Savannah Vacation News

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.

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.

Savannah River Crossing

For those of you that frequently ask, accessing the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center on Hutchinson Island is very doable from your Historic District Vacation Rental Home just across the Savannah River. Cross for free on our Southern Belle Ferries, the Juliette Gordon Low Ferry, the Susie King Taylor Ferry, and the Florence Martus Ferry with a river crossing schedule taking place like clockwork according to an article in the Savannah Morning News.

“They operate 362 days a year — every day but Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s — but they can’t run in fog or lightning. They cross the river about every 20 minutes, but have to stop and wait for huge container ships to pass. When one ship is running, it operates a triangular route among the Westin, Marriott and Hyatt. When demand is higher, one boat operates between the Westin and Marriott and another goes between the Westin and Hyatt.”

Riders on the Savannah Belles made 69,000 trips across the river in July, the most in a one-month period ever in the ferries’ 11-year history. Jimmy Gunby III, director of marine operations, said July Fourth falling on a Monday caused more people to be downtown for a long weekend. Families love the free boat ride. People describing the ferries that cross the Savannah River use words such as “key,” and “vital” and “essential.”

Many people say they’re just plain fun. “The ferry is definitely more fun than a bus,” said Mike Pino of Franklinville, N.J. He attended the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association meeting in Savannah last week with his wife Gerry. “I think it’s pretty neat.” The couple was among five people who rented a Savannah vacation getaway rental house in the Historic District and used the ferry to attend the convention.

All the more reason to book all of your downtown Savannah Vacation Rentals through Savannah Getaways when attending conferences at the Westin or conventions at the Trade Center across from the historic district on Hutchinson Island.

Searching for Savannah Vacation Rental Deals

Given our superior presence in Historic Savannah, we pride ourselves on connecting our customers to the best historic homes at the lowest rates. Savannah Getaways has been serving the traveling public to coastal Savannah for the past thirteen years by providing unmatched customer satisfaction to our tens of thousands of guests to lowcountry Georgia.

There were no part timers involved in the vacation rental business to Destination Savannah Historic District back in the day when we first hung out the only RBO shingle in downtown Savannah. Even then we were providing excellent vacation rental value long before there was even a newly minted Goldman-Sachs/Wall Street backed Home Away website paying any real attention to vacation rentals. While there have been plenty of Johnny Come Lately vacation rental by owners (RBO's) offering lodging options in downtown Savannah on VRBO, Home Away, and VacationRentals.com travel directories each succeeding year since our inception, here are some of the pitfalls to avoid when it comes to making your own informed vacation rental reservation decision.

Just like savvy shoppers shop Savannah hotels, Savannah Historic Inns, and Savannah Bed and Breakfast lodging options in the historic district, apply the same principal here. To find that cheap vacation rental deal while realizing more bang for your travel bucks - read objective reviews. But not just any review. You should always read honest to goodness independent reviews from reputable companies known for their independently verified reviews such as Trip Advisor and Flip Key rather than those reviews that may have been manufactured by the property owners themselves on non-verified by owner vacation rental directories.

And make sure you always deal with a fully supported, legitimately sanctioned property management company of many years duration that has an actual verifiable track record. The nature of the online travel industry is one in which poor customer service on top of dingy vacation rental properties (they do work hand in hand) will always find the “vacation rental by amateur” home owners or under performing vacation rental management companies out by their 1 and 2 star reviews.

With that in mind check out our latest last minute vacation rental specials on Broughton Street, Jones Street, Tattnall Street, or our very trendy Washington Square facing Garden Level Townhouse.

Savannah’s Downtown Gallery Go Round

Now entering its fourth decade, Savannah’s College of Art and Design inspired downtown Arts District continues to lead the way for art lovers along coastal Georgia’s designated Creative Coast less than a dozen miles up the Savannah River. SCAD, as it is affectionately known, is now an international player with multiple campuses scattered around for all things art related.

Meanwhile back here in the Lowcountry where it all started, our downtown galleries and artists are among Savannah’s most enduring attractions with transformative works of art in all their mediums. The historic district that General Oglethorpe probably imagined back in the day is in fact a teeming Art Destination when it comes to connecting collectors and art connoisseurs with the artists you can meet up with if you don’t mind a bit of a walk about. Take our Savannah Getaways Gallery Hop through the Historic District on your next trip to Savannah. Many of the art loving millions of annual visitors to Art Destination Savannah, make it a point upon their arrival to look in on key gallery venues, museums, artists’ studios, shops and restaurants strategically situated throughout this vibrant art community.

In need of a spring fling art themed getaway? Well here’s an insider tip that leaves enough time to prepare, SCAD’s annual Sidewalks Arts Festival is scheduled to be held once again in expansive Forsyth Park at the end of April. This is a really fun event that you don’t want to miss. Mark your calendar the weekend of April 30th on a Saturday, and you’re all set to complete your own customized Downtown Gallery Go Round.

50 Lady & Son Vacation Rental homes to choose from

Listen up Paula Deen fans! Here is a geography lesson about where our Savannah First Lady’s famed restaurant can be found on our popular Savannah Getaways Historic Map and exactly where it is located in proximity to our many Paula Deen Vacation Rental options in Savannah’s Landmark Historic District.

Now that you have checked out our highly detailed “what to do map” of the 2.5 square mile “District” of downtown Savannah that is laid out in nine different quadrants above, keep in mind that Lady & Son’s Restaurant is located in map section 1.

Savannah Getaways is pleased to offer over 50 different "Paula Deen Vacation Rental homes" all within a 10 minute walk of Savannah’s most popular restaurant from historic district map section quadrants 1 – 6. Check it out to find where your southern fried Paula Deen Vacation Tour begins: To book your Paula Deen Tour with tour partner Old Savannah Tours while staying in your alternative Lady & Son vacation getaway to a Bed & Breakfast Suite, click here to find out more (make sure you reference Paula Deen Tour in the vacation rentals comments section).

 

Bar Food + Meet & Greets = Haunted City Blog Reboot

We took in a recent networking function of Savannah Hospitality Professionals at Bar-Food just across the street from Clary’s Habersham Street Restaurant outside of the historic district earlier this month. This meet and greet was put on by the good folks at Key to Savannah who are really making a name for themselves with their insider’s tips and Savannah info on their website.
Thought I would share a recent excepted blog post by this organization’s Brianne Joy where she details America’s most Haunted City, Spooky Savannah with some of my comments in italicized bold. Enjoy Brianne's informative travel blog below!

According to The American Institute of Parapsychology, Savannah has been coined as, "America's Most Haunted City." And trust me, we do not take that honor lightly; we are proud of our friendly ghosts! So proud, that we offer many incredible, ghost tours to introduce our visitors to the spirits that spook Savannah. Our tours make for a great adventure whether morning, afternoon, or evening!

Many apparitions, ghosts, and paranormal experiences have been reported at various locations around Savannah, but there are still skeptics. Tales have it ...... ghosts lurk in some of our many restaurants making them some of the best known haunted restaurants in the historic district, including The Pirates' House (our personal favorites here at Savannah Getaways is The 17Hundred90 Inn or The Pink House),
spooking many of the diners and staff. The media is so intrigued by the haunted tales, that Savannah has been featured on The History Channel, The Travel Channel, The Learning Channel (TLC), and the popular SciFi Channel show, "Ghost Hunters."

Take a trolley through the town and tremble in terror as tales of spirits are recounted on a Ghostly Nights Tour from Old Savannah Tours.

Whatever spooky experience you are seeking, you are sure to find just the right guided ghost tour. As other savvy travelers already know, if ghosts & tombstones are your passion, Savannah’s Historic District is the place you want to be.

Tune In Your IPod and Walk This Way!

While we like our Tour Partners in both Savannah and Charleston
here at Savannah Getaways we would be remiss if we did not point you towards the burgeoning world of the self catered Walking Tour as a viable option for you do it yourselfer's. We have recently started a collaborative relationship with a local company that is offering inexpensive downloadable tours of both Sister City's Historic District for those that prefer to roll their own.

Burton Sauls and City Trex is growing their selection of touring options and if their reviewer's comments tell us anything, these tours can only grow in the months ahead in variety and scope.

CityTrex iPod tour users say:

"Keep growing. You're awesome!"

"Cool tales, solid info, loved setting my own pace"

"I made new friends because of the tour, thanks!"

The Charleston Post and Courier spoke of their "Holy City" walking tour start up operation a few years back.

Check out their City Trex website, suscribe to their podcast and get a sense of the quality tours that are yours for the asking in either city. As they say on their site above:

"CityTrex MP3 Audio Walking Tours provide Self-guided walking tours that are one more authentic way to explore
Savannah’s Landmark Historic District or the Battery in Historic Charleston. Feel the freedom in going solo. Create quality time for couples - a half-day with the grandkids or a hand-holding date for romantics (two can tour for the price of one)."

The Shrimp are Running, Roger That!

Daufuskie Island’s favorite storytelling son, Sportsman Roger Pinckney
speaks of the return of fall shrimp season on his Radio Free Daufuskie podcast with kudos to Burton Saul’s CityTrex Blog Site. Listen to just what it is that fall means to all the Lowcountry gourmands that like to roll their own after waiting on the fall cast net shrimp season to get underway.  Or if you are pressed for time pick 'em fresh at “four dollars a pound without the heads at the county dock, cheaper than you pay for bacon“ as Roger points out.

In this episode our quintessential low country river rat himself
talks about the fresh bounty to be had in the early part of this fall shrimp season of autumn 2010 and some tasty Down South Breakfast Fixings that make for some memorable dining experiences. Band Leader Phil Harris wrote about it and Texas Swing Legend, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys sang about it but renowned Coastal Carolina Author Pinckney not only lives the good old boy southern lifestyle, he eats it all up in a manner of speaking. 

As we like to keep telling you here at Savannah Getaways, make it a point to hop the ferryboat out of Hilton Head Island over to Daufuskie Island on your next trip to lowcountry Savannah.

And don’t forget your cooler so you can stock up on the freshly caught shrimp at the Farmer’s Market beside Marshside Mama’s on the Hilton Head side of the island.