Savannah Tourism Guide

Three Days in Savannah Itinerary

Three days in Savannah itinerary: the brick Central of Georgia terminal on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, home of the Savannah History Museum and a visitor center
Day one starts here: the old Central of Georgia terminal holds the Savannah History Museum and a visitor center.

This three days in Savannah itinerary gives each day a zone, so you walk instead of criss-crossing town. Day one covers the river and the northern squares: the Savannah History Museum, City Market, the Owens-Thomas House and the Davenport House, then River Street and a ferry ride at sunset. Day two heads south down Bull Street through the grand squares to Forsyth Park, with the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, the Mercer Williams House, a Southern lunch and a ghost tour after dark. Day three leaves the grid, east along US 80 to Bonaventure Cemetery, Fort Pulaski and Tybee Island, with two alternatives if you’d rather skip the beach.

This plan is for first-timers and returning visitors who want a realistic three days, with opening hours checked, walking times counted, meals placed where they fit and honest advice on what to cut. The caveat that matters most is the calendar: several of these stops close one or two days a week, so match the days to the table below before you book anything. For shorter and longer trips, see our main Savannah itinerary guide. Everything was checked September 23, 2026 against official sources.

Three Days in Savannah at a Glance

DayMorningAfternoonEveningGetting around
Day 1: The river and northern squaresSavannah History Museum, then City Market and the squares to the Owens-Thomas HouseDavenport House, Leopold’s, Factors Walk and River StreetSunset ferry ride; dinner on Reynolds SquareOn foot, about 3 miles
Day 2: Bull Street and Forsyth ParkJuliette Gordon Low Birthplace, the Cathedral and the southern squaresLunch, the Mercer Williams House and Forsyth ParkEarly dinner and a ghost tourOn foot, about 3 miles
Day 3: East along US 80Bonaventure Cemetery at 8am, then Fort PulaskiTybee Island: lighthouse or Marine Science Center, then the beachSunset on Tybee, or back in town for dinnerCar or rideshare, about 25 miles total

Before You Go: Which Three Days Work Best

The single most useful thing you can do is line the plan up with the days of the week. These are the closures that matter for this itinerary:

  • Telfair Museums, including the Owens-Thomas House, close on Mondays.
  • The Davenport House closes on Sundays.
  • Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room serves lunch only Monday to Friday.
  • The Mercer Williams House opens later on Sundays, from noon.
  • Tybee’s lighthouse and Marine Science Center close on Tuesdays.
If you arrive onHow the plan works
WednesdayPerfectly: every stop is open, and Mrs. Wilkes’ serves on Thursday
ThursdayVery well; Tybee falls on a Saturday, so go early to beat the traffic
FridayWell, if Day 1 is Friday and Day 2 is Saturday; Tybee takes Sunday, and Mrs. Wilkes’ means Friday lunch
SaturdayDo Day 1 on Saturday, Tybee (Day 3) on Sunday and Day 2 on Monday, when Mrs. Wilkes’ is open
SundayDo Day 2 on Sunday (the Mercer Williams House opens at noon), Tybee on Monday and Day 1 on Tuesday
MondayStart with Day 2 on Monday, since Telfair is closed; do Day 1 on Tuesday and Tybee on Wednesday
TuesdayDo Days 1 and 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Tybee on Thursday

Also check for big events. St. Patrick’s Day closes streets and many museums, and festival weekends fill hotels and restaurants. Our calendar of Savannah events and festivals has the dates.

Day 1: The River and the Northern Squares

9am: Savannah History Museum

Start at the old Central of Georgia railroad terminal on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where the Savannah History Museum gives you the city’s whole story in about an hour, from the founding to the Forrest Gump bench. The MLK Visitor Information Center next door opens at 9am too, so pick up a map.

Plan it: Open daily 9am-4pm. Adults $12, ages 3-12 $8. Allow about an hour.

10:15am: City Market and the First Squares

Walk east past Ellis Square, where there are public restrooms, and through City Market’s restored warehouses. City Market is about half a mile from the museum, a pleasant 15 minutes if you don’t stop, which you will. Continue into Johnson Square, the first square laid out in 1733, and on to Reynolds Square, where the Olde Pink House stands.

11am: Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters

From Reynolds Square, it’s two blocks south to Oglethorpe Square and the Owens-Thomas House, the essential house museum for understanding how the antebellum city worked and whose labor built it. Guided tours leave about every 15 minutes, with times assigned at check-in.

Plan it: Tuesday to Sunday; tours 10am-3:30pm. The $30 Telfair ticket covers this house plus the Telfair Academy and Jepson Center for seven days. Allow 45-60 minutes. The house has no elevator.

12:30pm: Lunch Near Broughton Street

Broughton Street, a few blocks south of the river, is lined with cafes and restaurants. Keep lunch fairly light; there’s more walking this afternoon.

2pm: Davenport House

A short walk east to Columbia Square brings you to the Davenport House, the 1820 Federal-style house whose rescue in 1955 launched the Historic Savannah Foundation and the city’s preservation movement. Tours are timed and small, so book your slot before you travel.

Plan it: Monday to Friday 11am-3:30pm and Saturday 10am-4pm; closed Sunday. Adults $15. Check in at the Historic Kennedy Pharmacy, East Broughton at Habersham. Tours last 60-70 minutes, with up to 15 people. The house has three sets of curved stairs and no elevator.

3:30pm: Leopold’s, Then Down to the River

Leopold’s Ice Cream, at 212 E. Broughton St., is a short walk west of the Davenport House’s check-in, and a scoop is the traditional answer to a hot afternoon. Then walk north to Bay Street and Factors Walk, the iron bridges and lanes along the bluff where cotton merchants once worked. Go down to River Street by the old stairs if you’re steady on your feet, or by the public elevator between the Hyatt and City Hall.

The brick buildings and stone retaining wall of Factors Walk in Savannah, with an iron bridge over the lane
Factors Walk, between Bay Street and River Street.

Sunset: The Belles Ferry

River Street is at its best in the late afternoon, when the heat eases and the big container ships slide past. For the best view of the city, ride the free Savannah Belles Ferry from City Hall across to Hutchinson Island and back as the sun goes down.

Plan it: Free, daily 7am-10pm, leaving City Hall about every 20-30 minutes.

7pm: Dinner on Reynolds Square

End the day at the Olde Pink House, in a mansion built in 1771 on Reynolds Square, or anywhere in the blocks around City Market. Reservations are strongly advised at the Pink House, especially on weekends.

Day 2: Bull Street, the Southern Squares and Forsyth Park

9am: Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace

Start at the childhood home of the Girl Scouts’ founder, on Oglethorpe Avenue at Bull Street. It’s a good house to see after yesterday’s two, because it’s more personal and it has full elevator access.

Plan it: Adults $15; seniors, military and students 5-21 $12. Buy online in advance, especially in summer. The birthplace’s own pages disagree on opening days, so confirm by phone at 912-233-4501. Allow about an hour.

10:15am: Chippewa, Madison and Lafayette Squares

Walk south down Bull Street into Chippewa Square, with its statue of Oglethorpe, and Madison Square, home to the Green-Meldrim House, where General Sherman had his headquarters, and the Sorrel-Weed House. Then detour one block east to Lafayette Square and the twin spires of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.

An ornate Second Empire mansion with iron balconies and a mansard roof facing Lafayette Square in Savannah
A Second Empire mansion on Lafayette Square.

Plan it: The Cathedral welcomes sightseers Monday to Saturday, 9-11:30am and 1-4:30pm, and Sunday 1-4:30pm. There’s no ticket; the suggested donation is $3. It closes for services, weddings and funerals.

11:30am: Lunch

On a weekday, this is the moment for Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room on West Jones Street, just west of Bull Street, where Southern food comes family-style at shared tables. The line forms around 9:30am for the 11am opening, so the earlier you join it, the sooner you eat. On a weekend, eat anywhere near the squares and save Mrs. Wilkes’ for another trip.

Plan it: Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm. $35 for ages 13 and up, $17.50 for 12 and under, tax included. Cash or check only; there’s an ATM on site. No reservations.

1pm: Monterey Square and the Mercer Williams House

Continue south on Bull Street to Monterey Square, often called the most beautiful of the squares, and the Mercer Williams House, the house at the center of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Across the square stands the Gothic Revival synagogue of Congregation Mickve Israel.

Plan it: Mercer Williams House tours leave every 20-40 minutes, Monday to Saturday 10:30am-4:10pm and Sunday noon-4pm, and last about 35 minutes. Adults $14.95 plus tax; first come, first served.

2pm: Forsyth Park

Two blocks further south, Forsyth Park is the place to rest. The 1858 fountain is running again after a restoration finished in December 2025, and a new Shade Garden opened on the west side in February 2026. On a Saturday morning, you could flip the day and start here with the farmers’ market (9am-1pm).

3pm: A Break

Go back to your hotel for an hour, especially from June to September. You’ve walked about 3 miles today, and a ghost tour tonight adds another.

Evening: An Early Dinner and a Ghost Tour

Eat early, then join one ghost tour. Walking tours run about 90 minutes and a mile from around $30; the Ghosts & Gravestones trolley tour starts at $34 and goes inside two buildings; and the Sorrel-Weed House runs its own tour for $35, ages 10 and up. Book ahead in October and on weekends. Our guide to haunted Savannah and its ghost tours compares them.

Day 3: East Along US 80 to Tybee Island

8am: Bonaventure Cemetery

A marble family tomb under live oaks hung with Spanish moss at Bonaventure Cemetery
Bonaventure Cemetery in the early morning, before the heat and the crowds.

Drive about 3 miles east to Bonaventure Cemetery for opening time, when the light is soft, the paths are quiet and the morning is cool. The oak avenues, the Victorian sculpture and Johnny Mercer’s grave make an hour here one of the best of the trip.

Plan it: Open daily 8am-5pm, free, at 330 Bonaventure Road. Allow an hour to 90 minutes. The Bonaventure Historical Society’s visitor center at the entrance has maps.

9:45am: Fort Pulaski National Monument

Continue east on US 80 to Fort Pulaski, where Union rifled cannon breached the brick walls in 1862. The fort’s scale surprises most people, and the walls still show the damage.

Two visitors look at a field cannon on the parade ground inside the brick walls of Fort Pulaski
Inside Fort Pulaski, on the way to Tybee.

Plan it: Fort open 9am-4:30pm. $10 per person aged 16 and up, valid seven days, card only. Allow about 90 minutes.

Midday: Tybee Island

Tybee is about 10 minutes further. Have lunch on the island, then choose: the Tybee Island Light Station, with 178 steps to the top, or the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, which suits families and hot afternoons. Both are near North Beach, where the main lot at 37 Meddin Drive is convenient.

Plan it: Both close on Tuesdays. The lighthouse opens Wednesday to Monday, 9am-4:30pm (last ticket 4:30pm); adults $14, and admission includes two hours of parking in its lot. The Marine Science Center opens Wednesday to Monday, 9:30am-5pm; adults $15, ages 5-12 $12.

Afternoon: The Beach

The sun rising over the Atlantic from North Beach on Tybee Island, with a ship on the horizon
North Beach on Tybee Island, where the ships come in.

Spend the rest of the afternoon on the sand. Lifeguards cover the beaches daily from 10am to 5:30pm, May 1 to October 31. Parking costs $4 an hour from 8am to 8pm or $25 for a day pass, paid by app or kiosk, and the beach bans glass and dogs. For the island in detail, see our Tybee Island travel guide.

Evening: Sunset or Back to Town

Stay for sunset at Back River Beach on the island’s southwest side, or head back early. US 80 is the only road on and off Tybee, and on summer weekends everyone leaves at the same time, so either beat the rush or wait it out over dinner.

Two Alternatives for Day 3

OptionStopsBest daysWatch for
South to the marshesWormsloe, the Pin Point Heritage Museum, Skidaway Island State ParkThursday to SaturdayPin Point opens Thursday to Saturday only; Skidaway parking is $10 per car
History in townFirst African Baptist Church (1pm tour), the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, the Jepson CenterTuesday to SaturdayThe Civil Rights Museum closes Sunday and Monday; the church tour runs once a day

The marsh option starts at Wormsloe, where you walk, bike or ride the free narrated trolley down the 1.5-mile oak avenue; it leaves the visitor center every 30 minutes. The Pin Point Heritage Museum (9am-4pm; adults $15) tells the story of a Gullah Geechee community on the marsh, and Skidaway’s open trails finish the day. The in-town option suits a rainy day or a traveler who wants more history: First African Baptist Church’s history tour runs Monday to Saturday at 1pm ($15), and the Civil Rights Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm, last tour 3:30pm ($15). For the story behind these stops, see our guide to Savannah’s history.

If Ghost Tours Aren’t Your Thing

Day 2’s evening works just as well without ghosts. Savannah Riverboat Cruises runs a 90-minute narrated harbor cruise ($37.95 adults, $24.95 ages 5-12). Plant Riverside’s Generator Hall, at the west end of River Street, is free to walk through, with a 135-foot dinosaur and a fossil display. Leopold’s stays open until 9pm Sunday to Thursday and 10pm on Friday and Saturday. In April, the Savannah Music Festival fills downtown stages; in September, the free Savannah Jazz Festival takes over Forsyth Park.

Adapting the Plan

With Kids

Swap the Davenport House on Day 1 for the Georgia State Railroad Museum (daily 9am-4pm; $20 adults, $14 ages 3-12), whose ticket includes the Savannah Children’s Museum STEAM Center and its mirror maze. On Day 2, add the Forsyth Park playground and choose Ghost City Tours’ all-ages Grave Tales tour, which starts as early as 7pm. On Day 3, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center usually beats the lighthouse for younger children. Our guide to Savannah with kids has more.

With Limited Mobility

The Owens-Thomas, Davenport and Mercer Williams houses all involve stairs without an elevator, so swap in the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, which has full elevator access, the Jepson Center and the American Prohibition Museum, both step-free. Use the public elevator by City Hall for River Street, ride the ADA-accessible Belles Ferry, and book a trolley with a wheelchair lift 24 hours ahead. On Tybee, the City lends free beach wheelchairs. Our accessible Savannah travel guide covers the details.

Shorter or Longer

With only two days, keep Days 1 and 2 and drop Day 3. With a fourth day, add one of the Day 3 alternatives, or head to Beaufort, South Carolina, about an hour away; our guide to the best day trips from Savannah compares the options.

Where to Stay for This Itinerary

Base yourself in the Historic District, ideally between City Market and Forsyth Park, so both walking days start at your door and a midday break at the hotel is a short stroll. You’ll only need a car on Day 3, so a hotel with parking isn’t essential; you can use a City garage or rideshares for that one day. Our guide on where to stay in Savannah compares the neighborhoods.

Meal Timing

  • Breakfast: eat near your hotel before a 9am start. Most of this itinerary’s mornings begin at 9am, when the museums open.
  • Lunch: around noon on Day 1, at Mrs. Wilkes’ on a weekday for Day 2 (join the line early), and on Tybee on Day 3.
  • Afternoon: ice cream at Leopold’s on Day 1, water everywhere, every day.
  • Dinner: book ahead on weekends. On ghost-tour night, eat by 6pm.

For restaurant picks across the city, see our list of the best restaurants in Savannah.

Getting Around on This Itinerary

  • Days 1 and 2 are on foot, about 3 miles each, on brick and uneven sidewalks. Wear comfortable shoes.
  • The free DOT Express Shuttle runs two downtown loops about every 10 minutes (weekdays 7am-7pm, weekends 10am-6pm) if your feet need a break.
  • Day 3 needs wheels. Bonaventure is about 3 miles from downtown, Fort Pulaski about 15 and Tybee 18. There’s no regular public bus to Tybee, so drive or arrange a rideshare both ways.
  • Parking: City garages are open 24/7 and take cards only; a Visitor Day Pass ($15 for 24 hours) covers on-street meters but not garages.

Our guide to getting around Savannah has the details.

What It Costs in Tickets

DayPaid stops (per adult)Total
Day 1Savannah History Museum $12, Telfair ticket $30, Davenport House $15$57
Day 2Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace $15, Mercer Williams House about $16 with tax, a walking ghost tour from $29.99About $61
Day 3Fort Pulaski $10, Tybee lighthouse $14, plus $25 Tybee parking per car$24 plus parking

That’s about $142 per adult in tickets over three days, plus parking, meals and your hotel. Bonaventure Cemetery, the squares, Forsyth Park, River Street and the ferry are all free.

What to Skip on a Three-Day Trip

  • A Charleston day trip. Two hours each way eats a whole day; save it for a longer stay.
  • A third or fourth house museum. Three is already a lot; the staircases start to blur.
  • River Street at midday in summer. It’s hot, crowded and ordinary; go at sunset.
  • A second ghost tour. They share many of the same stops.
  • Driving between downtown stops. Walking is faster once you count the squares and parking.

Adjusting for Season and Weather

From June to September, when July’s average high is 92.3°F, start each day early, move the long walks to the morning and the evening, and keep the Telfair Academy or Jepson Center for the hottest hours. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, so carry a light rain jacket. In winter, days are short and Bonaventure closes at 5pm, so keep Day 3 compact. On a rainy day, swap in the in-town history option for Day 3, and spend Day 2’s afternoon in museums rather than the park. For month-by-month weather, see our guide to the best time to visit Savannah.

Three Days in Savannah FAQ

Is three days enough for Savannah?

Yes. Three days lets you see the Historic District properly on foot over two days, with time for two or three house museums, and spend a third day at Bonaventure, Fort Pulaski and Tybee Island or at Wormsloe. With a fourth day, add Beaufort or a second beach day.

What’s the best order for a three-day Savannah itinerary?

Do the northern squares and River Street on day one, the southern squares and Forsyth Park on day two, and leave town on day three. That keeps each day in one zone, puts the long walks early, and saves the car for the day you need it.

Which days of the week are best for three days in Savannah?

Wednesday to Friday is ideal: everything on this itinerary is open, including Mrs. Wilkes’ on weekdays. Avoid putting the Owens-Thomas House on a Monday, the Davenport House on a Sunday, or Tybee’s lighthouse and Marine Science Center on a Tuesday.

Do I need a car for a three-day Savannah trip?

Only for day three. The first two days are on foot, with the free DOT Express Shuttle and ferry as backup. For Bonaventure, Fort Pulaski and Tybee, drive or use rideshares, since there’s no regular public bus to Tybee.

Can I fit Tybee Island into three days in Savannah?

Yes, as day three. Visit Bonaventure at 8am, Fort Pulaski when it opens at 9am, then Tybee for lunch, the lighthouse or Marine Science Center and the beach. Avoid Tuesdays, when both Tybee attractions close, and leave before or after the summer-weekend traffic on US 80.

How much walking is this itinerary?

About 3 miles on each of the first two days, plus about a mile if you take a walking ghost tour. The ground is flat but often brick or uneven. Day three is mostly driving, with walking at Bonaventure, Fort Pulaski and on the beach.

Related Savannah Guides

Sources and How We Checked

Hours and prices were checked September 23, 2026. This itinerary is compiled from the attractions, operators and public agencies listed below, not from other travel lists, and it doesn’t claim first-hand visits. Walking distances and times are our approximations.

Savannah Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with Visit Savannah, the City of Savannah or any attraction listed here, and no one paid to be included.

Photo Credits