Best of Savannah

River Street [1]: Despite River Street’s tourist tackiness, there’s still nothing like strolling the cobblestones amid the old cotton warehouses, enjoying the cool breeze off the river, and watching the huge ships on their way to and from the bustling port.

First African Baptist Church [2]: The oldest black congregation in America still meets in this historic sanctuary, a key stop on the Underground Railroad.

Owens-Thomas House [3]: Possibly America’s best example of Regency architecture and definitely an example of state-of-the-art historic preservation in action. Savannah’s single greatest historical home.

Telfair Museums [4]: Old-school meets new-school in this museum complex comprising the traditional collection of the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences and the ultramodern Jepson Center for the Arts, both within a stone’s throw of each other.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist [5]: This soaring Gothic Revival edifice is complemented by its ornate interior and its matchless location on verdant Lafayette Square, stomping ground of the young Flannery O’Connor.

Monterey Square [6]: Perhaps Savannah’s quintessential square, with some of the best examples of local architecture and world-class ironwork all around its periphery.

Forsyth Park [7]: A verdant expanse ringed with old live oaks, with memorials chockablock. The true center of downtown life, it’s Savannah’s backyard.

Bonaventure Cemetery [8]: This historic burial ground is the final resting place for some of Savannah’s favorite citizens, including the great Johnny Mercer, and makes great use of its setting on the banks of the Wilmington River.

Fort Pulaski National Monument [9]: This well-run site, built with the help of a young Robert E. Lee, is not only historically significant, its beautiful setting makes it a great place for the entire family.