Southern Charm Part 2

After 3 days in Charleston, we jumped in the car and drove the 90 minutes from the Palmetto state to the Peach State. We began our time in Georgia in Savannah, a city I have been itching to visit for a long time. Generally, Savannah lived up to expectations, especially in the beauty department with the Spanish Moss practically dripping off the oaks. However, two days was plenty of time in the city since there’s not a ton of attractions and the food options didn’t wow us. Savannah is considered one of the most haunted cities in America and Brian begrudgingly missed out on a ghost tour because his girlfriend was admittedly too scared. Add a ghost tour onto my list below if you won’t have nightmares like I would. Here’s the skinny on our non-frightening time in Savannah:

Accomodations

The Brice: This recently opened Kimpton hotel was a 180 from our historic hotel in

Happy hour at The Brice

Charleston. We loved the decor and the good location but we were underwhelmed with the housekeeping and the lack of concierge help. The best part about staying at a Kimpton is the 5pm complimentary happy hour and, if the weather had been better, we would have loved to drink our wine in the inner courtyard. Bring a bathing suit for warm weather and enjoy your stay! http://www.bricehotel.com/

Food

The Olde Pink House: One of Savannah’s most famous and haunted establishments was a must do during our stay. The staff was very knowledgeable about the history of the house and the ghosts that still loom in the different rooms. Brian ate their signature crispy scoured flounder and the “BLT” salad which was featured on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever ate. He thought they were both very good although maybe did not live up to those superlatives. My shrimp and grits were delicious! Reservations can be hard to get but you can eat at the tavern downstairs, featuring a nightly piano player, or the side bar without planning ahead. You also have access to roam around the entire house after your meal. http://www.plantersinnsavannah.com/the-olde-pink-house/

The Olde Pink House is really pink!

J. Christophers: A good brunch joint that had a lot of omelette options. No reservations necessary and right in the middle of the city. http://www.jchristophers.com/

The Florence: As devoted Top Chef fans, I wanted us to try Hugh Acheson’s new digs in Savannah. I knew I’d have a hard time because it’s an Italian restaurant, but we were both underwhelmed with our meal. Brian liked his entree of cider glazed pork ribs, but the meatball starter was blah and his cannoli dessert, which the waitress claimed was her favorite, was so bad, with filling bordering on sour (like it had been sitting out for a couple hours), that it’s the only cannoli Brian has ever not finished. Our only disappointing meal of the trip. http://theflorencesavannah.com/

Back in the Day Bakery: Off the beaten track bakery that our friends from Atlanta told us we couldn’t leave Savannah without visiting. We got the last Star Brownie only 2 hours after the bakery opened, so go first thing in the morning to try every option on the menu. http://www.backinthedaybakery.com/

Savannah Dan

What to Do

Savannah Dan: If there’s anyone who embodies Savannah, it’s this tall man in a seersucker suit. He was hysterical and knowledgeable all at the same time. Dan took us through 6 of the 24 squares that are laid out proportionally throughout the city. He provided us with fun facts like that Georgia was originally a free state without any slavery and he pointed out that bench where Forrest Gump intoned that “Life is like a box of chocolates…” doesn’t even exist. There are so many tours to choose from but this is the one to go on! http://www.savannahdan.com/

We made it to all 24 squares!

 

 

 

 

Mercer Williams House: I read about half of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt and we watched the Clint Eastwood movie before we left, so we wanted to see the home that was the scene of the murder from the story. The tour was short and the guide highlighted all the amazing antiques that Jim Williams accumulated but we really wanted to hear about the murder and all the parties that he threw there. http://www.mercerhouse.com/

Spanish Moss

Bonaventure Cemetery: It’s a little bit of a drive out of the city and it probably would have been better for us if we had gone on a tour but it was still a spectacular place. We spent time in the Jewish section and then we wove our way through the historic section. Some of the gravestones were so ornate! The setting is beautiful, right on the water, but don’t expect to find the Bird Girl statue from the cover of Midnight; it has a new home in the Telfair Museum of Art. http://www.bonaventurehistorical.org/

From Savannah we drove the long and boring ride 4 hour ride to Atlanta. It was well worth it though because we were thrilled to spend New Year’s with the Friedmans and have them show us around their city.

Georgia Aquarium: Buy your tickets online ahead of time for a discounted price to America’s largest aquarium. This place is huge. We missed the dolphin show but Mike, Dayna, and their 3 year old Blake assured us that it was pretty impressive. It was amazing to see the whale sharks and manta rays because of their size and I loved seeing the Beluga whales. Definitely give yourself plenty of time to check out every exhibit and go either as soon as it’s opening or a couple hours before closing. You should grab lunch at The Varsity, the world’s largest drive-in restaurant and an Atlanta staple for the past 87 years! http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum: Well it’s really not a complete trip unless we can squeeze some presidential history in. Carter may not be the most interesting president, but his museum was very well done. We enjoyed watching the introductory video and I really appreciated learning about his early life and grassroots campaigning. The most informative exhibit was about the Camp David Accords which is certainly the highlight of his career as president. http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/

 

 

 

 

 

And then we had to board a plane back to chilly NYC. Good times, good food and good friends made for an amazing Southeastern vacation. If this trip is any indication of the upcoming year, then 2015 is going to be wonderful.