It’s easy for us Texans to get caught up in our Southern pride in our own rich history and traditions. We do have neighbors to the east, though…They call themselves The Deep South. There’s no place like Georgia to teach us all a thing or two about what it means to be truly southern.
Savannah is steeped in history (really, when was the last time you saw a building more than 100 years old in your neighborhood?), and we promise, the kids will love it.
For lodging, try the ideally situated and family friendly River Street Inn as your base for this trip. (Many of Savannah’s historic hotels and B&Bs do not allow young children, so enquire before booking at other establishments, and don’t let that deter you from the city, in general.) The riverfront, historic district location puts you in close proximity to some of Savannah’s can’t-miss sights. The hotel also touts a Family Fun package that makes setting your Savannah itinerary even easier.
First on the agenda: Get the lay of the land on an historic trolley tour. Old Savannah Tours offers an on/off tour that hits hot spots like the Telfair Museum of Art, and allows you to stretch your legs and roam around wherever and whenever you choose. Just hop back on the next trolley and continue your journey. Old Savannah also features Ghost Tours for an evening outing. In a city with such a storied history, you can be sure there’ll be no shortage of haunted settings to give you the creeps.
Is there a Girl Scout in our household? Just down the street from River Street Inn, you’ll find the birthplace of the Girl Scouts’ founder, Juliette Gordon Low. Tours of the 1821 home run daily (except Wednesdays between November and February), and your girls will get a taste of what scouting was like in its infancy.
While the girls are exploring the Gordon Low house is an excellent time for the boys to visit Old Fort Jackson, one of the nation’s oldest fortifications. Fort Jackson served as a headquarters for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, and cannon firings during the summer months are a big attraction.
When roaming around leaves you famished, a quick stroll down River Street finds you at River House Seafood and Bakery. In any coastal town, the seafood is almost certainly superior, but River House’s pride and joy is its bakery. Don’t leave without sampling their tried and true chocolate cheesecake.
