My grandmother and I decided we'd take a pre-Christmas trip to Savannah Georgia. I've come to think that taking a pre-Christmas trip might become a tradition for me. I like getting away right before the busyness of the holidays. Last year around the same time I was in New York City with friends (if you haven't seen my post on the Jacqueline De Ribes exhibit at the Met be sure to check it out!) and although we had a packed itinerary it was a very fun trip!
Savannah and the surrounding area have a sub-tropical climate, so for this northern girl, the surroundings put a "twist" on Christmas that I've never seen. Palmettos wrapped in Christmas lights dotted the landscape. Wreaths wrapped in red ribbon adorned sea breeze-worn walls. Basically, historic Savannah is charm itself always but it's especially charming at Christmastime!
Our first night in Savannah we took a short drive to nearby Tybee Island. I had heard rave reviews about this little beach bar and grill called Coco's. It's a bit off the beaten path; you literally turn on this little road right off the highway. I figured any restaurant right on the docks and whose namesake is for a stuffed monkey is worth the trip!
One of the things that appealed to me when I heard the great reviews about Coco's was that their fish is caught on site and served to patrons.
The inside is eclectic and I loved all their funky colorful Christmas decorations!
FACT: I've been dying to try this drink called a Painkiller for a couple months now, but bartenders up north have no idea what it is. It's made with rum, cream of coconut and a couple other yummy things topped with a sprinkle of nutmeg. I had expectations that it was going to be delicious. It was.
My grandmother got the flounder and she said it was some of the best she's ever had. I'm allergic to a lot of seafood so I ordered the jerk chicken wrap. I'm pretty picky about jerk chicken and they got it right!
The next morning we were up early to catch the Old Town Trolley tour. I am a researcher by nature, so I chose this trolley specifically because they let you get out and take stops. I also found out they will allow you to get a full day free if you take one of their last tours after 2:30pm the day before. So we were able to take their hour long guided tour our first day in Savannah and decide which stops we wanted to make the next day.
A must see stop for us was The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. It was built in 1873, nearly destroyed by fire in 1898, and quickly rebuilt within a couple of years. It's one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States.
The magnificent view of the sanctuary as you enter.
Beautifully painted frescos cover the walls of the sanctuary, each depicting an important Biblical scene. Here is one fresco of The Sermon on the Mount.
We continued our way going through the historic districts of Savannah, filled with beautiful old homes but wanted to stop and see some of Savannah's famous shopping district. The Paris Market is one of my favorites from the trip.
As you enter, the shop is packed with small gifts for everyone showcased by lovingly handpicked decor.
The Paris Market has its own cafe so you can sit a minute before you head out after shopping their boutique! Of course, they have a great selection of macaroons, I wouldn't expect anything else!
You've got all your stocking stuffer needs met right over at this candy bar!
Literally something for everyone. The Paris Market has a great selection of leather goods for men and women and they also carry a couple different bath and body lines.
After all of that touring we were ready for tea! We asked one of the locals where we could get tea and he pointed us across the street to the Pie Company. Turns out they serve homemade pasties, shepherd's pies and lots of too good to pass up desserts! I got a curry pasty, because it's a curry pasty, where else can I get that?
The Pie Company is very cozy and filled with cute British themed decor. I loved this nod to the Women's Auxiliary Corps from WWII. If you ever stop by make sure to get your table quickly around the lunch hour...we learned it was quite a popular stop!
If you have ever been to Savannah or Tybee Island, give me some ideas of where I should make a point of visiting because I'm already thinking of going again!