Question 1

What is there to do in Savannah?

Accepted Answer

Walk — that's the whole point. Loop the 22 moss-canopied squares, linger in Forsyth Park at the fountain, tour a mansion or two (the Mercer Williams and Owens-Thomas houses), browse the City Market and River Street, take a ghost tour after dark, and make the pilgrimage to Bonaventure Cemetery's haunting live oaks, 15 minutes east. Add a Tybee Island beach afternoon, 25 minutes away.

Question 2

Is Savannah walkable? Do I need a car?

Accepted Answer

The Historic District is one of the most walkable places in America — a flat, shady one-by-half-mile grid where everything is 15 minutes apart — and the free DOT shuttle loops the district every 15–20 minutes if your feet give out. Skip driving in the core (parking is a headache); you only need wheels for Bonaventure Cemetery, Tybee Island or Wormsloe's oak avenue.

Question 3

Is Savannah safe for tourists?

Accepted Answer

The Historic District is well-patrolled and comfortable, including evenings on busy streets — this is a city built on tourism. Standard advice: stay on populated, lit streets after dark (squares empty out late), don't wander far south or west of the district at night, and watch your bags on River Street's crowds. Emergency number: 911.

Question 4

When is the best time to visit Savannah?

Accepted Answer

Mid-March–May is peak magic — azaleas exploding, 70s°F, Spanish moss at its most photogenic — but book far ahead: St. Patrick's Day is one of America's biggest, swelling the city with hundreds of thousands. September–November is the lovely, calmer second season. Summer is 90s°F and swampy-humid; winter is mild and the best value.

Question 5

How do I get from Savannah's airport to the Historic District?

Accepted Answer

Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) sits about 11 miles northwest — a 20-minute taxi or rideshare with no traffic to speak of. There's no direct rail; CAT public buses run downtown for $1.50 but take much longer. Once you're in the district, park the car (or skip renting one) and walk.

Question 6

What food is Savannah known for?

Accepted Answer

Lowcountry cooking: shrimp and grits, crab stew, fried green tomatoes and boarding-house spreads like Mrs. Wilkes' (arrive early; the line is the ritual). Leopold's has scooped ice cream since 1919, The Grey serves James Beard-winning food in a restored Greyhound station, and pralines perfume River Street. Get a to-go cup and dessert-walk the squares.

Question 7

What's the deal with Savannah's to-go cup law?

Accepted Answer

Within most of the Historic District you can legally carry an open alcoholic drink in a plastic cup up to 16 ounces — bars will happily pour your beer or cocktail "to go." Stay inside the district boundary, keep it in plastic (no glass), and be 21+. It makes an evening square-stroll one of Savannah's signature pleasures.

Question 8

Are Savannah's ghost tours worth it?

Accepted Answer

Fun, yes — Savannah markets itself as "America's most haunted city," built atop its dead from yellow-fever epidemics and wars, and nighttime walking tours through the squares deliver great storytelling even for skeptics. Options run from history-forward walks to hearse-drawn theatrics and pub crawls. Book the walking kind; the squares at night are the real special effect.

Question 9

Is Tybee Island worth adding to a Savannah trip?

Accepted Answer

Yes — it's Savannah's beach town, 18 miles (about 25 minutes) east: a wide Atlantic strand, a climbable 1773-rooted lighthouse, fresh shrimp shacks and a pleasantly scruffy, un-resort vibe. A half day covers it; summer weekends jam the single access road, so go early. Dolphin cruises from the back river are a good family add-on.

Question 10

When was Savannah established?

Accepted Answer

Savannah was founded around 1733.

Question 11

What languages do people speak here?

Accepted Answer

English; Spanish is spoken by 40+ million people — dominant in parts of Miami, LA, Texas and the Southwest.

Question 12

What is Savannah known for?

Accepted Answer

Savannah is known as: America's first planned city — 22 Spanish-moss squares, Forsyth Park, River Street, ghost lore, legendary Southern food and to-go cups on the walkable Historic District grid.

Question 13

What is the nearest major airport?

Accepted Answer

Savannah Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) — about 11 km away.

Question 14

What timezone is it in?

Accepted Answer

Savannah is in the UTC-5 to UTC-10 timezone.

Savannah

Airports near Savannah

Savannah Hilton Head International Airport

Hilton Head Airport

Brunswick Golden Isles Airport

Savannah at a Glance

Nearby places to explore

Famous Places Near Savannah

Info about Savannah