Use this list to inspire Savannah adventures great and small.
Written by Leanna Gioia
Let’s be honest: Your couch got a lot of action this past winter. And by action, we mean watching a movie in sweatpants while eating a bowl of noodles. It was a cold winter in Savannah, to be sure. But spring is here, so it’s time to toss off that afghan and get out to enjoy some of the activities and places you’ve been meaning to try.
1. If your idea of a perfect spring evening includes learning something new with an Aperol spritz in hand, book a seat at the Cooking School at Saint Bibiana at Hotel Bardo Savannah (700 Drayton St.). The classes feel like a stylish dinner party that you leave with real skills. Expect hands-on workshops, from farmers’ market hauls to pasta intensives, plus rotating themes for knife work, brunch, and coastal-Italian comfort. You’ll chop, shape, and plate alongside a chef then sit down to enjoy your new go-to dish.
2. If spring has you craving a reset, Yoga on the River at Plant Riverside District is the place to be. Join a 60-minute flow class with a serene view of the Savannah River: breezes bouncing off the water, morning light, and the quiet footsteps of passersby. Turn even a simple sun salutation into something that feels like a mini vacation. It’s refreshingly approachable too. Beginners won’t feel out of place, and regulars will appreciate a steady flow that prioritizes mobility, strength, and a calmer mind.
3. McQueen’s Island Historic Trail is one of Savannah’s best-kept secrets: a crushed-shell path laid on an old rail corridor, running through wide-open marsh toward the Bull River. The route follows the former Savannah & Atlantic Railroad line built in the late 1800s. With tidal creeks and sweeping horizons on both sides, it’s perfect for an early morning walk or a leisurely bike ride. Escape the indoors and bask in the spring sunlight before it turns into summer swelter weather.
4. Early spring weather can turn on a dime, which makes the Savannah Children’s Museum’s (655 Louisville Road) new indoor STEAM Center a no-brainer for surprise rain showers or a cloudy stretch that has everyone climbing the walls by 10 a.m. The STEAM Center focuses on discovery: Numbers in Nature brings patterns, symmetry, reflection, and illusion to life through interactive stations, and the Mirror Maze is the can’t-miss highlight — equal parts wonder and problem-solving.
5. Or head below deck at the new Savannah Pirates and Treasure Museum (209 W. Saint Julian St.). Tucked in the bilge of City Market, this immersive spot transports you to the 1700s with dim lantern light, dockside storytelling, and exhibits while keeping it all true to Savannah’s maritime history. The museum pairs hands-on displays with authentic artifacts and in-character guides that keep kids engaged without losing the adults. And when you’re ready to set sail, there’s an on-site Pirates Tavern serving up grog.
6. For an ocean escape that doesn’t require sitting in Tybee Island traffic, slip into the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Discovery Center (340 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). This compact space lets you dive into one of Georgia’s most fascinating underwater landscapes — without getting your feet wet. Interactive exhibits introduce Gray’s Reef’s live-bottom habitat, a rocky, sponge-and-coral-studded oasis offshore that teems with life, from fish and sea turtles to brilliantly strange organisms that make the ocean feel otherworldly.
7. Get Your Rear in Gear is one of Savannah’s most meaningful ways to spend a Saturday morning. The 11th annual 5K on March 28, hosted by St. Joseph’s/Candler at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion, pairs an upbeat run or walk with an unmissable message: Colon cancer is often preventable, and screening saves lives. Money raised stays local, helping fund early detection and support for patients. There’s a free Kids Fun Run too. The event honors former WTOC anchor Mike Manhatton, who died in 2014 after a battle with colon cancer.
8. Savannah Botanical Gardens (1388 Eisenhower Drive) is Savannah spring at its most charming: 10 acres of curated blooms that hit their stride as the city shifts into color. You can drift from rose beds and camellias to shady fern pockets, herbs and vegetables, and a children’s garden made for small explorers. At the center is a pond wrapped by nature trails, where egrets and turtles sometimes steal the show, plus an amphitheater and an archaeological study site. The historic Reinhard House — a circa 1840 farmhouse relocated here in 1990 and one of the last remaining farmhouse structures from the area — is preserved on the grounds as a nod to Savannah’s agricultural roots and a reminder that a garden stroll can also double as a little time travel.
9. Test out a cute new boutique: The Happy Peach recently opened at 600 E. Broughton St., offering clothing, accessories, home goods, jewelry, books, and more. Owner Jennifer Singh curates the shop in a way that will have you browsing for gifts for your loved ones — and treating yourself to a few stylish items too.
10. You’ve shopped at The Paris Market (36 W. Broughton St.), enjoying the romantic, ever-changing antiques, artwork, apothecary finds, jewelry, and dinner-party-worthy housewares that make you suddenly believe you do need vintage tableware. But have you tried the cafe? Order a honey lavender latte, linger over pastries, or make it a light lunch with house-made sandwiches — plus Champagne if you want to swap the caffeine for bubbles.
11. Savannah’s signature spring run is as much about the scenery (and the sisterhood) as it is about the miles. The Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon & 5K turns race morning into a love letter to the city on Saturday, April 11. The atmosphere is celebratory and welcoming, perfect for first-timers tackling their first 13.1-mile race. The event benefits Girls on the Run Coastal Georgia and Lowcountry, supporting confidence-building programs for local girls.
12. Rather float than run? Book a Savannah Port Tour with Outside Savannah. Their 90-minute tours take you past Savannah’s riverfront and upriver into the Georgia Ports Authority area, where your boat captain shares how one of the nation’s largest ports operates.
13. For the people who detour just to peek at shuttered piazzas and perfectly proportioned facades, Savannah Antiques & Architecture Weekend is basically your Super Bowl. This three-day celebration (March 5–7) is built for design lovers, history nerds, and antiques hunters. Expect a polished mix of talks, receptions, and rare-access tours that turn Savannah’s already stunning streetscapes into something even more intimate, with insider peeks and decorative-arts storytelling. Designer and style icon India Hicks is featured as the keynote speaker, and there will also be special programming at the Andrew Low House Museum and the Green-Meldrim House. Proceeds support preservation work at both historic houses, which were designed by architect John Norris.
14. First Fridays are the easiest yes — a monthly excuse to wander without a plan and still end up somewhere amazing. In the eclectic Starland District, galleries and studios stay open late, shops keep their doors propped wide, and the neighborhood hums with pop-ups, small bites, and the kind of energy that makes you want to keep walking just one more block. Start with art, drift into shopping, pause for a cocktail, then follow the crowd (or the music) to whatever is buzzing. The best part is the mix. It’s equal parts culture and social hour, with plenty of room for spontaneity — whether you’re out with friends, on a date, or treating yourself to a solo night of people-watching and discovery.
15. If your ideal weeknight treat includes a skyline view and a little civic virtue, Giving Tuesdays at Bar Julian is the place to be. Set atop Thompson Savannah, Bar Julian already knows how to do a perfect night out, with hand-crafted cocktails, a Mediterranean-leaning menu, and a sweeping view of the river. On select Tuesdays, 20% of sales from 5–7 p.m. benefit a featured local nonprofit, so your post-work pinot comes with real impact. Mark your calendar: April 29 benefits One Hundred Miles.
