Savannah Off The Beaten Path Tips by deecat Top 5 Page for this destination

Fort McAllister State Park in Richmond Hill

For Civil War buffs, one might want to visit another Fort (best-preserved earthwork fortification of the Confederacy) within a state park called Fort McAllister State Park.

It extends over 1725 acres on the banks of the Ogeechee River. This fort was the location of the last line of resistance for the Confederacy against General Sherman's march on Savannah. (South of Richmond Hill on Highway 144).

The fort withstood seven attacks by Union gunboats, and the port held. Then, Sherman's ground force stormed the fort and closed down trade through Savannah's port, a severe loss for the Confederacy. Why? Because now the Union had a route to ship supplies to it troops.

The fort was restored by Henry Ford in the 1930s. This Fort is in Fort McAllister State Park, and you can follow the path around it to the entrance.

While walking along this parapet, you see the river on one side and a huge cannon on the other. There are informative signs along the way that includes information about both the sea and the land battles. It also tells about life in the fort and about General Sherman.

Deep within the mound are the baricks for the men stationed at the low-tech fort. Visitors may tour the mound and walk through. This is a very interesting place to visit. The Museum on site has artifacts from Confederate Gunboat, Nashville.

If you wish, you may picnic on the high bluff above the River near the fort.

Note: Just off Genesis Point lie the remains of the Nashville, a privateer sunk during a battle in 1863.

Besides the fort and museum, there is a 3.1 mile trail through a typical low-land marsh. (Bring insect repellent!) There is a viewing tower that overlooks a small creek. There is also a nature trail in the campground and a fishing pier. In addition, there are 65 campsites with water and electricity.

Location:
Genesis Point, east of Richmond Hill

Once Called "Savannah Beach": Tybee Island

To reach Tybee Island from Savannah, take Bay Street to Hwy. 80 and continue for 18 miles through the marshlands of the lower Savannah River until the road dead-ends at Tybee's South Beach parking area.

Tybee Island has been labeled as "a shabbily genteel seaside community blessed with two long, wide beaches...a central business district that exudes a tawdry Coney Island-esque charm" OR " Tybee exudes an old-fashioned, Coney-Island-type appeal, complete with a rickety-tik amusement park, putt-putt golf, corn dog stands, and clapboard cottages"...OR "a small resort and residential island."

Regardless of how one views it, the island has a long sandy beach, activities that kids adore, a lighthouse to climb, and an old abandoned Army Outpost & Battery that serves as a museum now. Most of the activity centers on Butler Avenue where a pier juts out into the surf, and on the pier is a pavilion.

Of all that the island offers, I liked the Tybee Lighthouse the best. It's located at the northern tip at 30 Meddin Drive, (912)786-5801.

The second beach (which is popular with the locals) is along Pulaski & Taylor Streets. and it is dominated by the Lighthouse which is one of two operable lights on the Georgia coast. Tybee Lighthouse guides shipping through Tybee Roads at the approaches to the Savannah River. Built in the late 19th century, this lighthouse is about 150 feet tall, and there is a museum next door.

You may climb it any day 10:00 am-6:00 pm during the summer. There are Candle Lantern Tours on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of June, July, and August for $1.00.

For Sheer Ambience, Visit Bonaventure Cemetery

You'll recognize it the minute you walk on the property....made famous by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The book cover made this cemetery one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Savannah area.

"Haunting" describes Bonaventure Cemetery...Hauntingly beautiful .. Victorian statuary mingled with overhanging branches of large trees draped in Spanish Moss.

Danny Hansford (the character called "Billy Hanson" in the John Berendt book) is not actually buried in Bonaventure. He is buried in Forest Lawn, next to Bonaventure.[ VT tessh (Sam) says that these two cemeteries are separated by a road and an iron fence but that both cemeteries are owned by Bonaventure.]

Bonaventure is not as old as Colonial Park Cemetery, but it certainly is larger & more attractive. It was founded on property that used to be a plantation. At one time, called Evergreen Cemetery, its name was switched to Bonaventure (the name means "good fortune" in French)about 1907.

Sadly, the statue that graced the cover of the novel ("Bird Girl") was moved to Telfair Museum of Art because so many people came to Bonadventure simply to see & photograph it.

Another reason that tourists go to Bonadventure is to see the tomb of Gracie Watson. Gracie was born in 1883 & died of pneumonia when she was six years old. Because she was an only child & absolutely adored by her father, he had the famous sculptor, John Walz, carve a likeness of Gracie from a photograph. He did a life-sized statue out of marble, & visitors are entranced by the beauty of the child & of the sculpture. Legend says that Gracie's ghost haunts many of Savannah's buildings; thus, people are curious about her.

Sadly, this statue has taken abuse, so a tall iron fence was constructed around the statue. People still climb the fence to touch "Gracie"!

There are so many gorgeous statues & plaques as well as inspiring epitaphs that it takes a good 3 hours or so to really appreciate this place.

Other Contact: 330 Bonaventure Road