Savannah in June: Festivals, Experiences and Local Favorites

If you’re visiting Savannah in June, whether it’s just for a getaway or for an event like the Chemicals America Conference, you’ll discover plenty of classic early summer favorites around the city, along with a few hidden gems that many visitors overlook.

statue in bonaventure cemetery — Statue in Bonaventure Cemetery

June is a fun time to visit in Savannah. It begins to be pretty hot mid to late month, but the evenings and early mornings can still be quite pleasant. If your visit overlaps with the end of May you’ll also want to read the article Savannah in May.

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We love Savannah all year (read Best Time to Visit Savannah for the details of each season), but June is an excellent time to come. You’ll always find popular activities like Savannah River Cruises and well-known spots along River Street but there’s much more to love about our favorite coastal city. One of our missions is to help visitors find those hidden gem experiences and spots.

We love to guide you in getting away from crowded touristy areas and find the real people and places behind this place that we call home. If that sounds appealing to you, then we invite you to join us in discovering the real Savannah in June.

Stay up to date on everything happening in coastal Georgia from Savannah to St. Mary’s. We’re talking new restaurants, hidden gem boutiques perfect for treasure hunting, and events that’ll have you feeling like a local in no time. Join the DCG family here!

Table of Contents

June Events and Festivals

Here you’re going to find a mix of well-known plus some under-the-radar events.

Wurlitzer Wednesday at the Lucas Theatre (June 3rd) Details – This one made our Coastal Georgia Off the Beaten Path Bucket List
First Friday in Starland District (June 5th)
Bead Embroidery Workshop with Fox & Fish at Historic Kennedy Pharmacy (June 6th) Details
Bloomwatch Tybee: Monitoring Plants and Pollinators begins at Jaycee Park on Tybee Island (June 11th) Details (free, but you must register in advance – follow the link provided)
Dog Days Fest multi-genre music festival, various venues (June 6th, 13, 14, 15) Details
Easy Star All Stars District Live at Plant Riverside District (June 11) Details
Coastal Collectors Card Show at Plant Riverside District (June 13-14) Details
Ft. Pulaski Free Admission for Flag Day (June 14th)
Fun House Improv Comedy at Front Porch Improv (Fridays and Saturdays) Details
Forsyth Farmers Market each Saturday (May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30) at the south end of Forsyth Park Details
Unity in Fireworks Juneteenth Celebration, Daffin Park (June 19) Details
Juneteenth Arts Festival, Forsyth Park (June 20) Details
British Occupation of Savannah at Wormsloe (June 27th) Details
Heritage Fire Tour at Pit & Paddock Field, Westin (June 29th) Details

Savannah and its walkability

Walkability is practically Savannah’s middle name. If you drive into town, we recommend parking your car and leaving it there until it’s time to leave. You’ll be amazed at what all there is to hold your interest within just a few blocks.

You can find dozens of tours in the historic district (and beyond), but we feature the ones below because there’s something special about each of them.

2 hour Architectural tour highlights often overlooked and well-known structures and focuses on the architects themselves.
Ghosts of the Old Sorrel Weed House – This is a “ghost” tour unlike the others. Your guide will be a master storyteller and paranormal investigator, and you’ll explore the darkest corners of the property while learning the stories of those still believed to haunt the house.
History Walk by Savannah True History Tours – An in-depth, comprehensive tour – this is the one you want if you want to really dig into the history behind this fascinating city.
Savannah Dan – consistently rated tops, Dan is one of our personal favorites! Besides the better-known spots and hidden gems, he’ll share his favorite places to grab a bite or a cocktail. For something really special, schedule a private tour with him.

Savannah Dan tour guide and guest. — Savannah Dan leading a tour

If this is your first time in Savannah (or it’s been a long while) we do recommend in Our Favorite Things to Do in Savannah that you start out with a hop-on hop-off trolley tour. This will give you a good overview and be helpful in getting your bearings before you explore further. You can identify the spots you’d like to return to and spend more time.

Tip: You may find yourself wanting to go further than you’re willing to walk. In that case, we always recommend the free Savannah DOT buses. The details are in the article, but the buses generally run up one side of Forsyth Park (north on Whitaker) and down the other side (Drayton St), making the turn at Victory. Another, shorter route runs just in the area closer to River Street and goes east and west, actually extending to the Eastern Wharf area.

Ride shares like Uber are readily available as well.

Neighborhood Favorites Away From the Crowds

Just as interesting, but lesser known than the historic district are Ardsley Park, Chatham Crescent, Isle of Hope, Thomas Square Streetcar, Gordonston, Daffin Park and others. The Historic Savannah Foundation has a fantastic website with information on all the neighborhoods and districts.

A little further out, you’ll find Skidaway Island with its amazing state park for exploring. Heading south is Richmond Hill. Many consider if to be a suburb of Savannah, but it’s truly a destination of its own and deserves a morning, afternoon or even a day or two if you have time.

Bonaventure Cemetery is easily accessible by rideshare (like Uber or Lyft) and there are tours that will take you there and then guide you around. It’s overlooking the Wilmington River and is a treasure of history and gorgeous scenery. In June there will be plenty of flowering plants and trees making your visit extra special. What we like to do is Uber and then join a golf cart tour. There’s so much to see that you will miss something if you only walk.
Oatland Island Wildlife Center is about 15 minutes from downtown and June is an amazing time to visit. The animals are active and enjoying the weather before hunkering down for the hot summer. Oatland is on over 100 acres of maritime forest and the animals are mostly native to the area. (Insider tip: While in the area grab lunch at a favorite of ours – Wiley’s Championship BBQ. (They made the Coastal Georgia BBQ Trail).
Wormsloe Plantation is about 10 miles from downtown in the Isle of Hope area. Those photos that you see of the wide avenue lined with oak trees dripping with Spanish moss? This is where they are taken. You can rideshare or drive to Wormsloe and take the self-guided tour. If you have time there are tours that combine Wormsloe with Bonaventure.
Savannah Bee Company Bee Garden Tour is a fun experience beyond shopping their honeys and meads (similar to a sweet beer). For the Bee Garden Tour, you’ll need to head out to their Wilmington Island location. You’ll get to wear those cool hats and nets as you learn all about honeybees, beekeeping and the impact bees have on our environment.

Fun Insider Tips:

Savannah in June is mostly about being outdoors, but it can be quite hot in the middle of the day so we do have some suggestions of activities that will take you inside, too.

Synagogue of Congregation Mickve Israel, 20 East Gordon Street, Savannah

Tour the synagogue of Congregation Mickve Israel. Besides the accolades mentioned above, it is home to the oldest Torah in North America.
Make your own candles at Sea Love Savannah. You can take a group or just show up on your own.
Visit our favorite speakeasy, Alley Cat Lounge. It’s on Broughton Lane (behind Broughton Street), but that’s all we’re going to tell you. Finding it is half the fun.
The Ships of the Seas Maritime Museum is a wonderful experience, but don’t overlook the gardens. They’re wonderful too!
Get out on the water. How about a Sunset Dolphin Eco Cruise or perhaps a Private Luxury Electric Boat Tour.

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.

Day Trips and Coastal Escapes Near Savannah

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 show you the way!

Tybee Island

Tybee Island is considered Savannah’s Beach and is only about 20 minutes away. It’s a small town (island) with great beaches and a boho sort of vibe. If you don’t have a car, we have 3 perfect ways to get to Tybee to help you out.

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.

aerial view of dock through marsh. — Aerial view of 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.

driftwood beach on jekyll island — Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island

More information about Savannah and the area

Currently planning a trip? Here are some helpful resources:

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