Savannah Vacation News

Tybee Island Music Festival

The 4th annual Tybee Island Music Festival is scheduled to be held this weekend, August 4th and 5th. The Festival is sponsored by Tybee Fest, and according to their website:

The Festival features 5 bands over two days, and offers a wide variety of music. Last year’s event drew over 10,000 patrons through the festival gates, where they were entertained by some of the South’s greatest musical talent. In addition, revelers tasted some of coastal Georgia’s favorite foods.

Some of the acts include Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, Clarence Carter and Cuba Gooding and the Main Ingredient.  Be sure and bring the entire family to enjoy great music in a perfect setting.

Park your car and take the short walk to River Street from this Historic Savannah vacation rental

Want to stay close to River Street? Look no further than this great two bedroom, one and a half bath townhome on Habersham Street, just a short walk across Bay Street to River Street.

Exposed brick highlights this unique property where you’ll find the bedrooms downstairs and the living room, kitchen and dining room upstairs. The living room is spacious and comfortable and includes a sleeper sofa. Another great feature is the off street parking that is provided behind the property.

Wake up in the morning and step around the corner to B Matthews Bakery and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and breakfast before you head down to River Street.

Paula Deen's Magazine

Paula Deen definitely knows how to keep herself busy.  In addition to running her popular downtown Savannah restaurant, hosting a show on the Food Network and writing cookbooks she has also launched a brand new magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen.

Featuring recipes, sample menus for everyday meals and creative ideas and tips as well as personal stories and events from Paula Deen’s life, this bi-monthly lifestyle magazine costs $4.99 for a single copy or $19.98 for a yearly subscription.

So, move over Martha Stewart, now there’s hope for all of us who struggle in the kitchen – every other month Paula Deen teaches us some new tricks on how to set the perfect table, cook the best meal and create the most festive holiday atmosphere with humor and a whole lot of fun!

WWII PT Boat travels north through the ICW in Lowcountry South Carolina

A fitting tribute to the men and women of the greatest generation of War World II veterans, Patrol Boat 728, is moving up the Intercoastal Waterway north to her destination this summer season at the Kingston Boat Show in New York. Docked last week on the Savannah River in front of the Hyatt Regency adjacent to River Street, she can be viewed today through Wednesday of next week in Charleston Harbor at the Charleston Marina and Yacht Club as the twin historic sister cities of Savannah and Charleston play host to this United States Navy "Oldie but Goldie" vessel from the past during this southern leg of her voyage.

Built in 1945, USS PT 728 is the last Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat afloat in military configuration today. Currently, she has been refitted and restored and Certified by the US Coast Guard to carry 49 passengers. PT 728 has been endorsed by Key West Historic Maritime Society and Propeller Club of Key West her home base. Join in preserving WWII maritime history by taking a ride aboard PT 728 at some of the appointed locations she will be docked at along the way. Harbor cruises are $50 for adults or $25.00 for Children for a 90 minute cruise. Or take a 45 minute aboard ship tour for just $5. To make your reservation, call (305) 849 – 0782.

Since 1966, Tthe Ships of the Sea Museum has attracted many historic district visitors

Located just across the northwest boundary of the Historic District on Martin Luther King Blvd. (#1-7 on the historic district map) the Ships of the Sea Museum is yet another of Savannah's many tourist attractions. This particular museum is located in very close proximity to City Market. Housed in the Historic Scarbrough House, originally built for William Scarbrough, President of the Savannah Steamship Company, the present day museum is a modern day architectural wonder.

Savannah's premier maritime museum features a large collection of shipping artifacts, memorabilia and models (more than 150) ranging in length from a few inches to eight feet. Included in the collection are models of the Titanic, The Anne, The Steamship Savannah, The Wanderer, and many more covering every phase of shipping in historic Savannah from the sailing merchant vessels of yesteryear to the forerunners of the modern day massive container ships that traverse the Savannah River.  Set up in 1966, be sure to take the virtual tour to give just an inkling what is in store when touring this striking museum via the comprehensive online tour courtesy of our friends at Quantum Tours.

And while you are at it, check out the Garden at the Scarbrough House - the largest garden within the Savannah’s landmark historic district. There are large broadleaf evergreens, camellias, azaleas, magnolias, in addition to the center of the garden where a large brick terrace is surrounded by meticulously groomed trees and shrubbery. When you think of Savannah’s historic district, one typically thinks of gardens in this historic port city on the banks of the Savannah River.

Happy Birthday Congregation Mickve Israel on your 273rd anniversary

The Congregation Mickve Israel Synagogue was founded by 42 Jewish settlers who arrived in Savannah, in the new colony of Georgia, on July 11, 1733. Having left London, England, five months earlier, the brave band of mostly Portuguese Jews and two German Jewish families sought freedom and opportunity in the New World. In 1790 the congregation was granted a Charter from the state of Georgia, confirming the legal status of the third oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. Savannah Jews have been prominent in all aspects of the commercial, cultural and political life of the community.

As the official web site of this historic Synagogue states, “Congregation Mickve Israel is open for docent-guided tours of our sanctuary and museum. Our tours are from 10-12 and 2-4 Monday -Friday. The last tour starts at approximately 3:15 PM. No tours are allowed on Saturday or Sunday. All large group tours will be arranged by appointment by calling or emailing our docent chairman, Eileen Lobel, at 912-598-7230 or eellobel@aol.com. Our docents will be advised of the date and time of your tour appointment. Therefore if you find yourself running late, please call the office at 912 233-1547 and make us aware of the problem.”

Shopping River Street Market Place - Open Air Bazaar

Savannah’s River Street Market Place offers a very unique shopping experience on the eastern portion of River Street. The back of this busy market overlooks the Savannah River. And the front of the market lies just across the cobblestone street from one of River Street’s favorite seafood restaurant’s, the Oyster Bar, not to mention our own personal favorite purveyor of steamed oysters. This restaurant is located in the old Factor’s Walk ground level warehouse space that is nowadays home to additional restaurants, boutique shops, art galleries and myriad other points of interest but that's another story for another day.

The RSMP open air market features more than 70 booths in a bazaar like atmosphere featuring a large variety of gifts and collectibles for your shopping convenience. If eclectic gifts with an international flair trip your trigger, this is the place to shop as many of these booths represent countries from all around the globe. To get a bird’s eye of this section of River Street and this open air market, click the link for the panoramic tour to find out more about this bustling market. And by the way, this section of the River Street Market is purportedly haunted as well.  What else would you expect from America's most haunted city?  Even our open air markets has a "haint" or two lurking about!

Great Holiday Escapes to Coastal Georgia

Some people still think that an adventure holiday is for the super fit or for kids. In Reality, there are adventure vacations for every kind of person. After all, what is an adventure other than a new experience in an unexplored place? Of course one form of adventure holiday is quite physically demanding - it could involve flat water kayaking or cross country bicycling for example. But another adventure holiday could be visiting an unusual part of the USA where tourists are just a little bit out of the ordinary, and you choose not to stay in huge and expensive resort hotels.

Adventure vacations can be about discovering new experiences while discovering your physical limits. Or it could be about both. Want to spend three days exploring the Savannah River with the River Keepers, camping at night in remote spots on the Savannah River (or staying in a more comfortable motel a little further ride inland – your call to make) before finally docking at bustling River Street in the historic district of Savannah? Maybe you just want to become more familiar with our desolate Georgia coastal barrier islands and their Geechee inhabitants with their 200+ year old West African heritage. This can all be set up as well, you just have to think out of the box a bit in putting all of these component side adventure trips together.

For trips like this we here at Savannah Getaways can help in that we can customize a personalized getaway or you can even put together your own self-guided adventure vacation. And of course this also means that you may get to stay in more interesting private self catered accommodations rather than a hotel room and visit sights that are off-the-beaten track far removed from the normal crowd of tourists.

We can always create a hybrid adventure vacation so that you can get the best of both worlds--a stimulating mental journey and a physically challenging one, too—combine both types of holiday. Visit an exotic location like the Lowcountry Heritage Corridor here in coastal Georgia, then explore it on foot as well as by car or tour bus.

Look out Savannah Historic District, Bluffton's Old Town District is feeling some growing pains.

Located 20 minutes away by vehicle just across the Savannah River, the City of Bluffton is accepting bids on building their Old Town District on the banks of the May River in anticipation of attracting their fair share of Lowcountry travelers. The City of Bluffton is located in close proximity to Savannah just across the Talmadge Memorial Bridge in one direction and Hilton Head Island 20 minutes away in the other direction. Last year the City of Bluffton approved a plan to turn the one square mile “Old Town” section of our South Carolina neighbor into a tourist attraction with a stated goal of maintaining the charm and integrity of this area as it exists today.

Initial plans call for the Old Town historic district to be anchored by a planned free standing shopping area of several thousand square feet in size housing boutique shops on the main ground floor with above ground space being utilized for lofts for private residents. While not planning to have a Beaufort type historic district like her River Front neighbor to the north, Bluffton is planning to preserve the best of her historic features in this planned historic district overlooking the May River. Stay tuned to this Blog as plans for Bluffton’s Historic District become clearer over the months ahead.

Today, the original one square mile historic district of Bluffton's Old Town offers a charming blend of antique shops, restaurants, art galleries, historical and cultural events that bring this eclectic community alive and already attract thousands of visitors each year. The Old Town Merchants Society shop locations continue to grow as more and more tourists are shopping in the other historic district.

Robust numbers of Floridian’s booking vacation rental condos for the fall high season

Our Florida neighbors are booking early and often in anticipation of the fall high season for the month of October this summer pre-booking season. Most of these border state visitors indicate they will be driving to our coastal Georgia regional destination as the specter of rising fuel costs keeps them closer home. Coastal Georgia has points of interest for the most discerning travelers looking for weekly and weekend getaway excursions to the greater Savannah area. And savvy Floridia travelers are planning these October high season vacations earlier than usual this summer in record numbers.

Starting with Oktoberfest and the hilarious wiener dog races on River Street the first weekend in October and picking up speed right on through to the last weekend of October with the SCAD sponsored Savannah Film Festival, there are many festivals and regional attractions all month long. Consider the annual “Picnic in the Park” at Forsyth Park, a saltwater fishing tournament off the Georgia coast, The Savannah Greek Festival, or the nearby tour of homes on Hilton Head Island just 45 minutes away. There is no mystery as to why Savannah remains a “top ten tourist” destination year after year. Coastal Georgia’s Lowcountry Heritage Corridor abounds with natural beauty in a history rich setting along this scenic stretch of coastal waterway with a one of a kind “return to the past” unique cultural heritage tourists are unlikely to find any where else on the eastern seaboard coastline over this hundred plus mile border state corridor between South Carolina and Florida – again, our close proximity to the northern Florida border translate to tourists not driving as far as usual as fuel prices increase.

And it is not just Floridian’s that are getting into the act as nature and bird lovers from all over the world are also taking advantage of the Colonial Coast Birding Trail’s fourth annual “Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival” which falls on the 2nd weekend in October in sanctuaries such as Blackbeard, Wassaw, Cumberland, and Little Tybee Islands. Just one more reason to plan your next fall getaway weekend to coastal Georgia with the Peach State’s many scheduled October festivals and events.