Hop on a Tour:

Experience Savannah with a city tour either by foot on a guided walking tour or on board a trolley. City tours will help your troop get better acquainted with Savannah’s history. Be sure to stop at the Massie Heritage Center, which has educational programs for all different grades that give you a glimpse of children’s lives in the early nineteenth century. Ask about its historic Savannah hike patch or the local council’s own “Discover Daisy’s Savannah” badge!

The commercial hop-on, hop-off tours are a good way to get an overview and some history. Two main vendors: Old Town Trolley (same as in SD) and Old Savannah Tours (white trolleys). Go the first day, if you can afford it. BUT as a free alternative, and for all future days, use the DOT fare-free buses (www.connectonthedot.com).

Plan to walk a LOT, because there’s so much to see! Bus and trolley stops are frequent, but you’ll mostly just want to walk to what’s next.

Grab a Quick Lunch:

Savannah has several favorite restaurants that offer boxed lunches for your students to enjoy in one of 22 beautiful squares. Try the boxed lunches from Leopold’s Ice Cream, proudly serving Girl Scouts for over 96 years.

Smaller groups (to 15 or so) can get seating at restaurants without too much trouble. Or depending on where you’re staying, get food from a store to make your own box/bag lunch, then enjoy it on the River Walk or one of the 22 beautiful parklike squares and then go to Leopold’s to eat some ICE CREAM!

Visit the Birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low:

Tour the National Historic Landmark, located in downtown Savannah, where Daisy Low was born.

Special interest workshops, pinning ceremonies and extended heritage experiences can be arranged through the venue. 

This is an absolute must-do stop! I thought I knew a lot about Daisy Low, but I learned so much! Plan on spending some time there, and a bit of money for a special pin or patch. Do get the pinning ceremony if you can.

Also consider Andrew Low House – lots of Daisy’s story takes place there. The Birthplace is owned by GSUSA, while the Andrew Low House is owned by the local council. Each offers different opportunities, and each requires separate reservations.

Visit the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force:

Located just minutes from downtown, your troop will learn about the roles of women during World War II through the “Doing Their Part” Girl Scout exhibition. Earn patches along the way, and see remaining artifacts from the brave soldiers.

Dine with Pirates:

Since 1753, The Pirate’s House has welcomed visitors to Savannah with a bounty of delicious food and drink and rousing good times. Situated a scant block from the Savannah River, The Pirate’s House first opened as an inn for seafarers and fast became a rendezvous for blood-thirsty pirates and sailors from the seven seas.  It’s in a set of three old buildings, but it appears to be really touristy and awfully expensive. I didn’t go in, though, so I could be wrong! I’ve talked to another troop that enjoyed it. It seems a little like Hard Rock Cafe…heavy on the decor and not very authentic in terms of food or experience. Check this one out more carefully.

Enlist in Old Fort Jackson’s Student Militia Civil War Training:

Find out what it was like to be an American soldier in the early years of the United States. A drill sergeant will teach your students the basic maneuvers of the School of the Soldier, including marching and saluting. The training is completed with the students witnessing an exciting cannon firing demonstration.  I hear this is a good exhibit, but others may more interesting to the girls, especially if they’re from a place with good military museums.

Enjoy a Tour at the Tri Centennial Park

Visit Savannah History Museum, Savannah Children’s Museum and the Georgia State Railroad Museums. Tricentennial Park offers field trips, girl scout groups, guided or self-guided tours, programs and more. The Coastal Heritage Society Educational Field Trip Guide covers many different programs designed for students and girl scouts depending on your troop’s interest. Juliette’s grandfather was instrumental in the development of the Central of Georgia Railroad. Learn to be a soldier like Juliette’s father. Find out how the Civil war impacted Juliette Low and her family.  

Race Relations and the Civil War

I would make sure the girls get a chance to learn about slavery and race relations. The area’s history is so intertwined. I suggest going to Market Square and to the First Black Baptist Church (tours at least twice a day). Fascinating how the church got built and was part of the underground railroad. Along the River Walk, make sure to find out about the Factor’s Walk and the cotton industry – it relates to Juliette Low. It would also be good to get out to a plantation.

Free Time:

Savannah is an extremely walkable city, with 22 park-like squares arranged in a grid pattern, and shops and art galleries scattered throughout the city are perfect for finding souvenirs.  It takes only half an hour to walk the main area east-to-west OR north-to-south. 

Cruise the River:

Cruise schedules are seasonal, and pricey (dinner $60 + tax, fees, and tips, less a discount). Alternatively, you can take a free (very quick) trip across the river and back, on a small ferry. This is provided by the DOT (connectthedot.com). One of the boats is the Juliette Gordon Low. There’s not much on the South Carolina side – just a convention center – but it IS another state, if the girls want to say they’ve been there.

Catch a Show at the Savannah Theatre:

This downtown entertainment extravaganza brings you fantastic, two-hour, Broadway-style productions. Dating back to 1818, the theater is an exciting way to spend an evening with a show that’s fun for all ages. Group rates are available for your students.

Learn About the Coast:

Located just east of Savannah on a marsh island, Oatland Island Education Center features a two-mile “Native Animal Nature Trail” that winds through maritime forest, salt marsh and freshwater wetlands. More than 40 programs are available to students to study endangered species and organism classification.  

Get Crackin’ at the Crab Shack:

Troops will love this signature restaurant that boasts a live alligator exhibit and exotic bird sanctuary. They can share a large seafood platter loaded with shrimp, corn on the cob and crab legs and more.  

Choose Your Activity:

• Earn Your Badge at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center: From a beach walk to a coastal gallery tour, the troops have endless options to earn badges. One the most popular ways to earn badges is through the two-hour Coastal Georgia Badge Program. 
• Take a Dolphin Tour: Several companies in the Savannah area offer dolphin and nature tours. Watch dolphins at play and egrets catching fish right alongside your boat.  
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• Experience a Walking Beach Ecology Tour: Tybee Beach Ecology Trips are offered year-round and can be for any size group that wishes to learn about the variety of marine life along the Georgia coast.
•   Also on Tybee Island: the lighthouse gives a decent challenge (176 steps) and a great view, if girls are interested. Part of the complex is a series of old batteries. In one, a museum has exhibits worked into the nooks and crannies where gunpowder and ammo was stored. One section is all about the history of Girl Scouts on the island. Kinda hokey, but cool for girls who like to see how things were. 

Get Spooked:

Discover why Savannah has repeatedly been named “America’s Most Haunted City!” There are numerous options to choose from, including walking tours and trolley tours that will provide a great interactive evening event for your troop.   

Take a walking ghost tour at night! Beautiful, spooky, historic. Went by the colonial cemetery during the night tour. Lots of vendors – no idea which is best. A podcast or similar free option might be good for a group. A famous stop I didn’t get to is Bonaventure Cemetery. Supposed to be a great trip. Not open at night, tho.

Other great Girl Scout Program ideas!

• Take a campus tour of Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD.edu). Tours are held twice daily. Campus is loosely defined, because SCAD has taken over and restored old buildings all over town. You can also arrange to have lunch with a current student.
• Eat some “low country boil” at some point. Might be possible to have one on an old plantation or something, but an affordable, quick option is Savannah Seafood Shack https://savannahseafoodshack.com/ Their single serving low country boil will easily serve two hungry girls. It’s next to Leopold’s Ice Cream.
• Learn about Gullah culture, like haint blue paint. The local council features this as one of its patch programs.
• Also eat Huey’s beignets on the River Walk. About $4 for 3 of them. You can walk in and order them at the bar, to go, if you just want a snack.
• There are several cool geocaches along the river and in squares. There’s also one in Daisy’s garden, but it was out of commission when I went.
• Plan to eat some pralines or divinity, key lime pie, and biscuits…just because they’re part of the culture. But Lulu’s Chocolate Bar was pretty delish, too.
• Betty Bombers has huge, tasty burgers for cheap. It’s in the American Legion Hall (weird to me!) just south of Forsyth Park.
• If you want a fancy meal, Vic’s is quite elegant and extremely delicious. Lunch was very special for the price. It will feel like a big splurge but only cost moderately. Adult feel…some girls might like that, some not. 
• The local council website has ideas on places to stay and other things to do.
• I would look into reenactments or other big events during the time a group will come. These could enhance or detract from a visit.
• GS First Headquarters: https://www.gshg.org/en/our-council/girl-scout-first-headquarters.html (Andrew Low Carriage House), Daily Program patches.

Lodging Ideas

You can camp nearby. Camp Low on Rose Dhu Island (40 min from Savannah) is run by the local council, various camping types (check Juliette’s Cottage or Tidewater or White Caps Cabin Units). I only found one campground (private, River’s End, tents) on Tybee Island, even though several people had mentioned more. Skidaway Island (30 min from Savannah) and Fort McAllister (42 min) State Parks have Camper Cabins and Cottages that could be good for traveling troops. You’d need cars, which are unnecessary otherwise. I did not have a chance to check them out, in person or online. Definitely more research needed on that.

Accommodations vary. The boring chain places don’t look terrible, just on the edge of downtown, and they’re a lot less than the trendy or charming places along the River Walk. The airport places are distant and sterile. I didn’t see the ones out on 204.

(All the photos and additions to this story are from Sandy Sultz, SD Girl Scout Council who made a trip to Savannah in fall 2017)

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