When to Visit Savannah

Weather
Savannah’s location in the southern United States near the Atlantic Ocean allows the city to be fairly temperate most of the year but if you’re looking for the absolutely best weather, consider springtime in April and May or fall in late September and October. You’ll find average highs in the 70s and 80s, with fewer average days of rain.

Winters are usually moderate with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s, but there are times when it can get extreme. During the Savannah Food & Wine Festival in November of 2016, high temperatures for the day were only in the 30s and in the winter of 2018 it actually snowed, a rarity that practically shut down the city for several days.

On the other hand, summers can be brutal, less for the heat than for the humidity. Average temperatures in late May through early September are in the high 80s or low 90s and humidity often matches that, a combination that can be miserable for people who aren’t used to it. It also rains a lot in the summer, but the good news is that it’s usually a pop-up thunderstorm that goes away pretty quickly as opposed to an all-day rain affair.

Check the weather report before you go on Weather.com.

Cost
The prices of hotel rooms in Savannh are affected by seasonality, with higher prices in spring and fall and lower in winter and late summer, but it is the events that really drive the most dramatic spikes in prices. They know how to through a party here and people come in droves for them, usually driving up room rates all over the city.

Major Events

February
The Savannah Book Festival draws authors and their fans to a series of literary events each year.

The Black Heritage Festival features arts and crafts, music, history, food, theater, and more at venues throughout the city, coinciding with Black History Month.

Mardi Gras is not just for New Orleans. The Tybee Island beachfront has a parade and street party while all of the bars and restaurants in town haul out the purple and yellow decorations to celebrate.

March
Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities are, by far, the biggest event of the year in Savannah, drawing an estimated 500,000 people every year. The parade and festivities are the second largest in the United States, behind only New York. They even dye the water in the Forsyth Fountain green to mark the occasion. Expect mid-March room rates to be sky high and if you don’t book pretty far in advance you probaly won’t have too many good options.

The Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens is a great way to see inside the walls of some of the city’s most revered, private homes.

The Savannah Music Festival‘s focus is more on culture and musical contributions than on name-brand artists, but it still remains one of the largest music festivals in the southeast US. It usually starts in late March and runs into April.

August
The Savannah Voice Festival is a celebration of classical music with concerts, seminars, and other events for several weeks in August.

September
BaconFest! As if name alone weren’t enough to get your attention, the city hosts a monthly First Friday party along River Street with bands, food, entertainment, arts, and more but the First Friday of September (and the Saturday and Sunday that follow it) is this homage to all things bacon. Come hungry. Visit the Savannah Waterfront Association website for more details.

The Savannah Jazz Festival is held in late September ever year.

October
The Savannah Pride festival is held each year on the weekend prior to Halloween.

Speaking of which, you’d think that this being the “Most Haunted City in America,” they’d do something bigger for Halloween but other than pub crawls and lots of costumes out on the street, there is no coordinated festival or large event.

The Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) Film Festival is the largest University film festival in the US and draws big stars, big movies, and lots of crowds.

November
The Savannah Food & Wine Festival is held each year with food and drink events throughout the city.

The holiday season kicks off around Thanksgiving with the annual Savannah Harbor Boat Parade of Lights, as dozens of brightly lit boats sail down the Savannah River.

December
The city dresses everything up for the holidays and there are usually several events throughout the month including a tree lighting along Broughton St., a First Friday holiday fair along River Street, and holiday themed lights and entertainment along City Market.

New Year’s Eve is a big party with revelers packing the riverfront to watch the Cup drop… yes, instead of a ball they have a 6′ Tall To Go Cup that counts down to a midnight fireworks show.