Day One--Savannah

Hardeeville, South Carolina
Hardeeville RV Park

I made up my mind that we'd pace ourselves while visiting Savannah.  I checked the brochures that we've collected on the area and chose a trolley tour. 

We decided to take the Gray Line, Oglethorpe trolley tours which also includes free parking.  Their advertisement said the 90 minute tour was uninterrupted.  After the tour then you could use the hop on/hop off trolley.  Made sense to us that people getting off and on would interrupt the tour.  Of course, I did have a coupon for $17 which helped make the decision on which one to take.  I might add that everyone told us to park at the Visitor Center where you can take any of the trolley tours and use their free parking.  

We've heard horror stories about the traffic and getting around town but I must say the city of Savannah seems to have figured it out.  There are many trolley tour companies and also the free DOT which is not a narrated transportation. 

Our tour guide was great but I can't believe all the information she gave us.  I was on overload before the tour was over.  To begin, Savannah was founded in 1733 by James Oglethorpe.  There were many stories of the Revolution and Civil Wars.  

  

The other news is, I wasn't carrying an extra camera battery with us, so therefore not my usual number of photos.  

I can see why so many movie companies have used Savannah as their location.

This is the Telfair Academy--Victorian Mansion and Museum.

Masonic Lodge

The 1996 Olympic metal work was made by a local artisan. Now I can add another Olympic site we've visited to our list.

We thought the carriage rides should have had the drivers in period clothing and without their cell phones.

There was a section of Federal architecture.  

The Pirate House has an underground tunnel were sailors were drugged and shanghaied.    

There were so many interesting things the tour guide told us.

I was totally awed at all the town squares.  Our guide said that you could rent a gazebo in a town square with a police officer for three hours for $175.  The bride is then delivered to the groom, who is waiting in the decorated gazebo, in a white carriage with white horses. No wonder there are so many weddings in such a beautiful place.  

This is the site of The Battle of Savannah which was held in 1779.  It was the deadliest battle of the American Revolution.  

It is a beautiful town and I can see why everyone thinks so.  How do you decide what to tour?  It's worse than trying to decide what to order at a restaurant when you haven't eaten all day.  You want it all.  

We left the trolley at Market Square and still couldn't decide what to tour.  I finally said let's just go home, think about it and do it another day.  

It was a wonderful, perfect weather day.  I can't believe we have passed this city up a few times, because I thought it would be too hot.  

Turtle Safely..........