In this article we share our personal experience with a family day trip through Savannah. Often during our RV travel adventures, we end up parking in the middle of nowhere (or even between two or three cities) and taking a day trip or two to see the sights. This allows us to experience the fun and excitement of the city without sacrificing the solitude of the countryside. It also allows us to see many different places in a single RV vacation without ever moving the RV itself.

Recently, my family ended up at a campground between Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. Obviously, we had to go on day trips to see both, and we had a great time doing so. In this article we are going to focus on our Savannah day trip and offer our best tips for planning your own RV vacation to the area.

Things to Do in Savannah

Honestly, we spent the majority of our day in Savannah walking around and admiring the gorgeous homes and adorable businesses. That said, we did make a few stops that we loved, and there are a few others we wish we would’ve seen.

Here’s what we suggest that you check out.

Forsyth Park

Our first stop (and the kids’ favorite spot) was Forsyth Park.

This is a large park in a historic neighborhood with plenty of greenery and Spanish moss, some seriously cool play equipment, well-kept sports courts, and a beautiful fountain with a cool backstory. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to wander the walking paths and really take in the beauty of this park.

Just get your Packing List Checklist to have an amazing trip.

Savannah Historic District

From Forsyth Park, we started on our walk through the historic part of town. This area is full of beautiful architecture, local eateries, museums, old churches, statues, and more.

You will want to be sure to see City Market and try some of the goodies found there during your adventures in the historic district. It’s also a good idea to stop in at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist to admire the beauty there.

Historic River Street

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Another historic area that must be explored is Historic River Street. This street is home to countless boutiques, galleries and studios, restaurants, and more. There are monuments scattered up and down the street, including the African-American Monument and the World War II Monument.

Be sure to stop in at Byrd’s Famous Cookies for a treat. Then, head to Savannah’s Candy Kitchen for some sweets to take home!

American Prohibition Museum

This is one of those spots that we didn’t visit, but my mom made the visit when she was in town and she absolutely loved it. It’s now on the top of my list for next time!

As the name suggests, this museum explores the era of Prohibition, a subject I find fascinating. It uses dioramas and high-tech exhibits to immerse you in the time period, and so much information is available that there are actually several sections of the museum, each focusing on a different aspect of Prohibition.

Telfair Museums

The Telfair Museums are also on my list for next time. This is a set of three museum buildings that make up a lovely complex that is well worth a visit, particularly if you are an art or history fan.

One of these buildings is the historic Owens–Thomas House & Slave Quarters, which is home to historic furnishings, lovely pieces of art, and one of the oldest intact slave quarters in the region.

Another building is the Jepson Center. This is a modern building that houses the work of several notable American artists, as well as an auditorium, education studios, and the super fun, immersive, and hands-on ArtZeum.

Lastly, there is the Telfair Academy. This neoclassical Regency-style building was originally built as a home for Alexander Telfair back in 1819. It opened as the first public art museum in the southern US in 1886 and still serves as home to beautiful artwork to this day.

Wormsloe State Historic Site Avenue of Oaks

Honestly, the historic site itself isn’t anything to write home about. While the history behind the place is quite interesting, the park falls flat. It’s a nice bit of land and the ruins are alright, but there isn’t really all that much to look at.

So why is it on this list? Well, the Avenue of Oaks at this site is an iconic site that many consider a Savannah must-see. Here, the road is lined on either side by live oak trees which are dripping with Spanish moss, creating a lovely site indeed.

Fort Pulaski National Monument

Anyone who knows me knows I love a good national park site, so obviously I had to include Fort Pulaski National Monument. This is one of several old forts that line the southeast coast, and like all the others, Fort Pulaski has a rich history worth exploring.

It’s super interesting to wander the fort and imagine what it must have been like to live and work there all those years ago. As an added bonus, kids can earn a Junior Ranger badge here, so they can be engaged during your visit and go home with a cool souvenir! What better spot to add to your family day trip through Savannah?

Tybee Island Beaches

Finally, there are the beaches of Tybee Island. Technically, Tybee Island is not a part of Savannah, but it is close enough that we consider our time on the island a part of our Savannah day trip.

The beaches on Tybee are absolutely gorgeous. The sand is soft, the waves are blue, and one could easily spend hours soaking up the sun while listening to the waves.

Unfortunately, these beaches are not at all warm in late April, a fact we learned the hard way. Still, we did have fun playing in the sand and watching the sun set.

What to Eat

Savannah is big on food. There are tons of amazing local eateries to choose from. We only had a day to spend in the city, so we only got to try a handful of places, but we LOVED everything we tried and highly recommend all of them.

These include…

Gallery Espresso

From the moment I stepped foot in the place, I absolutely loved the eclectic decor in this coffee shop. The line for coffee was long the day we were there, and because of that, we almost didn’t try it—but in the end, we went ahead and waited.

At first we were saddened when the baristas served us an iced latte rather than the iced americano we ordered, and normally we would’ve asked for a new drink. However, this latte turned out to be absolutely delicious and the espresso itself was excellent! A “happy accident,” as Bob Ross would have put it.

Our verdict? Go there, enjoy the decor, and get an espresso-based drink. It’s worth the wait.

Leopold’s Ice Cream

I’m from Oklahoma, where Braum’s is the place to get ice cream. I honestly didn’t even know how lucky I was to have Braum’s until I started traveling, but what I have found is that Braum’s is easily one of the best ice cream spots in the country. If you ever find yourself in Oklahoma, go there.

But I’m not here to talk about Braum’s; I’m here to talk about Leopold’s. Leopold’s Ice Cream in Savannah is one of only three places I’ve found in the country that serves up ice cream as good as Braum’s. Actually, it might even beat Braum’s! This stuff is incredible.

Not only that, but they have an adorable ‘kiddie’ size that is just perfect for those times when you really shouldn’t eat ice cream but you really want to anyway. (Maybe that’s all the time?)

Shabazz Seafood

The last good spot we stopped at was Shabazz Seafood. This is an unassuming little shack on a street corner. One of those places you’d never even notice if you weren’t looking for it. We were looking for it though, and I’m so glad we found it.

Shabazz catches their fish daily, and it shows. Not only that, they fry that fresh fish up in a flavorful batter that is simply amazing. This is one of those places I crave sometimes, and I know we will be back the next time we are in Savannah.

Where to Stay

Obviously, you will need someplace to park your RV while you explore Savannah. You could park somewhere between Savannah and Charleston and take day trips to both, or you could stay closer to Savannah and spend more time in the city.

Yemassee KOA Holiday

We personally stayed at a park called The Oaks at Point South, which is part of the Thousand Trails system. It was fine because it was included with our membership, but if we were paying for a park in the area, we would choose Yemassee KOA Holiday.

This park is located right next to the Thousand Trails, and there is even a hiking trail between the two. We walked over a few times and got coffee from their coffee shop and pizza from their restaurant. The staff were beyond friendly, the park was clean and well kept, and there were a number of great amenities included.

The best part? This campground is located between Savannah and Charleston, and we even took a day trip to Congaree National Park from the area.

Skidaway Island State Park

If you prefer to be closer to the city, I have to recommend Skidaway Island State Park. In fact, we even plan to make another trip to the area just so we can stay at this state park.

The park is located just minutes from the city and only an hour from the beaches on Tybee island. There are hiking trails and other recreational activities in the lovely park, and the Spanish moss and live oaks constantly remind you where you are. The sites are large and clean and there are even some full-hookup sites available.

PS, More Tips for a Savannah Day Trip

Most of what you need to know is included in the sections above. That said, we do have a few more tips for your family day trip through Savannah below.

Do Some Research First

Savannah is chock-full of fascinating history. Knowing this history before you visit is sure to make your time in the city more interesting. For this reason, we highly recommend doing a bit of research and giving yourself a history lesson before you make your day trip.

Pick and Choose

Obviously, it would be great to see all of the cool sights listed above. That said, it would be impossible to really enjoy any of them if you tried to cram them all into one day. Instead, we recommend choosing just a few things to see during your Savannah day trip. Want to see more? Plan a second day trip!

Take a Trolley Tour

We highly recommend taking a trolley tour on your day trip. There are a few trolley tour options in Savannah and all of them provide information on the city as you ride through. These are hop-on, hop-off tours, meaning they can double as transportation to most attractions, helping to save your feet.

Wear Good Walking Shoes

Speaking of saving your feet, you will definitely want to wear some good walking shoes. As mentioned above, we spent most of our day in Savannah wandering around the historic district. This was tons of fun, but it made for a lot of walking and our feet were very sore after.

Savannah is one of those cities we will remember seeing for a long time to come, thanks to its character and rich history. I highly recommend you check it out as well, as I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t enjoy a visit to the place. Why not rent an RV today so you can check it out for yourself?