March 5, 2014
For several years, I’ve wanted to visit Savannah. A few good friends of mine had always spoken highly of the historic city, so I found a great travel deal for a two nights stay, packed my car, and took a short road-trip to the coast.
My drive was easy for a Sunday and I landed in Savannah just before 3 p.m. The weather forecast for the next day called for rain, so I quickly walked River Street and found the lay of the land.
After about an hour, I was both hungry and looking for a cold brew. Thankfully, my friend Kristin had recommended Moon River Brewing Company. After a glass or two and a great lunch/early dinner. I overheard the bartender mention that the historic building was one of the most haunted in all of Savannah, which already carries the reputation of the most haunted city in the US (perhaps the world). I remember seeing an episode of Ghost Adventures about the brewery and the building.
I headed back to the hotel to grab my room keys and then out to watch the sunset on the River. Feeling like exploring, I ventured back out into the historic parts of the city as night fell. The streets were nearly empty with only very few bars and restaurants open. It was great just meandering through the roads and seeing all the little parks, monuments, and historic markers and houses.
The next day I woke up and had breakfast at the hotel before making my way to Forsyth Park, a must see in the morning. I found inadvertently Paula Dean’s restaurant, the Lady & Sons, but had already decided I’d visit Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, if I wanted a traditional southern-style meal.
The Park was beautiful and larger than I expected. I did encounter a group of stroller moms running through the park, who did run me off the sidewalk. In the future, I’ll refer to this as being “strollered.” I did get some reading done in the park, which was both serene and peaceful.
Not feeling hungry just yet, I found my way to Colonial Park Cemetery which is an interesting walk down memory lane. There are historic markers peppered throughout the marked graves. The two that I stopped to read included the man who built the first iron steam ship to sail across the Atlantic; took 27 days to Liverpool and was named “Savannah.” The second was about the foremost miniature artist in the US from the 1800s.
Having developed an appetite, I trekked back to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. I’d heard there is always a wait, but worth it. It took an hour to be seated so I just stood in line reading my book. We were seated family style at a table for 10 with 22 southern favorite dishes and a glass of sweet tea ready for you. Fresh fried chicken is brought to the table as you start passing the dishes. While I didn’t try every dish, my favorites included the mac ‘n’ cheese, the sweet potato casserole, and the collard greens. Dessert options included peach cobbler or banana pudding. The food was amazing and I left not stuffed, but definitely full.
I hiked back to the hotel, meandering through the streets and found a Starbucks to grab a cup of coffee to help settle lunch and continue reading. The weather, while a bit warm, was overcast and sunny throughout the day, making it very nice to be outside.
I dropped my bag off at the hotel and did some minor souvenir shopping. Another trip to the Moon River bar for a few more sampling pints and a roadie before heading back to the hotel. I did some research for where to have dinner, but ended up texted a friend of mine on where to find a good burger. B&D Burgers was on tap and the Forsyth was amazing with a few summer shandy beers to wash it and the curly fries down. My final stop before returning to the hotel was Leopold’s Ice Cream where I had a scoop of Guinness ice cream with a scoop of southern pecan; it was two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day.
Tuesday I returned home after leaving a cold 41 degree Savannah. When I got back to Orlando, it was 81 degrees and much nicer outside. The trip was great, I had amazing food and good local beer. I can’t wait to head back with friends in the future.
Georgia, Long Weekend, Savannah, Vacation,