3 Days in Savannah, GA: Weekend Itinerary
Charming houses, diverse cuisine, Spanish moss-covered trees, boutiques, and nearby beaches—all this makes Savannah, Georgia an ideal vacation destination.
Because of its plethora of students (thanks to the Savannah College of Art and Design), the city has a young, hip vibe. There’s no shortage of thrift/vintage shops, as well as plant-based food and street art vendors.
I’m a travel blogger, and I recently spent a few days in Savannah with my family. Here’s the itinerary we followed.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I may earn a small commission on any purchases through these links, at no extra cost to you. This income keeps my blog running and is much appreciated!
Is 3 Days Enough in Savannah?
Savannah is a mid-sized and highly-walkable city, with a population just shy of 150,000. You could visit the city itself in a day, but you’ll want at least a day or two for the surrounding attractions.
Including travel time, my family spent around four nights and days in Savannah, and it felt like just enough time to get to know the city and nearby area.
If you only have a weekend, I would recommend skipping Day 2 of the itinerary (Hilton Head Island), unless you’re particularly fond of beaches. Hilton Head is extremely popular, but there are plenty of beach towns/islands, and the other sights near Savannah are more unique.
Map of this 3-Day Savannah Itinerary
Here’s a map of the itinerary, which is color-coded by day. You can click the top left icon to see a breakdown of the different days.
Day 1: Explore the City
- Forsyth Park
- Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
- Historic Squares
- Broughton Street
- River Street and Generator Hall
- Prohibition Museum
Day 2: Lounge at the Beach
- Hilton Head Island
Day 3: Visit Historic Sites
- Wormsloe Historic Site
- Bonaventure Cemetery
- Tybee Island
3-Day Itinerary for Savannah, Georgia
Day 1: Explore the City
Start your day at Forsyth Park, which is like the Central Park of Savannah. Stroll under the Spanish moss-covered trees, relax on the lawn, or play tennis in the public courts.
The Fountain at Forsyth Park is one of the most iconic Savannah sites, and you’ll want to stop and snap a few photos here. There are also often talented, local artists selling their work near the fountain.
On Saturdays, there’s a farmer’s market with produce and prepared food. It’s small but fun to check out—my family bought a cool mushroom medley and a huge vegan, gluten-free cookie.
From there, wander over to Amethyst Garden Inn for some cool shots of this bright purple Victorian home. The house was built in the late 1800s and is a top-rated bed and breakfast in current times.
It’s then a short walk to Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, which is a beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral.
If you like bookstores, be sure to stop by E Shaver Booksellers, which has a wide range of classics and popular new reads. They have cute cats wandering around, as well as a typewriter where you can write a note and leave it in on the wall.
As you’re walking through the city, be sure to meander at one of Savannah’s 22 squares. Many have monuments, fountains, and benches. In fact, Forrest Gump’s bench was in Chippewa Square, which is just a few blocks from the cathedral and bookstore. While the bench was just a movie prop, you can visit the monument in the background of the film scenes.
You’re in the heart of the city when you make it to Broughton Street, which is bustling with restaurants and boutiques. Try the super-popular Leopold’s Ice Cream, which even has vegan options, and drop by The Paris Market for antiques and charming housewares. For secondhand clothing, Avalon Exchange had the best prices and the largest selection of the handful of thrift/vintage shops I visited in Savannah.
Another street you’ll want to walk down is the historic River Street. This cobblestone street along the river is lined with candy shops (including the famous pralines!) and souvenir shops.
Walk all the way to Savannah’s Plant Riverside District, which is in the West end of River Street. This area is known for its restaurants, art galleries, bars, and live performances. A cool, free spot is Generator Hall in JW Marriott Plant Riverside. It features a hanging metallic dinosaur skeleton and beautiful geodes. It can be a little confusing to find, so definitely ask the front desk if you get lost.
To wrap up your busy day, visit the Prohibition Museum. This is the first and only museum dedicated to the history of Prohibition, when alcohol was banned from 1920-1933. There are artifacts, info panels, wax figures, and more. I visited and had fun learning a lot; here’s my review. The museum is located in the historic center known as City Market, and there are plenty of local shops and restaurants to explore as well.
If you’re looking for restaurant recs, my family really liked Flying Monk Noodle Bar, which has delicious Asian fusion dishes. For a totally vegan spot, try Fox & Fig Cafe, which has an impressive charcuterie board. We didn’t get it because it was on the pricier side, but it would’ve been a great dish to share between two people since it was a good amount of food.
Day 2: Lounge at the Beach
One of Savannah’s perks is its proximity to beaches. Hilton Head, a popular beach destination, is only a 40-minute drive from Savannah. On Hilton Head, you can go swimming, golfing, biking, shopping, and more.
Spend the morning at the beach and then grab a bite to eat nearby. Because there weren’t great veggie options, my brother and I actually went to Java Burrito in The Village at Wexford, which is a small shopping area with local stores.
Java Burrito is a similar concept to Chipotle, but so much tastier, in my opinion. I got an Impossible Meat bowl and I loved the mango salsa. We liked it so much that wanted to go back to their other location in Savannah, but they were closed the day we tried.
From there, many folks like to go to Harbour Town, which is the most popular marina on the island. It’s part of the gated Sea Pines community, and entry is $9 per car. Once you’re there, you can visit the lighthouse, go shopping, listen to live music, or do watersports.
My family didn’t go to Harbour Town since it’s on the very end of the island, and we were running short on time. Instead, we visited the Sea Pines Forest Preserve, which is still part of the gated community, but is full of nature. There are around 2 miles of walking paths in this protected wildlife habitat, which is marshy and forested.
Day 3: Visit Historic Sites
Start your last day by driving around 15 minutes to Wormsloe Historic Site. This former plantation is known for its 1.5-mile drive lined with live oaks. Admission is $11.25 for adults, and once you’re inside, there are miles of easy trails, and old settlement area with a small house, and a visitor center with a free film and restrooms.
Wormsloe feels more like a state park than a historic site, and there’s unfortunately not much information about the people who were enslaved here. If you want more history, I recommend Mcleod Plantation near Charleston, as the guides are extremely knowledgeable, and you can see the old plantation home and cabins.
One quick tip is that the live oak driveway at Wormsloe is extremely bumpy, so be prepared if you get carsick easily.
Also, the nature paths at Wormsloe aren’t super interesting, in my opinion. My family accidentally went on a 2-mile loop, and while it was pleasant, the scenery wasn’t super impressive or anything. I’d recommend sticking to the main points of interest unless you’re looking to get more steps in.
After exploring Wormsloe, drive back to the outskirts of Savannah to walk through Bonaventure Cemetery. Cemeteries may not be your idea of fun, but Bonaventure is a historic cemetery from the 1800s full of impressive monuments, beautiful flowers, and Spanish moss-covered trees.
While we just walked through on our own, I think a tour would’ve made things more interesting. This tour in particular is known for sharing many interesting stories, the history of the cemetery, as well as symbolism of the architecture.
If you still have energy, go catch the sunset at Tybee Island. This small barrier island is known for its white sand beaches, war history, and lighthouse museum.
For an interesting and scary fact, the US Army actually lost a 7,600-pound nuclear bomb near Tybee Island in 1958 (it’s now known as the Tybee Bomb). Basically, a fighter jet collided into the bomber plane during a training exercise, and the bomber dropped the bomb in the ocean to avoid a potential explosion. The Navy searched for 10 weeks, but never found the bomb.
This information may make or break your decision to go to Tybee, depending on how risk-averse you are haha, or how interested you are in war history (there’s also a Civil War fort you can visit near the island).
Tybee Island has plenty of more lighthearted things to do as well, including this dolphin tour that picks you up in Savannah and takes you around Tybee Island by trolley and boat.
My family didn’t go to Tybee, but it’s on our list for if we visit Savannah again (we would love to go again).
Where to Stay in Savannah
Where I stayed: We spent around $600 for 4 nights in a 2-bed apartment about 1 mile from downtown Savannah. We went in early January, so keep in mind that costs are higher in the warmer months.
The company that runs the apartment rental also has a hotel in downtown Savannah that may have better prices, depending on the room you book.
Pro tip: if you see something you like on Airbnb, but it’s clearly run by a hotel or agency, look up the company on Google. We saved a few hundred dollars by booking the Savannah apartment on their website instead of Airbnb. I linked the direct website above to save you money, even though it’s not an affiliate link. If you stay there and enjoy it and want to contribute back to this site, you’re always welcome to buy me a virtual coffee.
Other options:
Bellwether House—This luxury bed and breakfast is located in a historic mansion just a few blocks from Forsyth Park. The food they offer is locally-sourced with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. You not only get breakfast, but also afternoon tea. Note that all guests must be 21+ to stay.
Cozy cottage off Forsyth Park—This 1-bed apartment is right next to the famous Forsyth Park, and it has a fully-equipped kitchen, as well as a garden.
The Thunderbird Inn—This 1964 roadside motel has modern amenities with a retro vibe. You’ll be a 5-minute walk from Savannah’s historic district, and you’ll have access to free pastries and popcorn.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments! If you’re also considering Savannah for a trip, you may want to read my comparison of Charleston vs. Savannah.
