Savannah Vacation in a Day - A Savannah Day Trip from Hilton Head

This is your primer for a Savannah vacation in a day. To get the perfect change of scenery during your Hilton Head vacation, a Savannah day trip is ideal.

Depending on traffic, Savannah is only 40-60 minutes away.

If you have flown into Hilton Head Island Airport and have not brought your own vehicle, you can still make it to Savannah for the day.

At the airport and online you can find great rental deals for cars with prices that are affordable. Many Hilton Head visitors do rent a car on Hilton Head for a Savannah day trip.

Savannah is a city with a rich and fruitful history. Originally founded in 1733, by James Oglethorpe, Savannah was laid out by him.

Savannah has been through war, peace, and disasters and yet, the original plan Oglethorpe laid out is mostly in tact, making the historic district of the city one of the greatest attractions.

You will enjoy many attractions and recreational opportunities when you take a day trip to Savannah.

In fact, there are endless possibilities for shopping, dining, and recreation. You may end up taking a second day trip before you leave Hilton Head and your vacation ends.

One of the most popular things to do in this coastal city is to enjoy the restaurants, shopping, sites & sounds. The best place to do this is on River Street (right on the Savannah River)...

Savannah Vacation in a Day:

Plan the Perfect Savannah Day Trip

...and the adjacent Bay Street and City Market area. These parts of town form to create the downtown and historic district.

As you explore the historic district, you will not want to miss viewing the 21 historic squares that have been there since they were first arranged by James Oglethorpe himself!

These very charming Savannah town squares are a magnet for tourists and you’ll see why Hollywood movies like Forrest Gump – with key scenes shot at Madison Square - made extensive use of these beautiful park areas.

Speaking of movies, you may have seen Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was based off of the very famous book that examines some of the unique funky hi-jinks that the city of Savannah has long harbored.

The Mercer House, located at Monterey Square, figures prominently in the Midnight in the Garden of Evil book & movie

The Legend of Bagger Vance was yet another film that took advantage of the historical context of Savannah’s town squares.

Visitors can take a trip up the Savannah River in a riverboat, visit the various Forts in the region (including Fort Jackson), and take in the sights off the coast of Savannah, including two Lighthouses, the Tybee Lighthouse and the Cockspur Island Lighthouse.

Staying on dry land has its advantages in Savannah. If you want to take in the sights in a completely new way, then a carriage tour is a great option. There are multiple carriage tours running in and around the historic district of the city.

When you take your mini Savannah vacation, you can choose to vist other facinating sites that include historic homes and businesses dating back to the civil war and before, such as the Mercer House.

One of the most popular attractions for a day tip or Savannah vacation is the Ghosts and Legends Tour. This tour is so famous, even the New York Times recommends it! The nightly walking tour provides stories, legends, and ghosts all in one.

These are true stories about the supernatural and many ghoulish things have happened to people who have taken this tour. If you love ghost stories or just have an active imagination, you may want to extend your day trip into the night, as you experience one of the best ghost tours in the United States.

If you fly into the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, you can use the airport shuttle service, which goes back and forth between Savannah and Hilton Head Island.

The company that provides the airport limousine/shuttle service also provides city tours for your Savannah vacation in-a-day. If you would like to get a general tourist’s view of this historic city, then a sightseeing tour of the city is going to be exactly what you want to experience.

A Savannah vacation / day trip is not complete without shopping, dining, and enjoying cultural events. Visitors can stop by the Historic District’s History Theater or take in an exhibit at the Telfair Museum of Art.