History and Beauty Awaits You in Savannah, Georgia

If you've never traveled to historic Savannah, Georgia, then you're missing what the French newspaper LeMonde calls "The Most Beautiful City in North America."   

From the 23-karat gold dome that crowns City Hall to the impressive cable-span bridge that links Savannah to South Carolina’s shores, signs of thoughtful planning are evident throughout this picturesque city.  Savannah’s past has been delicately preserved and, along with careful planning, this city has become one of the country’s most popular places to visit and live.

The unique city layout of Savannah, with an abundance of squares, parks and open public spaces, adds a mix of southern floral beauty with Spanish moss, live oaks, magnolias and azaleas that surround historic homes, forts, monuments and cemeteries.  Horse-drawn carriage rides and historic tours are the mainstay of the city's thriving tourism industry which attracts millions of visitors each year.  Although Savannah has several large hotels such as the Hilton and Hyatt, the best way to experience the city is to stay at one of the many Historic Inns and Bed & Breakfasts in the Historic District.

Savannah's Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 by the US Interior Department. In awarding Savannah the prestigious status, the Department stated the Savannah's Historic District "retains much of General James Edward Oglethorpe's original city plan from 1733 of open-space squares surrounded by the rhythmic placement of streets and buildings. This plan was followed well into the 19th century and the district includes many buildings of architectural merit from that century."

The same architectural merit was noted by the Robb Report in 2003 when it named Savannah in its annual Best Places to Live special feature.  In lauding Savannah, Robb Report's editors point to the seemingly endless array of stunning buildings that amass the city's eight designated historic districts, which boast at least 11 major styles of architecture. 

More recently Savannah has become famous for a number of things, including hosting the second largest Saint Patrick's Day Parade in the United States and a number of famous books and movies have also put Savannah in the spotlight.  In 1994, John Berendt's novel "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil" became a New York Times best-seller.  The book was such a success that a movie version of Midnight was filmed starring John Cusack, Kevin Spacey and was directed by Clint Eastwood.

Other famous movies filmed in Savannah include Forest Gump, Glory, Roots, and The Legend of Bagger Vance.  The the city has its own film commission designed to attract future Hollywood productions.  

With its charm and beauty, Historic Savannah, Georgia shouldn't have any trouble attracting tourists or Hollywood producers in search of the scenic beauty that makes Savannah "The Most Beautiful City in North America"