Guide to Getting Away from the Sunnyside Traveler

I've recently been sharing some places in Savannah to friends who are visiting or thinking about visiting. I thought it would be helpful for me to share that in a new post. Some of these places I've mentioned before and some are new. It's always good to check to make sure these places are still open! Businesses are always opening and closing.  I'll group things by area.  Tybee: Favorite restaurants: North Beach Bar & Grill (casual, mostly outdoor seating), Sea Wolf (fancy hot dogs and other specials, good cocktails and wine), Raw Ingredients (down by the pier, good sushi), Mi Vida ( breakfast and lunch, healthy options), Tybean for coffee, Fannies (by the pier, we like their quesadillas), Crab Shack is an experience but kind of touristy Things to do: bike around the island, watch the sunset on the back pier (https://maps.app.goo.gl/PtbfLEqR9u3W2dmK9), check out what's going on at the Tybee   Marine Science Center (they do special walks) and Lighthouse, w...

2019 Hiking Week 22 One of my favorite back roads drives in South Carolina is Highway 321, from Columbia to Hardeeville. We take this highway whenever we go to Savannah. Even though I've grown up in a time when interstates are ubiquitous and everyone wants to get where they're going as soon as possible, there were times when my parents took me on back roads drives and weekend explorations. I remember some Sundays, after church, driving out to have lunch in Prosperity and exploring the towns around Lake Murray. These days, we turn to the highways of South Carolina whenever we can, especially when we expect traffic to be heavy on the interstates. Lately, I have enjoyed seeing these small towns that I usually only see as names on a map or an exit sign. You'll remember when we visited Lake Wateree, we also went through the town of Great Falls. Now I have a picture of the town when I see that name. Years ago, when travelling to Savannah, we started getting off the inter...

2019 Hiking Week 13 Hunting Island State Park and Sheldon Church Ruins This past weekend we were able to visit the Hunting Island State Park, outside of Beaufort, SC. On the way there, we stopped by the Sheldon Church ruins . These ruins are from a church built in 1757 but it was burned in the Revolutionary War in 1779, then, after being rebuilt, it was destroyed again during the Civil War. They are currently maintained by the Parish Church of St. Helena , which is in Beaufort. I’ve always wanted to visit these ruins. If you look up pictures, there are some beautiful images from this location. It was interesting to see the church and the grounds. There are a few tombstones from the past three centuries. The oak trees, spanish moss, and dogwoods were so pretty. You can schedule events for the location but you have to go through the St. Helena church.  After visiting Sheldon Church, we went through Beaufort and on to Hunting Island State Park . I was really im...

2019 Hiking Week 6 Savannah National Wildlife Refuge Click to see a larger photo where you can see the birds in the grass. This weekend, we were in Savannah. While there, we visited the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge , which is actually in South Carolina. It is on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River. We have driven by this refuge for years but never stopped to check it out. It was a really neat place that we plan on visiting again soon!  The refuge " consists of 31,551 acres of freshwater marshes, tidal rivers and creeks, and bottomland hardwoods." It is full of birds, reptiles, and other animals. Only a small part of it is open to hiking, driving, and other activities. We first stopped at the visitors center. It's a newer center and a nice place to learn about the refuge, its history. and its inhabitants. There are also a couple of short trails in that area. We walked the short Beech Hill Trail, which takes you by the cypress swamp.  Ricef...

So, I was supposed to go to Savannah the other weekend but other plans came up and I wasn't able to go. I was bummed when we had such nice weather on Sunday and I knew it would feel like spring in Savannah. It got me thinking about the city and what I would do or recommend someone to do if they were in Savannah for the weekend. I thought I would share with you my ideal itinerary. I'm giving you some "Save" options and some "Splurge" options, you could also see these as save = more family friendly options and splurge = romantic weekend options. I hope you can use these and enjoy Savannah. It's one of my favorite southern cities. First thing I would do, is check the Savannah visitor's website . See what kind of events are going on that weekend in Savannah and Tybee Island. You may want to join these events or avoid them. Also, be sure, if you're going to be spending time downtown, you may want to invest in a parking pass for the city. You can f...

Just wanted to let you know that I updated some of my past posts and will be working on updating more. A few that have been updated:  Savannah Restaurants Columbia Restaurants Tybee Restaurants Places are always closing, changing names or changing websites. Let me know if any links don't work or if something is out of date.  Also, I came across this great site for travel to Florida: Florida Rambler . This site has some great ideas and suggestions for experiencing the best, lesser-known parts of Florida. I hope to use their Florida Keys by mile marker this spring when we go back to Islamorada. I'm also excited about visiting Pigeon Key and seeing some of the history of the Keys. I'll let you know how it is! Hope you find an enjoyable way to make it through this winter! 

I was recently sharing some of my favorite restaurants on Tybee Island and remembered a few that I forgot to post on my other Savannah posts. I figured I would just make a post for Tybee Island restaurants so that you can have them all in one spot! One of the great things about Tybee is that they have so few “chain” restaurants. I know there’s an Arby’s (which has been closed for construction for awhile) but beyond that I can’t think of another one. So in a way you can’t go too wrong. It just depends on what kind of place you feel like. Many restaurants on Tybee are typical beach restaurants – bars that serve seafood and burgers and quesadillas. Most of these aren’t on my list but you definitely can find them, especially near the pier.  The popular tourist spot is the Crab Shack ( http://www.thecrabshack.com/ ). It has also been known to be a popular stop for any celebrities in the area. It's just off the highway when you come onto the island. You'll see signs. They'...

Things To Do: The best way to see Savannah is to get a hotel downtown and just walk everywhere. The squares are full of life, the homes are neat and historical and you can wander around for hours finding neat shops and restaurants.  Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a big part of the city. So many buildings downtown are owned by them so it gives it a neat artsy vibe.  Architectural Tour: This is the only tour I've been on of  Savannah. I would highly recommend it.  It's a walking tour but gives you a neat perspective.  http://www. architecturalsavannah.com/ First African Baptist Church: We've gone on a tour here and it was done well. We enjoyed hearing and seeing the history this church has. I highly recommend:  http://firstafricanbc.com/tours.php  Pinpoint Heritage Museum: information on Gullah/Gechee heritage and culture. One on my list to visit:  http://www.chsgeorgia.org/PHM  Oatland Island: My favorite...

A running list of Savannah restaurants. Websites will be listed whenever I can find them. Jazz'd Tapas Bar - This place has a great tapas for two for $50, I think. Cool place  http://www. jazzdsavannah.com/ Local11ten - This is a nicer restaurant, if you want something like that. This has become my favorite place for dinner in Savannah. They can do an amazing combination of flavors. http://local11ten.com/ Zunzis - You have to go here! For lunch! It's an experience. Check out the website so you have an idea of the place but it is so good. The restaurant is a counter with a small walk through line and then you can sit outside to eat or take it to go. So unique! Be sure to try their specialty iced tea.  http://www.zunzis.com. / Gryphon Tea Room - For afternoon tea or lunch, we love this place. They have amazing scones and cream.  http://www.teamuse.com/ article_040203.html Gallery Espresso - For coffee, tea, free wifi, breakfast, lunch, this is a p...