After a few stressful weeks working on the Avenue House and our day jobs, the trip we planned to Savannah, GA came just in the nick of time! Since Brian and I have always wanted to visit Savannah, we decided that my 30th birthday would be the perfect excuse for a little weekend getaway!
There are already so many great guides out there on places to eat and things to do in Savannah, so I thought it would be fun to share the favorite spots we found for interior design! I love traveling and find so much design inspiration in new places. Since you gals and guys are design lovers as well, I thought you may find these places we explored as pretty as I do!
Mirabelle's is just the sweetest (literally!) little spot we found in Savannah. It is a boutique hotel but also has a darling cafe in the main level. This was actually our last stop of the trip but as you can see from the number of photos, it was definitely one of my favorites! We came here for breakfast (they are known for their waffles) but I loved poking around every corner to soak up the beautiful interior design. The antique brick walls, bistro chairs, and gray trim gave me all kinds of inspiration for our next home! And those gas lanterns outside! So stinking charming. If you want more design inspiration, check out the photos of their stunning suites.
FORSYTH PARK
Our AIRBNB was located on the corner of Forsyth Park. We weren't sure if we wanted to be closer to the river front or closer to the park and I am so glad we stayed where we did! The park is in the middle of residential housing and is lined with gorgeous live oaks covered in Spanish moss. It was so fun to walk Lola through the park and stare at all of the pretty old houses and landscaping. I think I have convinced Brian that we should definitely do a herringbone brick patio at the next house. ;) I also told him that if I can't get Spanish moss to grow on our trees, I'm going to Hobby Lobby and will glue some on. What is it about that moss that is just SO lovely?
Ok, so this is technically not a notably pretty place to go (it's really just a tiny storefront), but these macarons were so good! And SO pretty! Grab a half dozen of these petite confections and go enjoy them with a glass of rosé in one of the many courtyards Savannah has to offer. We had these in lieu of birthday cake and they did not disappoint. :)
Y'all, The Paris Market was a little bit of heaven in Savannah. I think it is safe to say that this is the best merchandised boutique I have ever been in. The upstairs is split into two sections: a cafe where they serve beverages (and wine!) and then a gift shop. They sell all kinds of things from jewelry to bath products to greeting cards. It was a little crowded on the day we went, so we kind of hurried through. However, on the way towards the door, Brian noticed a staircase going to the basement. Man, am I glad he spotted that. Down below there are home items and it is such a beautifully curated space. We spent close to an hour down there exploring every intricate little vignette. The textures in this store are incredible: rough-sawn wood joists dotted with twinkle lights, paint-chipped brick walls, and crisp linen-upholstered pieces create such a cozy vibe when combined all together. Brian says that someday instead of a man cave he wants a speakeasy inspired by this place. I can get on board with that! ;) Hands down, this was the coolest little store in Savannah that we stumbled into.
It was storming on and off that day, so I didn't bring the nice camera (sorry for the blurry photos). However, I did take this quick Instagram video so that you guys could get a sense of the vibe. The downpour forced us to linger in the upstairs cafe a little bit longer than expected. We had a round of rosé to pass the time while perched on bentwood chairs. French music wafts throughout the place and I really enjoyed getting stuck in this little shop!
After studying abroad in Paris, it has been hard to find a French bakery in the U.S. that holds a candle to the real deal overseas. However, Café M describes themselves as an "authentic Parisian café" and I was happy to discover that they live up to their name! Not only is the food delicious (I had a croissant with brie, honey and walnuts - SO good), the atmosphere is just adorable. Huge wooden windows let in so much natural light while the mint and marble details add femininity to the sun-drenched cafe. The employees were also exceptionally friendly. I wish we had more time to hang out and enjoy other French goodies!
I am usually not a huge fan of fancy dinners, but when so many friends recommended The Olde Pink House, I figured it was worth a shot. The restaurant is in an old house (in case you couldn't figure that out ;). Each room is a separate dining area. We were seated in "The Office" and I am so glad we ended up there! A lot of the larger rooms had more of a ballroom feel while the office was a very intimate side room with just a handful of tables. There was no lighting with the exception of single candlesticks at each table. The ceiling was low-pitched and clad in wood beams and small windows over-looked the tippy-tops of the bushes out front. The food was incredibly good (arguably the best meal I've ever had) and it was fun to poke our heads into each room after dinner to see the other decor. There is also a tavern in the basement that is a cool spot to have a cocktail before dinner. It definitely has a lodge vibe and there is a jazz pianist/singer for entertainment while you wait for your table upstairs.
A few other things to note:
We did a Walking Ghost Tour ($10 via Groupon) the first night and it was a great way to get our bearings in an unfamiliar city. The tour guide paused often so that we could attempt to photograph ghosts in the buildings, but it was a great time for me to take photos of the architecture and historic buildings!
We found the best way to find great restaurants was to ask locals (waitresses, uber drivers, etc.). A few people recommended Crystal Beer Parlor and it was amazing. There are also hundreds of vintage memorabilia (photographs, newspapers) lining the restaurant walls - some from the late 1800s! This is a casual yet cool spot for a good meal. Do not miss out on the homemade peach cobbler.
There were so many cool places we didn't get to check out and I am already looking forward to an encore trip! Are there any must-see spots that I left out? If you've never been, I hope you'll add Savannah to your travel bucket list! I made the image below so that you can save this info to your travel Pinterest board for easy reference later!
