Savannah had always been on my list of must-see cities in the U.S.; the idea of Savannah conjured up images of Forrest Gump eating a box of chocolates on a park bench, Scarlett O’Hara and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. But when I started planning our itinerary I realized that I really didn’t know that much about Savannah itself.

What I discovered is that the city of Savannah is indeed a gem of the American South. As Georgia’s oldest city, you’ll find romantic Antebellum architecture, historic squares and interesting history facts on (literally) every street corner; but what you’ll also find a thriving creative community and art galleries thanks to SCAD, an emerging culinary scene that has brought great restaurants to the town and a sense of unexpected modernism tucked in among the city center.

Reflecting on our trip I can say with confidence that Savannah has a clear duality to it: one side where people (tourists) maximize the ability to cruise around downtown Savannah with open containers of alcohol and patronize dueling pianos bars, and another more elegant side where locals live in balconied historic homes, the bars and restaurants are filled with visitors and locals alike enjoying good food and you feel, at times, like you’ve been transported to another era.

The joy of visiting the low country is that, even on a long weekend trip, you don’t need to be on a tight agenda to have a magical time. Some of the cobblestone streets you will walk on in the Savannah Historic District have been graced by boots for 300 years so the city takes on more of a European feel. The charm is seeping out of the mossy bricks, the patina on the wrought iron gates of historic sites and the massive live oak trees that only time can nurture.

Use the below 3-day Savannah itinerary as a rough guide but explore and ask the locals what they suggest - southerners love to give recommendations when you’re in their town!

3-DAY SAVANNAH ITINERARY

DAY ONE

Check in to the Perry Lane Hotel which, according to a fabulous couple we befriended at lunch, is the only place to stay in Savannah. After our stay, I do declare that I concur. Glasses of champagne await you upon arrival and fresh pressed coffee and bartender’s choice cocktail are offered complimentary daily. Open container is not a “thing” in Savannah so take that champagne in a sippy cup and get to exploring the Hostess City the best way - on foot.

Start by exploring the more touristy City Market and then walk along River Street where the JW Marriott has opened the adult’s version of Disneyland with the Plant Riverside District, complete with two hotels and eleven (!) restaurants. Walking distance and parallel to River Street is Bay Street, one of the town's main streets where you can soak in beautiful architecture and historic buildings during the day and get a pint and party hardy after dark.

Worthwhile visits while you’re down by the river would be The Paris Market on Broughton Street for boutique for housewares, novelties and Parisian delights, The Grove rooftop bar which is a short walk away and Vinnie Van Go-Go pizzeria for NY style slices. If you've saved space for a sweet, grab a cone at Leopold’s Ice Cream where the line often wraps around the block.

A great place for history buffs down in this part of town is the Owens-Thomas House and it's well-preserved slave quarters where guests are offered insightful guided tours.

Lunch will be nearby at Little Duck Diner to fuel more ambling around this darling city. My recommendation is to aimlessly wander the streets as you’ll find eclectic cafes, dusty antique shops, quiet galleries or spooky cemeteries on almost every corner.

If you want to be more intentional about it, the best are the ones where you walk through several of Savannah’s twenty-two squares, the main ones being Barnard St, Bull St and Abercorn St. You will fall in love with the curated landscaping, historic houses, old couples canoodling on park benches and Spanish moss hanging romantically off the live oaks, which is a quintessential Savannah sight.

Running perpendicular to the above streets is Jones Street, said to the most beautiful street in Savannah.

Happy hour will be at Perry Lane’s rooftop bar, Peregrin, which has 360 degree views of the city and prime sunset real estate. After you’ve had your cocktail shaken or stirred, head to The Grey, one of the best restaurants in town, for supper.

I heard about The Grey on Chef’s Table and here is where Mashama Bailey is cooking up modern southern fare in an old greyhound bus terminal. What I didn’t realize is that they’re only open for dinner Thursday-Saturday and brunch on Sunday so we missed our shot at a reservation. So if you find yourself in a similar situation, Common Thread is a new kid on the block that is getting great reviews amongst locals and a solid alternative.

DAY TWO

Get your caffeine fix at Savannah Coffee Roasters and start your own ambling walking tour of the streets north of Perry Street. These streets are absolutely enchanting; you’ll see locals on their way to work, shop owners opening their doors for business and the tourists start to thin.

This is a great area for antiquing and if you’re lucky, you’ll get an appointment at Alex Raskin Antiques, where timeless treasures abound in the only unrestored mansion in Savannah. One block away is Monterey Square which leads you to the Mercer-Williams House Museum where the tour of the preserved home and its antiques is highly rated.

Be sure to pass through the Colonial Park Cemetery which has been a final resting place for Americans since 1789 (fun fact: the signer of the Declaration of Independence lies here) and as well as Lafayette Square where you can see the dominating, neo-gothic Cathedral Basilica of St. John (also known as the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist).

On the other side of Lafayette Square is the Andrew Low House, which is Girl Scout founder's Juliette Gordon Low birthplace site, former lodging for Robert E. Lee during the Civil War and a home visited by many a haunted ghost tour.

A must stop is Telfair Academy, a manageable museum with an eclectic collection that includes the statue on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Whether or not you make it into a museum on this trip, you will be treated to dozens of historical markers that are positioned around the city that will give you bite sized stories about of that particular area’s significance in Savannah's history. Most historic homes played some kind of role in the American Revolution.

You’ll be ready then for brunch at Collins Quarter, a popular eatery on Bull Street where you can indulge on delightful avocado smashed toast and short rib hash.

The afternoon should be spent in Forsyth Park, 30 acres of outdoor space that is one of the best places for exercise, people watching and lazy ambling. It's a must for a first-time visitor and a great way to see Savannah off-duty. Be sure to see the park's famous fountain and pop in to the Garden of Fragrance, jam-packed with orange blossoms, jasmine, herbs and aromatic shrubs.

In retrospect, I wish we had done at least one guided tour in Savannah. Yes they are kind of touristy, but TripAdvisor will usually guide you towards the right fit and you will get to know the city on such a personal level. As Savannah is known as the most haunted city in the United States, a nighttime ghost tour is also a popular option. I personally took a hard pass on that, simply to leave any restless spirits to their own devices (plus, I probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep if my paranormal activity sensor kept going off in the old squares).

A less spooky way to pay a visit to those that came before would be a daytime visit to Bonaventure Cemetery, which was pictured on the cover Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (although as I mentioned, the statue featured on the cover is now in the Telfair Museum).

Just around the block from the Perry Lane Hotel, Savoy Society has retro, tiki-inspired decor and amazing mixologists. When we visited they were incorporating carrot juice and homemade pistachio paste into their cocktails du jour.

Follow libations with dinner at Husk, a Savannah institution serving up creative Southern-inspired fare. You’ll be happy you had brunch many hours before so you can indulge on pimento cheese-filled profiteroles, sorghum cornbread with local honey and hot fried chicken. Thank me later!

If you’re up for a night cap, the downstairs bar at The Olde Pink House is worth a visit. The Pink House is an institution in Savannah, built in 1771 and filled to the brim with out-of-towners. The food and service are subpar so camp out at the bar and enjoy the nightly live music; it’s dark and sticky enough to feel comfortable singing along to Billy Joel at the top of your lungs.

DAY THREE

Take the morning to explore any uncharted territory or revisiting any favorite lanes and line up early at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, family run southern food restaurant since 1934 and only open from 11am to 2pm (or earlier if they run out of food). 5000 Tripadvisor reviews and 4.5 stars - this is the real deal people and a marvelous last supper in Savannah.

If you have a car and a bit more time to spend, venture to Tybee Island for the beautiful beaches or Wormsloe Historic Site, which has an amazing two-mile driveway lined with live oaks and colonial ruins on the grounds.

If you’re continuing on to Charleston, pick up your rental car and jump to the Charleston Itinerary here. For seven days in Low Country, check out the 7-day road trip through Charleston and Savannah here!