On Vacation Without New Clothes? + Cost Breakdown
48 hours in Savannah, GA
I've promised myself that this year I will practice two very important things: self-compassion and self-care. So when my boyfriend suggested that we visit Savannah, GA over the weekend, I said yes.
He asked this question 10 days before we set off and I didn't look at my workload nor my wardrobe. Instead, I simply said yes.
This meant that I worked pretty hard to clear space so I could fully enjoy myself. One thing I've learned this year is that Play is integral to self-care. Self-compassion enters the chat when I consider that without breaks, my mental health will suffer. So, instead of not allowing myself to enjoy play due to stress, I show care and consideration for myself by making time to rest.
The Hasty Plan
Since moving to Atlanta in 2019, a lot has occurred. It's only now in 2024 that I'm making time to explore where I'm living. I began with ATL and all of its boroughs, and am now venturing outside the region to visit the coast.
As a Florida native, I still find it weird to think of the Georgia coastline as “coastal.” Everything from the food, the people, and even the history is in stark contrast to its southern neighbor. Planning this trip included three musts:
1. a history tour
2. a visit to the beach because I find great mental ease in experiencing the ocean.
3. good low-country food!
Keeping Things Somewhat Inexpensive
Both my man and I travel frequently for work. That means we both have travel points saved for occasions such as this. So, a few days before the trip, we hopped on both Marriott and Hilton's hotel reward sites and booked a simple room for two nights. It wasn't anything to write home about, so I won't recommend it here, but that greatly reduced the cost of this trip by 50,000 points per night.
We also looked for hotels where breakfast was included so we could have a couple of lazy mornings without leaving the hotel for breakfast. Plus we rode in my car because between the two mine gets the best gas mileage. Savannah is 3 1/2 to 4 hours away from Atlanta (depending on traffic 🙄), so this was a very doable trip in the way of gas mileage. I filled up my tank before we left and once before returning for a total cost of $52.61.
I honestly didn't personally spend much on food, so the total here is based on my recollection, but our total for meals was around $300. This was our greatest expense and though we spared no dollar, I would say that Savannah has a variety of price points at which you can get great food. We splurged a couple of times and still walked away spending less than $300 on food over two days.
The last bit of costs included excursions and parking. Our hotel and trolley (more below) parking were free. However, beach and riverfront parking was by the hour. In total, at the riverfront, parking for 4-5 hours on the street was $30, and beach parking for four hours was $16. That's expensive but not nearly as expensive as Atlanta, so I can't complain. We also took a Trolley tour at $48 per person for a full-day history tour that we considered very worthwhile.
This brings the total cost of the trip to about $500 for two people. Of course, this is offset by a points-funded hotel stay. Nonetheless, I would say that this first trip exploring my state was very cost-effective and one I would wholeheartedly recommend. As I said, we didn't spare any expense, so this trip could be much cheaper depending on what excursions you choose during a visit.
Good Eats
One thing we know for sure is that Georgia offers amazing low-country food the closer you get to the coastline. Geechee people reside all up and through the area. I find that most Americans do not recognize that the New Orleans accent we all know and love is common amongst low country folk. As a descendent of Geechee people, I love the emphasis on fresh food cooked in flavors that bring me back home to my country roots.
On the riverfront, we stumbled upon a restaurant called Huey's On The River, and after the first bite of red beans and rice, I was immediately transported home! It's very difficult to find good low-country food in the Atlanta area, so easily stumbling onto this gem was a welcome moment. The catfish and okra I ordered were super fresh and I even had a conversation with the waitress before leaving in which we talked about growing produce and catching fish. If you go nowhere else when you visit Savannah, I recommend making a beeline for Huey's.
Second, on the list of great food we consumed is a simple place called Hitch Restaurant. It’s nothing fancy, but the battered grouper and drinks were unexpectedly great. Grouper is a Florida and Georgia staple because they are plentiful in the gulf waters. This one came with surprisingly delicious collard greens. I was shocked at the flavor of those greens, so we took a plate to-go before heading home.
Last but certainly not least, I have to recommend the Gryphon Tea Room near the Savannah College of Art & Design. This is a true tea room with varieties of fresh loose-leaf tea, full high tea service, and even a breakfast and lunch service. I stuck with scones and Darjeeling tea, while my boyfriend tried a refresher that he reported as delicious. The place was very busy, so we sat at the bar, but I recommend you make a reservation to guarantee seating during your visit.
Excursions
Like most tourists, we knew that when visiting Savannah exploring the Riverfront is a must. The Riverfront is a long street on the river with restaurants, local vendors, and sweets shops. Luckily, we chose to visit during an overcast weekend because the Georgia heat and humidity were not doing us any favors. We enjoyed walking and exploring the beautiful historic architecture, the offerings from artisans, and the overall atmosphere. Then, we hopped in the car to visit Tybee Island.
The beach is about 20-30 minutes away from Savannah, so we ate at Huey's beforehand and changed in those bathrooms before hitting the beach (I know better than to go into a beachfront bathroom). Parking was plentiful and by my Floridian standard, the beach wasn't crowded. We easily found a spot to lay out our towels and immediately hit the water to cool down before relaxing until sunset.
I particularly wanted to see the sunset over the water and it didn't disappoint.
The next day, we spent the entire time taking the Old Town Trolley tour. It starts at 9 am and goes until 5 pm. There are tons of stops you can visit before hopping on the next trolley that easily fills the time. While on the Trolley, you are told the history of Savannah, including its ghosts, between stops. Our favorite spots included the Gryphon Tea Room, The Cathedral Basilica, and the City Market.
I will say that not each tour guide is as knowledgeable as the next, so the guide you get does shape the overall experience. Nonetheless, we thoroughly enjoy ourselves and I know that the next time I visit Savannah, GA, a haunted house tour will be on my list!
Until next time.…