My Savannah

My Savannah from Erin Scott on Vimeo.

AAA Motorclub's magazine, Westways gave a page in the March/April edition for visiting Savannah.  They title is Big City on a Budget.  So much has been written on the squares, stellar example of city planning and how it's a great place for pedestrians, that it's no surprise that the article talks no money fun by  taking a "stroll through any of the city's 22 enchanting squares".  The article then goes on to reference "the book" Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (something I would advise against with locals).  It's a great pre-destination read and a preparatory for the feel and pace of Savannah, but most of those characters/people have move on and there is always a whole set of new, just as quirky ones to meet on your strolls or crawl home from bar close.

Since this is a tourist article, there are references to the numerous walks and tours, recommending a ghost walk.  I have over heard many and been on one that one of my students led. They are lots of fun and something you should do when visiting one of the most haunted cities in America!  Also recommended is the Ogelthorpe Trolly Tour but if you're there to walk, I just don't see the fun of sucking in gasoline fumes on a fancified bus.  I have however, when playing tourist in my town, taken a group horse drawn carriage ride, which was very enjoyable and interesting and somehow felt less touristy.  Word to the wise-look out for girl scouts that invade the area as it's the birthplace of Juliet Gordon Low, the organization's founder.

I am in complete agreement that a visit to the Telfair Museum is not to be missed and the $20 admission price is fair in that it gets you into all three properties and use within a week of purchase.  Besides the galleries all over downtown, the newer edition of the Jepson has contemporary works, while you get a taste of the old with the other two properties.

If following the article on where to stay and eat, one would think the writer didn't leave Bay Street (Inn at Ellis Square and Mulberry Inn and B.Matthew's Eatery).  I look forward to trying B.Matthew's on my next return to the fair city, but also now know the chef and have a need to taste, 17 Hundred 90 Inn and Restaurant. My last visit had me at my old haunts for drinking and some eating- The Rail, Bar Bar, Sixpence, and Churchill's, Pinky Master's and the American Legion Hall. New to me but old and spruced up was the Olde Pink House- where I shared an surprisingly filling cheese platter and appetizer. For pizza, there seems to be two camps, but I always hit up both-The Mellow Mushroom and Vinnie Van Gogo's. For burger's my date preferred to eat at Five Guys, but I still like B&D Burger for the choices and sweet potato tater tots!

Savannah also has issues with the eateries coming and going and evolving into something else--one bar is still referred to as the Velvet Elvis even though it's had a different name since around 2002! One of those great places that closed was Carlito's Cuban Cabana on Whitaker, tried a great tasting platter and never got back to sample their interpretation of paella.  Beyond that, date wasn't trying it- so I had to put it off--there are a number of Thai Restaurants on Broughton that I hope will be there on a return visit.

AAA also says there are free maps from your auto club branch but all the information as well as parking passes for downtown on street parking is at the Visitor Information Center on MLK. _______________________ _________________________________