Parks and Re - Creations
- Jeffrey Dunn
- Apr 11, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 23, 2024
Forts Parks and Squares of Savannah and surrounding towns.
Savannah's great value as a tourist destination is not a one trick pony. It's very diverse. Some come for River Street and The City Market Area for shopping, etc. Some come to see the Majestic Mossy Oaks that shade our many parks. These trees look like the real version of "Home Tree" from the movie, 'Avatar' Especially when they're decorated with lighting. Thousands come to search out the possibility of being a SCAD student. And still more come for the Ghost Tours offered year round.
A long weekend trip with the family to Savannah, is not just entertaining, it is extremely educational. There are many historic landmarks and well known figures here in Savannah. There are also places that have been made famous by the movies, for example the bench where Forest Gump sat. Or the statue from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; a book and a movie. The entire town is said to be haunted by pirates and buccaneers from early settlement times. Even our hockey team, "The Savannah Ghost Pirates" pays tribute to our holographic history.
The very buildings, walkways and streets are often built with European brick or stones that were used as ballast on ships that returned from England.
This is a very short list of the places I've visited and found both educational and entertaining. (Edutainment). They are not in any particular order.
The Prohibition Museum-
(912)220-1249
Recording history must be done in the most unapologetic way. If egregious things happened to a race, a religion, a country, a gender or belief system, the ugliness of it MUST be accurately and boldly portrayed, lest we repeat our failures.
Let's face it....alcohol and murder are like Fred and Ginger.....they dance together. I'm pretty sure this is a one of a kind museum collection of the 4 dimensional violence that ensues when you try to outlaw something that the world is demanding is their choice to have. And the Mob says…….”we’ll sell it to ya.”
The Prohibition Museum is a time capsule of the ugly part of The United States’ social evolution and crime eradication era. It describes prohibition using puns like liquid divorce, explains how liquor creates fatherless children and victims of violent crime as well as the scaling of demonstrative politics.
This was also a time when the media grew exponentially, enabling information to begin to travel quickly….this was favorable technology for Eliot Ness, the law man that fought rifles with machine guns, and machine guns with “Tanks.”
The Museum targets the +21 crowd in my opinion. There are very realistic, touch it feel it props of murder. Not sure I’d want my young kids in there. I’d say it’s PG13. Or 3 and under.
After your optional drink at the bar, you can watch a movie involving the KKK. It is, in its most unapologetic and honest way, an accurate depiction of one of our most heinous and ignorant times in history.
Be proud we learned from this. Be proud to be American….we’re not the best because we’re perfect. We’re the best because we try to better than we were yesterday. We engage in anything that enhances your education.
The prohibition museum is thought provoking on so many levels. It is a combination of criminal architects, capitalizing on the procurement of the prohibited finally meeting their demise by equally ruthless patriots that neutralize them with just slightly more firepower.
Addiction and monopsony is an economic and social ticking time bomb. LEARN FROM THIS MUSEUM!!!! Pretty please….
The Prohibition Museum-
(912)220-1249
Fort Jackson -
An inspirational and educational historic site hosting Cannon Firing Re - creations twice a day. This is a blast!!! No pun intended.
Right on the Savannah River 20 minutes from downtown.
Best Kept secret.
https://www.chsgeorgia.org/OFJ 912-651-6840
$ adults
$ kids
Fort Pulaski
US Highway 80
Savannah, GA 31410
912.786.8182
Pack a cooler, Chairs, binoculars and a blanket.
Fort Pulaski is another historic site on the way to Tybee island.
Pulaski is as fun as Jackson. It is in impeccable condition. Like a miniature pentagon casting its geometric shadow along it’s moat.
It is a fully open fort. Meaning you’re allowed to see and touch 99% of it. Home to cannons of all kinds. Enclosed by original brick walls and MASSIVE wooden doors sandwiched together by wraught iron studs and hung by hand hammered coal forged hinges .
You‘ll be making your own family history while exploring that of Fort Pulaski.
Fort Pulaski National Monument 912.786.8182
US Highway 80
Savannah, GA 31410
HARRIS NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
(912) 832-4608
This park is a wildlife refuge as well. Now as a guy from up North(Mass), I'mma tell ya....you ain't the top of the food chain in these parts, understand? Keep yaw eyes busy.
I was comforted that animals will run FROM you UNLESS they're with their babies. So in the spring be especially respectful of who's house you're in. ;)
These birds are huge and there's so many. Harris Neck is somewhat remote. So when a Wood Stork flies over head, you can hear the wind around its wings. I honestly felt like I was in a scene from Jurassic Park.
Harris Neck main roads are bicycle and e-bike friendly. I'm not sure if camping is available, but it sometimes is in these types of parks.
It's about 40 minutes south of Savannah off 95(exit 67). Click the link below for driving directions.
Tell them Jeff from MAHI Outfitters sent you.
And leave only your footprints.
HARRIS NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
(912) 832-4608
Georgia State Railway Museum
The Georgia State Railway Museum is located right down town Savannah. There are countless engines and cars to look at.
A guided tour with a ride on a real antique train is a do not miss. There’s a big playground for the miniature humans. And it’s extremely unique. When I saw it the first thing I thought of was a catered business lunch. Or a wine tasting setting. There are 2 extremely attractive places that one could use for a reception of some sort.
The museum is gracious enough to open their doors for these special occasions.
This is another site where Hollywood chose to do some filming. Savannah has been Hollywood’s playground for many years.
Don’t miss this. Its educational and literally awesome in many ways. The size and weight of some of the parts made long before modern tooling is mind blowing.
Go training today.
Georgia State Railway Museum
Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens
If you’re into a vegetation vacation, Savannah wins this once again. There are many squares and gardens. From the infamous Forsyth park(where, there is, oddly, no Forsythia) to the less famous Savannah Botanical Gardens.
In between is the far different COASTAL GEORGIA Botanical Gardens. I did a google search for the wrong one and initially ended up at the wrong place.
I drove past this a while back on my way to my favorite Ace Hardware Store. All I saw was the sign. The sign does not do the garden justice. This place is exquisite.
A beatiful back porch offers a perfect perch for a wedding, a dedication ceremony, a bereavement reception or any other type of luncheon you might consider.
Photographers would have a field day as would any other aspiring writer, painter, or sketch artist.
The underlying attraction is the silence. There is little noise as you find your way around the Anemophilous Papyrus, and through the Calcareous Carousel that meanders through the gardens.
The towering trifoliate maze of bamboo, is a very secluded shady retreat from the sun. The observation tower chimes in the wind.
It really is beautiful. Bring a big bottle of water. There is a good amount of shade….but summer in Savannah can get a little on the warm side.
Tell ‘em Jeff from MAHI Outfitters sent you.
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