Enjoying a Slice of Life in Savannah Georgia!

 Dear Henry,

I never told you about my trip to Savannah this year, did I?

This past March, I traveled to Savannah, Georgia, for a long weekend. It was a much-needed trip and was the first I've taken since the COVID pandemic closed everything down.   I was excited about the journey, Savannah is an excellent place for history, and it is also the home of my middle son, who, because of the pandemic, hadn't been able to come home for some time.

Savannah was established on February 12, 1733, when General James Oglethorpe and his group of settlers aboard the ship HMS Anne landed at Yamacraw Bluff. The river and city of  Savannah were hugely crucial during America's early years, and it became one of the vital export centers of cotton and timber for Europe.   The town is still a large shipping hub for the country, and spending hours watching the big cargo ships travel up the Savannah River is easy. 

Unlike many other Southern cities, Savannah didn't suffer much burning and destruction during the Civil War (the residents surrendered to General Sherman before it got that far). As a result, so much of its early architecture is intact, making the city a great place to study early colonial American history and the history of the Civil War. 

I stayed at the Cotton Sail, a converted cotton warehouse built in 1820 that overlooks River Street. It had great features, including 200-year-old heartwood pine floors, a fantastic river view, and a small balcony that is a great place to watch the shenanigans on River Street. 

And there were lots of shenanigans that weekend.

Unbeknownst to me, before this trip,  Savannah, Georgia, had one of the largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and I had inadvertently booked one of the best hotel rooms for the experience. The balcony was great for watching the St. Patrick's Day festivities.  

What surprised me the most was the lack of ghosts. Savannah is a city known for its hauntings, yet, I couldn't find any information about any resident ghosts at the hotel I was staying at, nor did any wake me up, and it seems that the Cotton Sail may be one of the only historic hotels in the area that aren't haunted.

I saw some great historical sites there, including Wormsloe, the ruins of the area's oldest colonial-era tabby house, the famous Pin Point Museum, which occupies the former A.S. Varn & Son Oyster and Crab Factory, and the notorious Fort Polaski. I also attended Mass at the beautiful and historic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the mother church of the Savannah diocese, and the former parish of the writer Flannery O'Connor. I was a little bummed that I didn't see her childhood home, but COVID still affects many operating hours in the area, and there was so much I didn't see.

Fortunately, my son lives there, so I have plenty of reason to return often.

I was a little nervous about traveling during the pandemic when I began the trip. Still, the most challenging part of the trip was trying to adhere to the dietary requirements of Lent because, let us be honest, Savannah has some great food. While I tried to "eat in the spirit of poverty," I became increasingly grateful that complete fasts during Lent were no longer required. I have to particularly shout out the restaurants "Top Deck" - the truffle pretzel was delicious and much more decadent than I thought it would be -  and "Hitch - Treylor Park" - where I enjoyed a sloppy joe with mismatched fries and a very, very good (but a little over the top for Lent) pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. I will stop by both places the next time I'm in town.

And I'll definitely be returning - there is so much to still see, and hanging out with my son is always a treat.

xoxo a.d. elliott

*Check out my Youtube tour here: https://youtu.be/BP0j6TgHruw

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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