10 Things to Do in Savannah with Kids

Savannah is a great destination for a family trip. This city of southern charm and mystery offers everything you need to spend an unforgettable few days. It has a great navigable river, fun museums, parks where you can play freely and a very interesting natural environment.

That's part of the magic of this city, that the little ones can be the protagonists of incredible adventures. After all, not everywhere you can become a cabin boy, an engine driver, a soldier or a ghost hunter. There are lots of fun things to see and do in Savannah, but the plans I'm about to tell you about are perfect for great family moments. Are you up for it?

Sailing is an experience that thrills the little ones. And doing it aboard a replica of an old steamboat is even more fun. This is one of the plans in Savannah that I recommend if you are travelling with children. They feel like the protagonists of a film.

Its huge paddle wheels to glide through the water, its colourful decks or its decoration from another era: everything surprises the little cabin boys and girls. And on a boat trip through Savannah, they not only discover how people used to travel in the past, but also imagine their own adventures.

The best thing is that it's not all about fun, but also about learning. The riverwalk, old colonial mansions and old defensive bastions are another way to learn about the city's history. You can also choose from different types of cruises: daytime, sunset or even dinner cruises.

One last interesting note: the Savannah River is navigable for many kilometres and riverboats played a very important role in the development of the city. In fact, one of the largest harbours in the southern United States is located here.

Here's another boat trip, but a very different one. Where does the journey take you? To Tybee Island, a small paradise just a stone's throw from the southern city. It's worth it for its scenery and because it's a real natural sanctuary. If you're planning a multi-day visit to Savannah, this trip is perfect.

On Tybee Island , it's easy to see the bottlenose dolphins playing during the boat ride, which is a favourite with the kids. But it's not just these friendly marine mammals that you'll get to see in their natural habitat. Tybee Island is also a bird sanctuary and has a pond where dozens of alligators live.

In addition to the boat ride, I recommend visiting the Tybee Island Marine Science Centre and, if you have time, the Georgia Sea Turtle Centre. These are spaces dedicated to the dissemination and protection of wildlife where children not only enjoy themselves, but also learn a lot.

Are you tired? Then there's nothing like a relaxing time on the beach and, weather permitting, even a swim. Tybee Island has miles of beaches, ideal for sunbathing, playing in the sand or doing water sports - a great plan to enjoy with children!

Did you know that Savannah has a reputation as a haunted city? There are dozens of cemeteries and haunted buildings here. The city has been the scene of battles, crimes, epidemics and terrible events. That's why they say it's haunted, that it's inhabited by spirits and that many paranormal events occur.

If you thought that the tours to discover the dark side of Savannah are not activities for the whole family, you might be wrong. The little ones love ghost stories too. Avoiding the spooky happenings, they also have a great time learning about the history of haunted buildings like Mercer Williams' house, Andrew Low's house or Willink's house.

You can even become a ghost hunter and go on a tour of Savannah looking for spooky creatures. You might not find any, but you'll get to know the city in a super fun way. What's more, the kids will take away a thousand stories and anecdotes to tell their friends.

Taking a walking tour of Savannah to get a feel for the city is a good idea. But if you're travelling with kids, it's easy for them to get tired and lose interest quickly. How can you avoid this? By finding ways of getting around the city that are fun for them.

If you are visiting with very young children, I recommend the trolley bus or the tram. On board a vintage-style car you'll pass through the city's most beautiful squares, see the odd haunted house and discover some of Savannah's most famous film locations, such as some of the scenes from the unforgettable Forrest Gump. This means of transport is not only fun, but also an ideal alternative for rainy days.

If the children are of a certain age, there are other options. One of them is to tour Savannah by bike or, even better, take a Segway ride around Savannah. Either way you can tour the historic district and discover places like Forsyth Park and the waterfront.

If there's one perfect place to visit in Savannah with the little ones, it's the Children's Museum, a space designed for them to develop their creativity and learn in a playful way. This is a space designed so that they can freely develop their creativity and learn in a playful way. How? Through a myriad of activities of all kinds, from a fun maze to a sensory garden, musical games or a reading corner.

It's a wonderful plan to enjoy a different morning or afternoon, even with very young children. What's more, the museum is in the city centre, in the old railway carpentry workshop, so it's very easy to get to.

Here's an important thing to bear in mind: the entire museum is outdoors. What does that mean? You can easily include it in your plans to enjoy Savannah in spring and autumn. But in summer you'll want to avoid the hottest hours, and in winter it's always a good idea to take advantage of the warmer days.

Savannah has always been a strategic point in the country. As such, there was a time when many fortifications were built here and are still standing today. Today, they are a live history lesson that children enjoy, as they can become soldiers in these forts or even watch real cannons being fired.

Old Fort Jackson is perhaps the best known. In this old military compound there are lots of interactive activities for children to learn and enjoy at the same time. It explains what military life was like and how battles were prepared. But if there's one thing that really excites them, it's the cannon firing demonstrations.

There are other interesting forts for the whole family to visit. For example, Fort Pulaski is a fantastic example of military architecture. But there's more: it's surrounded by a fantastic natural area for a relaxing day or a picnic.

I also recommend Fort McAllister, which has been turned into an idyllic state park. Here children can see old cannons and military installations. But they can also enjoy playgrounds and a network of low-difficulty trails that are perfect for families. Not only that, the park allows camping, picnicking among century-old oak trees and even fishing.

How about a nostalgic trip in an old steam engine? The Railway Museum occupies part of what was once one of the largest railway complexes in the country. The museum exhibits old locomotives that ran on coal or diesel, historic carriages and a host of tools and utensils related to the history of the railway.

No matter how old you are, getting into one of these locomotives, learning how they worked and seeing how they evolved over time is an unforgettable experience. The museum also pays special attention to the educational aspect and offers interactive exhibits and demonstrations that will delight the youngest visitors.

If you want to complete the plan, here's a suggestion: visit the Savannah History Museum. It's just a stone's throw away, on the same grounds, and it's very interesting. By the way, the Children's Museum is also in this railway complex. So you can organise a perfect plan to spend some family time visiting all three museums.

Forsyth Park is Savannah's largest public park and one of Savannah's landmarks. And it's perfect for kids. Here they can run wild while you relax in a tranquil space. The park also has playgrounds suitable for children of different ages and sports areas for playing tennis or basketball.

And there's more. Every Saturday there is a unique event: the Forsyth Park Farmers. It's a market where local farmers offer their best produce, from fruit and vegetables to honey, jams and cheeses. It is ideal to see, to smell and, of course, to taste.

One last recommendation: don't miss the fragrant garden, one of the most special corners of Forsyth Park. What is it? An area with aromatic plants designed so that people who can't see can also enjoy the park.

Just over 20 minutes from Savannah, in Skidaway, is a great place to have a great time with the kids whether it's hot, rainy or sunny. The UGA Marine Education Centre and Aquarium has 16 huge saltwater tanks. They are home to a myriad of species that live off the coast of Savannah and are a delight for the little ones.

But the Marine Education Centre offers other interesting experiences for children beyond visiting the aquarium. Here you can spend a day full of activities related to wildlife. All very educational and, above all, fun!

If you have time, my advice is to walk along one of the trails or along the promenade to learn more about the flora and fauna of the area. There are also several viewing platforms to see the fantastic birds that make their home on the Savannah River marshes.

There's another place I recommend you visit with kids that's all about wildlife. The Oatland Island Wildlife Centre is home to 40 different species of animals, including cougars, wolves, bison, snakes and alligators.

You can see them in spaces that recreate their natural habitats, following a short trail through a forest. It is a quiet, well-conditioned walk that is easy to do, even with the little ones. If it rains, there is an alternative: walk along a virtual path and live an immersive experience that is almost, almost, like the one you live outdoors.

Now I'll tell you a little curiosity. These grounds were once one of Georgia's many cotton plantations. At the beginning of the 20th century it was transformed into a retreat for railway drivers and later into a hospital and research centre. Since 1973 it has been an environmental education centre thanks to the efforts of a local teacher. A very special story indeed.

Savannah is a city where you can organise a thousand activities with the little ones and have a great time. Here are some other ideas to make the most of your family visit. Take note!

• If the heat is on and you need to cool off, look for Ellis Square. It's one of the liveliest spots in the city. But if I recommend it, it's not for that reason, but because it has a fountain with jets coming out of the ground. The little ones love to get wet in it. What's more, it is in the heart of the city, near the Town Hall and the river.

• Who doesn't love a good ice cream, especially the kids! If it's hot and you want to treat them, take them to Leopold's Ice Cream. It's considered one of the best ice cream parlours in the world - they'll love it!

• Always take something to eat with you. There are plenty of places to relax and picnic in Savannah. Need ideas? Forsyth Park, Whitefield Park, Reynolds Square or Chippewa Square. The latter is the square where Forrest Gump sat in the movie. But don't look for the bench, it's no longer there, it's at the Savannah History Museum.

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Savannah is a warm and welcoming city. You'll find everything you need to have a great time here. But if you're travelling with kids, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• The city enjoys a subtropical climate. The winters are mild here, which means you can visit Savannah at Christmas time to let the kids enjoy the city's atmosphere at that time of year. But if you visit in summer, remember that the humidity can be oppressive. June, July and August are the rainiest months- don't forget!

• The historic centre is not very big, so you can walk around it with children without much difficulty. If they get tired, you can always hop on one of the tourist trolleybuses, but there is another option: the Dot. It's a bus that runs two different routes and stops around the historic district - the best part is that it's free!

• At Savannah' s museums and historic sites, children under the age of two are usually free. Children between the ages of two and twelve get discounts of around 30%.

• To save money, my advice is to buy a combined CSH ticket. For about $21, it entitles you to entry to three of the museums run by the Coastal Heritage Society. These include the Children's Museum, the Savannah History Museum, the Railroad Museum and Old Fort Jackson.