2024 Trip 1: exploring Savannah & Tybee Island ~ Route Alto 80

Pulled into River’s End campground on Tybee Island on a beautiful sunny afternoon. We had stayed here on the way home on our 2019 South West trip and fell in love with Savannah and the whole area.

Our assigned site was perfect, as we had requested a shady spot so we would have less worry about Barley on hot days. Got set up and then just hung around and relaxed. We were under a canopy of large live oak trees, which were covered with lots of hanging Spanish moss. Pretty neat when it was all blowing in the breeze, a vid taken from our trailer.

The next afternoon a couple from Kemptville saw our Ontario plates and asked where we lived. What were the odds of meeting a couple from the Ottawa area? Wendy & Lee have been coming to Tybee for years, enjoying all that the area has to offer. They came over that evening for a fire and we had a great visit.

Taking advantage of the sunny and warm weather the next day, we headed to downtown Savannah. We took one of the hop on/hop off trolley tours, which allowed us to cover a lot of ground and explore areas by just hopping off.

What attracts us to Savannah is the beautiful historically preserved downtown. We were told it was specifically negotiated to be saved from the ravages of the Civil War, and then again in the 1950's, when the citizens decided that history and heritage buildings mattered. Demolitions were stopped, and firm preservation rules were put in place. Because of this foresight, Savannah is a desired destination for the beauty of their heritage buildings, cobblestone streets, lush treed park squares, and sculptures.

The Savannah downtown was the first planned city in the U.S., laid out on a grid with 24 (now 22) public garden squares within it. Each square has lush live oak trees with branches covered in Spanish moss hanging down, and with sculptures of historical figures.

Live Oak & Spanish Moss...a classic combo

many beautiful azaleas everywhere

All the buildings are beautifully preserved 18th and 19th century architectural styles, mostly Federal, Georgian, Gothic, Regency, and Greek Revival. With decorative iron work fencing and gates, along with cobblestone brick streets and sidewalks, creates a wonderful walking experience.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

lots of beautiful ironwork everywhere

creative downspouts

Tabby can be found all through the downtown

Our last Savannah Tours driver “Big E”, was a hoot! He knew the history of Savannah like the back of his hand, and his humour and natural gift of the gab made for a great tour. At one point along the historic waterfront River Street, he had the whole bus singing chorus for him, with people on the sidewalk dancing beside us...crazy fun!

many very old buildings line River St.

We wandered the downtown shopping area around Broughton St, then stopped for a wonderful ice cream cone at Leopold’s, a classic ice cream parlour since 1919.

classic...and the ice cream was excellent, and plentiful!

The next day we explored The Telfair Academy Art Museum and The Jepson Center, two museums that explore the architecture and the art of Savannah with their curations.

The Telfair Academy is in a neoclassical style building facing Telfair Square, that was originally designed as a home for the Telfair family. The home was donated by Mary Telfair, whom was an art patron, to become the first public art museum in the South, and the first museum in the States founded by a woman. The art collection is very much in keeping with the historical feel of the home.

These are some photos of this prestigious Savannah home, it’s decorative ironwork, and the open stairwell landing within it.

The Bird Girl sculpture, originally located in the Bonaventure Cemetery, was designed as a garden sculpture. A haunting photograph of the sculpture appears on the cover of the book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt.

The Jepson Center is a very contemporary building, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, whom interestingly to us, was also the architect of our National Art Gallery in Ottawa. This is a contemporary art museum, and the modern art within is more to our preferences.

Dale was quite enthralled with this artwork

These paper mache art were made in the Children's Art Workshops

Back on Tybee Island, the white sand beaches are in two huge sections, appropriately named North Beach and South Beach. The North Beach is a short walk from our campground. It is a nice long beach, and certainly not as busy as the south one, which runs parallel along the Tybee downtown strip and has a classic pier jutting out into the ocean. North Beach is great to walk, look for interesting stones and shells, and to watch the massive container ships slowly move in closer to enter the Savannah River, in order to reach the harbour to unload.

almost always a container ship could be seen cruising in

cold beer on the beach...is allowed!

lots of relaxing in the mornings

the pursuit of a good egret photo was a daily task

On a cool yet sunny day, we toured the Savannah College of Art and Design...otherwise known as the SCAD. The art museum is housed in a new building, which also connects via a long narrow terrace to a much older brick structure. From the appearance of the carriage like double doors running along the side, it appears it may have been a horse stable of some sort, at some time.

SCAD Beach...a calming laid back space

funky outdoor terrace within the SCAD campus

The rotating exhibits are very interesting, one chronicled the life of Malcolm X, and it was creatively put together.

Saul Steinberg exhibit, he was a regular contributor to The New Yorker. Saul described himself as "A writer who draws".

We had a nice lunch at Savannah Coffee Roasters, and then made our way southward to Jones St. We had read that it was one of the most beautiful residential streets in old Savannah, and it certainly was. An older neighbourhood, with well preserved and maintained homes, the street was lined with massive overhanging live oaks. Many cross streets had all sorts of unique local shops, and the area was beautiful to wander around.

NOGS - North of Gaston Street, a historic district that runs from
the Savannah River to the base of Forsyth Park

One morning at the campsite we had a visit from Scott DeFusco and his wife Veronique, whom are former Alto owners, now focusing their time on opening a farmhouse cafe, featuring hand crafted coffees, with a breakfast/brunch/lunch menu. It was great to meet them and talk a bit of Alto, and hear about their latest endeavour. Belties is located in downtown Nellysford, VA.

Rounded out our time on Tybee Island with more beach walking, another campfire, this time over at Lee & Wendy’s site, and a nice meal at Salt Island Fish and Beer. Dale had a classic southern meal of deep fried catfish and a gourmet version of grits, topped with braised slices of onions and brussel sprouts. A great spot to eat.