Savannah’s collection of beautifully preserved historic homes, shady squares and historic plantations are just some of the reasons Savannah is such a popular vacation destination. Another is the surrounding water. A visit to Savannah is not complete without experiencing the extraordinary beauty of the natural coastal landscape, the sea islands, meandering rivers, mysterious salt marshes teeming with wildlife, and stretches of beach.
Make plans to experience any of these water activities. Get out on the active harbor, go by boat or kayak through tidal salt marshes, visit unique coastal islands, enjoy Atlantic Ocean beaches, fish off-shore, near-shore or in-shore, and enjoy casual waterfront restaurants serving tasty local seafood cooked the low-country way.
Sightseeing by River
Savannah Riverboat Sightseeing Cruise. Take a fun 1-hour sightseeing cruise around the busy harbor and active port on triple-decker, replica paddle-wheeler boats, Savannah River Queen or Georgia Queen. Pick your viewing spot in the climate-controlled interior or along the rail of multiple-level outdoor decks. All are great for viewing and photo ops. Along the way, the Captain makes the trip interesting and fun by pointing out important Savannah sites, offering historical facts and telling intriguing tales and lore about the riverfront, the port, and ships and sailors coming into port from all over the world. It’s a fun way to sightsee for all ages.
Go on a Coastal Eco Tour
Savannah Coastal Ecotours’ private powerboat and kayak Eco tours of the marshes, waterways, barrier islands, and backwater creeks near Savannah are customized just for you. Transportation from downtown Savannah to their location on the Isle of Hope, 15 minutes south of Savannah, is available. Sundial Charters, operating out of Tybee Island offers numerous interesting personalized Eco tours. Both tours have excellent guides who take you to places filled with wildlife sightings.
Head out to Little Tybee Island
For nature lovers, a kayak or boat trip to the coastal marshes, tidal creeks, rigid dunes and hammocks of Little Tybee Island is irresistible. Accessible only by boat, canoe or kayak, the pristine,6500-acre Natural Heritage Preserve on an uninhabited barrier island is a nesting place for bald eagles, white and brown pelicans, woodstorks, herons, egrets and ospreys. Sundial Charters’ Little Tybee Unplugged is a popular 3-hour private tour exploring tidal creeks, sighting dolphin pods, walking beaches loaded with shells, and spotting nesting birds. Departing from Tybee Island, it’s easy to get to and great for all ages.
Several options for guided kayak and paddleboard tours are available from water tour operators on Tybee Island and North and South Beach.
Go to a Tybee Island Beach
There’s a lot of activity going on at Tybee Island’s South beach. Walk the beach, swim and skimboard; play Frisbee, beach volleyball. Go out on the pier, check out the pavilion, beach shops and restaurants. If you are not a beach purist, go to North Beach to climb to the top of Tybee Lighthouse for a forever view. Cross the street for a walk through Fort Severn Historic District and museum.
Go Fishing – Inshore, Nearshore or Offshore
Fishing is a major sport in the waters around Savannah. Numerous experienced local charter captains know just where to find the fish. For Offshore fishing, some of the best known are Amick’s Deep Sea Fishing and Miss Judy’s Charters. For Inshore fishing, Coast River Charters is popular. The Captain’s family has lived in coastal south Georgia for 8 generations. For inshore fishing, Sundial Fishing Charters and Marshland Inshore Fishing Charters both operate out of Tybee Island and are a great choice for anglers with kids. The tidal creeks and rivers are prime fly-fishing territory and Captain David Newlin Fishing Charters specializes in the skilled sport.