My husband and I have been lucky enough to do a lot of traveling in the United States and Europe through the years, but we both agree that our favorite city in the United States is Savannah, Georgia (with New Orleans coming in as a close second). What is it about this Southern city that has captivated us so much that we've traveled from our home in California four times to visit it? What we love is its beauty; its people; and its history. It is that quintessential southern town that reminds me of where Scarlett O'Hara might have gone to see her elderly aunt. It's the old South, with its beautiful moss-draped trees, sweet smelling tea olive bushes, red azaleas, and creepy yet beautiful cemeteries. It's so different from Atlanta, which was mostly burned to the ground in the Civil War. When Sherman marched to the sea to plunder and burn everything in sight towards the end of the war, he was met at the gates in Savannah and told that the city would surrender, as long as Sherman's army left the city unspoiled. Thank goodness it was spared.
Here is a list of some of my favorite things to see and do, starting with our favorite hotel there, The Ballastone Inn. For fans of the wonderful book: "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," this is the hotel where Kevin Spacey stayed when he was starring in the film version. If you'd like to see "where the scene of the crime" took place, be sure to visit the Mercer Williams House. There are guided tours of the interior. For a tour of the places mentioned in the book, try "All About Savannah Tours".
If you'd like to see one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world (outside of Pere Lachaise in Paris) be sure to visit Bonaventure Cemetery. It's more like a park than a cemetery. If you'd like to eat at someplace besides Paula Deen's, try Elizabeth's at 37th. It's our favorite. Definitely see a Home and Garden Tour during the Spring when the kind residents of Savannah open their doors and allow us to peek inside their homes and get a taste of what we're missing. This year, it will start on March 31, 2016 through April 3, 2016. I hope you will like it as much as we have.
If you'd like some reading material to bring along, please take a look at our mystery, "Honeymoon in Savannah: A Detective Santy Mystery." It costs only $2.99 and is available at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Kobo, and Smashwords. Paperback versions are available at Amazon.
