Georgia, home of the perfect peach, was another state I have always wanted to visit. Atlanta and Savannah are the two cities we went to.

This was part of a Southern US road trip that included several other states. For more about the music scene and band videos, go to Southern Blues Road Trip.

From Nashville, we headed out for Atlanta, Georgia (a four hour drive), but with a stop over in Chattanooga for lunch. The only photo I took in Chattanooga was that of the Walnut Street Bridge. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the Chattanooga Choo Choo. The Atlanta area has a lot of traffic, so it took about half an hour longer. Be prepared for gridlock and bad drivers.

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia. It played an important part in both the Civil War and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. In 1837, Atlanta was founded at the intersection of two railroad lines, and the city rose from the ashes of the American Civil War to become a national center of commerce.

Swan House

During the Civil War, the multiple railroads in Atlanta made the city a hub for the distribution of military supplies. In 1864, the region surrounding Atlanta was the location of several major army battles, culminating with the Battle of Atlanta and a four-month-long siege of the city by the Union Army under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman.

General William Tecumseh Sherman

Confederate General John Bell Hood made the decision to retreat from Atlanta, and he ordered the destruction of all public buildings and possible assets that could be of use to the Union Army. The next day, Mayor James Calhoun surrendered Atlanta to the Union Army, and Sherman ordered the city’s civilian population to evacuate. On November 11, 1864, Sherman prepared for the Union Army’s March to the Sea (to Savannah) and ordered Atlanta to be burned to the ground, sparing only the city’s churches and hospitals.

Atlanta and surrounding area is the setting for the classic film about the Civil War “Gone with the Wind” – Scarlett O’hara and Rhett Butler, two of the most memorable movie characters of all time, battle it out with each other, as Atlanta burns.

The 2016 estimated population is just under 500,000 with a population of 5.7 million in the greater Atlanta area. We don’t have many observations of the city itself, because it was just a stopover enroute to Savannah. We were doing our own “march to the sea”. We were too tired to visit the sights of Atlanta, and it was too late in the day so the only thing we did was walk around the mid town neighbourhood – which apparently is the best place to be. The midtown area is a vibrant, upscale neighbourhood with quality cafes and restaurants, beautiful architecture, artisan shops, and plenty of green space. 

Where to Stay?

We stayed at this amazing B&B called Stonehurst Place, located in mid town Atlanta. It is a luxury B&B with a fantastic breakfast (peach cobbler made with the amazing Georgia peaches) and wine with snacks in the evening. The proprietors are attentive and very proud of this historic home. They try to ensure you walk away with a first-rate experience. It is luxurious and relaxing. We definitely recommend it.

Other good hotel options:

Attractions:

Where to Eat?

We found an excellent restaurant in mid town called The Lawrence. Zagat-rated contemporary Southern fare, inventive cocktails and a signature house bourbon. The meal and wine were superb! Farm fresh and inventive. Everything there is good.

Other options:

  • Cake & Ale – according to NY Times, “where Atlanta chefs will likely tell you to go”
  • Busy Bee Cafe – making food since 1947
  • Staplehouse – New York style
  • Miller Union – California style
  • Atlas – upscale American restaurant with Picasso and Matisse paintings on the walls

Savannah, Georgia

After a good night’s sleep, we headed out to our final destination Savannah, Georgia. This was another four hour drive. It was the same route that General Sherman, of the Union Army, took in the march toward the sea after he burned down Atlanta.

Savannah is a beautiful coastal town on the Savannah River (South Carolina is on the other side). It is the oldest city in Georgia established in 1733, and was a strategic port city during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. It is a major tourist attraction now.

Savannah is known for its many manicured parks and antebellum architecture. A good way to see Savannah and the 24 little parks in the historic district, is on a trolley tour bus. Forsyth Park is the most popular park with the famous fountain and the great oak trees with Spanish moss. At the center of the historic district is the landmark, gothic-revival Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.

My favorite was Monterrey Square because it has a monument to Polish Nobleman, Kazimierz Pulaski, who fought in the American Revolution.

The riverfront also has some pretty good street musicians and is very lively, but it is also a bit shabby. It is much nicer further inland, especially near the town parks.

The river is a major shipping lane, as we witnessed when sitting on the riverfront drinking a beer (yes you can drink on the streets here). There were some extremely large cargo ships that sailed by.

This guy was just great. He was singing his heart out all afternoon. But I didn’t write down his name, which is too bad. He is very talented.

Savannah has annual music festivals and several live music venues in the historic district – Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country and more. One of Savannah’s most respected live music venues is The Jinx at 127 W Congress St. Congress Street Social Club and the Warehouse Bar and Grill also have local and regional bands every week and draw steady crowds.

Where to Stay?

We stayed at the River Street Inn right on the riverfront, but it is very tricky to find how to drive into the parking area. GPS is not accurate for this one. Breakfast is not included, but they offer free wine in the evening, and there is a French coffee shop downstairs.

The hotel is nice, but I don’t think I would stay there again. The price was good and the location is nice if you want to spend time on the waterfront, but I found that this area does not have good restaurants and is a bit gritty (and not in a good way). Next time, I would stay further inland at a B&B.

Other Hotel options: 

Where to Eat?

When it comes to food, Savannah does have good restaurants, but it doesn’t seem that the riverfront is the best place to find one. We didn’t try them all, but from what I could tell, it is not an area I would recommend. Probably the worst meal I have ever had was at Huey’s on the River. The crab cake was really greasy and not that cheap at $29 USD. I sent my meal back because it was inedible and the manager even hesitated in refunding it. Jimmy’s meal was horrible, too, but he ate it because he was very hungry – he felt ill afterward. All the waiters had dirty aprons on. Really? I get that some restaurants don’t care because tourists are not repeat customers, but this was a bit much.

We had a great meal at Circa 1875, a Parisian bistro. It wasn’t cheap, but the great service and superb food made the cost somewhat bearable. I had the largest profiterole that I have ever seen: house made ice cream with top notch dark chocolate. How can you say no to that?

We also ate at The Goose Feather Cafe for lunch, which has good basic food, but the down side is they make you wait in line until you order at the counter. You cannot grab a seat and then order. I suppose having a line outside is an attraction, but for that reason alone I would never go back.

Another great restaurant is The Public Kitchen. Quality sourced products, nice atmosphere and great prices.

We didn’t go out to a club or live music venue, instead we just had drinks on the riverfront. Since this was the end of our extremely fast-paced two weeks, we were ready for a vacation. Next day we drove four hours back to Atlanta then flew home. It was a very memorable two weeks! And a ton of material to cover!

For more photos go to Wonderland Photography.