Long Weekend in Savannah, GA
November 5 – 8, 2019
Table of Contents
Where We Stayed:
East Bay Inn
My friends and I wanted to stay someplace that would provide a walkable distance to the restaurants and activities that we hoped to enjoy during our visit. After talking it over, we decided to stay on Bay Street at the East Bay Inn.
East Bay Inn was built in 1852, and offers unique rooms of various sizes that include a minifridge, robes, and turndown service. Many rooms at East Bay Inn are pet friendly. They currently offer a complementary glass of wine or beer with each night at the inn.
We really enjoyed our stay at the inn. The accommodations were a great mix of old charm and modern comfort & convenience. The staff were all very attentive and friendly throughout our entire stay.
DAY 1: East Bay Inn / Dinner at The Grey
After checking in at East Bay Inn, and enjoying our complementary drink at the tavern downstairs, we walked to The Grey for dinner. I had been to The Grey for the first time earlier in the year, and was eager to share the memorable experience with friends. The Grey is found in a refurbished Greenhouse bus station, hence the name, and retains a lot of the charm from its bus era.
We enjoyed a variety of oysters, and the flavored popcorn was excellent as usual. We also all enjoyed a dish called “Middlins” – a yummy take on shrimp & grits, and tried the “yard bird” – chicken with garlic & greens, and smoked lamb tacos.
DAY 2: Coffee Fox / Cemetery / Zunzis / Naan / Haunted Pub Crawl
The Coffee Fox
To start the day, we stopped at the Coffee Fox for a breakfast snack and coffee. Nitro cold brew, Mexican Mocha, Granola Yogurt, and a jalapeño cheddar muffin were the perfect start to the day.
After breakfast and coffee, we went for a walk around downtown Savannah. Lucky for me, one of my friends is a former resident of Savannah, and he was able to point out some of the easily missed sites along the way during our walk.
Colonial Park Cemetery
One of the highlights of the walk around Savannah for me was a stroll through Colonial Park Cemetery.
The cemetery was established in 1750, and was the main cemetery for Savannah’s earliest residents until 1853. As the city grew and changed many of the early graves were paved over or moved. The cemetery became a city park in 1896. Currently the cemetery encompasses nearly 6 acres and contains over 9,000 graves.
While I had walked through the cemetery once before, I had not noticed the gravestones attached to the back wall. My friend pointed out the gravestones and explained that those headstones were there as a result of cemetery renovations, changes, and vandalism that caused those stones to be broken or uprooted. They were placed on the wall as a way to preserve the memory of those deceased whose stones could not be properly returned to the original spot or the original placement was unknown. Thanks, Joe!
Lunch at Zunzi’s
During the trip, I received a Wonderful surprise – my old college friend, Edward, was able to meet us for lunch. A Savannah native, he recommended we check out Zunzi’s, and we were not disappointed! All of the sandwiches are excellent. I personally tried the Conquistador sandwich. Make sure you get the S*** Yeah Sauce! Needless to say, I was quite excited to realize they also have a location in Atlanta.
Walking Around Savannah
Dinner at Naan on Broughton
After our walk we went back to the hotel to relax for a little while. Then we met up in the hotel tavern for a pre-dinner refreshment before walking to Naan on Broughton. We were all craving Indian food and it turned out to be an excellent choice. We had samosas, korma, & vindaloo. All of the food was delicious, and the generous portion sizes filled us up in preparation for our Pub Tour.
Creepy Crawl Haunted Pub Tour
One of the highlights of our trip was getting to go on a Creepy Crawl Haunted Pub Tour. We started our tour at Six Pence Pub before heading to the very haunted Sorrel-Weed House. We grabbed another drink at the 17 Hundred 90 Inn, and visited the Colonial Park Cemetery at night. We also stopped by the Marshall House & heard a modern ghost story of a SCAD student who fell to his death tagging a building.
Other bars on the tour included the haunted McDonough’s & a quick stop in O’Connell’s Lounge for a final drink. Our final stop was in Wright Square, the site of many hangings in early Savannah.
Day 3: Treylor Park/ Ferry / Food & Wine Festival
Brunch at Treylor Park
For our last full day, I decided to sleep in and head out to brunch at Treylor Park. I opted to enjoy the nice weather sitting out on the patio. The Treylor Park Nachos Grande is a huge plate of waffle fries dressed up like nachos. They are absolutely delicious, and hit the spot the morning after a pub crawl.
The Prickly Pear Margaritas were the perfect blend of spicy and sweet & a good complement to the nachos. And our experience at Treylor Park was made all the better by “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on the TV above the bar!
Savannah Belles Ferry
That afternoon, I took the Savannah Belles Ferry across the Savannah River to the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa for the Grand Reserve Tasting Event – a part of the Savannah Food & Wine Festival. The Ferry is free, and I can’t believe this was my first time riding it as often as I have been to Savannah.
Savannah Belles Ferry Information
Savannah Belles Ferry Schedule
I really enjoyed riding the ferry and took lots of pictures. Funny how sometimes the inexpensive or unexpected parts of a trip end up being among the most memorable! I took the ferry twice – to and from the Grand Reserve Tasting Event.
Savannah Food & Wine Festival
Grand Reserve Tasting
My first Savannah Food & Wine Festival event was the Grand Reserve Tasting held at the Westin Savannah Harbor hotel.
The event is an all-inclusive event featuring over 50 wines, cocktails, and snacks. We had a lot of fun talking with the wine representatives and participating in the wine pull (where you draw a cork with a number out of a tumbler and get a surprise bottle of wine). Other activities included a live auction, a silent auction, and a spirits pull. I chose not to participate in the live auction this year, as memories of my financial situation after Taste of the Nation 2018 in Atlanta were a little too fresh.
Secret Savannah Speakeasy
My second event of the Savannah Food & Wine Festival was the Secret Savannah Speakeasy at the Georgia State Railroad Museum. The 1920’s themed event featured a cocktail contest, lots of food, and live music. I had a lot of fun in the photo booth. My favorite cocktail, made with Aperol, won the contest! We only got to attend a total of 3 events this year, but of those, if I had to pick a favorite event, this would be it.
Day 4: Fox & Fig / E Shaver Bookseller / Big Green Egg Masterclass
Brunch at Fox & Fig Cafe
Before heading back home, I got to enjoy one more morning & early afternoon in Savannah. I started the day with brunch at Fox & Fig Plant Based Cafe. I had the Gunslinger Pancakes & a delicious latte to top off the meal. The food was amazing, and the beautiful view added to the overall experience. They only have a few tables outside, but if you can snag one, do it!
E Shaver Booksellers
After brunch I went for a walk, and spent a while at E. Shaver Bookseller. I had been wanting to visit this bookstore for quite a while, and that is before I knew they had shop cats! I plan to go back every time I am in Savannah. Tons of books and 3 cats! What’s not to love!?
Big Green Egg Master Class
My last activity before heading home was my last Savannah Food & Wine Festival Event – the Big Green Egg Master Class.
I headed to the Peregrin rooftop bar on top of the Perry Lane Hotel for a class on how to make El Pastor Tacos on the Big Green Egg. I was also treated to a demonstration on how to make a rum cocktail.
The Executive Chef and Head Bartender from Edmund’s Oast in Charleston, SC – Bob Cook & Jayce McConnell – treated us to the lessons and lunch. These guys were a lot of fun, and the food and cocktails were top notch.
Unfortunately, the end of the class meant it was time to stretch my legs for a few minutes and get in the car to head back to Atlanta.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the trip to Savannah was a lot of fun. We were able to fit in a lot of different activities in a long weekend, and having friends along for most of the trip made the entire experience even better. Writing this, I am already craving another Treylor Park margarita & a lazy afternoon browsing the E. Shaver Bookstore in the company of cats.