Going to Savannah Georgia...

[Bob Bronow]

I'll be in Savannah for a few days at the end of the month. Are there any 'must-sees' while I'm there?

[f5loar]

Randy Wood Guitars.......... a must see. Should have a few mandos to pick on if you ask. Some nights he has bluegrass shows open to public. If you get hungry for some great homestyle soul food go to Paula Dean's downtown and her Uncle Bubba's Fish House.

[Stephen Perry]

Love's out by the Forest Gump bridge.

Ghost walk is fun, we just have the guidebook and wander around on our own.

[grassrootphilosopher]

- Tybee Island (check out the WWII fortifications)
- Ft. Sumner (where the war between the states started)
- The park and the houses that surround it (really down south style)
- Get instructed about the different building styles and see them represented in the old houses. (AFAIK no house in the city is allowed to be higher than the city hall. That makes for a nice city.)

I have been told (and from my experience that may as well be true) that apart from Charleston SC the most beautiful city of the south is Savannah GA.

[Dennis Satterlee]

If your must see list includes must pick too then I second the motion for Randy Wood's Guitars. We have a bluegrass jam session there pretty much every Saturday afternoon starting around 1 PM. Randy has 4 or 5 of his new mandolins available for test drives and Barry Kratzer always shows up with his latest Bulldog.

Dennis Satterlee

[JFDilmando]

No highjack, just some info....
Don't look for Fort Sumter (not Sumner) in Savannah... its in Charleston, SC..... Fort Pulaski IS near Savannah, and is in better state of preservation than Sumter. Robert E Lee, was engineer there before the war... many of the scenes in the recent film "The Conspirators" were filmed there by Robert Redford and crew...

[Bob Bronow]

Awesome suggestions! Thanks!

[twatso32]

Lighthouse Pizza on Tybee Island is great. Also, the best sea food is on Tybee. River Street's sea food is good, but not the best.

[Stephen Perry]

Pulaski is essential - really changed the thinking on military fortifications. Tybee lighthouse area shows the response - snad buffered forts.

[Marty Henrickson]

Any new "must-see" or "must-do's" in Savannah? I'm going next week.

[Mike Arakelian]

Having married a southern belle from Savannah, I know the city well. If you want to see the best of Savannah, find a place to park downtown somewhere near city hall and start walking. One half block to the north (toward the Savannah River) is River Street with many old cotton warehouses converted into restaurants, shops,bars, etc. This is a good place to eat or drink. To the south a block or two from Bay Street you'll start coming upon the old squares that Savannah is so famous for. The visitor center on MLK drive is a good place to start and also offers a number of tours through the city. Make sure you see Forsythe Park with its beautiful fountain, and the old colonial cemetery on Abercorn Street. Paula Dean's restaurants are OK! But very touristy IMHO. If I could only pick one or two places that I would want to eat, I'd choose Mrs. Wilke's on East Jones St. (It serves family style southern food for lunch only), and Zunzi's on E. York street for the most interesting and best sandwiches you'll ever eat. Finally if you have time, driving to and through Bonaventure Cemetery in nearby Thunderbolt, GA is worthwhile. it is the cemetery used in the movie Midnight In The Garden Of Good and Evil. You could easily spend a week in Savannah and not see everything, so good luck...I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Mike

[f5loar]

Paula Dean may be a bit on the tourist side but where else will you find a homemade ooohwe,goowe butter cake? I do suggest you order from the menu and not get the buffet. And at Uncle Bubba's I have yet to find another place that can top his char-grilled oysters. I also recommend the Back in the Day Bakery. You got to get there early to feast on the sticky buns! Great brownies too!

[belbein]

Fort Sumter (not Sumner) ... its in Charleston, SC.....

Thank you. Glad someone else reads (and remembers) history.

[Marty Henrickson]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! We are leaving Thursday morning, and heading back home on Monday. I'm looking forward to a long weekend with good food, some history, a little beach time, and maybe even some interesting music shops. We are definitely eating at Paula Deen's restaurant on Friday night, but does anyone know of a good barbecue joint in Savannah?

[barry k]

Saturday at Randy Wood guitar shop, we jam from 12:00 noon until around 5:00 sometimes......good barbeque right there too at Macs place.....attached to Randys shop and picken parlor. It on route 80, Bloomingdale , Georgia. About 4 miles west of 95 on rt 80.

[Mike Arakelian]

Savannah isn't particularly known for BBQ, but with that said, there are a couple of places you can consider. The first is The Rib Hut right on Bay Street, downtown. It's a franchise kind of place. I've never eaten there, but I suspect that it will be good. The second place is called Johnny Harris' on Victory Drive, a 5-10 minute drive from downtown. Harris' has been in Savannah forever and the BBQ is most likely good.

If you're in the historic district and looking for lunch, try Zunzi's on E. York St. For great sandwiches. Zunzi's has a lot of "Best of Savannah" awards. It has no dining room, but has a little patio adjacent for eating. Their chicken sandwich was runner up in Adam Richman's (Man V Food) for best sandwich in America.

The best breakfast on Savannah is had at Clary's Cafe on Abercorn Street in downtown. If you are going to Lady and Sons on Friday night, make your reservation now if you don't already have one. You won't get in otherwise. Call 912/233-2600. Be aware that Lady and Sons has no parking. It is street parking only, and allow yourself plenty of time to find a space as it can be a challenge.

Have a great time. Savannah is a beautiful city and I'm sure you'll love it.

Mike

[Mark Wilson]

Any new "must-see" or "must-do's" in Savannah? I'm going next week.

For me the National Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum might the best thing in Savannah. I was moved by it.

Fort Pulaski is special because it's so well preserved

Food is wonderful. I really like the restaurant in the old grocery store building. Try some 'lo country' fare to be sure. Shrimp and grits, crab cakes and such


City tour trolleys are nice for history and overview.

[Marty Henrickson]

Savannah isn't particularly known for BBQ, but with that said, there are a couple of places you can consider. The first is The Rib Hut right on Bay Street, downtown. It's a franchise kind of place. I've never eaten there, but I suspect that it will be good. The second place is called Johnny Harris' on Victory Drive, a 5-10 minute drive from downtown. Harris' has been in Savannah forever and the BBQ is most likely good.

If you're in the historic district and looking for lunch, try Zunzi's on E. York St. For great sandwiches. Zunzi's has a lot of "Best of Savannah" awards. It has no dining room, but has a little patio adjacent for eating. Their chicken sandwich was runner up in Adam Richman's (Man V Food) for best sandwich in America.

The best breakfast on Savannah is had at Clary's Cafe on Abercorn Street in downtown. If you are going to Lady and Sons on Friday night, make your reservation now if you don't already have one. You won't get in otherwise. Call 912/233-2600. Be aware that Lady and Sons has no parking. It is street parking only, and allow yourself plenty of time to find a space as it can be a challenge.

Have a great time. Savannah is a beautiful city and I'm sure you'll love it.

Mike

Mike, thanks for the food tips and the scoop on parking at Lady & Sons. I made our reservations several weeks ago. We may try Paula's brother's restaurant, as well.

Thanks also to everyone for the "to-do" tips. Sadly, I probably won't make the jam at Randy Wood's place. Saturday is our Tybee Island day. Maybe I can just leave the wife and kids on the beach........

Really looking forward to this trip! Leaving in the morning.

[Django Fret]

I'll second Mike's recommendation for Mrs. Wilke's on East Jones St. We went there last year and it is an incredible variety of traditional southern cooking served around large tables with complete strangers. The lines do form early so I would suggest getting there before the wait is too long. (I love the t-shirts the staff wears that say" If the Colonel made fried chicken this good, he would be a General.")

Also, after stuffing yourself to your stomach's content, you might want to do one of the walking tours available from the Visitor Center next to the Railroad Museum. It will help work off some of the calories and let you learn some very interesting history that the city has to offer.