What to do with a few hours in Savannah, GA

Savannah is the oldest city in the state of Georgia and one of my favorite cities in the United States.  While I was vacationing just an hour north of Savannah, a friend and I took a day trip into the city.  Each year Savannah attracts millions of visitors to it's historic cobblestone streets and there are so many reasons why!  We only had a few hours to spend in Savannah which means I had to choose wisely on how we spent our day.

A beautiful Live Oak with Spanish moss

If you've never been to Savannah before, let me clue you in on something: eating as much as you can is a must!  This town boasts some of the best food I have ever tasted! I originally wanted to try a place called Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room which is only open for lunch Monday-Friday. Its southern style cooking and seating which means that you share a table with strangers and platters of food are placed on the table.  The menu changes daily and it's a staple in downtown Savannah.  I had heard so many good reviews about this restaurant so my friend, Erin, and I got there right after Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room opened and found the line was already out the door and almost down an entire block.  I asked a lady at the front of the line how long she'd been waiting and she said at least one hour, which means she was there waiting well before the restaurant opened and she still hadn't been seated. I'm guessing the food is as good as everyone says; I wouldn't know as we didn't want to spend an hour or more waiting in line to eat.  I didn't have a plan B on food but you really can't go wrong in Savannah so I did what anyone would do, I got out my phone and Googled! We ended up walking and eating at Clary's Cafe.  Clary's Cafe is world famous; it serves breakfast all day but they also have a lunch menu as well.  The food was stellar and the service was great as well.  It had a very homey feel to it, I'd recommend this place to anyone and if you go, get the special of the day!  After you've had your fill of southern cooking, you'll need dessert.  You can't visit Savannah without getting a pecan praline.  I'd recommend purchasing these treats at River Street Sweets. They make their candies right in front of you and give out samples!  After you walk around on the downtown River Walk, you'll probably be tired, hot (depending on the time of year), and of course thirsty!  Be sure to stop in Wet Willie's to grab a libation.  You can enjoy people watching through their glass windows or you can leave with your drink and keep going.  It is legal to drink alcohol on the streets in Savannah but it's illegal to "double fist" so make sure you have just one drink in your hand.

You'll find beautiful homes, parks, and churches in the historic district.  Erin and I mainly walked around for a few hours just looking at the beautiful architecture of the city.  We visited plenty of parks but my favorite and probably the most well-known is Forsyth which is the largest park in the historical district of Savannah. There were people in the park playing instruments and the fountain is magnificent.  Both locals and tourists enjoy it's offerings.  We also visited The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and my oh my were we impressed! The church is free to enter and is absolutely breathtaking!  I was most impressed with the stained glass art. This Cathedral should absolutely be on your Savannah agenda! 
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With only a few hours, we managed to pack quite a bit into our little day trip despite all of the walking and near heat exhaustion. 

The fountain in Forsyth Park

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist