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| Don't you just love scenic views? |
In a few weeks, for July 4th, my immediate family will be taking a sun-filled vacation to the beach and anchor-city of Savannah, Georgia. We won't be gone more than a couple of days and the majority of the trip will be moving my brother to a new house. :( In the down time though, I plan on experiencing the sights, sounds, smells, and feels(?) of the city that has yet to worm it's way into my heart. (Past experiences have found the city to be lackluster and wanting.) Will I find love in the hot and humid streets of my past (amidst moving my brother)? Or will I question why I even bothered wasting my time?
Anyway, after much research, the following is my Savannah/Tybee Island bucket list. These are the places on my to-do list… (And, side note, if you intend on going to Savannah or Tybee Island for the July 4th weekend, BOOK NOW! Places are filling up fast! I would know from experience…)
1. See the fireworks on July 3rd AND July 4th.
We booked a hotel on Tybee Island to see the fireworks over the ocean on July 3rd and a hotel (with a rooftop view!) on the river in Savannah to see the fireworks on July 4th. The question is… will we get to these locations early enough for me to set up and photograph said fireworks? #whoknows?
2. Visit Forsyth Park and see the pretty fountain.
Just because it's pretty. :)
3. Eat at The Olde Pink House.
So many blogs recommend it. I'm not sure the (sea)food is my thing but I could totally go for a cheese plate served with Savannah Bee Company's honey. YUM! (Did you know that Savannah Bee Company has a store in Charleston, SC too? They have some of the best honey! It's not on my bucket list since I've been there so many times before, but if you haven't, it should be on yours!)
4. I'd also love to go to Mrs. Wilke's Dining Room.
With it being a holiday weekend, I doubt we will make it this trip. I've heard the line starts at 9:30AM for lunch at 11AM! Unfortunately, I'm not sure we will have that much time to wait in line. :( Perhaps a return-trip will be necessary! :) I'd love to immerse myself in the family-style southern dining experience that is so well praised!
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| All beaches look alike! (source) |
5. Visit the beach.
Because duh, it's the beach. Apparently, North Beach is the place to go for less crowds and more pretty. :)
6. Eat a piece of Vinnie Van Go Go's pizza on the cheap.
With our lack of time, this is probably more likely to happen than Mrs. Wilke's Dining Room. No matter. I do love pizza!
7. Explore Broughton Street.
According to this blogger, it is very similar to Charleston's King Street (AKA: the mall). I'd love to explore Savannah's version of Anthropologie, Free People, and Urban Outfitters, my favorite stores. Are they in unique buildings like they are in Charleston? Only one way to find out! :)
8. The Wormsloe Historic Site looks gorgeous for taking pictures…
I don't know if it will be too hot and humid to explore during the summer, but if it is, perhaps we could explore it in the spring one year…
9. Consume an ice cream bought from Leopold's.
Listed as #5 on Toronto Sun's Best Ice Creams in the World, I think I may have to go in for a taste test … or two. :)
10. Discover the homes of Savannah…
It's a bit too late for us to plan to do this for our upcoming vacation, but perhaps in the future Justin and I can visit Savannah in late March or early April to view the historic homes and gardens that make up the city. I'm sure some of them are absolutely gorgeous at that time of year! :)
11. Drive down Officer's Row on Tybee Island.
I am desperate for pretty pictures and beautiful scenery! If I can get them for free, all the better!
12. Take in a service at The Cathedral of St. John's the Baptist.
We probably won't go this time, but I know this is likely to be on Justin's itinerary… so it made the list. I guess…
13. Get a drink at Perch, the roofside bar.
No matter how many roofside bars I visit, I never seem to get tired of them. Tired of the high prices, yes! Tired of the views? Never!
14. Spend a night at the Bohemian Hotel located at the Savannah Riverfront.
Unfortunately, I found this hotel too expensive for a group (read: family) night amidst moving and holiday-ing. But one day, when Justin makes his fortunes, I will return and experience the luxury that is this hotel… One day. :)
15. Shop at The Gallery By the Sea and Seaside Sisters on Tybee Island.
Riverside and Broughton Streets may be the 'it' thing for tourists exploring Savannah, but I always think it's fun taking in shops with unique and interesting art pieces. I never shop for traditional souvenirs, so why would I shop at traditional souvenir shops?
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| Sunsets = <3. (source) |
16. See the sunset.
This is kind of a given for me. I don't really care where I see the sunset … since all sunsets have the potential of being beautiful. I just want to find a location, set up, wait, and maybe snack on appetizers, chat, and relax. It's quite possibly my favorite part of any vacation! :)
17. Explore the SCAD Museum.
I've had dreams of going to school at Savannah College of Art and Design… Maybe I can pretend like I'm there studying under the great professors of our time if I take a tour through the museum. I can begin with with one of my favorite subjects… The American Landscape exhibit and follow it up with the Dress Up Story exhibit and the Things Are Not What They First Appear exhibit concluding with a view of the permanent collection. Yes, I do believe this will appease my desire to explore modern art.
18. Sample a macaron at Marche de Macarons.
Justin and I have been on a search for good French-style macarons since we returned from Paris. So far, the closest we've gotten are the ones Justin made for my birthday last year. Even though Marche de Macarons is a 5 hour drive away from where we currently live, it's a drive I would happily make for good macarons if they ended up actually having some. Please, please, please have yummy macarons!
19. Take time out for tea.
There is only one tea room I know of in Atlanta, and I haven't heard too many great things about it. However, I have heard fantastic things about the Gryphon Tea Room in Savannah. Plus, the idea of having tea with scones sounds pretty idyllic in an almost-Disney way. Where else can you go to experience something so English yet also American?
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| Image taken in Forsyth Park, but it looks kind of like a Cemetery… (source) |
20. Explore the Bonaventure Cemetery.
This apparently is a must-do. I'm not really into ghost tours (or stories for that matter) but I think there could be some fun found photos among the tombstones…
21. Tour the Architectural Scene…
Apparently, Savannah Rambles offers an amazing tour of the historic beauty that is Savannah. While it will be far too hot to experience this in July, I bet it's an amazing tour and would love to take it when the weather cools off a bit.
22. Eat Southern staples.
I've already mentioned a few restaurants where this might happen. I'm looking forward to fried green tomatoes and maybe some yummy, cheesy grits. I'll have to leave it to Justin to experience the seafood though…
23. Ride on a riverboat.
Just to say I did it…
24. Because the SCAD Museum may not be enough…
I'd love to roam the halls of Telfair Mansion and Art Museum, the oldest art museum in the southeast. The current exhibits don't interest me too much, but I love that this museum is also home to the Owens-Thomas House. You don't see that too often, and Savannah is pretty much known for their historic house tours.
25. Walk, walk, and walk some more…
The heat may make this prohibitive … or not … but one thing is for certain: I love slow walks in the evening on cobblestone streets where you can take in the majestic beauty of moss covered oak trees, historic mansions, and perhaps sample a praline or two… :)
26. Finish moving my brother.
#ThingsIHaveToDo.
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Yes, a trip to Savannah (minus the heat) is sounding pretty nice right about now.
And just in case my bucket list isn't reason enough for you to plan your escape to Savannah, check out these gorgeous images from Country Living. :)
Is Savannah on your bucket list?
