Which is better, Charleston or Savannah?

My husband and I spent 9 days in Charleston and Savannah, so there will be a lot of blogs, because I like to get into the details!

Differences between Charleston and Savannah

People ask me, which did you like better, Charleston or Savannah? I’d have to say, Charleston, although Savannah was growing on me.

Charleston, South Carolina is more upscale. Practically every house and building in the city is old, beautiful, and unique. Except for the cobblestone streets, the rest of the streets are smoothly paved and clean.

Many streets are lined with palm trees, which allow the sun to shine through onto the city. However, you do have to watch your steps on the sidewalks! They are paved with irregular stones or mismatched bricks that will grab you if you don’t watch out.

There are lovely walks along the Cooper River in Charleston, both at the Battery and Waterfront Park. The walks are clean and the river unencumbered.

Savannah, Georgia in contrast, has a busier – dare I say, tackier? – walk along the Savannah River. It is crowded with shops, cafes, bars, etc. The view across this narrow part of the river is marred by a large convention building and hotel, and there are many boats and barges traveling through.

Savannah is surrounded by industrial buildings and noisy trucks driving in and out. The historical section is hidden inside a spreading city.

 

Savannah looks best in cloudy weather because of the trees – lots of old oaks draped with Spanish Moss. They are beautiful and romantic, but loose their mystique in bright sunshine (in my opinion).

There are beautiful city-squares and streets within Savannah, but then there are streets that are messy. You don’t see homeless or mentally-ill in the downtown streets of Charleston, but you definitely do in Savannah. We also heard some loud cars gunning their engines on weekend nights, and lots of sirens. Savannah is gritty; I call it patchy. And people are allowed to walk around with drinks in their hands, so the city attracts those who like to party.

The ironic thing is, I may have more memories of things we did in Savannah. I’m definitely glad we visited, but if I had to pick one city to return to, it would be Charleston.

Stay tuned for more blogs about places we visited in Charleston and Savannah. And don’t forget to subscribe! Thanks y’all.