Top Free Things to do in Savannah Georgia
Its no doubt that Savannah, GA is a beautiful city filled with history! Savannah, GA is a must visit place in the United States and I’d recommend adding it to your travel bucket list (especially if you love history and/or night life)! Depending on the time of year or even the week, Savannah can get expensive when it comes to hotels! I spent a weekend here, and hotel prices were insane! I decided to compile a list of the best free things to do in Savannah that should appeal to anyone’s taste and of course help the budget! I enjoyed my weekend there and can’t wait to go back!
Explore River Street
River Street is a very well known area of Savannah and is a must see when in the city! The streets of cobble stone lined with shops, restaurants and historic buildings with beautiful views of the Savannah River makes this area one of the best to wander! It’s important to note that Savannah allows you to walk around with drinks and every place offers drinks to go, so you can literally drink and walk around River Street. To get down to River Street you take some historic steps down to the street. From there you can walk through souvenir shops, candy shops, and other clothing shops. You can take in the views of the river by sitting by the river or walking along the shops or by finding a rooftop bar. There are many restaurants and bars along River Street but they do get very busy and some of the best eats are further in the city. Visit during the day and then back at night for the best experience. River Street and the historic steps looks a little creepy at night (especially if you visit at night as a part of a ghost tour, which is a cost, but I highly recommend).
Here’s what I’d do on River Street:
-Stop at Wet Willies and get a Daquri to keep you cool while walking
-Or if you don’t want a drink, stop into Black Rifle Coffee and get a delicious coffee (discounts for Military, Police, and Medical employees)! Also shop at Nine Line Apparel next door.
-Look around Savannah’s Candy Kitchen (listed below)
-Browse through the many souvenir shops
-Walk along the river and check out memorials along the way
-Go into the JW Marriott to see exhibits and then head up to the rooftop bar/lounge for amazing views of the river (also listed below)
Enjoy a Free Praline to Sample at Savannah’s Candy Kitchen
In 1979 Savannah’s Candy Kitchen was opened on River Street. Using family recipes, the candy store quickly became popular for their Pecan Pralines, Hand Rolled Pecan Logs, Glazed Pecans, Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle, Divinity Candy and Turtle Gophers. Today many people visit Savannah’s Candy Kitchen on River Street (and I was one of them)! All of the candy looks delicious, and they have so much to choose from, you can even see some of the candy being made, and one of the best parts is that you can get a free Praline Sample when visiting! Definitely stop by while walking down River Street!
See Dinosaur Exhibits at the JW Marriott
The JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District is a new hotel located right on River Street and on the river front. This hotel used to be a power plant, and still represents this with the two smoke stacks still in tact. This Marriott Category 7 hotel is very pricey to stay at, but if you are not looking to stay here, it is still worth the visit! The hotel’s Generator Hall has a lobby full of exhibits of Dinosaur Bones, fossils and crystals, as well as a 135ft chrome dipped dinosaur and the world’s largest nugget of Copper. This is a great free thing to check out and is great for families too!
Take in the Views at a Rooftop Bar/Lounge
Above the JW Marriott is the Electric Moon Skytop Lounge + Moon Deck. This is a great place to check out as the bar and lounge is located right next to the smoke stacks, with a great view of the Savannah River! They offer food and drinks, and it’s free to go up there (at least it was during the day). The rooftop bar/lounge boasts beautiful river views where you can watch boats and cargo ships float by, as well as a slide and outdoor game area with views of the city. The earlier you visit, the less likely that there will be lines. I visited on a Friday around 3pm and there was no wait to go up, and I got a seat right along the railing closest to the river. When I walked by on Saturday around 2pm, there was a line to go up the elevator.
Walk Savannah’s Historic Squares
Savannah’s historic district is home to 22 historic squares with historic statues and memorials all shaded by huge live oak trees and surrounded by churches, historic homes, inns and museums. By walking around to these different squares you can learn about different pieces of Savannah’s history and really explore Savannah. These squares are also great places to just hang out or have a picnic!
One of the best ways to walk through Savannah’s Historic Squares is with a free walking tour. I booked a free walking tour with Free Savannah Tours and I loved learning so much history about Savannah on this hour and a half walking tour. They have at least 2 tours per day (typically 10:30am and 12:00pm) and they are $2.85 per person to book for taxes only and then you tip based on how much value you got out of the tour. I HIGHLY recommend doing this tour because you will learn a lot of history, and tour the city in a safe group environment.
Enjoy the Fountain at Forsyth Park
A major photo op in Savannah is the Fountain at Forsyth Park! Forsyth Park is located in the South Historic District of Savannah and is a mile walk from River Street. It’s worth the visit to see the beautiful fountain and enjoy the park, and if you take the free walking tour this will be your final stop of the tour! This is a popular tourist attraction as well as a place for weddings and photo shoots. When I went back for a second time to the fountain to get some insta pictures I there were 4 different weddings happening in this park at once and one section of the fountain was closed off for a wedding. If you want the fountain with the least amount of people I recommend going early in the morning!
Take a drive to Tybee Island
If you have a car and the time, take a drive to Tybee Island. Its about a 30 minute drive from River Street but its a great way to escape the city and have a relaxing day on the beach. While you are there you can see the light house and explore Fort Pulaski National Monument ($10 per person, Military free). Unfortunately I did not have time to visit Tybee Island since I only really got one full day in Savannah, but I plan on visiting the next time I go!
Enjoy Live Music
Savannah, GA has a great night life and many bars to hop around to. Many of these bars have live music (especially during the early evening). I stopped into a place while walking by just because I heard a beautiful voice! I ended up staying there until the artist was done singing and chatted with her for a little. Many other places had live musicians and vocalists as well. One great place for some live music is the basement of Olde Pink House (sounds sketchy I know, but its not).
A Little History: The Olde Pink house is one of Savannah’s premier dinning establishments. It was built in 1771 with it’s main structure made of red brick, which were then plastered over with white plaster. Overtime, the the red bricks bled through the plaster, giving the house a pink hue, which the owners constantly tried to paint over. In the 1920s a woman bought the house to open a tea room and decided to paint the whole house pink to ovoid having to repaint, now the house is known for its pink color.
Dining at the Olde Pink House was booked out for a month and a half but if you go 30 minutes before opening you can be put on a walk up wait list for lunch or if you go 30 minutes before dinner time you can join the walk up wait list for dinner (this includes dinner inside the main part of the house or the lounge area in the basement which serves the full food menu). I opted for the lounge for the atmosphere and live jazz duo! I joined the waitlist and was able to get a seat within an hour. Another tip is if you show up late in the night, there is more likely to be seating (especially in the lounge).
So there it is
My list of the top free things to do in Savannah, GA. I only had an afternoon and one full day in Savannah and still managed to see the city as well as many free activities! In my next post I will create a 1 day in Savannah Itinerary, that should help you plan your trip to Savannah with some tips I learned from my trip! Even though I was only there a short time, I loved Savannah and can’t wait to go back!
