Let’s be honest: Savannah in August is hot. Really hot. But if you’re willing to start your days early, seek out some air-conditioned attractions, and slow down during the hottest part of the day, you’ll be rewarded with smaller crowds, lower prices, and still have plenty of summer fun.
If you’re watching your money (and who isn’t, right?) August can be one of the best times to visit Savannah because the hotel rates are down and so are the crowds. No matter what time of year you go we’ve got Savannah on a budget tips and free things to do in Savannah. Combine all that with the low rates of August and you’ve got a real low cost winner!
Plan your days around the heat. After all, there’s no point in fighting it and you’ll still find plenty to love about Savannah in August. If your trip is running over from July, you’ll also want to read up on Savannah in July. On the other hand, if your August trip extends beyond the end of the month check out Savannah in September.
If it’s been a while since you visited Savannah, or if it’s your first visit altogether start planning your trip with the Overview of Savannah.
Plan your days around the heat
If you start out thinking about the great rate you got on the inn or hotel (Bellwether House is one of our personal favorites) and acknowledge that it’s going to be hot you’ll have a great time!
Savannah is a walking city and we always park our car and leave it there. However – you do sometimes want to go further than is walkable, particularly in the August heat. In that case we think Savannah’s free DOT bus system is a great service. We always make use of it.
Think of your day in three separate sections:
Morning (before 10am)
This is your best window of time for outdoor activities and exploring. Strolling through the squares with moss laden oak trees, visiting Forsyth Park with its iconic fountain, or exploring one of the historic cemeteries (like Bonaventure) need to be done early.
By mid-morning you may want to head into a coffee shop and plan the rest of your day. If you’re like me, at this point, my coffee is going to be an iced one.
Middle of the day (10am – 6pm)
I know, this is a long midday, but there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had in the comfort of a/c. Below you’ll find a full list of museums, historic homes to tour, and our favorite shopping spots. Of course you’ll want to take a long, leisurely lunch and we’ve got some great recommendations for that too.
Museums and historic homes
(Yes they’re all air conditioned)
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Shops in Savannah
No trip to Savannah is complete without a trip to Paris Market on Broughton Street so it tops our list, but there are plenty more.
- Paris Market
- Sea Love Candles
- Savannah Bee Company
- Shop Morgan Rae
- Picker Joe’s Antique Market
- Starland Strange
- E. Shaver Booksellers
Cool lunch spots in Savannah
This list has a few of our personal favorites, but Savannah is a foodie city. We’re also a big fan of wandering around and finding hidden gems.
- Leopold’s for ice cream
- Ardsley Station
- Screamin’ Mimi’s Pizza
- Crystal Beer Parlor
- B. Matthews Eatery
- Collins Quarter (two locations)
- Bull Street Tacos
Evening (after 6pm)
One of our favorite Savannah things to do is hopping the rooftops bars. While they all have outdoor areas that you may want to avoid in August they also have indoor areas. From the comfort of air conditioning you can still watch the barges go by on the river or take in the action in the city.
Beyond the bars you’ll of course want dinner. The list of fabulous spots is practically endless and always growing. We encourage you to try something new, ask the person next to you while you’re bar hopping or the one helping you in the shops. This is a friendly town and everyone is willing to help.
Get out on (or in) the water
If you’re going to be outside for long during August you want to be wet.
This is the time to head to the beach at Tybee Island (Savannah’s Beach) and either stay under an umbrella or in the water. You can find all you need to know about Tybee by following the link above to the complete guide.
Our absolutely favorite boat outing to recommend is Shore Thing Charters! Tyler and Lauren will take you out on their large trimaran (sailboat similar to a catamaran) and show you the time of your life!
Even better, they’re CARE certified, which stands for Coastal Awareness and Responsible Ecotourism. They’re trained to employ best practices when it comes to sustainable tourism on our Georgia coast. We care deeply about this and proudly recommend Shore Thing Charters.
Give Back While You Travel
Want to find a way to “give back” to the community you’re visiting? It’s a growing trend in travel and one we fully support. Here’s an article about why it’s so important and how to plan your trip to include Voluntourism in coastal Georgia.
Explore Beyond Savannah and Tybee
Maybe you’re adding even more time before or after your conference at the Savannah Convention Center – or maybe you want to just extend your vacation to take in more of our beautiful coast of Georgia. You are definitely our people and we’re here to guide you!
Darien
Darien is about 45 minutes south of Savannah and is a true hidden gem on the coast of Georgia. It’s a quaint little fishing village (actually more shrimping) with a picturesque waterfront, great restaurants and historical sites. If you decide to take the Scenic Route along U.S. Highway 17 it will take you more like an hour, but the drive is so much more interesting than the interstate.
Stay a night or two in Darien if you have time. We highly recommend Oaks on the River for a hotel stay or, if you really want to get off the beaten path check out Emma’s Driftwood Farm.
Brunswick
Brunswick is the next town continuing south and this is where one of us (Sara) hangs her hat. While it’s often thought of as the gateway to the islands, and it is that, Brunswick is so much more.
A lovely waterfront downtown leads into a Victorian old town district. Brunswick is full of great restaurants and for a small town it has a pretty good variety of bars if that’s your thing.
If you stay the night, we recommend the Kress Hotel right on Newcastle Street downtown.
St. Simons Island
St. Simons Island is home base for me (Pam) and I know this island like the back of my hand. I can share with you all the great things to do, places to shop, places to play golf and bars to grab a drink.
There’s a good variety of places to stay at St. Simons Island. Sorry I don’t have much room at my house, but if you drop a comment or dm me on Instagram, I’ll come up with some off-the-beaten-path suggestions that you’ll love.
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is just south of Saint Simons and is a great place to get back to nature along the coast. There’s a good range of environmental and conservation minded activites available and we love booking a boat tour from Jekyll.
If you don’t have but an hour, be sure to plan a visit to Driftwood Beach. It’s a beach like none you’ve ever seen before. The width of the beaches will depend on the tides, so check out the Jekyll Island Tide Chart before you go.
Currently planning a trip? Here are some helpful resources:
- Find the best hotel options here.
- Book the cheapest flight here.
- Find tons of tours and activities here.
- Book your rental car here.
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