sites by the way they fit a day.
Open guide →Restaurants
Choose by meal, reservation model, location and current operating pattern.
Open guide →Tours and activities
Compare current products by format, duration, price and review evidence.
Open guide →Tybee Island
Choose a beach area before driving and leave road buffer around downtown plans.
Open guide →Trip logistics
Set arrival, hotel area, car need and fixed bookings before arranging the free stops.
Open guide →About this guide
Researched and written by Alex H.
Alex edits Savannah Visitor Guide and its sister publication, Charleston Visitor Guide. For this page, he checked the visitor details against the responsible agencies, museums, transit providers, restaurants, or operators on September 1, 2026. Recommendations are based on the stated tradeoffs; first-hand experience is identified only when it can be documented.
Meet Alex and read the editorial policy →
Primary sources
Schedules, fees and policies can change. Use the linked source when a current detail will affect your visit.
- Metropolitan Planning Commission: Savannah Historic District — district information and map
- City of Savannah: Forsyth Park — park history and amenities
- Telfair Museums: hours and admission — three-site ticket and current schedule
- City of Savannah: Bonaventure Cemetery — hours, address and entry
- National Park Service: Fort Pulaski fees — current admission
- Chatham Area Transit schedules — free downtown transit and airport route
- City of Tybee Island parking services — current parking rules and rates