Top Attractions in Savannah, Georgia

Park & Gardens

The Green Heart of Savannah

Forsyth Park

1–2 hours

Early morning or late afternoon

Forsyth Park is Savannah's great public living room — 30 acres of live oaks, azaleas, and open lawn anchored by the city's most photographed landmark: the 1858 cast-iron fountain at its northern end. The park stretches from Gaston Street to Park Avenue and is the social center of the city at almost any hour. Morning joggers, afternoon picnickers, weekend farmers market vendors, and evening strollers all share the same moss-draped canopy.

1858 cast-iron fountainSaturday farmers market30 acres of live oaksFree admission

Historic Waterfront

Nine Blocks of Living History

River Street

1–3 hours

Evening for atmosphere; morning for quiet

River Street runs along the Savannah River on a bluff of 19th-century cotton warehouses converted into shops, restaurants, and bars. The cobblestones underfoot are original ballast stones brought over from Europe in the holds of sailing ships. The street sits below the level of the city proper — you reach it via steep ramps or the famous Factor's Walk iron bridges — and the effect is of descending into another era. Container ships still pass at eye level, a reminder that this is a working port.

Original ballast stone cobblestonesWaving Girl statueWorking port viewsFree Belles Ferry

Historic Cemetery

The Most Beautiful Cemetery in America

Bonaventure Cemetery

1–2 hours

Morning for light and quiet

Bonaventure Cemetery is not a morbid attraction — it's one of the most hauntingly beautiful places in the American South. Established in 1846 on a former plantation bluff overlooking the Wilmington River, it's a Victorian garden cemetery where the live oaks have grown so large and so draped in Spanish moss that the avenues feel like cathedral naves. The graves of poet Conrad Aiken, songwriter Johnny Mercer, and many of Savannah's founding families are here. John Muir camped here in 1867 and called it 'the most impressive assemblage of animal and plant creatures I have ever met.'

Victorian garden cemeteryJohnny Mercer's graveMidnight in the Garden settingWilmington River views

Historic House Museum

The House That Made Savannah Famous

Mercer Williams House

1 hour

Weekday mornings for smaller groups

The Mercer Williams House on Monterey Square is the most famous private residence in Savannah — and possibly in the American South. Built in 1860 in the Italianate style, it was purchased and restored by antiques dealer Jim Williams in 1969 and became the setting for John Berendt's 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.' The house is now a museum open for tours, and the rooms are filled with the extraordinary antiques collection that Williams assembled over his lifetime. The square it faces — Monterey Square — is one of the most beautiful in the city.

Midnight in the Garden settingItalianate architectureAntiques collectionMonterey Square

Historic Church

Savannah's Most Spectacular Interior

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

30–45 minutes

Weekday mornings when it's quiet

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Lafayette Square is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Georgia and one of the most beautiful Gothic Revival buildings in the American South. The current structure dates to 1876 (rebuilt after a fire) and its twin spires are a landmark of the Savannah skyline. Inside, the cathedral is breathtaking: 70 stained glass windows imported from Austria, a vaulted ceiling painted in rich colors, and an atmosphere of genuine grandeur. It's free to enter and open to visitors most days.

Austrian stained glass windowsGothic Revival twin spiresOldest Catholic church in GeorgiaLafayette Square setting

Savannah's Must-See Landmarks

Forsyth Park

River Street

Bonaventure Cemetery

Mercer Williams House

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

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