You are probably going to hate me for it, but NONE of today’s suggested locations are actually IN Savannah — they are all nearby. When in/near Savannah, my sister and I did lots of outdoor activities and I wanted to share my suggestions with you!

Fort Pulaski

This is great for people who love the outdoors, the military, or history in general. Fort Pulaski is huge, and it can take a full day to explore it. When I’m in places that are steeped in history, I like to really try and meditate on what happened there. This was the site of a huge Civil War Battle, and you can still see where canons collided with the walls. On a lighter note: my sister and I are die-hard Yankees, so we got a kick out of reading the signs — you can totally tell the South is still upset about losing the Civil War. In addition to the Fort, there is a ton of trails and unkempt beaches to explore.

Tybee Island

Tybee Island is so relaxing. This might be one of my favorite beaches in the world (besides the West Sands in Scotland, but I’ll save that for another post). The beach itself is amazing (I was here once with my boyfriend and we saw a sting ray!) but it can be sweltering hot in the summer. There are also many cute boutiques and shops inland…and don’t forget The Crab Shack, of course!

The Tybee Island National Wildlife Refuge

GATORS GALORE! This was a fun day trip that I took with my sister, and then again with my boyfriend. Before I go to a new place, I always google the area’s wildlife — the subject fascinates me. I was determined to see an alligator while in the South. At first, my sister and I were disappointed that we weren’t seeing any gators…and then we started noticing a few…and then they were everywhere. ALLIGATORS ARE MASSIVE. I was so surprised by how huge they are. Six to eight feet long, just laying in mud banks. The one in the above photo OPENED ITS MOUTH AT US. Anyway, there are only four miles of trail to explore here, but there’s a lot to see.

Hiking and Trails

DO: go running/walking/hiking on trails near Savannah. DON’T: go alone. Between the lizards, salamanders, strange noises coming from the woods and — yes — alligators (we saw one), it can be pretty scary to be out there. But the scenery makes it worth it.

Thanks for reading!

C.C.B.B