In February, when a friend and I were tired of dealing with the Midwest’s below zero temperatures and snowstorms, we booked a last-minute trip to Savannah, Georgia with our kids.
It ended up being so much more than a few days away from the cold. It was one of the best trips we’ve taken, and I feel like I can’t gatekeep our Savannah with kids itinerary.
My son was three when we visited, and we stayed for three days, which was the perfect amount of time! We packed in way more than I would have guessed for a long weekend winter trip.
I’m covering where we stayed (the SpringHill Suites Savannah Downtown is a total win for families!); the activities we did, including the Telfair Children’s Art Museum and Savannah Children’s Museum, the Old Town Trolley Tour; and the restaurants that kept both me and my picky eater happy.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly city that surprises you, especially in the off-season, Savannah belongs on your list. This is true whether you’re planning a mom trip with friends or a solo family visit!
If you’re ready to start planning your Savannah vacation, read on for the exact itinerary we followed for our trip.
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Day 1
Check in at the SpringHill Suites Savannah Downtown.
This hotel is in the PERFECT location and central to top activities and great restaurants. A few of our favorite perks were that it’s just a few blocks from the Telfair Children’s Art Museum, we could book Old Town Trolley tickets right with the concierge, and it had a rooftop pool. Read more about our stay!
In general, we love SpringHill Suites hotels because the rooms are spacious and they have a great free breakfast!
Next, visit the Telfair Children’s Art Museum. Make sure to do this on day 1 because your tickets are good for 7 days if you want to return! Children 5 and under are free.
This museum has tons of creative exhibits for little kids to explore that focus on color and shape exploration. There’s also a library full of books about art and artists, and an art studio. In the art studio, kids can build with LEGOs and make watercolor paintings, just to name a few activities!
Our favorite exhibit was one where we stepped into a live painting. The artist for this exhibit rotates, so you may get to experience different artists on each visit!
End the day with a fresh seafood dinner at Sorry, Charlie’s Oyster Bar. In addition to their main menu, they also have a great kids menu if your little ones are less adventurous eaters like mine!
On our visit, we had to get peel and eat shrimp and oysters as appetizers. Sorry, Charlie’s is known for oysters, and grows them fresh a few miles from the restaurant! And a low country boil for the entree (which to be honest, I thought was a little too salty).
The kids menu isn’t listed online, but had great options like pasta and quesadillas and came as a coloring page which kept the kids busy!
If you’re lucky enough to be traveling with grandparents or other adults who can take the kids home after dinner, stay for a date night drink at Sorry, Charlie’s Bamboo Room Tiki Bar.
Day 2
Best way to start a day visiting Savannah with kids? Head downstairs for the free breakfast at the SpringHill Suites.
One reason we love the SpringHill Suites chain so much is that they offer a free breakfast that feels fresh, healthy and has items like fruit, yogurt and bacon that even picky kids like my son will eat.
While you’re in the lobby, buy tickets for the Old Town Trolley Tour, which is the best way to see the city and hear about its history. The concierge desk in the lobby of the SpringHill Suites sells tickets right on site!
The full loop is made up of 16 stops and takes about an hour and a half, so spend the morning riding it fully around the city.
As you’re riding, pick the spots you want to stop at later (there are some great playgrounds!) and get off at them on your second ride.
It’s a hop on/hop off trolley, so your ticket is good to ride it around for the full day as much or as little as you want. It was a great way to see the whole city without having to listen to my three-year-old complain about all the walking or have to bring bulky items like his stroller with us.
Then, grab lunch at River House Seafood (get off the trolley on stop 12 – River Street).
It’s right on the water, so is great for a meal in Savannah with kids because they can watch the giant cargo and river boats sail by.
The menu has many traditional Southern fare items and some pretty delicious cocktails for parents. Don’t miss out on the lobster and lump crab bisque if you like seafood!
Then, spend the afternoon exploring the Plant Riverside District (where the River House restaurant is located).
There’s a natural history museum at the end with dinosaurs, fossils and tons of other cool things for kids to explore.
There’s also lots of boutique stores if you want to do some shopping and green space for kids to run around, all with great river views.
And don’t miss stopping at Byrd Cookie Company, one of Savannah’s most famous sweets shops for mini cookies.
End the day with dinner at Treylor Park Restaurant. They don’t take reservations, so try and go early!
One of their most famous menu items is PB&J chicken wings, which I cannot personally vouch for, but I heard are worth a try if that’s your thing.
Day 3
Check out of the hotel, leave your luggage there and head to the Savannah Children’s Museum.
It’s an almost entirely outdoor, multilevel playspace with SO much for kids to do. There are even slides that kids can take to get from the top level to the bottom level!
Our favorite areas were a wooden ship wheel with maps of the waterways around Savannah, a giant maze, building a life-sized marble run, and play area with lots of educational toys inside a real train.
It’s right next to the Georgia State Railroad Museum, so if you have train-loving kids like me, make sure to stop there too. They offer a combination ticket to save money if you want to visit both museums.
Grab a bite at Mellow Mushroom pizzeria on the way out of town.
It has a super laid-back, fun and colorful vibe. They have a great kids menu with staples like French bread pizza and Mac & cheese and a great coloring menu.
They have super creative pizzas for adults too, like my favorite the Holy Shiitake, which has roasted shiitake, button and portobello mushrooms and olive oil/garlic sauce.
If you’re on the fence about whether to visit Savannah with kids, I hope this itinerary settles it! In my opinion, Savannah is one of the most underrated family destinations out there, and we’re already talking about going back.
