After our stroll through the park, started our hop on hop off trolley tour of the historic district. This was a great was to see the area without having to worry about finding parking at each stop. I would suggest to start the tour as soon a they open so you will have plenty of time to explore each stop.

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Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist

Our first hop off was at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.  To say this church is a gorgeous work of art would be a huge understatement.  It is beautiful from the outside, but when you walk in, it is absolutely jaw dropping.  You really are in awe at the site of it.

From what I can see, this location was pretty much finished in April of 1876.  The spires and a coating of stucco were added in 1896 to complete it. A fire swept through the  building in 1898 and only left the walls and towers.  It was quickly rebuilt and ready for Christmas Mass in 1899, but it took another 13 years to complete the interior decor.

While we were there, we heard one of the volunteers say that the stained glass windows are insured for over 4 million dollars!

Colonial Park Cemetary

I have a thing about visiting old graveyards.  I'm not sure what exactly fascinates me about them, but I always search them out when we go to a new area.  This graveyard is more like a park and it was very serene and beautiful.

Colonial Park Cemetery served as Savannah’s cemetery for more than a century and contains over nine thousand graves. Established in 1750, by 1789 it had been expanded three times to reach its current size. Colonial Park Cemetery is approximately 6 acres in size and is located in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District.   It became a city park in 1896, 43 years after burials in the cemetery ceased.

Jones Street

You must take a stroll down Jones street during your visit to Savannah.  It was voted the most beautiful street in America!  The houses and tree lined street are magical. 

River Street & Factors Walk

When I can to Savannah a few years ago, River Street is where we spent the afternoon, so I was familiar with this area.  It is right on the river with cobblestone streets, gift shops, sweet shop, restaurants and more.  You can sit on a bench and watch all of the boats and barges float down the river for hours or you can take a paid tour on a boat or a free ferry ride.

We couldn't resist stopping in to Savannah's Candy Kitchen for a couple of treats.  They had the biggest caramel apples I've ever seen!  And they were delicious.  We also browsed through some of the market shops while we were there.

During my research into Savannah, I ran across an interesting story about the Clusky Vaults. I couldn't find an exact location for them, I only knew they were in the Factors Walk area. But first, what is Factors Walk? .....

Located at bluff’s level behind River Street, Factors Row and Factors Walk is lined with unique shops, cozy cafes and historic hotels. Just wander up the cobblestone walk from River Street, climb the steep steps and you’ll find yourself on the bluff. Look north towards the river and you’ll see the backside of the waterfront warehouses, once an activity hub for the cotton industry, and now home many not-so-secret businesses.

In these buildings in the 19th century, men used to bale, factor and sell cotton. In the top level of the four- or five-story cotton warehouses, brokers worked with exporters and managed sales. Factors determined the amount of cotton that would be sold to the merchants.

We strolled along the walkways and admired the old buildings, the iron work in the railings and even climbed down a couple of the very steep stairways to the level below to explore. But the whole time, I am searching for the vaults that have intrigued me since I first read about them. I had almost given up finding them. We were getting ready to turn around when I caught a glimpse of them! 

First, just seeing them is beautiful. The archway openings with the spots of greenery growing out of the old bricks, the cobblestone street, the beautiful iron walkways at each end, it made for a stunning view. Then, knowing a bit of the history behind them, just added to the draw they had on me.

Here is a bit of their story: 

They are referred to as the vaults or even the tombs to the locals because they are almost underground. There have been many stories over the years about what the structures were used for, including holding pens for slaves.

But after a group of high school students from the Savannah area completed a three year research project, the true history of the vaults is becoming known.

The historic structures were completed in 1842 and were built into the Factor walk retaining wall by Charles Clusky. Still not sure what the structures were used for, the researchers decided on an archeological dig. They discovered indications of coal storage in the larger archway. In the smaller of the four, they found huge deposit of cast iron pots and wine bottles that looked like they were purposely buried there. And above that layer was a hearth that dates toward the Civil War era where we found Union buttons and marble so it looks like probably used by Union Soldiers taking refuge during the occupation of Savannah.

Thankfully, this dispels the myth about the vaults being used during slavery.

Now, let me tell you exactly where to find the vaults, since I could seem to locate that info. Look for the restaurant called Vic's on the River. If you are standing in front of the restaurant, look down! 

Here are couple more pictures we took during our trolley ride.  There was so much to see, including a few of the squares that Savannah is built around and a lot of historical houses and buildings. 

Leopold's Ice Cream

This place is legendary!  It was founded in 1919 and still operated by the family.  They're super-premium ice cream is hand crafted in historic downtown Savannah using the original, secret recipes and techniques handed down through the family.

Leopold's is a must when you are in Savannah.  Don't let the long lines scare you away.  It only took us 20-30 minutes to get through it and it was worth the wait!

Wormsloe Plantation

This gorgeous plantation was truly amazing to see.  The entrance is grand with the large stone archway that frames the tunnel view of live oak trees that line the driveway.  I am smitten with live oak trees to begin with, so seeing the 1.5 mile driveway lined with them, was just spectacular.  You almost can't stop taking pictures.

The Wormsloe estate stretches its roots all the way back to 1733, when Noble Jones, an English colonist, arrived at the Georgia colony. It was in 1736 when Mr. Jones named the estate  Wormsloe. Back then it was spelled “Wormslow.”  About a year later, Jones began building his tabby house, which is now famously known as the oldest standing structure in Savannah. The house was fortified and it enabled Jones to patrol the major waterway that flowed by and offered protection from possible attacks by the Spanish side. 

Noble Jones passed away in 1775 and the property was left to his daughter. It remained in the hands of Jones’ descendants up until 1972 when they donated most of their property to Nature Conservancy. However, they kept about 80 acres of the original plantation. Jones’ descendants still own that part of the estate. Eventually, the State of Georgia purchased the rest of the property.  There is still a private home on the property that is not accessible to the public.

We were able to take the short walk back to the tabby ruins.  You can actually see the shells in the walls that still stand that were constructed out of sand, oyster shells, lime and fresh water.  A short walk back further on the property you can see gravesites and an overlook of the Skidaway Narrows.  That is a beautiful spot to sit for a while and take in the views.

Fort Pulaski National Monument

I wasn't sure what to expect here, but we thought we would stop on our way to Tybee Island.  Let me tell you, do not miss seeing this fascinating piece of history.  And actually, the beauty of this place rivals the history lesson.

Here are a few interesting facts:

• In October 1864, a group of Confederate officers were imprisoned at Fort Pulaski.  They became known as the Immortal Six Hundred.
• The American Civil War was the first major conflict to see the use of rifled artillery.
• After the battle Fort Pulaski became a beacon of freedom for many escaping enslaved people
• During the Civil War, soldiers at Fort Pulaski often played baseball to escape boredom.

Tybee Island

This is really a place to experience when the weather is warm and you can spend a lot of time on the beach, but we still enjoyed a couple of hours here.

We did spend a little peaceful time on North Beach and saw a few kite fliers and watched the waves roll in. 

After that, we went right across the street to the Tybee Island Lighthouse, the oldest and tallest lighthouse in Georgia.  The bottom 60 feet of the Tybee Island Lighthouse date back to 1773. The Lighthouse added and additional 94 feet in 1867. The walls of the tower are over 12 feet thick at the base. They taper to approximately 18 inches at the top.

At the top of the tower is the original Fresnel lens. This lens magnifies the 30,000 candle-power light. It is nearly eight feet tall and can is visible 18 miles out to sea. This lens is the Tybee Light. To the community of this tiny coastal town, it is a shining reflection of their lives. It is part of their past, present and future.

When James Oglethorpe established the first colony on Tybee, he realized that the survival of the colony was dependent on the safe passage of ships that carried settlers and supplies through the treacherous shoals along the Savannah River. As a result, the first Tybee light, a small beacon, was built on the island in 1736.

I loved our time in Savannah.  We definitely need to go back for a longer stay.  This city has made my short list of favorite places!