Savannah's wonders: stately buildings, lovely parks, lively River Street, theater, boats, cafes and trolleys all invite inspection

Savannah is famous for its inviting squares, beautiful oak trees and peaceful parks.

The Capitol Building of Savannah is one of many stately buildings in the city.  Besides government buildings, many historic homes can be visited.

GLORIES AWAIT IN A TOWN FILLED WITH HISTORY, ART,  SQUARES AND  LIVELY TROLLEY TOURS TO BRING IT ALL TO LIFE

The SCAD beach -- a

retreat and attraction

for students and tourists.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

GEORGIA'S OLDEST city, Savannah, is a  gracious, welcoming town which honors its past while embracing the new. Historians claim that Savannah was spared during Sherman's march in December of 1864.  Some say he spared the beautiful city because his mistress lived there.  Others claim he was simply taken with Savannah's beauty.  In any case, Savannah surrendered without a siege.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers pause at a

Patrick Dougherty installation at SCAD -- the famed

Savannah College of Art and Design.

We know today's Savannah as both old fashioned and contemporary, a city of many faces.  It's famous worldwide for its stately, well preserved homes and inviting squares, hundreds of oaks with that artful Spanish moss,  gorgeous coastal landscapes, lively shops and restaurant, and a range of art galleries. It boasts a marvelous contemporary art museum and lively shows at the historic Savannah Theatre, where "Fiddler on the Roof" is getting raves -- up through Feb. 11.

Savannah is considered America's first planned city because of British born

James Oglethorpe's orderly squares marking the city. It was established in 1733.

Savannah's Old Town Trolley is a delightful way to explore

the city, with lively informative guides and many stops.

THE PLENTIFUL squares -- 22 in total -- make it a beautiful and inviting walking town.  You can enjoy a beverage at dozens of restaurants and bars within easy reach of the squares, while admiring stylish architecture in Savannah's Historic District.

Salute native son, composer Johnny Mercer at the Mercer-Williams House Museum. His great-grandfather built it and while he didn't actually live there,  he is honored in tour narration.  Readers of contemporary novels will remember the house and Monterey Square, made famous by the novel, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” The home and its palm trees have an air of eeriness that makes for an intriguing visit. Cemeteries, ghost stories, shadowy entry ways and creaking steps are part of Savannah's Old Town Trolley's Ghost Tour which we enjoyed.

Talmadge Memorial Bridge is one of the

sights you'll see when you take a riverboat.

Savannah Theatre is one

of the country's oldest,

with lively productions.

The much used trolley also offers a daytime hop on/off historic district city tour -- our favorite -- with entertaining guides.  They offer interesting narrative as the trolley wends its way through the oak-lined streets and past the beautiful squares and buildings that distinguish this stately city.

We loved this relaxing, informative tour, which covers famous landmarks including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the Andrew Low House, where we learned of the patriarch's rise from rags to incredible riches.

Mercer Williams House Museum is an elegant

reminder of Savannah's graceful architecture.

It rocketed to fame with the best-selling

"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

OUR GUIDE pointed out lovely Forsyth Park, a pinnacle of Savannah's beauty. We hopped off to stroll through 30 acres of live oak trees, and lush azaleas while admiring ornate Victorian mansions.

The Waving Girl statue

is of Florence Martus,

Her sailor didn't return. 

We spent the better part of two days on River Street, the city's oldest street, unique in many ways. This colorful but uneven walkway is picturesque, but a bit hard on the feet -- paved with 200 year old ballast-stones, artfully recycled from stones used to weigh down cotton ships. We dined

often on this aptly named street with fun restaurants, boutiques and historical monuments. Our favorite is the Weeping Girl, who waved in vain at ships entering the harbor, hoping for a return of her sailor lover.

More information:

Trolleytours.com 912-226-6805

Savannahriverboat.com 912 232-6404

Savannahtheatre.com 912 233-7764

Scad.edu

Kualoa Ranch on the island of Oahu is an historic, family

 run enterprise dedicated to preserving Hawaii's history

and culture while offering fun activities for all ages.

NEXT UP: Kualoa Ranch awaits.  A unique, environmentally  sensitive enterprise has preserved respect for the land on the island of Oahu for generations, since 1850. The family-run working ranch offers an array of activities, from horseback riding to biking, zip lines, a farm tour and a tour of locations for movies made on the island. Great fun for couples, families or adventure loving friends. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each week for a fresh spin on travel, family, the arts, nature and more.