Road trip PART 1: Savannah
As promised, I am rounding up all the details on our roadtrip to New Orleans with a stop in Savannah GA for a day and night!!
First of all, this was my first roadtrip that involved more than 8 hours of driving! The drive time was about 13 hours from Wilmington NC and it was all well worth it to be able to check some items off my bucket list!
We left on Valentine's Day with our destination set to Savannah GA! Savannah is only about 2 1/2 hours from Charleston, so really you can squeeze that in there if you wanted to!
Five hours and 17 bathroom breaks later we arrived in Savannah, GA!
Savannah is full of charm! The architecture, food and people are all so amazing! You really need a solid weekend to take it all in! We had exactly 24 hours to pack as much in as we could! Here were some of the spots we picked!
The first stop in Savannah was Wormsloe Plantation. Their instagram handle is @wormsloestatehistoricsite This is just outside Downtown Savannah, about 20 minutes! It is in your best interest to get there as early as you can to avoid the tourists and get all the unobstructed pics your heart can handle!! I would advise to get there before 10:30 or 11! However, with a mile and a half of the lined oak driveway, you will still be able to drive down or walk anytime of the day, you may just have to wait for others to pass! They open at 9am!
Lunch was next and I knew I wanted to try The Public Kitchen and Bar and man oh man it was all I hoped it would be and more! The design was so on point, obviously that is what I live and breathe! The mixture of metal and wood had me all heart eyes! Then you go to the downstairs dining area where the walls were literally shrubs! Loved it all!
The food was SO AMAZING and so were the cocktails! I am bougie when it comes to my cocktails and the bartender delivered and added his special flare to it and it was so on point! We ordered the soup of the day which was the best soup I have ever had, and I AM SO PICKY when it comes to soup!! It was a chip beef, carrot, tomato soup and we ordered like three!!! JUST GO there.. end of story...trust me!
Next on our list was the Paris Market for more reasons than just epic coffee!! This gem has so much VIBE!! You walk in and you feel like you have been transported to Paris! The decor is to die for! My design heart was beating so fast! LOVED the decor!! They have the coziest, most fashionable corner to sit and enjoy your coffee or treats. There is so much to see on the walls, on display and it is all fantastic! There is also a full on store inside just downstairs! I ordered the White Forest Mocha and it was SO good! If you like raspberry GET IT!!
Next stop was Alex Raskin Antique Shop- Instagram handle
This is located in the old Noble Hardee mansion and is, in my opinion, one of the most grande and beautiful mansions in all of Savannah! Although it is in horrible decaying condition...you kind gotta look past all that (broken windows, paint peeling everywhere and etc) It is a masterpiece of a mansion and I was immediately IN AWE! This Italianate style home has 15 fireplaces and has a unique blush/pink stucco exterior! The mansion is about 6 stories tall and when you enter the store on the side of the building you are immediately greeted by antiques popping out of every corner and crevice! It is literally a hoarder's paradise and was super fun to twist, bend and duck around all the areas to see everything!
There were pieces of furniture in there from the 1700 and 1800s, it was so amazing to see all these antiques up close and personal and to be able to go from room to room and level to level! Make sure you have enough time to really explore this place, you could spend 2 hours in there EASILY!
Just a few feet down from Alex Raskin Antique shop is the famous Forsyth Park
Be sure to walk through there as it is SO beautiful and magical! The fountains, trees and vibes there are unlike any other!! We strolled through the park and decided to go into the Mansion on Forsyth Park. This is a hotel that has a fabulous rooftop bar but for this time of year it was closed. We decided to check out the interior bar/lounge and the outdoor area! So glad we did because FABULOUS!!
The design was so good! The antiqued mirrored walls, the marble columns, the art gallery and the encased hat wall were all amazing! The outdoor area is also chic and the perfect spot to have a cocktail by the poo! Check this place out!!
By this time it was about 5pm so we wanted to get checked into our Bed and Breakfast..which brings us to The Hamilton-Turner Inn! I can not say MORE amazing things about this place! I HIGHLY recommend you stay here, even if it is just for one night! TRUST ME!
I try to always stay in a bed and breakfas/Innt vs a hotel! It may be a little more expensive at some places but so worth it with all the HISTORY, decor and warmth!!
Speaking of history, the Hamilton-Turner Inn has a lot....
The Hamilton-Turner Inn was built in 1873 by Samuel Pugh Hamilton as his personal mansion for him and his family! It was the very first residence in Savannah to have electricity when he installed lights in the parlor in 1883! HOW COOL right?
Through the years the home was purchased by various people, turned into a boarding house for marine nurses, sold to the Cathedral, almost torn down, saved by the Historic Savannah Foundation (THANK GOODNESS) converted into an apartment building and made its way into the famous book of John Berendt's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." The mansion was converted into the luxury Savannah Suites in 1997 by Charlie and Sue Strickland! The current owners take so much pride in keeping this place in tip top shape!
The DECOR IS EVERYTHING!! One of the many reasons why I chose this place to stay was because of the amazing decor! When you are in my industry of design, everything you do tends to revolve around interior design and decor and hospitality design is right up there with it!
The Parlor was designed by Linn Gresham, a luxury designer in Savannah! She did a wonderful job! The parlor is so chic, inviting, luxurious AND cozy! The amazing wall mural was done by Bob Christian, a nationally known artist who is extremely talented!! You walk into the parlor and you are immediately in awe!!
The soothing color palette of blues, creams and golds are also seen in the dining room, which was my FAVORITE spot! With a view of LaFayette square! It was the best spot to have our complimentary breakfast the next morning that was SO GOOD, holy moly!!!
Each and every room has so much charm and character! We stayed in the Conrad Aiken room that is located in their carriage house! It was AMAZING! The decor, size and cleanliness of the room made me feel right at home! The blush velvet curtains, the plush linens and comfy mattress were all so on point! The bathroom had the cutest black and white tile with a two person shower and beautiful chandelier! SIDENOTE: they provided our toiletries and I am now obsessed and will need to purchase them! The brand is ROAM!
They provide a cocktail hour every afternoon in the parlor with wine, cheese and pickled plates. The perfect time either to unwind after a long day of exploring or get your night started before heading out! You can mingle with other guests, it is divine!!
Maggie was so nice to give me a list of restaurants before we booked that came highly recommended! SO GLAD she did because we ended up making a reservation at her top recommendation, Alligator Soul! YUMBO!!!
We purposely made dinner reservations as late as we could so we could hit up as many cocktail hour spots as possible! Since we only had one day and one night here we tried to PACK IT IN!!
I knew I wanted to check out Artillery Bar- their instagram handle is @artillery_bar
The design of this bar really caught my attention and the many many reviews and recommendations didn't hurt ;)
The outside was just as charming! This place not only has the cutest interior with its tiled ceilings and modern vibes but the drinks were so good we stayed for more than one round! By the time we knew it, it was our dinner time and we had to dash! I highly recommend this place!!
Dinner was at Alligator Soul! Instagram handle is @alligatorsoul
This place was phenomenal! We ranked it as top 5 on the best dinner experiences we have ever had, and we have eaten and some pretty amazing places!
The atmosphere, service, drinks and food were all ON POINT!! I tried to find a flaw....and it just was not happening! I highly recommend trying this if you are in Savannah...actually you HAVE to try it!
A few of the dishes we had were the scallops, roasted mushroom salad (HOLY WOW), Boudin (Alligator tail with cheddar grits and a blueberry bbq sauce), The bone in Ribeye. That Ribeye was the BEST we have ever had, hand to God! I literally was dumbfounded after this meal!
Our waiter, Ryan was so knowledgeable and just flat out amazing!! He recommended we visit a local desert shop after and we did and YUM! The name of the place is LuLus Chocolate Bar (they stay open til about 12 or so)
As we only had one day and one night in Savannah, I did not get to visit all of the restaurants and bars and places I wanted to so here is a list of the ones I was unable to see and you should def check them out!
Restaurants/bars
Places
Factors Walk
Any ghost tour
Bonadventure cemetery
Tybee Island
And there is so much more!!! Savannah is small town but packed with so much charm it is not a place you want to rush through! Plan a long weekend and visit these spots and you will be dreaming about it for the rest of your life...I know I am :)
The next morning it was game face for our 12 hour drive to NEW ORLEANS which is an entire blog post of its own! Coming soon..
