savannah

A Beautiful Day Spent In Historic Savannah, Georgia – Day 181

No trip to Coastal Georgia would be complete without spending some time in Savannah, Georgia.

And after a couple of days of constant rain, we welcomed the sunshine and headed to explore the city.

Because we only had one full day to enjoy the sights and sounds of Savannah, we decided to start off by taking a Trolley Tour.

the waving girl
The waving girl statute sits right on the riverfront. It was said that this girl would wave to all of the boats that would come into the port of Savannah.

We typically steer away from these type of tours. However, because Savannah is so rich in history, and is spread out quite a bit from end to end, we thought a tour would be a great starting point.

In addition, the Savannah Trolley Tour gives you an opportunity to hop on and off at 15 different stopping points.

A Day Spent in Savannah

We decided to spend the first hour on the trolley so we could get an overview of the historic district.

Built across 2.5 square miles, this area was created in a grid formation. All together, there were a total of 24 original squares drawn out through the district.

savannah square
Most of the 22 squares have at least one monument in honor of someone significant to Savannah’s history.

Each square would have a common, park like area in the center. Then on the north and south sides of each square, houses were built for the residents. On the flip side, the east and west sides were built for commerce.

Today, 22 of those squares still exist. Although they all have been dedicated to an important person or family in history, not all of them have a monument or statue in the center of the park.

Even more, some of the squares can be home to several monuments and historic markers – but relating to another person with another square! It honestly makes for a bit of fun trying to figure it all out.

“Forest Gump” Square

forest gump square
Here is the exact location of where Forest Gump was sitting on a bench waiting for the bus.

But the most famous square of all is Chippewa Square. And one of the reasons it is so famous is because it is a famous sport for the movie Forest Gump. In fact, it is the exact spot where the bench was located while Forest talked to anyone that would listen while waiting for the bus. It was here of course where the “Life is like a box of chocolates” line became famous.

The funny thing is however,, if you have ever been to Savannah, you notice quickly that the one way street around the square is actually flowing in the wrong direction in the movie. They actually changes the pattern just for the filming.

red phone booth
Here is the famous red telephone booth that Julia Roberts once stood in for yet another movie filmed in Savannah.

There are several other movies that have been filmed in the area as well, including Something To Talk About. Julia Robert stood in an iconic red telephone booth, which still remains on the corner next to Six Pence Pub today.

Canal Market

savannah canal market
A trip to Canal Market will leave your belly satisfied and all your shopping needs met.

We continued our travels around the historic district and got off the trolley at Canal Market. Here you can shop for anything that you can think of and dine with just about every cuisine imaginable.

If you were ever a food network junkie, you can even shop and eat at Paula Deen’s famous restaurant, The Lady and Sons. The choices are near endless. And if you happen to be thirsty, Savannah even allows you to walk around the town with a spirited beverage.

lady and sons
Paula Deen’s restaurant, The Lady and Sons, sits just on the edge of the Canal Market.

But the best part of the canal market by far is that it helps truly keep the historic vibe and feel of Savannah alive and thriving.

Forsyth Park

Our final visit after lunch was to Forsyth Park. This 30-acre park in the middle of the city is where the community can enjoy a large green space with plenty of walking paths, playground, and sports complexes.

And lucky for us, today they were turning the water in the famous Forsyth Fountain green in preparation for their St. Patrick’s Day celebration next week.

green fountain
One of the most photographed structures in Savannah is the Fountain at Forsyth Park. And today was no exception as they turned the water green in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day.

You may or may not know it, but Savannah has a huge Irish influence. In fact, Savannah is home to the 2nd largest St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in the country.

After our trip to Forsyth Park, we took some time to walk around and take in the beauty of historic Savannah. The live oak trees canopied every street, and the azaleas were in full bloom.

savannah's beauty
Live oak trees and azaleas line almost every street and every park in Savannah.

From historical churches to beautiful homes, the entire area was absolutely stunning. Although the scenery is something that no camera can accurately capture. You really have to see it to believe it!

Happy Traveling! Jim and Mary

CURRENT TRIP STATUS TO DATE:

  • Day 181 of 365
  • States : 23/50
  • National Parks / Monuments : 21
  • Stayed In : Okatie, South Carolina
  • Miles Driven : 97.8
  • Total Trip Miles To Date : 19,155.4
  • Total Gallons Used : 1,368.24
  • Biking Miles : 0.0
  • Biking Miles To Date : 186.7
  • Hiking Miles : 4.5
  • Hiking Miles To Date : 415.6

On September 9th, 2019, we set out in our NuCamp T@B 400 Teardrop Camper to travel to every state. You can check out all of our dates here : Dates for the States

You can follow along by signing up for our twice weekly email updates at the bottom of the page. You can also follow us on Facebook : Live Simple Tour Facebook and Instagram : Live Simple Now Instagram Page.

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