Things To Do

Here are some suggestions from the Stopover gang on what you might wanna check out in Savannah when you have some downtime between shows:

IT’S MORNING!

To start your day off right, swing by for a delicious fair-trade coffee at The Sentient Bean. Depending on your mood sit outside to people watch the characters walking by (because, oh, they’re there) or take a blanket and sun in the park. Or maybe you’re the ‘breakfast of champions’ kind and you’d rather grab a cold beer or mixed drink from the American Legion Post 135, home of The Mighty Eighth (Google it). Make sure to have cash on hand though because both accept greenbacks only! Both conveniently located just south of Forsyth Park.

Be sure to walk through Forsyth Park! It’s something we cherish here in Savannah. Check out the fragrant garden and take your picture by the fountain because it’s just so cool. (If we really wanted to go off the cuff, we’d say get your feet wet in it, but we’re not trying to get anyone arrested). If plants or flowers are your thing, take a stroll down Barnard and Gaston and pop into Carlstedt’s wholesale florist, they have some cool stuff in their shop. Maybe you wanna buy some flowers for your kind host? It’d be a nice gesture.

If gazing at gorgeous brownstones and taking in sights of lovely homes is your thing, take a stroll up Jones St. to just oooh and ahhh and wish you lived there. They claim the phrase “keepin’ up with the Joneses” comes from this very street and we think they could be right…

DID YOU BRING YOUR BIKE?!
Without a doubt, a bicycle is the best way to get around Savannah, one of North America’s most beautiful urban environments. Most festival venues, hotels, restaurants and other attractions are located within an easily bikeable distance. Over the last several years, more than 50 bicycle parking locations have been installed throughout the downtown area and a vibrant bike culture has developed in the city. If you can’t bring your bike with you, two downtown bike shops, Perry Rubber and the Bicycle Link offer rentals. Please note that lights are required by law after dark and riding on sidewalks or through city squares is prohibited by local ordinances.

LUNCH?

If you’ve worked up an appetite by now, we’ve got you covered. You can make your way down to Zunzi’s to chow down on a Conquistador or an Oliver’s Lunch. When they ask you if you want the special sauce, your reply should be: “shit yeah!”

We also suggest a trip down Bull St to Foxy Loxy Print Gallery and Cafe. Their Mexican Mocha is to die for…beautiful courtyard where they host roasting marshmallows on Saturday nights. They have a cool selection of eats (from tacos to brownies) and also serve alcohol in addition to coffee concoctions. They serve coffee from a local brewer (Perc) and also trade around products with other local goodies like Green Truck and Form. They showcase local print making and host low-key music a few nights a week. Owner Jennifer Jenkins and her dad are inviting and chatty.

Or go and talk to Andrew and Eileen at Angel’s BBQ…and better yet, get their BBQ while you’re there. Best sauces and fries in town. They are super nice old school punks. Ask classically trained chef Andrew about any restaurant in town and he’ll give you an honest opinion. Ask him why the fries are so good and you’ll get a scientific explanation about why the surface area of french fries matters.

And if you are lunching downtown while shopping on Broughton Street, pop into Papillote for some authentic macaroons, Duck confit pie or the best Truffle Fries this side of Paris!

If you’re dying to put a little quirk into your step, stop into Bradley’s Lock & Key. Just get a key made, it’s like a dollar, but you will not regret your time in there. The receptionist with the bouffant is our personal favorite. She’s crass and loud and looks like something you would only find on some zany TV show. She’s constantly barking at Mr Bradley (who is just nice as could be) and all the other ‘key makers’ just hangin’ around. It’ll probably make you laugh a little and definitely make you feel like you have stepped foot into something truly Savannah…

SHOP MUCH?

If all things vintage, retro, old and curious are your jam – well, you’ve come to the right place!  Savannah is positively laden with treasures of bygone eras. Everything from the useful, to the upscale, to the profane. Looking for some stylin’ vintage duds?  Hit up Civvies on Broughton St.  On Friday and Saturdays form 6-8pm, pop into Sylvester and Co. for their version of “Happy Hour”; 2 for 1 cookies and coffee. We’re partial to the world’s largest Ginger Snaps!

Want antique furniture, furs, bottles, kitchen goods, records, maps, botanicals, or primitive decor?  Get yourself to Habersham Antiques and the Wright Square Antique Mall post haste!

Another option for the thrifty thrifter in all of us is Universe Trading Company will be having a huge closeout auction on March 9th and 10th.  Universe Trading Company is in the building near our Artist Lounge and has been a great ‘sponsor’ of our lounge decor efforts by giving us a few hundred old records for our use! Located at 27 Montgomery Street, this unique store has the most unusual eclectic items from around the world.  I would consider this one of the best movie prop houses in the South.  You would never believe how wonderful his collection is and what it offers to those people seeking exceptional historic and period furniture, antiques, pottery, statues and more.

Still on the hunt for more treasures? Definitely pop into V & J Duncan Antique Maps, Prints, and Books tucked away off Monterey Square at 12 East Taylor Street. They have amazing historical prints of architectural interest, birds, animals, botanicals, fashion, sporting scenes and tens of thousands of portraits. The inventory also includes views and maps of Savannah and other cities, all U.S. states and most countries of the world. It’s like walking back in time.

So we know that of course you’ll be outside of The Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, listening to Stopover headliners in its charming garden, but take some time to venture inside! Scarborough House is an architectural gem, and it’s filled with meticulously built models of the ships that have passed through Savannah harbor over the centuries, carved figureheads, maps, and all matter pertaining to Savannah’s greatest industry. It’s worth the whole price of admission for our favorite room—one dedicated to the lifestyles of sailors & mariners with cases full of scrimshaw and sailor valentines. Take some time in the garden during the day, too…there are some awesome hidey-holes for secret picnics.

If you’re an adventurer with plenty of weekend time between shows to burn looking for a steal-of-a-deal diamond in the rough, try Keller’s Flea Market out on Ogeechee Rd and have a hand-dipped corndog (or four) while you’re there!

WHERE’S THE OCEAN?

Take a trip out to the beach and spend some time on Tybee Island. It’s 25 minutes from the Historic District. It’s as kitschy a little beach town as one could ever hope for.Aside from the beautiful Atlantic coast, character laden beach bars or delicious seafood, you could be an extra in an independent film about homicidal jellyfish! Hellyfish is a horror-comedy that is an amalgamation of classic creature features and wonky Sci Fi channel monster movies that entertains on every level. 

On you way out to Tybee, if you’ve brought your best friend along (your Other best friend), check out the new dog park behind Grayson Stadium in Daffin Park.

PINKIES!

OK, now it’s time to pull your head out of the clouds and focus, because we don’t want you to miss this next place. Pinkie Master’s. It’s our version of “Cheers’ and a Savannah staple. Sit inside and chat with a local or if you wanna keep on the move, get a beer to-go (because you can). It just might be the best dive bar in America!

We surely haven’t covered it all, but hopefully we’ve gotten you on the right track to a pretty off-the-beaten-path start…