It’s always fun when our beautiful city wins various travel and tourism awards, and boy do we win a lot. The latest honor comes from online travel review site, Trip Advisor, which just recently released its list of “Top 25 Destinations in the United States”, and Savannah comes in at #14 ahead of Charleston, Atlanta, Boston and other notable cities.

Trip Advisor says: “Savannah is a classic Southern city—mannerly, to be sure, but with a rich and complex history. Stroll historic Savannah and visit places you may remember from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (especially Bonaventure Cemetery)… then enjoy a mint julep on your hotel’s verandah.”

Come see for yourself why Savannah is a Top 25 Destination with a romantic weekend getaway, a much-needed girls’ trip or a weeklong vacation with the family. We promise you won’t be disappointed. Consider booking your stay at one of our preferred partner hotels, many of which are located right in the heart of the famous Historic District. You’ll be within walking distance of many fabulous Savannah sights. Book today!

Father’s Day is coming up, and Dad is always the hardest to buy for! Instead of the same socks and tie combo, why not take him out on the beautiful Savannah River? We’re talking about the Father’s Day Brunch or Dinner Cruise with River Street Riverboat Cruises. Sit back, relax, and let them do all of the work! For your convenience, you can choose either a brunch cruise from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. or a dinner cruise from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Each cruise has a carefully crafted menu, entertainment and stunning views of the beautiful Savannah River.

Treat your Dad to a River Street Riverboat Cruise!

The brunch menu includes an array of breakfast as well as lunch items such as a carving station with honey glazed pork loin and roasted turkey breast, seasonal fresh vegetables, assorted salads, scrambled eggs, grits, bacon, sausage, danishes, southern style biscuits and an assortment of desserts.

The dinner menu includes their signature River Queen Shrimp & Grits, carving station with beef top sirloin and orange marmalade glazed boneless pork loin, peel and eat shrimp display, herb roasted chicken, seasonal vegetable, assorted fresh salads, fresh fruit display and an assortment of desserts.

Let River Street Riverboat help you make this a Father’s Day he will never forget! Be sure to reserve your spot quickly – these cruises are very popular! You can purchase tickets online or by calling (800) 786-6404.

Savannah offers a wide variety of educational activities from art and history museums to wildlife refuges and more. And if you’ve ever wanted to visit these places, Saturday, June 9 is the day to do it, as two Savannah favorites are offering free admission. Fort Pulaski National Monument and Savannah National Wildlife Refuge are both waiving admission and tour fees for that day only. If you’ve never been to Fort Pulaski, it’s a real treat. Located off Highway 80 on the way to Tybee Island, this 19th century Civil War fort has as much history as Savannah herself. The fort itself is a large-scale outdoor exhibit. The main structure, together with outlying works including demilune, drawbridges, ditches, and dikes, is a fine example of historic military architecture. Indoor exhibits highlight the history of Fort Pulaski from the fort’s construction, to its eventual fall due to advancing military technology. While you’re there, check out the numerous wildlife trails, do some bird watching and learn the stories of the brave men who fought there.

Just up the road near the South Carolina border is the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge’s 28,168 acres include bottomland hardwoods and tidal freshwater marsh and is home to a variety of wildlife including ducks, geese, wading birds, shorebirds and several endangered and/or threatened species including bald eagles, wood storks, manatees and shortnose sturgeon. The refuge also provides nesting areas for wood ducks, great horned owls, bald eagles, osprey and swallow-tailed kites among others. It’s a nature-lover’s dream and you can see it all for free on June 9. So make your plans to spend a summer day outside learning history and seeing beautiful wildlife at these two gems, for free!

We’ve discussed Savannah’s famous Tour of Homes, but did you know that our sister beach town, Tybee Island, has its own Tour of Homes? You are invited to tour some of Tybee’s most unique private residences that you probably didn’t even know were there. The 15th Annual Tybee Island Tour of Homes takes place Saturday, June 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and features a variety of historic and contemporary architectural styles. See everything from charming beach houses to classic manors on this distinctive tour. Guests are welcome to begin the tour at the home of their choice and will receive a map along with a list of homes printed on the back of the ticket. Proceeds will benefit The Rising Tyde Food Bank and the Tybee Island Maritime Academy charter school. Lunch is included in the price of the ticket and will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s gym. For more information please visit TybeeVisit.com.

A couple weeks ago, StayInSavannah.com participated as a team for the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, which took place downtown. It was a lot of fun and a great cause!

Savannahians are fortunate to have a beautiful coastline at our convenience with a wealth of natural wildlife and scenic views. Did you know that Georgia’s 100-mile long coastline boasts one-third of the remaining tidal salt marshes along the entire Atlantic coast? The state’s salt marshes are some of the most biologically productive natural systems on Earth. They produce nearly twenty tons of biomass to the acre, which makes them four times more productive than the most carefully cultivated cornfields, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

This enormous productivity helps to make the salt marshes primary nursery areas for blue crabs, oysters, shrimp and other economically important fish and shellfish. These are just some of the cool facts you’ll learn by attending Wetlands Day at Oatland Island Wildlife Center on Saturday, June 2. You are invited to spend the day exploring the salt marshes and learning why we must protect this precious ecosystem. Whether you’re a nature-lover or just want to spend a day by the water, this is a unique opportunity to see a rare and extraordinary ecosystem. For more information, please visit www.oatlandisland.org.

The Historic Savannah Theater has a new summer line-up and you’re going to love what they have in store. The first show will take you back in time as you hear all your favorite jukebox hits, along with plenty of comedy and audience participation at the Savannah Theater’s “Jukebox Journey”. From June 1 – July 29, you can experience this two-hour high power music entertainment featuring portions of more than 60 songs, including “Stand by Your Man,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Great Ball of Fire,” “Disco Inferno” and a Motown Medley. The audience will be singing along with the award-winning cast and live band, laughing at the outrageous comedy and participating throughout this high-energy performance that will want to make you dance the night away.

The Savannah Theater has been recognized nationally by publications such as USA Today and the Atlanta Journal Constitution as well as review sites such as Trip Advisor, which voted the theater “#1 Nightlife Entertainment.” Trust us when we say you won’t regret going. Stay in Savannah has several preferred partner hotels in the Historic District very close to the theater giving you the chance to walk through the beautiful squares on your way. Buy your show tickets online or at the door and book your room here. See you at the show!