Getaways

SEE: If you weren’t an architecture buff before, you’ll become one. Historic downtown Savannah, designed in 1733, retains its glorious Victorian and Regency mansions and gracious green squares; the Riverfront District is one of America’s largest National Historic Landmark neighborhoods. The Jepson Center for the Arts/Telfair Museum of Art, a sleek, contemporary space by international star Moshe Safdie, is worth a stop. And don’t forget The Mercer Williams House Museum, filled with an extensive collection of 17th through 19th century antiques (and, if you’ve read John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the scene of the crime).

STAY: While there are chic, boutique hotels, it’s better to get in the mood by staying in places with a past. The grande dame inn is The Gastonian. The Mansion on Forsyth Park offers luxurious rooms in a restored Victorian showplace.

DINE: Order the seared tuna at Garibaldi Café, or try the South’s best fried chicken at Johnny Harris, Savannah’s oldest restaurant. Save room for the famous desserts at Lulu’s Chocolate Bar. Drink, dine and be seen at the city’s hottest new venue, Local 11Ten.

SHOP: V&J Duncan carries a wide collection of antique books, maps and prints. Snap up art and jewelry by Savannah College of Art and Design students at Shop SCAD, contemporary art at Red Gallery or 2CarGarage, and a variety of gifts at One Fish, Two Fish. Find 33,000 square feet of antiques at Jere’s Antiques.

INSIDER TIP: Do take time after a walking tour—the best way to get oriented, and available through the Visitor Center—to linger and meet the locals in Savannah’s squares, which are its heartbeat and its heritage.