Savannah Vacation News

A Really Bad Savannah Film Festival

Still a few days left to view the a handful of the remaining 16 films in the way of Indie films, fringe films and like in downtown Savannah at the Savannah Pyschotronic Film Festival. Check out the News Team television report earlier this month.

It's a different kind of film festival for a different kind of audience. For the past eight years, the Psychotronic Film Society of Savannah has served as the area's only not-for-profit film society dedicated to screening cult, indie, experimental and fringe cinema from around the world.

Jim Reed, Director of the Psychotronic Film Festival of Savannah, joins News 3's Kim Gusby with details. The 9th Annual Savannah Psychotronic Film Festival will take place January 22 - 28, 2012 at Muse Arts Warehouse. 16 great movies from around the world will be screened over 7 days - including Sneak Previews of brand-new films not yet released in theaters, little-known “lost” movies from decades past and bona fide Cult Classics. Ticket Prices: Single Films=$9 ea. / Day Passes (Mon.–Fri.)=$15 ea. / (Sat. or Sun.)=$22 ea. 

Polar Bear Plunges in the Lowcountry

From the sandy shores of Sullivans Island facing across Charleston Harbor to Historic Fort Sumter, south to the also not overly cool waters off of coastal Georgia’s favorite beach, Savannah Beach better known asTybee Island, New Year’s Day 2012, saw a record number of polar bear plungers with 5000+ combined participants at each event. The Savannah Morning News and the Charleston City News document each chilly venue’s event.

One world record enthusiastically — and unofficially — obliterated. Aided by sunny skies with temperatures near 70, organizers of the annual Tybee Island polar bear plunge counted more than 2,000 good-natured folk willing to don swim caps to break a Guinness World Record. Once corralled and counted shortly after noon Sunday, they plunged into the 57-degree water to the strains of Queen's "We Are The Champions" echoing from the Tybee pier. The Guinness challenge also served as a fundraiser for the Tybee Post Theater. Funds from registration will help pay for new restrooms and air conditioning at the theater, but Jim Kluttz, president of the board of Friends of Tybee Theater, said the main reason was even simpler.

Sunday’s Polar Plunge on Sullivan’s Island drew hundreds of people who wanted to ring in the New Year with a dip in the not-quite-icy waters of the Atlantic. Hosted by Dunleavy’s Pub and benefiting the Special Olympics, the afternoon plunge featured revelers of all ages dressed up as everything from cops in cutoffs to giant solo cups diving into the sea. Everyone enjoyed splashing around, from kids and parents to dogs and the still-drunk-from-the-night-before.

Celebrate Black History, Winter 2012

If researching your West African roots is your idea of time well spent on a getaway road trip worth taking, the lowcountry roads that run through coastal Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina may provide just the fact filled glimpse into daily life in Colonial era America that will set you free. The 30 mile wide swath of the Gullah Geechee Corridor that extends from Wilmington, North Carolina all the way down to St. Augustine, Florida is the ticket. Visiting historic districts like those found on Daufuskie Island or Sapelo Island's Hog Hammock in Low Country Georgia alone features a weekend to "live like a local" in a rich cultural environment of living the unpretentious good life among nature's bounty.

Look in on the official website that points the way to the black history lover along the Heritage Corridor below:

Due to their isolation during the 17th-19th centuries, the population, known as Gullah in the Carolina's and Geechee in the Georgia, and their descendents, were able to develop distinctive speech, styles of dress, and architecture, in addition to self-sufficient farming and fishing traditions that distinguished them from other groups in the region.

Visit Historic Savannah in both January or February to take part in the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebrations during Dr. King's birthday and his National Day of commeration. Weekend dates are filling up fast during both months, so don't delay if booking your Historic Savannah Black History vacation rentals during the Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival is something you had in mind.

The 23rd Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival kicks off its celebration on February 1, 2012, and will continue through Thursday, February 16th with some pre- and post-festival events. Each year, the festival presents programs and activities in the performing and visual arts for every age and every interest in school settings and in the public domain. Fun and family are emphasized through out the celebration.

2011 Holiday Tour of Homes

Once again the Savannah Holiday Tour of Homes program is slated to take place this coming weekend, December 9 - December 11th that includes afternoon and evening tours of Historic Savannah Homes and Victorian Tea in a wonderfully restored Savannah mansion. On Sunday, visitors to historic downtown Savannah will have the opportunity to tour a selection of Savannah's prestigious Historic Victorian Inns and top off a delightful Savannah Weekend with a special live Holiday Show at the historic Savannah Theater. Check out the official Holiday Tour of Homes website for your scheduled tour of homes week end experience as shown below:

Friday, Dec 9th

Begin your Savannah weekend by attending the City Market Holiday Open House. Experience the beauty of holiday decorations including hundreds of lights and over 500 luminaria in the courtyard. Enjoy Christmas carolers, visit with Father Christmas, and sample holiday treats in the shops and galleries. This annual Open House starts at six pm and continues until nine. Wayne Chambers, Holiday Tour of Homes' featured artist, will be welcoming guests in his gallery.

Saturday, Dec 10th

At least six stunning historic properties are featured on each of our afternoon and evening House Tours -- 12 different properties in all. Another magnificent private residence, not included on the house tours, has been selected as the venue for the Victorian Tea held between the afternoon and evening tours.

Sunday, Dec 11th

On Sunday our Holiday Tour of Inns provides a unique opportunity to visit a selection of Savannah's most celebrated Historic and Victorian Inns. Then, as evening approaches, complete your superb Savannah Weekend at the Savannah Theater's Holiday Stage Show, "A Christmas Tradition!"

And of course, don't forget to take advantage of our big savings opportunity on your last minute Savannah Vacation Rentals Deals with coastal Georgia's favorite rental resource, Savannah Getaways.

The Hostess City delivers Getty Up for Savannah Getaways

Savannah is a perennial favorite destination of all the savvy travel publications. U. S. News reports in their Travel Section references that the Hostess City is one of the best 11 Destinations for Relaxing Getaways and one of the Top Dozen Fall Getaway Locations in the United States. Today, we will let other experts gush about Historic Savannah for a change in the below excerpted article. We can’t all "Live like a Local" in Georgia's First City, after all.

Savannah offers attractions that will interest history and architecture buffs as well as those who just want to spend time outside and enjoy the pleasant views of nature. Renting or bringing a car could be helpful to explore the surrounding areas, but you'll only need your two feet to get around the Historic District.

Much of Savannah’s charm lies in meandering through the Historic District’s verdant squares -- all 23 of them. Along the way, you’ll happen on numerous historic homes like the Mercer Williams House, popularized by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. There’s the famous Colonial Park Cemetery for a Spanish moss-canopied stroll, and there’s the City Market, which is an ideal place to pick up a few souvenirs. You can also take a quick car ride over to the beach at Tybee Island.

Savannah's Historic District is what keeps the city a tourist mainstay. Well-preserved antebellum architecture lines the streets, and recent visitors recommend the various walking tours. Individual tours are also available for some of the more prominent properties, like the Juliette Gordon Low House, preserved in honor of the Girl Scouts' founder. A centennial celebration will take place in all of 2012.

Savannah’s Best Haunted Restaurant!

I had forgotten how elegant The Olde Pink House could be until we staged a weekend Family Reunion last month to Destination Savannah and the exquisite cuisine was clearly everybody’s favorite. While I have blogged about the Pink House as far back as five years ago, this article I just came across put the Olde Pink House thing on my radar again. The below was written by Historic Savannah Tybee Georgia on Facebook and is also shared in it’s entirety in our Savannah Vacation News channel:

A Colonial Ghost at The Olde Pink House

One of the few 18th century homes to survive the Great Fire of 1796, The Olde Pink House is perhaps Savannah’s most elegant restaurant. It is also her most haunted. The mansion was built in 1771 for James Habersham Jr., a successful rice planter and shipping baron. Unlike his father James Habersham Sr. who remained loyal to the British Crown, Junior used his wealth to help finance the War for Independence. In fact secret meetings of the Sons of Liberty were held in his home here on Reynolds Square to plot the arrest of the Royal Governor.

Habersham lent his elegant home to the colonial freedom fighters much the way he still lends it to visitors today…presiding proudly as its gracious host. Witnesses have reported seeing an elegant looking man dressed in colonial attire in the downstairs tavern. His appearance being so clear that they merely thought him to be a staff member dressed in costume. Upon leaving the restaurant they notice the painting hanging in the foyer to be the same gentleman they just saw strolling about the tavern. Perplexed, they inquire about the gentleman’s identity only to be advised that the man in the painting, James Habersham Jr., has been dead for two hundred years.

Why is the house pink you might ask? It’s because the original bricks beneath the plaster facade, intended to make the house look more elegant, have bled through over time. And though we’re not sure the gracious Mr. Habersham would approve of the whimsical color, we Savannahians believe she is quite pretty in pink.

Georgia Holidays Meant for Savannah Nutcracker Ballet

Every November/December Holiday Season, The Lucas Theatre and The Savannah Danse Theatre join forces with an historic Savannah Theater and a top notch lowcountry ballet troupe to kick off the Winter Holiday Season in coastal Georgia. Join the Savannah Danse Theatre as they bring the magic of this holiday classic alive in 1945 Savannah! Immerse yourself in the spirit of the season as a young girl’s dream turns larger than life with a special nutcracker, a vengeful river rat, dancing snowflakes and sumptuous ice cream at Leopold’s – all choreographed to Tchaikovsky’s exquisite musical score.

Savannah Danse Theatre brings a stellar ballet production to Savannah residents and their children. Each year our Low Country non-profit Theatre presents something just a little bit unique to the Nutcracker with no two years exactly alike, adding many local and regional references to the ballet and featuring local celebrities. The pageantry of the holiday season wouldn’t be the same without this enchanted ballet!

Make your plans to support the arts in Lowcountry Savannah on your Savannah Thanksgiving Getaway for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, 2011. Purchase your tickets at the online location here for the matinee or night performance of this beloved dance classic.

Dueling You Tube Videos for 15 G’s

A recent video created for You Tube by the Savannah Convention and Visitor’s Bureau does an excellent job of capturing the essence of our Top Ten Vacation Destination, Savannah’s Landmark Historic District. Typical of the Hostess City, some of our locals have a tendency to throw stones at those that are paid to promote Destination Savannah as doubtless some if these videographers believe they could create a better online offering here in the Creative Coast. As the Savannah Morning News reports in the excerpt below, a lot of fun was had by the cast during the production.

General James Oglethorpe’s statue in Chippewa Square faces south in tribute to his prowess in defending the new colony of Georgia from the Spanish. On Wednesday, Oglethorpe took an extended break from guard duty, at least on YouTube. Visit Savannah brought the statue “to life” for its first promotional film developed exclusively for the video-sharing website. The clip portrays Oglethorpe coming down from his pedestal to lead a dancing Conga line of tourists and locals through the Historic District he designed.

More than 100 locals appear in the video, which was shot in one day earlier this year. “It’s very clever because some see history as boring, and Savannah is not boring. It’s a living history museum,” Wood said. “The video shows off how fun the town is without sacrificing our dignity. We’re not a theme park, and we don’t want to be. The video strikes a balance.”

But the locals didn’t think so much of the video and as a result, you too can receive a grand prize of $15,000 if your Destination Savannah Video does as well as the one paid for by the Savannah CVB based on a recent television news report.

Savannah Getaways Guarantee – We will never Gouge

Just came across a late breaking ad today on Craigslist Savannah for the upcoming sold out Savannah Rock and Roll Marathon that was a real eye opener. Seems this most likely upscale facility as offered by the owner is well placed to the finish line of this November 3 – 4 running event as they advertise. And you would think that a 3700 square foot 3 bedroom, 3.5 Bath Victorian District Vacation Rental with a swimming pool would be a prime Savannah vacation rental when compared side by side to all the other upscale Savannah Vacation Rentals we offer for this inaugural running event, Right?

Not so fast my friends. There is a reason this property was not snapped up month’s ago in April and May like our long ago sold out availability was taken out of circulation by savvy marathoners looking for upscale accommodations at affordable rates. Check out listing # 1031 a few blocks away from the above Hall Street listing or listing # 1009 that overlooks Crawford Square in the true Landmark Historic District. Instead of six runners paying this property owner at least $625 apiece for a three night stay, you could have been like the smart shoppers staying at Savannah's most popular vacation rental options above at serious savings over that rate at $200 and $265 apiece respectively. The take away should be obvious. Do your due diligence to determine who the premier Savannah Vacation Rental Management Company is, Savannah Getaways, and book your reservations accordingly if value and savings are part of your shopping priority.

Not only do you live like a local when staying with Savannah’s oldest & highest ranked Savannah Vacation Rentals resource in coastal Georgia according to both Trip Advisor AND Flip Key, if you shop the rest and stay with the best, you will actually save money with our budget friendly Savannah Getaways townhouses and condominiums. Don’t be a rookie traveler returning to next year’s Rock and Roll Marathon event and stay at the mercy of Savannah Vacation Rentals by Amateur. Be smart next year, contact our year round Savannah Reservation Desk upon your return home THIS YEAR and nail down next year’s sure to be sold out rock and roll marathon vacation rentals rowhouse scheduled to be run on November 3 in 2012 AND save money all at the same time.

Paula Deen’s Dinner Theatre?

Yo, Dinner Theatre enthusiasts, Listen Up! Savannah Vacation News announces an interesting new concept in Destination Travel Entertainment to the Low Country’s Favorite Landmark Historic District. Sorry Charleston with your The Holy City branding but this announcement would be for The Hostess City in coastal Georgia’s First City, Destination Historic Savannah.

Savannah’s Foody Diva, Paula Deen has combined with the ensemble cast at Hard Hearted Hannah’s Playhouse to deliver Paula's highly trafficked Lady & Son's venue where dinner guests can be forewarned about Savannah’s worst Tour Guide in their tongue in cheek, “There’s a Bomb on Trolley 409” play. While Savannah Getaways will readily admit some of our off Broadway creations will never make it to The Big Apple, would not be confused with some of our other Savannah Playbill Shows, we also recognize that here in the magnificent land of Magnolias, we southerner's wrote the book about marching to our own drummer as millions of annual visitors prove year after year by happily marching along with us as well.

So leave your sensibilities at the door, bring your plastic pink flamingo yard ornament inside with you while “styling” on your next downtown Savannah getaway down south. Snag your online reservation right’cheer despite the mixed reviews of famous Savannahian’s through the ages.

There's a Bomb On Trolley 409! from Thunderfuel on Vimeo.

Living Like a Local, Savannah Style

Guest Blogger Paige Taylor shares her social media savvy creative writing chops for young professionals seeking opportunities in Lowcountry Savannah in her well done article below:

The historic district proving to be much more than just a vacation destination

Having one of the most beautiful and history rich examples of a historic district in the United States, the city of Savannah has long been known as one of the premier vacation destinations in the country. With buildings and homes steeped in tradition and rich in beauty, new visitors show up every year to explore one of the most historic places in the south. Although Savannah will continue to be one of the perennial top ten prime vacation destinations, some have found that full time living in a history rich area can be just as enjoyable as a short stay.

Many people look for some of the same things in their home locations as they do in their vacations and trips. When it comes to art, entertainment, culture, creativity and quality of life, Savannah and its historic district surely provides a resource for all of it. In recent years, the city has become known as a great starting point for young professionals who’ve just left the confines of college and started their careers off in a Savannah area apartment, house or condominium. The area offers a mix between new neighborhoods such as Southside with the classic residences of the Historic district, making Savannah a go to place for young adults, as well as baby boomers.

For those looking for the richest area of culture, art and tradition, living in the Historic District could be just the right decision. This area is not only full of timeless structures, homes and buildings, but is also home to unbelievable shopping and restaurant options. The home grown commercial and retail aspect of this area is often overlooked and overshadowed by the décor and structure of the classic buildings, but it is just as enjoyable and beneficial to hometown living. With so many visitors often in town, there are certainly families and people who tend to fall in love with the surroundings instantly. With a supreme mix of rich Colonial/Antebellum Georgia history and architecture, as well as shopping and eating second to none, Savannah will continue to be a hotspot for residents in the years to come.
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A Taste of Lady Chablis?

Okay, I freely admit to posting controversial titles in this blog. And I promise I will do better in my next Savannah Vacation News post. But I simply couldn’t resist combining two events that fall on the same day later this week that the gourmet visitors among you may want to take in. That would be the 11th annual Taste of Savannah Foody event AND an encore performance at Club One of Midnight in the Garden of Good and evil star, Lady Chablis on Friday September 9th.

From 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM, sample the latest low country “coastal cuisine” purveyors of delicious delights at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center on Hutchinson Island Georgia. Returning attendees know the drill, for just $60 per ticket per person, you can sample a wide variety of lowcountry comfort eating at this unique smorgasbord provided by Destination Savannah's best restaurateurs.

Don’t miss this always anticipated event for your sampling of outstanding cuisine from some of Savannah’s finest restaurants, Vic’s on the River, Rock’s on the Roof, Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, and our renowned The Olde Pink House to name but a few of Savannah’s best eateries.

And after eating your fill, take a free ferry ride back across the Savannah River to River Street, walk a few blocks to Club One on Jefferson Street, and catch the outrageous Lady Chablis. Watch the Good Morning America Destination Savannah segment in the excerpted video below to get an idea of how it is that Savannah’s Blue Lady came to be courtesy of author John Berendt. Shows run at 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM on this command performance.