Savannah, Georgia is the ultimate 2-for-1 when it comes to Girls Trip Get-Aways. The city center oozes southern charm with its iconic Spanish moss-adorned oak trees and historic high-stooped homes. But, who cares about that when what we really came for were the City Market bars and open container laws? Just kidding, we came for both.
If these elements aren’t enough to entice you and your gals, Savannah also prides itself on their adorable neighboring beach community just 20 minutes down the road — Tybee Island. Tybee is where we stayed, just steps away from its quintessential wide sandy beach.
Although we weren’t able to check all our items from our Savannah travel list, we did have a pretty unbeatable trip. Read on to plan your Savannah girls trip with festivity and flair.
Where to Stay
As aforementioned, we stayed on Tybee Island, just steps away from the beach. Our island pad for the week was at South Beach Ocean Condos, hosted by Tybee Beach Vacation Rentals. We found this property through Airbnb at roughly $300/night for max 6 guests. (2 bedrooms and a pull out couch). The beach was a literal stone’s throw from our front door and we could see the ocean from our balcony. We were about that life.
What is the Tybee vibe?
Okay, so the Tybee vibe is golf carts, bicycles, flip-flops, beach umbrellas, sand dunes, ice cream shops, dolphins, and gollyyyyy, justa whole-lotta local charm. It’s crawling with families and ocean revelers just out for a low-key good time. This place is the opposite of pretentious and everyone is just doing their own thing which is great.
Tybee Favorites
Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure Tours
10/10! We saw many dolphins throughout the hour and a half tour, but if for some reason you don’t see dolphins when you go, the company will rebook you at no cost on another tour. Our group went at sunset which I highly recommend as it provides a gorgeous backdrop for the already stunning dolphins. Being out on the boat offers a unique vantage point of the island that you would miss out on from shore. You will also walk away with some random dolphin facts…you never know when those may come in handy…
**BONUS: While loading onto the boat, we saw a lemon shark up close from the floating dock!
CoCo’s Sunset Grille
We went to CoCo’s right before our dolphin tour and ordered some drinks to go. They have a rooftop patio which overlooks Lazaretto Creek. It was certainly an ambient and tranquil setting for our dolphin pre-game.
The Beach (obviously)
It goes without saying that the beach is Tybee’s main attraction. The sand is dotted with chairs and umbrellas up and down the shoreline. The water is teeming with ambitious boogie-boarders, happy families, and even the occasional kite-surfer. Overall, the beach is an impeccably wholesome vibe ideal for summer fun.
The Deck BeachBar and Kitchen
The Deck was the first place we went to after arriving on Tybee. We ordered a round (or two) of spicy margaritas to kick off our stay and set the tone for our trip. Set back behind the sand dunes, The Deck boasts an oceanview and eternal summer vibes that will certainly get your trip off on the right foot.
The Sand Bar
A bit random, we were simply walking by this bar en route to the ice cream shoppe when the bouncer stepped outside and informed us they’d have a DJ later that night. DJ Blue Ice. We thought the name was cool so we mentally committed to returning. Low and behold, the DJ lived up to his name and there was something of a joint birthday party being thrown for him and a very nice lady named Lizzy. We were just happy to be along for the ride. All in all, it was a cool little place with nice people and a nice atmosphere.
Huc-A-Poos
Even more random, was our discovery of Huc-A-Poos. Actually, Lizzy the birthday girl recommended it. The bouncer ordered us a Breezy Taxi and we cruised a few miles down the road, turned down a dirt road, and found ourselves at Poos, a bar and restaurant specializing in pizza. The bar itself is organized chaos. The walls are adorned with old license plates, dollar bills, bumper stickers, album covers, and everything in between. The bartenders were two sheets to the wind and there was someone who may or may not have worked there walking around with his gut on display. We wandered outside where some locals were playing bags and the night ended with my friend challenging one to a foot race. She fell, but she’s okay. All this to say, if you’re looking for a strange/authentic local experience, go to Huc-A-Poos at midnight on a Monday. Just don’t count on a ride home. (More on that below)
Savannah
Let’s not beat around the Spanish moss, basically all we did in Savannah was drink. But we’re 5 hometown best friends who only get together once a year so we had a lot to celebrate, okay? Check out our three favorite Savannah Bars below.
Savannah Favorites
The Grove
The Grove is a City Market bar and restaurant with 3 distinct levels. We started our night out in Savannah with drinks and live music on the rooftop terrace. The band was great and we enjoyed our vantage point from the roof which allowed us to scope out our second bar: Treehouse (cool, but not on the list because the promoter basically called us old). We later came back to the Grove to finish out the night on the second floor. Unlike the ground floor, which is bright and airy, the second floor has much more of a club vibe. We could have stayed there until bar-close but our friend basically fell asleep on the dance floor and we had to call it quits.
Rogue Water Tap House
Another place on our Savannah/Tybee list that we would not have heard of if it weren’t for the locals. The bartender at the Warehouse recommended it to us for their karaoke on the second floor. It was a Monday night so the bar was on the quiet side, but the atmosphere still delivered. Especially noteworthy were the good-spirited bartenders who helped tick off some of our bachelorette scavenger hunt items, even the flaming Statue of Liberty shot. (You didn’t hear it from me).
Totally Awesome Bar
While at Rogue Water, someone recommended to us ‘Totally Awesome Bar’ which happened to be hosting a Silent Disco that very night. None of us had ever been to a silent disco and we decided it would be essential to our girls’ trip to partake. We made our way downstairs to the underground bar, decked out in an 80s and 90s theme with old school video games and pool tables. We got our headphones, turned the dial up, and started the party. Do I think we would have liked this bar as much had they NOT been hosting a silent disco? Probably not. But we were in the right place at the right time and that’s called alignment!!
What to Pack
- Do NOT and I repeat, do NOT wear heels in Savannah. Even if you are Bella Hadid, don’t do it. Because if the cobblestone doesn’t do you in, the vertigo-inducing historic steps will. And you may not live to tell the tale. Pack sneakers and leave anything even slightly destabilizing at home.
- Err on the side of casual – Savannah and Tybee are not flashy places. Nobody will be impressed and it’s too hot for that shit anyway. You need a swimsuit, sandals, shorts, t-shirts, shorts, and if you’re feeling really glitzy, a sundress or skirt.
- Hat, sunglasses, and a tried and tested sunscreen because she burns…we sported coastal grandmother-esque sun visors for the duration of our trip and our skin does thank us for it
- I personally love to sport a bandana headband and I do think it fits the vibe in Savannah but you do you
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Again, BEWARE the cobblestones and those damned historic steps
- You can Uber/Lyft to and from Tybee but it was definitely easier to get a ride TO Savannah rather than back to Tybee. Drivers become more sparse and more expensive the later it gets (also weeknight drivers are fewer).
- The Breezy Taxi works for getting around Tybee but is not the most reliable. The guy who dropped us off at Huc-A-Poos told us he’d be back to get us later but we called infinite times and nobody picked up.
- Lines – Savannah nightlife is its strongest Fridays and Saturdays which means there can be a wait to get into some of the bigger bars. We really wanted to go to Saddlebags, but the line seemed endless and we got impatient. We later regretted this but at the time we just couldn’t be bothered.
There you have it! Enjoy all that Savannah has to offer! Listen to the locals — they are kind and know their city best!
Recommended Read: MY 3-DAY NEW YORK CITY ITINERARY: CULTURE, CUISINE, AND CLUBBING
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