Today we took a day trip to Savannah, Georgia and had a really lovely time. It was everything you would expect and more.
Adeline seems to be cutting teeth and was up A LOT last night, so this morning we left about an hour and a half later than we originally planned. But, the theme of this vacation is go with the flow so that is what we did. 🙂 Savannah is just an hour car ride from Hilton Head. Adeline took her morning nap in the car and Elias read his Big Book of Berenstain Bears stories
After doing a bunch of research, we determined that the best thing to do was to take a trolley ride through the historic district. We knew we probably wouldn't be able to spend even a full day in the city, so the tour offered us an opportunity to see and learn about the beautiful history of Savannah in a compressed amount of time.
We selected Old Town Trolley Tours (you get a discount if you buy the tickets online). What was great about the trolley tours is that you can get off at any of the stops, then get back on again. It is nice to not have to worry about your car!
Because we knew we had limited time before the kids would crash and need afternoon naps + an impending rain storm, we didn't get off at many stops. (Had we left on time, we definitely would have stopped more!)
We did stop at the beautiful Forsyth Park to see the fountain that is in the center. I'm so glad we did. It was stunning.
Elias loved throwing pennies into the fountain.
I had high hopes of getting a really good family photo in front of the fountain, but of course, in typical three-year-old fashion, Elias did not want to take a picture. {sigh} We somehow talked him into it and a kind lady said she would be happy to take one for us.
Are you ready for this?
I died laughing when I saw it because it is SO the stage we are in these days.
Come on Elias!
Thankfully, she took a few more, and after that last shot, I guess I will take the tongue.
We also got off at The Pirates House for lunch, which Elias was really excited about because he LOVES pirates. The kids' menu included a pirate hat, mustache, earring and gold coins. He happily put the gear right on.
The restaurant is the oldest building in Georgia and was full of history and pirate folklore. Check out the history here.
All in all we really enjoyed the trolley tour and all the different guides. It was definitely the right decision and I would recommend that any first-time visitor to Savannah do a trolley tour. Each guide had a different style and way of storytelling. We learned and saw so much history and fun trivia – like we saw the spot that Forrest Gump sat in the movie, a town square that George Washington spoke in and the hotel that Matt Damon loves to stay in when he comes to town!
By the end of the tour, the kids were exhausted and it was starting to rain, so we headed back to Hilton Head. We didn't get to go in a single shop, which I was disappointed about since my friend Stephanie sent me a list of must-visit shops, but I didn't NEED anything anyway. There's always next time!
Tonight we are looking forward to one of my best friends coming to town with her one-year-old son to stay with us for the last two days of our vacation, having a spaghetti dinner and relaxing in our ResortQuest condo! We have a lot we hope to cram into the next two days. 🙂
Super love your Savannah pics, Jess! I haven’t been there since our honeymoon, but it remains one of my favorite cities. And as usual, your family is completely darling.
Enjoy your well deserved vacation, friend! xo
Thank you dear one. xo
This seems to indicate that you are feeling much better. I’m so glad! As a grandmother with children that live 10 and 20 hours away, your blog always brings a smile to my face!
Yes, I am definitely doing better. Still have a sore throat, but it is pretty mild. SO thankful! I was miserable at the beginning of the week.
Yay, Savannah! We lived there for 7 years and we miss it terribly. Thankfully, we still own a home there (it’s a rental now) so we have an excuse to visit every once in a while. Glad you had fun, and it sounds like you maximized the time you were able to spend there.
Love the pirate picture. He looks so happy.
What are the must visit shops?? Just wondering what she said….cause I live in Savannah 🙂
here were her recommendations (I marked the ones I REALLY wanted to go to with *** – I was especially sad to miss Scad
24e
la paperie
one fish two fish
terra cotta**
the paris market**
scad gift shop**
Lovely pic in front of the fountain! 🙂 Way to go Elias!
You are a great mom, Jessica! 🙂
Hi Jessica – I think you may remember me from the Milwaukee Zoo – Jodi’s Mom?? Anyway – love your blog and follow you and your family all the time. I work for Old Town Trolley in San Diego – and the trolley tour you took in Savanna is one of our cities. I was there last year with my grandson and we loved the tour too. Continue to have a wonderful time – these are the memories you are building for your family. Love. Carol, Carol, Carol
Of course I remember you Carol, Carol, Carol! 🙂 I knew you did a trolley tour – so fun that it is the same company as the one we did today. Good to “see” you on The Mom Creative tonight. Take care!
We love Hilton Head and will be making the trip this summer for our family vacation in Junw. We have always wanted to go to Savannah while there so we just might have to do it this year. One of my favorite places to eat in Hilton Head is Hot Mamas. They have the best BBQ wraps and sweet potato fries! It’s in Sea Pines I believe!! Hope you get to take Elias to the Lighthouse. I know it’s usually busy, but they also have a guy that sings children’s songs in the summer. I don’t know if he is there yet, but he is good! Hope you all are enjoying your vacation. Loving your ideas so far thanks for sharing!!
Four summers ago, when we had one 13-month-old daughter (we now have a son too and our daughter just turned 5 …), we took a steamboat from Hilton Head to Savannah for the day. It was a fun experience. Then a couple years ago we also took a day trip to Charleston. This summer we are staying at Isle of Palms, which is closer to Charleston. We love that area of the country! It sounds like you guys are having a fun time too.
I will be in Sav GA on Saturday! I grew up here!!! Glad you had fun! Enjoy the rest of your trip!
I think those family photos turned out great. Your kids are cute! And Elias with the pirate gear – too much! haha 🙂
too much indeed! 🙂
I LOVE Savannah!
My husband and I had our wedding ceremony in front of the Forsyth Park Fountain on February 29th this year. It was an absolutely beautiful day 🙂