Savannah, GA

I realize that actual travel specific sites will do a better job of giving you the low-down on a city than me.  I have my own agenda and it usually involves history.  If you like history then you'll love Savannah.  The city was pivotal in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War and literally everywhere downtown you go you'll run right into it.  With all the southern charm you'd expect and frankly some beautiful parks and landmarks, I was sort of taken aback by all the things I had forgotten about that happened here that I sort of fell in love with the city.  

The downtown area has several historic districts that are easy to walk and there are parks and squares all over.  The first one I stumbled upon was Franklin Square and it had enough history in it to get my juices flowing.  It was built in 1733 as the first of 22 squares in the city. The Declaration of Independence was read there when it reached Savannah in 1776.  Chekilli, the head of the Creek Nation recited the myth of the Creeks on that spot.  The square is dominated by a large obelisk monument to General Nathaniel Greene, who just happens to be buried underneath it.  Nathaniel Greene is far more important than you may recall.  He commanded troops in the early part of the Revolutionary War in the north with some mixed results, but he earned the trust of George Washington so much so that Washington put him in charge of the southern armies after several other generals failed.  The tide immediately began to turn upon his promotion.  Greene took a big risk by dividing his army in order to get the British to do the same.  The gamble worked as the divided British, under Cornwallis, had supply lines too long and were constantly fighting small battles of attrition, being lured further afoot.  The Continentals won a decisive victory at Cowpens and forced the British to withdraw.  That allowed Greene to turn south and take the back country from the British and they retreated into Charleston, eventually abandoning the south in 1781.  Another cool fact about the monument to Greene is that the foundation was built by the Marquis de Lafayette, who spent a lot of time in Savanah.  There are two fountains and a cool sundial in the square as well.

Savannah has a pretty big port and the Savannah River and surrounding islands made the area a strategic location.  Fort Pulaski was built on Cockspur Island to protect the entrance to the river back in 1847.  It was started in 1829 and cost nearly $1 million to build, which was an enormous sum in that day.  Named for, Casimir Pulaski, who was a Polish immigrant.  He became enamored with America's fight for freedom and offered his services in the Revolutionary war.  He's actually known as the father of American cavalry because he brought his cavalry experience from fighting in European conflicts. George Washington was very fond of Pulaski and put him in charge of America's first cavalry brigade.  He distinguished himself in many battles, but was mortally wounded trying to retake Savannah in 1779 and was buried at sea right near where the fort was built. Today, it is a national monument and worth your time for a visit.  Fort Pulaski played a role in the Civil War as it was once thought to be invincible, the Union took the fort in two days after the effects of rifled artillery made the fort untenable.  Traditional cannon balls could not be fired from long distances and the shelling of the fort with rifled rounds was the first time they were used. The brick and concrete walls were no match and when shells, fired from Tybee Island, hit the wall to the powder room, it was game over for the Confederates who surrendered rather than going up in a massive explosion. 

The city has a nice riverfront plaza and dining scene that has a mix of old and modern buildings.  We also checked out two local museums, the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum and the Webb Military Museum.  Mr. Webb is a little eccentric, but his museum is all his own collection of military items, which was fairly impressive in its own right.  It's squirreled away in a side street about 5 blocks off Bay St.   If you like models of ships, the Ships Museum is actually kind of cool.  There are a handful of other art museums that we just ran out of time to see.  There are some churches worth your time too and I regret not going inside of The Cathedral Basilica of St John the Baptist.  Church was in session or we would have.  Dedicated in 1876, it burned down in 1898 and was rebuilt.  The pictures I have seen are cool, so if you are into that, you should see it for yourself.

I mentioned before about parks in the city and Forsyth is the biggest and one you should not miss.  Large open green spaces with a great fountain and plenty of trees and flowers too, so it has everything.  There is a restaurant in the park and a few statues, but is just a great gathering spot and was quite busy when we were there.  With a great mix of restaurants, unique shops and pretty decent beer scene, Savannah is a great destination for a long weekend, parking is free on Sundays too.  There are also some pretty cool cemeteries, historic plantations and if you're into haunted places, Savannah has a bunch.  You're also an hour from Hilton Head and even less to Tybee Island, so great golf and beaches await.  With so much history and a lot to see, it should be on your list.  The downtown area was clean, well kept and I didn't think the prices were out of line at all.  The only thing I can think of is, if you're flying, I doubt you'll find a direct flight into Savannah, so be prepared for a connection.