| Welcome to the City of Savannah Visitors Page
The “Hostess City” of the South invites all visitors to experience Savannah’s gorgeous historic downtown district, rich cultural and art offerings, vibrant nightlife and friendly, relaxed atmosphere. We invite you to browse our website and explore our City.
Your Best Resource for Planning a Trip
 Savannah Convention and Visitors Bureau
If Savannah’s trees could talk, the stories they’d tell…
They’d tell you about pirates and cotton and a revolutionary town plan dating to 1733. They’d tell you about a citizenry that treats hospitality as an art form, of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration that defies description, and of a city’s beauty so profound that it stopped even General William Tecumseh Sherman in his tracks.
They’d tell you about a group of women who banded together to protect this historic treasure, inventing the modern preservation movement in the process.
And then those same trees – an urban canopy unequalled in the United States – would offer a more recent story. They’d tell you about things happening on the Coast that are transforming Georgia’s first city into one of the most dynamic and creative economies in the southeast.
Behind Savannah’s historic façade are vibrant, forward-thinking residents, a progressive government, and an innovative business community. Underneath those cobblestoned streets lie 38 miles of fiber optic cable. Those jaw-dropping container ships that lumber past our picture post card waterfront? They’re headed to the fastest growing, and fourth busiest, port in the nation.
Savannah’s got a history of technological innovation – we built the first cotton gin, and the first steamship that crossed the ocean – so we’ve got it in our veins. We’re headquarters to a host of technology-related business, everything from giant Gulfstream Aerospace to smaller graphic design and software development pioneers.
We’ve become a magnet for creative talent, and why not? Art galleries are everywhere. One of the world’s most respected design schools – the Savannah College of Art and Design – calls us home. The Savannah Music Festival has grown into one of the largest and most diverse music festivals on the East Coast. The Times of London placed it on its list of “The best events around the world in 2009” – the only event in the United States to make the cut.
Artists, musicians and writers have long been a fan of our jewel box squares and seductive coastline, serving as the muse for many accomplished creative practitioners. Johnny Mercer, of “Moon River” fame, was a native and is buried at Bonaventure Cemetery surrounded by his lyrics engraved in stone. Writers Conrad Aiken and Flannery O’Conner both hailed from here. Fascinating artists discover the Savannah muse each year.
Savannah’s charm is something out of a fairytale – it’s the most beautiful city in the nation. We’re not just saying that – we’ve actually earned the bragging rights on this one. USA Weekend Magazine declared Savannah one of the “top 10 Most Beautiful Places in America.” The New York Times named us one of the “World’s Top Ten Trendy Travel Hot Spots.” Conde Nast Traveler picked us as a “Top 10 U.S City to Visit.” Southern Living placed us as second on its “Best Southern City” list. And Outlook Magazine called us one of the “Top 25 Places to Live& Work.”
When you’re in Savannah, you know it. The City’s character has ripened over time by looking to our heritage – honoring and loving it – then driving change to realize dreams. Our gnarled, twisting trees – some hundreds of years old – have witnessed this change, but remain firmly rooted in our community’s history. If they could talk, these trees would spin remarkable tales of Savannah’s past. But they would tell even better stories about what lies ahead.
Getting Here
 Amtrak
 Greyhound
 Savannah Airport
 Return to top
Getting Around
 Free Fare Downtown Shuttle (DOT)
 Free CAT Free Fare Downtown Shuttle
 Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
 Downtown Restrooms (pdf)
 Bicycle Routes
 Public Docks
 Coffee Bluff Marina (Municipal)
 Return to top
Parking Information for Visitors
 Mobility and Parking Services Department
 ParkSmart Downtown Guide
 Smart Card – Prepaid Parking Cards
 Visitor’s Parking Day Pass
 City Parking Garages
 Return to top
Motorists in the Downtown area
Beware of Pedestrians - Savannah’s downtown is a “walkable” area and there are many pedestrians. It’s the law in Georgia, when a pedestrian displays an intention to cross the street by stepping off a curb, motorist must stop and stay stopped to allow the pedestrian to cross. Motorists approaching crosswalks with pedestrians in them must stop and stay stopped, not just yield to them. Crosswalks exist on all four corners of most intersections in Georgia, whether or not they are marked by painted lines.
Driving around Squares – Motorists must yield to other cars and pedestrians when entering and driving around the squares.
Make sure it’s a two-way street – Several of downtown Savannah’s roads are one-way only. Please use a good driving map and be aware of all street signs.
Free Wi Fi Access
The City of Savannah has partnered with Seimitsu to offer free Wi Fi via “surfsavannah.” Outside areas that are wired include River Street, Bay Street, Reynolds Square, Ellis Square, Franklin Square and the South End of Forsyth Park near the Forsyth Fort Café as well as along Martin Luther King Boulevard from Victory Drive to River Street. Users are required to register and usage limit is 2 hours per day.
Visitors with extended stays may purchase unlimited Wi Fi service for 30 days for $10 at the Seimitsu office at 1523 Bull Street (32nd street and Bull). Call 525-0345 for more information. Service is limited to the above areas of downtown Savannah.
For a guide to other free Wi Fi hotspots throughout the entire City, visit savannahwifi.com.
 Return to top
Things to Do & Places to Go
 Art, Culture and Recreation
 Savannah’s Historic City Squares, Parks, Monuments and Cemeteries
 Savannah Sand Gnats (Minor league baseball team)
 Savannah Civic Center
 Chatham County Public Libraries
 Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah
 Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens
 Marine Education Center and Aquarium
 Skidaway Island State Park
 Wormsloe Historic Site
 Tybee Island, “Savannah’s Beach”: City of Tybee
 Return to top
|