A romantic Savannah getaway in March or April pairs a few days of azaleas, old squares and live oaks in the city with a slower finish on the Georgia coast at St. Simons or Jekyll Island. Go if you two like walking, history and good Southern food, and you can live with a little pollen.
Savannah is a city you walk. The streets are laid out on a grid of small squares, each one shaded by live oaks hung with Spanish moss, and in spring the azaleas come out in pinks and whites all over town. You don't need a plan. You need comfortable shoes.
We like to pair it with a few days on the coast. After three nights of cobblestones and restaurant reservations, an hour and a half down the road you'll find the Golden Isles: marsh, wide beaches and bike paths under the oaks. One half is a city break. The other is rest.
Why it suits couples who've been married a while
This trip doesn't ask much of you. No passports, no jet lag if you live in the eastern half of the country, no early tour buses. You walk a few squares, sit on a bench, find lunch, walk a few more. It's the kind of pace that lets a conversation go somewhere.
Most couples we plan for want time to reconnect without an itinerary running them. Savannah gives you that in town, over long lunches and slow evening walks, and the coast gives you more of it. By the last morning on the beach, you'll have had more real conversation than in the previous month at home.
Why March and April
Spring is Savannah at its prettiest. The azaleas usually peak somewhere from mid-March into early April, depending on the year, and the dogwoods and wisteria come along around the same time. Days are typically warm and pleasant for walking, before the heavy summer humidity sets in.
There are trade-offs. The pine pollen in Georgia can be intense in spring, a yellow dust on every car and bench, so if either of you has allergies, pack your medicine and plan on it. Savannah's St. Patrick's Day celebration is one of the biggest in the country, and the city is packed and loud that week. Unless that's your idea of fun, avoid it. Easter weekend is busy too, with hotels filling early. We usually aim couples at the quieter weeks in between.
What you'll do in Savannah
Start in Forsyth Park, at the big white fountain, and walk north through the squares toward the river. Stop in at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Lafayette Square; the stained glass and the height of the ceiling tend to quiet people down. On Reynolds Square there's a statue of John Wesley, a reminder that Georgia was an early stop in his story.
Give Bonaventure Cemetery a morning. It sounds like an odd romantic outing, but the long avenues of live oaks along the river are some of the most beautiful ground in the South, and it's peaceful. If walking a lot is hard on either of you, book a carriage ride through the historic district one evening. It's slow and old-fashioned, which is the point.
- Family-style Southern lunch, and a scoop at Leopold's Ice Cream after
- The oak-lined avenue at Wormsloe Historic Site
- An evening stroll along River Street (watch the cobblestones)
Then the coast
For a short coastal stop, Tybee Island is about half an hour from downtown and has a lighthouse and a long, easy beach. For real rest, we'd send you south to the Golden Isles instead. St. Simons Island has a small village by the pier, lots of bike paths and a relaxed pace. Jekyll Island is quieter still, and its Driftwood Beach, with bleached trees lying on the sand, is worth an early morning.
On St. Simons, visit Christ Church, Frederica. The congregation traces its beginnings to the 1730s, when Charles Wesley served for a short time at nearby Fort Frederica and John Wesley preached on the island. The church building you see today is newer, from the 1880s, but the churchyard under the oaks is one of the most peaceful spots on the coast. Fort Frederica National Monument is just up the road.
A sample six nights
Three nights in each place is the right split for most couples. Fly into Savannah, drive out to the coast, and return the car in Savannah or Jacksonville, whichever flight works better.
- Day 1: Arrive in Savannah, walk to dinner, early night.
- Day 2: Forsyth Park and the squares, the cathedral, a long lunch.
- Day 3: Bonaventure in the morning, rest, carriage ride at dusk.
- Day 4: Drive to St. Simons with a stop at Wormsloe on the way out.
- Day 5: Bikes, the pier, Christ Church and Fort Frederica.
- Day 6: Sunrise at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll, a lazy afternoon.
- Day 7: Sunday worship, then head home.
Where to stay
In Savannah, stay inside the historic district so you can walk everywhere. A small inn in a restored house on one of the squares is the classic choice, and we'd take a quiet room with a porch over a bigger one on a busy street. Ask about stairs; many of these old houses have plenty and no elevator.
On the coast, choose between a resort on St. Simons or Sea Island and one of the historic hotels on Jekyll. Either way, pick a place where you can walk or bike to the water. Book early for March and April, since spring is high season on both ends of this trip.
Making room for faith
Savannah has a long church history, and Sunday morning is easy to plan. You can worship in a congregation that has met in the city for generations, or find a church near your inn on the coast. Check current service times before you go.
A lot of couples we plan for like a short devotional on a porch or bench each morning. The squares are ideal for it early, before the tour trolleys start. Read a psalm together, pray for your kids and grandkids by name, then go find breakfast.
Practical tips
The sidewalks in the historic district are brick and uneven, and tree roots push them up. Wear real walking shoes, not sandals. Bring a light jacket for cool evenings and a rain shell, since spring storms roll through. Antihistamines and a small pack of tissues are not optional in pollen season. Skip the late-night ghost tours unless you actually enjoy them; they run late and can be rowdy.
Don't overbook Savannah's restaurants. Pick one special dinner and reserve it well ahead, then let the other nights be simple. Parking downtown is tight, so leave the car at the inn while you're in the city. Jekyll Island charges a parking fee to come onto the island.
Questions couples ask
Is April a good time to visit Savannah?
Yes. April is one of the best months for Savannah, with warm days, blooming gardens and pleasant evenings before summer humidity arrives. The azaleas are often past their peak by late April, pollen can be heavy early in the month, and Easter weekend is busy, so book lodging early.
When do the azaleas bloom in Savannah?
Savannah's azaleas usually peak from mid-March into early April. The timing shifts a week or two depending on the winter, so if the flowers are the main reason for your trip, aim for late March and keep your plans a little flexible.
How many days do you need in Savannah?
Two or three full days is enough for the historic district, Forsyth Park, Bonaventure Cemetery and a carriage ride at a relaxed pace. For a romantic getaway, we suggest three nights in Savannah and three on the Georgia coast, which gives you a week that feels like a real break.
Should we stay on Tybee Island or St. Simons Island?
Tybee is closer, about half an hour from Savannah, and easy for a day trip or one night. St. Simons, with nearby Jekyll Island, is better for a few restful days: more places to stay, bike paths, and quieter beaches. For this trip we'd pick St. Simons.
Is St. Patrick's Day a good time for a romantic trip to Savannah?
Usually not. Savannah's St. Patrick's Day celebration draws enormous crowds, hotel prices climb for days around it, and the historic district gets loud and crowded well into the night. If you want quiet walks and easy dinner reservations, plan your trip for a different week in March.
Can Covenant Retreats plan this trip for us?
Yes. We plan this as a private trip for two: the inn in Savannah, the coastal resort, the rental car, a sensible pace and a church for Sunday. It's a trip we'd love to host as a small group retreat for couples someday, too. Tell us about the trip you want on our Plan With Us page and we'll plan it.
This is one of our ten romantic getaway ideas for married couples, arranged by season. Next on the calendar: Jackson Hole & Grand Teton.