Things to Do in Savannah with Kids: A 2026 Family Guide
Spanish-moss squares, river ferries, and a low-key family weekend. Everything you need to plan a Savannah with kids trip — best activities, where to stay, and honest tips from parents.
Pack the perfect travel companion
A Sunlight Kids activity book made for travel days. Ships from Amazon.
Why families love Savannah with kids
Savannah is smaller and quieter than Charleston, which can be a feature with toddlers — fewer crowds, easier strollers, a series of 22 walkable squares with playgrounds and shade.
It's a perfect 3-night family weekend trip, especially as a stopover on a longer South Atlantic road trip.
Best things to do in Savannah with kids
Big central park with playground and fountain. Free.
Free water-ferry rides across the river. Kid-thrilling.
Tybee Island Lighthouse + Beach
Best for ages 4-6Best for ages 6-8Climb the lighthouse with kids 4+; play on the beach next door.
Old Fort Jackson
Best for ages 6-8Small historic fort with cannon firings — great with kids 6+.
Bonaventure Cemetery
Best for ages 6-8Famous historic cemetery. Strangely kid-fascinating for 6+.
Telfair Children's Art Museum
Best for ages 2-4Best for ages 4-6Tiny but kid-shaped art space. Good rainy-hour stop.
Each attraction links to Google Maps for directions and reviews.
Free things to do in Savannah with kids
Forsyth Park is free with the famous fountain and a great playground. Each of Savannah's 22 squares is free and shaded. The River Street is free to walk (the free water ferry across the river is a kid-thriller). Bonaventure Cemetery is free to wander. Most historic district walks are free if you skip the carriage tours. Tybee Island beach is free; parking has fees.
Keep them busy on the plane, in the car, at the hotel
The Sunlight Kids books were made for exactly these moments.
Where to stay in Savannah with kids
Historic District
Walkable, charming, with the squares everywhere. Best base.
Tybee Island
Beach base 20 minutes east — quieter, with day trips into the city.
Restaurants in Savannah with kids
Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House (lunch, kid-tolerant of slow service) is the must. Leopold's Ice Cream is a hot-day must. The Pirates' House is touristy but kid-fun.
Day trips from Savannah with kids
Tybee Island
20 min east. Easy beach day from downtown.
Hilton Head Island, SC
Hour north. Beach + bike-friendly resort area.
Charleston, SC
Two hours north. Day-trip or short add-on.
Savannah with toddlers
Savannah with toddlers is quieter and easier than Charleston. The historic squares give you a 20-minute walking radius with shade, benches, and playgrounds. Forsyth Park is the toddler-magic anchor with the famous fountain.
The Telfair Children's Art Museum is a small but well-shaped toddler-art stop. Old Fort Jackson has cannon firings that toddlers either love or find terrifying (depends on the kid). The free water ferry across the Savannah River is a kid-magical 5-minute ride.
Stay downtown near a square for walkability. Tybee Island Beach is 20 minutes east and toddler-friendly. Mrs. Wilkes' lunch is a sit-down Southern family-style meal — works with toddlers if you arrive by 11am. Skip St. Patrick's week (mid-March) with toddlers — crowds and noise are too much.
Best time to visit Savannah with kids
March–May and October–November. Summer is hot, humid, and crowded with St Patrick's spillover (March 17 is wild).
Tips for visiting Savannah with kids
- Skip St. Patrick's week (mid-March) with young kids — chaos.
- Wear sneakers — uneven brick everywhere.
- Free ferries are the easy kid-thrill. Run them 3–4 times a trip.
- Reserve the Mrs. Wilkes lunch by 11am; the line forms early.
- Most squares have benches — the trip works in small loops.
Savannah with kids: FAQs
Is Savannah good for kids?
Yes — small, walkable, and easier with toddlers than Charleston. Quieter pace.
Savannah or Charleston for families?
Savannah is quieter; Charleston has more kid-attraction infrastructure. Pick Savannah for a slower weekend; Charleston for fuller programming.
How many days in Savannah with kids?
Two to three nights is plenty. Combine with Tybee Island for a longer beach-and-city trip.
Where to stay in Savannah with kids?
The historic district near Forsyth Park. Tybee Island if you want to base at the beach.
Is Savannah stroller-friendly?
Mostly — historic district sidewalks have bumpy patches but the squares and main streets are fine.
Make the trip even better
Travel days are long. The Sunlight Kids activity books make them feel short.