You’ll find Savannah's most notable architectural sites in the Historic District, which extends from the riverfront to Forsyth Park, Savannah's largest public green space. A healthy mix of architectural styles from colonial times up to the modern age are found throughout this large district that includes downtown Savannah. The oldest colonial and antebellum sites are closer to the riverfront, while the neighborhoods around Forsyth Park contain many examples from the Victorian period, mostly homes.
Many companies offer guided walking tours that focus on the city's stunning array of architectural styles across different time periods. Architectural Tours of Savannah provides standard and customized guided trips winding you through the city streets. Personalized Tours of Savannah does just what its name implies: helps you create your own personalized tour. Explore Savannah, Savannah Walks and See Savannah Walking Tours also offer guided walking tours focusing on the architectural highlights of the “Hostess City of the South.”
If you don't want to spring for a guided tour, and you know enough about architecture yourself, a self-guided tour might be in order. Divide your walking tour up into segments because the distance between the riverfront and the Forsyth Park area is too much to cover in one tour. For help with planning your self-guided tour, stop in at any of the handful of visitors' centers scattered around downtown to pick up walking maps and talk to the staff on hand for recommendations.
Tybee Island, just 20 minutes from downtown, has plenty of history itself, including its own architectural style known as the raised Tybee cottage. These distinct cottages were built between the 1920s and the 1940s, with the main living area, including large screened-in porches, raised off the ground; at ground level, you’ll find a carport, boat storage and servants’ quarters. Tybee Island is easily walkable and contains many examples of this style, some listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as other historic buildings, notably, its lighthouse.
