Conjuring images of Southern charm, civil war history and fine culture, Savannah also has a fascinating mix of creepy undertones, centred on voodoo and ghosts. The eclectic mix of night-time attractions, including a prominent jazz and blues scene, cigar bars, piano clubs, salsa nightspots and more, will keep you up late. History-lovers will be delighted in this city; more than 1,600 structures in Savannah are registered as historical landmarks, and the downtown area is the nation's largest urban historical district.
Many of the interesting museums in the city are housed in old mansions. The Owen-Thomas House and Museum is a fine Georgian structure, designed by the prominent English architect, William Jay. The Andrew Low House, built in 1848, has hosted many important figures, including General Robert E Lee. Also of interest, the Fort Stewart Museum boasts the largest collection of captured Iraqui Indian weapons and equipment in the country.
The Historic District of the city conjures up images of the old South with its moss-draped trees, cobbled streets and entrances embellished with flowers. Savannah’s first suburb, the Victorian District is a good place to spot wood frame houses dating back to the Victorian era of the late 1800s. If you want to shop and eat, Savannah City Market has plenty of restored shops, restaurants, taverns and galleries on the site of the old city market.
There are glorious beaches just outside of town, and one of the country's finest coastal areas, Hilton Head Island, is just an hour's drive north. The Isle of Hope, 16km south of Savannah, is a charming little town sprinkled with antique and craft shops. Thirteen kilometres south of Savannah is the Skidaway Marine Science Complex, which is home to a 14-panel 45,425-litre aquarium. Exhibits include marine and plant life of the coastal shelf, and coastal archaeology and fossils of the Georgia coast.
By car from the west, use I-16 to get to the heart of Savannah. Alternatively, US 80 bisects the city from east to west. Amtrak trains provide daily service between Savannah and Atlanta, and from the capital there are rail routes to the west of the country and Chicago. Savannah Hilton Head International Airport is located just off Interstate 16, approximately 13km west of Savannah central. Many international passengers destined for Savannah will enter the country at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport.
|
