Savannah is one of America's oldest planned cities, founded in 1733 on the banks of the Savannah River. Its grid of oak-lined squares, draped in Spanish moss, creates an atmosphere that feels frozen in the antebellum South while staying very much alive with Lowcountry cooking, a world-class art school (SCAD), and a calendar packed with music festivals and ghost tours. The food alone is worth the trip: shrimp and grits, Lowcountry boils, pecan pie, and family-style dining rooms where strangers sit elbow to elbow over platters of fried chicken and black-eyed peas.
Your best window for visiting Savannah falls in two stretches: mid-March through mid-May and mid-October through late November. Spring edges ahead as the top pick because comfortable temperatures coincide with the Savannah Music Festival in late March through early April, the SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival in Forsyth Park, tours of private hidden gardens in the Historic District, and one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country. Fall is an equally strong contender, with the driest weather of the year, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival in late October, the Savannah Jazz Festival in September, and noticeably fewer crowds than spring. Both windows avoid summer's oppressive heat and humidity, giving you the most pleasant experience for walking the squares and exploring on foot.
Spring in Savannah, GA, US
March marks the start of Savannah's most celebrated stretch. Azaleas erupt across Forsyth Park and the Historic District, and mid-March brings one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country, a tradition dating back over two centuries that floods downtown with green and draws visitors from around the world. Afternoon highs reach 78.4°F (25.8°C), warm enough for comfortable walking tours along the cobblestones of River Street and through the moss-draped squares. Pack a light jacket for mornings, though: lows still dip to 56.6°F (13.7°C), and early strolls through Bonaventure Cemetery or along the river can feel crisp.
The Savannah Music Festival, Georgia's largest musical arts event, runs from late March into early April and fills theaters, churches, and gardens throughout the Historic District with everything from jazz and bluegrass to classical and zydeco. Later in April, SCAD students transform Forsyth Park into an open-air chalk art gallery during the Sidewalk Arts Festival, and tours of private hidden gardens in the Historic District open doors that stay closed the rest of the year. Rain stays manageable, with showers cropping up roughly two to four days per month, so a packable rain shell is all you need.
This is the busiest time of year, so book accommodations well ahead, especially around St. Patrick's Day and the Music Festival. Long spring evenings, with the sun setting after 8pm by May, give you plenty of daylight for a riverboat cruise or a food tour through Savannah's legendary Lowcountry restaurants. Don't leave without trying shrimp and grits at one of the old waterfront spots along River Street.
Summer in Savannah, GA, US
Summer in Savannah is honest-to-goodness hot. Highs average 91.1°F (32.8°C) and the humidity climbs into the low 70s percent range, making midday walks through the squares feel more like wading through warm soup. Early to mid-August brings the peak of it all, with highs pushing to 93°F (33.9°C) and overnight lows that barely offer relief at 74.3°F (23.5°C). If you're determined to visit, plan outdoor sightseeing for early morning or late evening and fill the sweltering midday hours with air-conditioned museum visits, like the Jepson Center for the Arts or the SCAD Museum of Art.
August is also the wettest month, with rain on roughly one in three days, often in the form of intense afternoon thunderstorms that roll through fast and leave steamy streets behind. The July 4th celebrations on the Savannah River waterfront are a highlight if you can handle the heat, with fireworks launched from a barge and live music across two riverfront stages. Tybee Island, just a 20-minute drive east, becomes a popular escape for beach days, dolphin spotting, and kayaking through the coastal marshes. This remains the second-busiest tourist season after spring, so accommodation prices stay elevated and the sidewalks still have plenty of foot traffic.
Hydration is not optional; carry water everywhere, wear breathable clothing, and take advantage of Savannah's open-container law to grab an iced cocktail from one of the bars along Congress Street. Ghost tours become more popular after dark, when temperatures finally ease into the upper 70s and the city takes on an atmospheric, lantern-lit quality that suits its reputation as one of America's most haunted cities.
Fall in Savannah, GA, US
Fall is when Savannah rewards patient travelers. The Savannah Jazz Festival, a free event held across venues in the Historic District including the Forsyth Park bandshell and the Lucas Theatre, typically takes place in mid-to-late September. Highs remain warm at 78.8°F (26°C), comfortable enough for afternoon walks without the punishing humidity of summer. October brings one of the driest stretches of the year, with rain falling on roughly one in six days, and the SCAD Savannah Film Festival in late October draws film industry professionals and movie lovers for screenings, panels, and celebrity appearances.
Lows settle to 58.6°F (14.8°C), making evenings pleasant for outdoor dining along the river or joining one of the popular ghost tours that wind through the squares. Crowds thin noticeably after summer, and accommodation prices drop, giving you a better pick of the Historic District's boutique inns and restored homes. The Savannah Craft Brew Fest around Labor Day weekend is a fun way to kick off the season, while Oktoberfest celebrations at Plant Riverside District add a Southern twist to German traditions later in the month.
Late November brings the Boat Parade of Lights along the riverfront, where decorated boats cruise past the waterfront as the holiday season begins. With Thanksgiving in late November, expect a brief uptick in visitors, but overall fall remains one of the quieter windows. Pack layers for the cooler evenings and a pair of comfortable walking shoes; you'll want both for exploring Wormsloe Historic Site, where the iconic live-oak-lined drive is even more striking when the afternoon light turns golden.
Winter in Savannah, GA, US
Winter strips Savannah down to its bones, and that's not a bad thing. The tourist crowds all but disappear, making January the quietest month of the year, and you'll have the city's 22 squares practically to yourself. Highs land at a pleasant 64.7°F (18.2°C), cool enough for comfortable walking but warm enough that you won't need heavy winter gear. Mornings are the chilliest stretch, with lows dropping to 42.4°F (5.8°C), so bring a proper jacket for early outings to Forsyth Park or the Saturday farmers market.
Rain remains infrequent, showing up one to three days per month, and the shorter days (the sun sets around 5:20pm in December) mean planning your outdoor sightseeing for the middle of the day when light is best. The Savannah Christmas Market along the riverfront offers holiday shopping, hot chocolate, and photos with Santa, while February's Super Museum Sunday opens the doors of popular museums for free admission. The Irish Festival, typically held in early February, kicks off the lead-up to St. Patrick's season, a tradition that stretches weeks before the March parade itself.
With lower demand, accommodation rates hit their annual low, making this the most budget-friendly window for a Savannah trip. Spend the savings on a multi-stop food tour through the Historic District, where seats at places like Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room and the old communal-table restaurants are far easier to claim without peak-season lines. A trolley tour is a smart choice on cooler days, letting you cover the sprawling Historic District without the fatigue of walking for hours.
At a Glance
Monthly weather, visitor crowds, air quality, holidays, and daylight hours to help you plan your trip.
Travel Tips & Safety for Savannah, GA, US
Savannah's Historic District is remarkably walkable, and most major attractions sit within a 30-minute stroll of each other. If you tire of walking the cobblestones, hop-on-hop-off trolley tours run daily and double as both transport and narrated history lesson. For day trips to Tybee Island or Wormsloe Historic Site, a rental car is helpful, though rideshare services are widely available. Savannah is one of the few American cities with an open-container law in the Historic District, so you can carry a to-go drink along River Street or through the squares, provided it's in a plastic cup.
The downtown tourist core is generally safe, but stay alert in less-trafficked areas after dark, particularly west and southwest of the Historic District. Hurricane season runs from June through November; if traveling during this window, keep an eye on forecasts and have a flexible booking policy in case a storm approaches the Georgia coast. Summers demand serious hydration, sun protection, and bug spray, especially near the marshes and waterfront areas where mosquitoes are persistent.