Savannah Vacation News

The Savannah Black Heritage Festival

The 23rd Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival kicks off its celebration on February 1, 2012, and will continue through Thursday, February 16th with a smorgasbord of 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. A strong commitment to family and fun are featured in Low Country Savannah in the traditional Black History celebratory month of February.

This year’s event is no different with a strong emphasis on Black cultural activities including dance, music, visual art exhibitions international and local in scope, culinary arts activities, crafts workshops and much, much more. Plan to be in attendance on the gala Grand Festival Day on February 11th in Savannah’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Center from morning on into the evening. The theme of this year’s festival is Journey’s, Passages, and Transitions.

Attend the 23rd Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival and enjoy the rich cultural contribution of Black Americans in Coastal Georgia’s Destination Savannah. Plan your trip around the posted schedule and secure your free tickets online as some events require these seating arrangements. The Festival is sponsored by the City of Savannah and Savannah State University.

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.

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.

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 Wine Tasters vs. Savannah Craft Brews

To chug it down or to politiely sip would seem to be the burning question of the moment that beer and wine fans would like to have answered. In a little over a month from now at the Labor Day Savannah Craft Brew Fest Kick Off on September 2nd out on Hutchinson Island at the Savannah Trade and Convention Center, let the beer sampling begin!

The schedule begins on Friday, September 2, with the Craft Brew Dinner, which will be held at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center from 6 – 9 p.m., which will give attendees an opportunity to enjoy the tastes of great Coastal cuisine while sampling their favorite craft brews from Stoudt’s Brewing Company. The main event, the Grand Tasting Event, will feature more than 120 different craft brews to sample. Overlooking the Savannah River and beautiful Historic Savannah, this outdoor event will also be held at the Esplanade of the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center from Noon until 5 p.m.

Sunday, be sure to join 2010 Savannah Craft Brew Fest Pioneer Award winner and founder of Highland Brewing Company, Oscar Wong, as he challenges Brew Fest Chairman Tim Rutherford to a Beer versus Wine Challenge Dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Not only will you enjoy a wonderful meal paired with the finest in Craft Brews and wine, but you will be the judge of which paired the best!

We are already filling up our reservation calendars at all of our inexpensive Savannah Getaways lodging options. Don't miss out on some of the best selection of historic district Savannah Vacation Rental homes at the 2011 Craft Brew Fest.

Destination Savannah Tourism Surging

Travel to Destination Savannah (that would be the Landmark Historic District for you rookie travelers who are prone to take the bait by reserving week end accommodations in the Victorian District or midtown Savannah) continues to grow from one year to the next. According to a recent article in the Savannah Morning News, Savannah CVB president Joseph Marinelli who represents Visit Savannah released information documenting that travelers come to the Landmark Historic District to, among other things, shop, to take in a foody friendly culinary weekend, and dive right in to our Low Country History.

With categories as diverse as antiquing, eating at Lady & Son’s, or taking in all the opportunities to learn about our black history heritage, Savannah continues to lead the way as a top ten tourist destination according to Conde Nast. Below are just a few of the excerpted reasons you may want to consider Savannah on your next getaway visit to low country coastal Georgia. Follow the clickable link to find the most budget friendly Savannah Vacation Rentals available with seven upscale categories featuring 72 inexpensive Savannah Weekend Rentals to choose from if shopping cheap room rates is important to your family travel plans.

A number of overnight visitors make last-minute decisions to come to Savannah, and one of their favorite activities is shopping. “We have a bit of a hidden gem here in terms of our shopping and antiquing and the impact of that on tourism,” said Joe Marinelli, president of Visit Savannah.

Numbers released Thursday indicate the number of visitors and the amount of money they spent in the Savannah area grew slightly in 2010 to 11.4 million visitors spending $1.7 billion. Another top reason for coming to Savannah would be Food. Thirty percent of the overnight visitors and 21 percent of day trippers said they came for fine dining. African-American overnight visitors made up 9 percent of the visitors in 2009 and 12 percent in 2010. Read the rest of the story here:

Bachelor & Bachelorette Open Container Tours

Historic Savannah has long been a drinking destination with the many segments of the drinking crowd due to our Hostess City's liberal open container laws. As a result of this forward leaning law it is not uncommon to participate in the best pub crawl tours found any where you are likely to travel to within hospitality inbued destinations throughout the coastal low country along the Heritage Corridor. With that in mind, a freshly launched Savannah "Pedal Crawl" if not really an honest to goodness Savannah "Pub Crawl" tour like our buddy Greg Profitt offers on his original Savannah Creepy Crawl tour, this uniquely Savannah Tour is now available for groups and singles for rates as low as $10 per pedaler per hour.

The Savannah Slow Ride open container friendly on the roll bar will pick you up at the corner of Jones Street and Jefferson Street (located close to the red perforated line on our historic district map section 4) across from The Crystal Beer Parlor, one of the pub stops in the tour, and proceed along through the storied streets of downtown Savannah. Looking for a memorable Bachelorette or Bachelor party in Destination Wedding Savannah? This inspired creation by Crawler Fabrications just might be the perfect vehicle for your posse of fun loving buds to rent by the hour in Georgia's first City.

Rock & Roll Marathon in Savannah

Based on early pre-bookings for our always busy reservation desk here at Savannah Getaways, the first ever Rock and Roll Marathon to be ran in Savannah the first weekend in November is going to be a monster of an athletic event. We have already sold out our entire inventory of 3+ bedroom Savannah Vacation Rental homes (many closely located to the actual marathon route) before the official start of summer for this outdoor running event. We have been supplying upscale rental accommodations in the landmark historic district for the Savannah Memorial Bridge Run that takes place every December, and understand what a popular event for area runners this run is but we have been knocked over by the response to the R&R Marathon event that marries distance runners, all manner of musical bands that play along the way along with cheerleaders and themed water stations interspersed throughout the route.

Courtesy message, for those runners coming to savannah's in two's, three's and four's, the Savannah Rock and Roll Marathon Event  will be a vacation rental sale out within the historic district. Select your lodging options early while you still can, presuming vacation rental weekend lodging is what you have in mind within the honest to goodness landmark historic district for this event durng the fall high season. Hard to give a great last minute vacation rental deal when al we have left is sold out of inventory!

Comedian Kathy Griffin live in Savannah + Much More

Stand Up Comedian Diva, Kathy Griffin, will appear live at the Johnny Mercer Theater this coming weekend in Savannah Georgia for one night only, Saturday May 28th at 8:00 PM. A well known LGBT advocate who has amassed an impressive body of work on the improv comedy scene on the west coast, HBO star Griffin will be making her last live appearance until mid summer this Memorial Day weekend in coastal Georgia's Historic District.

Destination Savannah continues to deliver the widest assortment of weekend getaway attractions AND amusements all within short regional drive times from Jacksonville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham, and Charleston & Greenville South Carolina.

Make those last minute plans to visit Historic Savannah and take in all the weekend festivities this long Memorial Day weekend including the Thunderbolt Seafood and Art Festival, a free outdoor concert this Saturday on the Pier at the Tybee Island Pavilion, and last but not least an inspired rhythmic journey high lighting the art of Belly Dancing through the ages at your alternative source of eclectic live performance art, The Sentient Bean Coffee House facing Forsyth Park.