trip report - girls weekend in Savannah

I spent three nights in Savannah last weekend, with two girlfriends for our joint 40 year birthday celebration. We chose Savannah over contender Santa Fe because it was easier for them (in Mpls) and me (in Washington DC) to get to. Although I have traveled around the South and lived in New Orleans, this was my first time in Savannah.

Flight: Direct flight, IAD to SAV, United. About $340 rt. Plane was one of the smaller jets. Had to gate check luggage

Hotel: Azaela Inn %26amp; Gardens, 217 E. Huntingdon St., azaleainn.com

Room: The second floor two-bedroom cottage garden house, located in a separate building near the pool. While it came with a small deck with tables, chairs and a glider, the room really didn%26#39;t have a ';lounging'; area that you%26#39;d expect in a suite Shower was spacious and new.

Pros: Proprietor Teresa Jacobson is exactly what you want in a B %26amp; B owner - friendly and available when needed, but not overly hovering. Breakfasts were served at three set times; you signed up the night before and couldn%26#39;t change after that. Sample menus: vegetable quiche, potatoes, biscuit; ham and eggs, cheese grits, biscuit; fruit %26amp; yogurt, french toast with peach compote, sausage. The B%26amp; B also served wine and snacks at 5 p.m., as well as a dessert and port in the evenings. Inn had a lovely front porch with wicker furniture.WiFi. No public computer but staff would print boarding pass for you.

Cons: While still in the historic district, the Inn is right next to a not-so-cute detention center. It%26#39;s also a little out of the way from the main attractions. If you are more interested in nightlife on River Street, stay elsewehere. Some Northerners might find the dining room mural that includes a scene of a Confederate flag slightly creepy. This also isn%26#39;t a place for those with pet allergies, as a Yorkie and a tail-less cat live on premises.

Cost: The two bedroom cottage garden house was $395 per night (including tax)

Go back? Possibly. Although the Inn isn%26#39;t as central as other B %26amp; Bs, the amenities made up for it. There are many B %26amp; Bs in town, however, and part of the fun of Savannah is trying a different one each time.

Restaurants:

Thursday: Molly MacPherson%26#39;s Scottish Pub %26amp; Grill. Macphersonspub.com

A fairly standard pub on Congress Street, decorated with football (soccer) flags. Waitress was surly. Menu had toasties, Scotch eggs, fish %26amp; chips. Drinks were authentic black %26amp; tans, and shandies.

Go back? Probably not. To me, Savannah is all about Southern food. It did look like a fun place to go if there was a big soccer match on TV.

Friday: Firefly Caf茅. fireflycafega.com

An eclectic non-touristy caf茅 on cute Troup Square. Make a reservation for outdoor tables. Inside was rather loud. I had a bowl of ';firefly style'; corn chowder, topped with crab ($8.50) and a half portion of the cranberry pecan spinach salad ($6.50).

Go back? Yes, possibly for brunch. The soup was excellent.

Saturday: Old Pink House.

This is a granddaddy of Savannah%26#39;s restaurants, in a historic home renovated by Jim Williams. Go inside and you%26#39;ll see a series of rooms, each decorated in a different color with a fireplace. There is also a big room in the back that is more open; this seems more ';touristy'; than the smaller rooms so you might want to specify when you make reservations (which you%26#39;ll definitely need - we saw a bride in her gown waiting for a table!) I had the she-crab soup (excellent!) and pecan-encrusted tilapia. Portions were filling. Service was excellent - upon learning it was our birthday, our waitress brought out a candle and complimentary berries and cream, and sang Happy Birthday (she sang a love song for a couple celebrating an anniversary near us). Bill including 1/3 bottle of wine: $55.

Go back? Definitely. I%26#39;d also spend more time at the Planters Tavern downstairs.

Attractions and tours:

Friday: Mercer Williams House. $12.50, Mercerhouse.com

This is the house where Jim Williams, the central character in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, lived. It%26#39;s also where ';the incident'; (some say murder, some say self-defense) took place. Because Williams%26#39; sister still lives on the upper floors, only the bottom four rooms are open to the public.

Worth it? Yes. While the tour focuses more on the antiques than Jim Wiliams%26#39; peculiarites, it%26#39;s fun to see the room where ';the incident'; happened.

Friday: Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. $8 (discounts for girl scouts) Juliettegordonlowbirthplace.org

Whether or not you were a Girl Scout, Juliette Gordon Low%26#39;s birthplace is an enjoyable visit. The tour takes you through the first two floors of the house and focuses as much on Low%26#39;s life as it does on the antiques.

Worth it? Yes. Turns out Juliette was quite a character and her backstory - especially regarding her marriage to Willie Low - is quite interesting. Our tour guide, a Girl Scout, was engaging and put the time period in modern terms.

Saturday: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil tour, arranged by The Book gift shop. $30 for two and half hours, Midnightinsavannah.com

Here%26#39;s where things started to fall apart for us. As avid readers, we really wanted to take a walking tour that also went to Bonaventure Cemetery. My friend sent numerous emails to Shane, the proprietor, who told us that we%26#39;d be able to take a walking tour and then go out by car to the cemetery.

Instead, we were roped into a bus tour with an obnoxious guide named Angela. She was the type of person who thought she was being charming, but ended up sounding petulant and critical. She kept driving in circles. Her narration was unorganized, and she blew by many of the buildings (there was no way to get out and see anything, despite what Shane had told us on the phone). She also had an unprofessional manner, denegrating by name some people in town.

A man behind me starting swearing and complaining loudly about the tour. I told him that I couldn%26#39;t hear and he swore at me. When I changed seats to get away from him, Angela chastised me. My friend asked if there was a bathroom stop. She told her to hold it until we got to the cemetery. Then, as we were heading out to the cemetery, she turned the bus around because she forgot to pick up other passengers - showing no regard for our time schedule or my friends%26#39; desperate bathroom plea. We ended up fleeing the bus and the tour, as the entire experience was making us car sick. .

Worth it? No. We found ourselves wishing that we would have spent more money to hire a private guide so that we could actually walk around and see the buildings. Next time.

Sunday: Andrew Low House. $8. Andrewlowhouse.com

This is the home built by Andrew Low, Juliette Gordon Low%26#39;s father in law. Juliette moved to the house toward the end of her life and died there. We took the tour primarily to ';get the other side'; of the Willie and Juliette marriage (it was extremely unhappy and Willie died of syphillis from his various mistresses). The tour was run by the Colonial Dames of Georgia, and the guides have been instructed to downplay Willie%26#39;s profligerate nature. Our guide, however, was charming and made her opinion known.

Worth it? Eh. We were interested in hearing about Willie, but if your time is short, it%26#39;s skippable.

Sunday: Architecture Walking Tour. $20. Architecturalsavannah.com

This was a 90 minute walking tour led by Jonathan Stalcup, a graduate of the Savannah College of Art %26amp; Design. It starts in Washington Square and ends in Telfair Square. Jonathan really knew his stuff, and he brought historical photos to put the buildings in context. Although he concentrates on architecture, you get quite a bit of history on the tour as well. He%26#39;s a personable guide, who remembers names and where people are from. One of the best tours I%26#39;ve done in a while.

Worth it? Definitely. If I go back, I would take Jonathan%26#39;s other tour, which focuses on Forsyth Park.

Shopping

SCAD store. Shopscad.com.

Don%26#39;t miss this store, which has original artwork from students at the Savannah College of Art %26amp; Design. I bought a fantastic bag and saw several pieces of jewelry that I might need to buy online.

Miscellaneous, ie the cab drivers

It might just have been me, but Savannah seemed to have the strangest cab drivers I have ever encountered. It started Friday, when my ride from the airport said that he ';had the gift, since the wreck in %26#39;72'; and that he knew where missing women and children were. He also said that he could tell when women were dying of cancer. Very creepy. I kept looking around to see how I could make an escape if necessary! Other drivers were either overly folksy (';Who cares about this downpour? Jesus walked on water!';) or cranky (';I can%26#39;t stand driving this cab. I%26#39;m getting out as soon as I can!';) Next time, I%26#39;m getting a rental car.

Is Savannah worth a return trip?

Yes, I could easily go back for another weekend, as there were several historic homes and restaurants we weren%26#39;t able to visit. It would also be a fun place to have a romantic weekend, provided your significant other enjoyed architecture and Southern food.

trip report - girls weekend in Savannah

Wow, nice detail, a big help for those coming behind you.

Thanks for the effort.

trip report - girls weekend in Savannah

Great report!! The cab driver with ';the gift'; is creepy and funny at the same time.

Thanks for your report. We love to hear how Savannah is percieved through the eyes of our guests. I%26#39;m sorry your Midnight tour with Angela was a disgraceful waste of time. You%26#39;re not the first guest to give a thumbs-down for her lack of professionalism. Bonaventure is the highlight of any Book tour. It makes up for what the Book tour lacks, as the bloom is long gone from that rose.

About the Andrew low House: it is owned by the Colonial Dames of the State of Georgia...the Dames obtained the house when it was willed to them by Juliette Gordon Low upon her death in 1927. She moved into the house when she married Willy Low in 1886 at the age of 26, not towards the end of her life. It was given to Willy upon his marriage, a gift from his father%26#39;s estate. She didn%26#39;t spend too much time in Savannah during the early years of her marriage because her husband owned property in the UK and they spent months at a time in England %26amp; Scotland. She came back and forth, and would establish the first Girl Scout troops in the mansion.

The Olde Pink House was in action as a fashionable ladies tea room in the 1940s and later, a restaurant long before Jim Williams cast his shadow upon Savannah. He didn%26#39;t restore it from a hovel, it was never that run-down. He maintained what had been done by others before him, owning it for only a short time.

As for the Stars and Bars painted within a Confederate mural at the Azalea Inn, as a Southerner born and bred, I say thank God the owners have included it and not ';revised'; American history on account of political correctness. I%26#39;ll recommend the Inn even more, knowing that the Stars and Bars is there.

Very helpful trip report. I enjoyed your perspective of Savannah. The creepy cab ride must have been bizarre! (I%26#39;m glad we are renting a car, though the experiences could be good background for a novel.) We are going to be in Savannah next month, and your review has me anticipating our trip more than ever!

Great review! Just one minor correction: the mural at the Azalea Inn contains the Georgia state flag in use from 1956-2001. It did contain the Confederate Battle Flag, but it also contained the seal of the state of Georgia, which would be entirely appropriate for a mural in the South.

Irony of ironies: the Confederate Battle Flag, which admittedly had been co-opted by some hate groups along with many, many organizations who were simply interested in preserving it as a symbol of the South%26#39;s rich history and heritage, was never a symbol of slavery or of oppression. It was the flag of the Confederate forces, who were overwhelmingly not slave owners and simply sought to keep the North from invading their home states.

Even more ironic? Many people, railing against the use of the flag as a %26#39;loaded%26#39; symbol, petitioned to have any depiction of the Battle Flag taken off of the Georgia flag, even though that symbol did not represent slavery. Bowing to public pressure, a new flag was designed which instead incorporated our seal with the First Confederate National Flag, known as the %26#39;Stars and Bars%26#39;. This redesigned flag, while still not a symbol of oppression, is much, *much* closer to being a symbol of slavery, if you want to get technical about it, so much more than the Battle Flag image it replaced.

So we changed the flag to get rid of a supposedly offensive image that didn%26#39;t mean what people thought it meant, and our new %26#39;improved%26#39; version is closer in meaning exactly what those activists sought to get rid of. No one said political correctness meant smart.

To add insult to injury? Thos idiotic hate groups are flying the Naval Jack, not the Confederate Flag. They%26#39;ve adopted an image that they aren%26#39;t using correctly, and don%26#39;t understand.

tram3, thanks for the clarification on the flag. I wouldn%26#39;t have mentioned it, except one of the women in my party brought it up. Clearly, she should have asked about it, instead of making an assumption!

Loved the candor of your trip report. My husband and I just spent a week in Charleston/IOP and expect to return in April 2010. I%26#39;d like to make a day trip to Savannah and will defintely look into an Architecture Walking Tour.

I am the tour guide who had been scheduled to conduct a ';Book'; tour. This tour was most definitely a disaster. I had received a message from the Book Gift shop to call and discuss scheduling a tour for a party of three. I called to discuss the tour; cost, time and what would be covered. I was told that a representative from the Book Gift shop told them that it would be a walking tour and then a drive to Bonaventure. I apologized and let them know that there would be no walking involved that it was strictly driving around the historic district and then a drive to Bonaventure for a tour. I explained this three times and offered to make arrangements for them to take a walking tour for the ';Book'; tour. They said ';no'; they wanted this tour. There would have been no need to hire a private tour, which is more costly since a walking tour is offered at various times during the day. The morning of the tour I had two stops to pick up my guests. The first stop a mother and daughter and your group. Once again, I was questioned about the fact the you were told that it would be a walking and driving tour and you had the e-mail from the Book store representative. I apologized once again and asked if you wanted me to schedule a walking tour and you said no. I was to pick up a couple and was running late, but still was questioned about the fact that there was no walking involved in this tour.I explained to you that tour buses have designated stops and if we made stops and allowed guests to walk around that would certainly involve more time and we could only do that if it were a private tour and that of course is a more costly tour. I then pick up the couple and proceeded doing the tour. You and your friends kept changing seats and after the third time of getting up I asked if everything was alright and you said ';you wanted a seat with a better view';. I explained that if you needed to move to please let me know and I would stop. We ae required to stop the vehicle whenever anyone stands up...that is a city ordinance and certainly a safety issue. We had toured for approximately 40 minutes and we were just 15 minutes from getting to Bonaventure and I was asked about a bathroom stop and I said that we would make a stop at the cemetery. In rare cases, we do stop at the nearest hotel, but the hotel restrooms are for their guests not for tour buses. At no time did I ever tell anyone to ';hold it';. The couple did ask me to let them off the bus and I asked if he was not well and could I call for someone to come get them. He said ';no I just want off';. This has never happened in the 17 years that I have been a tour guide and I was very upset mostly because I didn%26#39;t know what had happened. I was on the way to Bonaventure and realized that I was to pick up guests at the Hilton, we were just 4 blocks away when I turned around to get them and I let you all know that since we were at the Hilton you could use their restroom and we would wait while I was taking care of the guests who had just arrived. You all told me that you would get off because this was not the tour you wanted.

Once you got off the bus, the mother and daughter told me that it was you who was disrupting the tour and that is why the husband and wife got off. You told me that he was cursing about the tour and that was why you all kept changing seats. This gentleman and his wife had become annoyed by your comments and had asked you to be quiet and you did not and continued to make rude remarks to him. When this gentleman got off he handed me money. In fact, too much money and I later called them to give the money back and apologized for what had happened. I also told them that I would make arrangements for them to have a private tour and reservations at a restaurant of their choice at no charge.

I have been in the tour business for 17 years and take a great deal of pride in conducting tours and since I%26#39;m from Savannah, I would not make ';denegrating'; anyone. In fact, I am very proud of the fact that may of my guests have returned with friends and family and have enjoyed my tours.

This was all was very unfortunate and I feel unnecessary. All guides, have received unfavorable comments and the majority of guides do their very best to make sure our guests have an enjoyable experience. We have to look at these criticisms objectively so that we can make improvements, but your comments were not criticism...it was totally untrue.

Chris....,

Sorry so long in asking this the cottage that you stayed seems like it was 2 people? Or more? $400 nearly per night? I guess I am used to the prices in St Augustine but , that seems a little steep for me Unless... it was more than 2 people.

Thanks for the detailed review

I doubt this is the place to get into a long back and forth, but that account of the tour is not true. My friends and I weren%26#39;t sitting next to each other or talking to each other (we were getting carsick from the driving around and around) so any claim that we were being disruptive is false. Also, when I came back to the b%26amp;b and told the owner about our experience, she said that it wasn%26#39;t the first time she had heard bad reviews of the tour and that%26#39;s why they don%26#39;t have it on their recommended list. FWIW.