23 Unique and Unforgettable Date Ideas in Savannah, GA
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Savannah is easily one of the most romantic cities in the state of Georgia — and one of my personal favorites. It is rich in history, art, and architecture. It has the romance of cobblestoned streets adjacent to the river, and it’s near enough to the beach for all the seaside romantic possibilities. This charming city is filled with fine food and beautiful gardens. Savannah sets the romantic scene. The only question remaining is this: Will you bring the romance?
13 Date Night Ideas in Savannah, GA
Whether you’re planning a first date or a night out with your long-time partner, Savannah offers many unique and unforgettable date night ideas. Honestly, the town is so picturesque that the following dating options are merely a drop in the bucket.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a lifelong resident, a new transplant to Savannah, or just a visitor passing through. It doesn’t take much to find wonderful date night destinations all over the city.
1. See a Classic Film at Trustees Theater
If your date is into old school romance, you might want to plan for a classic film night at Trustees Theater. You’ll want to check the calendar before marking this down for your next date night because it only offers limited events. However, if you’re plus-one is into arthouse cinema or classic Hollywood movies, you just might be able to snag tickets and plan a special date night at this iconic local theater.
2. See a Play at the Historic Savannah Theatre
Another option for a romantic date night is to get tickets to a show at The Historic Savannah Theatre. You’ll find the theatre on Bull Street near Chippewa Square. Fiddler on the Roof is playing through mid-November, and various shows are on offer year-round. It’s simply a matter of picking something you and your significant other will enjoy.
3. Stroll Hand-in-Hand Though Bonaventure Cemetery
Okay, I hear you. A walk in a cemetery only sounds romantic for ghosts, but hear me out. Bonaventure isn’t your average cemetery. It is positively elegant with the live oaks draped with Spanish moss. There are over 100 acres of historic cemetery property, and you’ll find much to see here.
While you can take a tour, you can also visit for a self-guided one. You’ll find sections devoted to those who died in the Spanish-American War as well as the Civil War. You can also visit the grave of famed lyricist Johnny Mercer. There’s even a mobile app to guide you through your visit.
You’ll want to treat a date to Bonaventure like a hiking date. You’ll want sunscreen and bug spray in the summer, and it’s a good idea to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water for your visit. You might even want to plan a picnic to make this date extra-special.
4. Take a Haunted Ghost Tour
Ghost tours in Savannah — well, let’s just say that they’re a dime a dozen. I’m not kidding. You can go by trolley or even by hearse. You can take a walking ghost tour or go on a pub crawl. You can even go on a ghost hunting tour and visit a haunted location. I’ve done a walking tour and a ghost hunt, and they were both great experiences. The guides know their history, and one of the first things that they’re likely to tell you is that Savannah might be beautiful, but it’s essentially a graveyard.
Wait. What? You read that right. Most of the historic district was built on top of a Muscogee burial ground. After the arrival of colonizers, the Yamacraw tribe is said to have left to join another tribe, and James Oglethorpe planned the city on top of their dead. On South Broad Street, Jews arriving in Savannah settled, lived, and buried their dead. It was later used as a battle site during the Revolutionary War and today is mostly paved over by roads with a small historical marker letting visitors know it’s there.
It’s no wonder Savannah has the reputation of being haunted. It can be fascinating to learn about the history of some of the most haunted locations and to walk in the shoes of the people who lived and died there. You can get the information and take a self-guided tour, but the docents and guides of this haunted city are well trained to educate and entertain you.
5. Enjoy a Riverboat Cruise
Look, if it’s a first date, you might not want to trap yourself on a riverboat cruise with a person who just might have catfished you. This isn’t the best first date location, but it’s great for meeting up with a partner you’ve at least had the chance to scope out. The beautiful Savannah River provides the backdrop, and if the weather is clear, you’ll have moonlight and starry skies to add to the ambiance.
Savannah Riverboat Cruises offer several options for your date night. There are dinner cruises, sightseeing cruises, sunset cruises, and even seasonal cruises.
Expect Southern cuisine, live music and entertainment, and even dancing onboard a dinner cruise. This can be an especially fun way for visitors to the city to have a romantic date night out while exploring the views of Savannah.
6. See a Drag Show at Club One
One of the best date ideas in Savannah is definitely Club One on Jefferson Street. This multilevel club features dancing and drag shows. It’s well-known in the city and was home to Lady Chablis, best known from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, a true crime novel that was later made into a film.
It can be a fun date night out to see a drag show, or you can make Club One part of a walking tour to see the destinations mentioned in the novel or movie.
7. Escape with Your Date, Not from Them
Usually, the word “escape” only comes up on terrible dates, but in this case, it can be part of a unique and fun date night out in the city of Savannah. There are several escape rooms available. Most escapes provide an immersive 60-minute experience.
Some of the escape options include Escape the Haunted Room, Shanghai Savannah, Lights Out at the Museum, A Night in Greyside Manor, Zombie Apocalypse, Suburban Serial Killer, The Savannah Speakeasy, Escape Pirate Island, and many more. Choose your theme, but make sure to check with your date to make sure an escape room (and the theme) qualifies as their idea of a good time.
8. Meet for a Drink at Savannah’s Artillery Bar
If you want to find a cool place to meet for drinks, check out Savannah’s Artillery Bar on Bull Street. The drink menu is extensive and includes beer, wine, classic cocktails, and contemporary cocktails.
This speakeasy has a relaxed vibe, but know before you go: There is a dress code. You don’t want to show up in a tank top, cutoffs, and flipflops for this establishment. Although, let’s be honest: That’s not exactly date attire anyway.
9. Grab a Specialty Martini at Jens & Friends
Another Bull Street favorite is Jens and Friends where the slogan is “Enter as strangers. Leave as friends.” You’ll find this cozy bar to be home to over 300 martini flavors in addition to craft beers.
Some of the martinis you find here will include Bananas Foster, Bourbon Pecan Pie, Hostess Cupcake, Birthday Cake, and more! This could be a fun place for a first date or a date with an established significant other.
10. Have a Progressive Dinner Downtown
Savannah is known for its food. In fact, there are so many delectable restaurants in the historic district that it can feel impossible to choose. So, why just pick one? Why not plan a progressive dinner downtown? This can be a fun date anywhere but particularly in Savannah. Make sure your date is up for it, plan in advance, and consider points of interest along your route (and how you’ll be getting there).
If you don’t know what a progressive dinner is, I’ll break it down for you. You start the dinner at one location and continue moving locations until the dinner is complete. For instance, you can start with an appetizer at a restaurant of your choice.
Once that’s wrapped up, you can take a short walk to the next location for your entree. After your entree is finished, you can walk to a restaurant with a dessert menu you’ve been dying to try. Finally, you can choose to end the progressive dinner with coffee or drinks at yet another establishment.
In a city like Savannah, it can be fun to plan a progressive dinner. If you time it just right, you can stretch the date into different locations, try different dishes, and even sightsee along the way. You choose how many courses you’d like to have for this dinner, so you can customize it to your tastes. Plus, this is a date idea that can be varied time and again for a different experience.
11. Enjoy Drinks with a View at the Rooftop of Bar Julien
You’ll find Bar Julien on Port Street in Savannah. This rooftop bar has a spectacular view of Savannah’s historic downtown area. You can select from indoor or outdoor seating, and the bar features craft cocktails, Mediterranean cuisine, and even brunch on weekends.
You’ll find local artists performing live music Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening as well as during Sunday brunch. This can be a great place to meet a date to enjoy drinks with live music and an incredible view.
12. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast
One of my favorite things about Savannah is the numerous bed and breakfasts in the area. Skip the hotel experience and enjoy staying in a historic home with an incredible breakfast menu. I can’t recommend just one. There are so many beautiful B&Bs in town to choose from, and you’ll be sure to find one that fits your budget.
While it might be a bit presumptuous to book this in advance with a new person you’re dating, this can be a great way to extend your evening if you’re planning this date for an already established partner. In fact, you’re sure to get extra points for a romantic gesture if you allow the evening to extend into a cozy B&B stay.
13. See a Movie at the Jesup Drive-In Movie Theater
If there’s a drive-in theater around, you can guarantee I’ll include it on a list of date nights. There aren’t many left, and they have an old-school romance you won’t find elsewhere. A date night at the Jesup Drive-In can be a wonderful way to spice up your relationship. You can enjoy a film and pick up snacks from the concession stand.
If you want to bring a picnic for your date, just remember that there’s a $5 fee to bring in your own food to help support the drive-in. Bring a blanket to cozy up together in case the night turns cool and enjoy the unique date night experience that a drive-in has to offer. Did I mention they have actual carhops dressed in vintage unforms? They’re really got it all.
10 Day Date Ideas in Savannah, GA
While evening dates might be standard, don’t overlook the benefits of daytime dating. There’s so much you can do during the day in Savannah and still enjoy a romantic shared experience. Plus, day dates set a more casual tone and can be a relaxed way to get to know someone new.
1. Meet for Coffee at The Coffee Fox or The Sentient Bean
Meeting for coffee is a classic date idea, particularly for first dates. Try either The Coffee Fox or The Sentient Bean. What’s fun about The Coffee Fox is that it has several locations including Foxy Loxy Cafe, Henny Penny Art Space and Cafe, and Fox & Fig Cafe.
You’ll find coffee in all of them, but each location has a theme all its own. The Sentient Bean is a casual coffee shop that promotes community activism, fair trade coffee, and conscious consumerism at an affordable price. It’s also directly across from Forsyth Park in case you want to take your coffee to-go in order to take a scenic walk with your date.
2. Have a Picnic at Forsyth Park
Forsyth Park is one of the most gorgeous parks in the city. In a city like Savannah with parks everywhere, that’s saying something. I’ve often enjoyed Forsyth Park for reasons other than it being a prime dating location. It has a great playground, which I enjoy as a single parent. It is also extremely dog friendly. Plus, the fountain is an iconic photograph location.
There are so many possibilities for dates within Forsyth Park. I’ve visited when Shakespeare in the Park was going on, and that would be a great date idea. If you’re both dog people, you can also meet up to walk your pooch around the park. But the classic date idea in Forsyth Park is to plan a picnic.
Picnics might not seem romantic when the weather is freezing cold or sweltering in the heat of summer while mosquitos buzz around. However, you can actually plan for a romantic picnic nearly any time of year.
On chilly days, you can pack hot chocolate in a thermos and bring blankets to cozy up together. On warms days, and Savannah has plenty of those, you can pack cool treats and keep your meal-planning simple and refreshing. Plan a picnic or pick up a lunch from a nearby restaurant.
Granted, you can have a picnic anywhere — not just in Savannah. But let’s set the scene. Picnic basket, check. Scenic park in a charming city, check. Blanket for sitting on during the picnic, check. You’ve got what you need. Now, you can relax and enjoy a simple meal with your date while you get to know each other better.
3. Take a Carriage Tour
Carriage tours are everywhere in Savannah. I don’t think I’ve ever visited the city and not seen the horse-drawn carriages pulling tourists all over the city. They’re beautiful. It might be a romantic cliche, but it is one for a reason. Plus, it’s a great way to see the city, especially if you’re not up to walking it.
Ideally, this is a date idea for an established couple or a date you’ve at least met before. It’s not a great first date idea because many of these tours come with guides who will want to point out scenic locations and give you a full rundown of the history. It’s not the best way to get to know someone new unless you pair that tour with coffee or something else that gives you a chance to chat.
4. Go on a Kayak Adventure at Skidaway Narrows
You’re going to find plenty of kayak and paddle board tours offered for Skidaway Narrows in Savannah. This salt marsh is part of the intercoastal waterway. It’s a beautiful way to get out and enjoy nature in the Savannah area. I’ve kayaked in the area, and there’s nothing quite like it.
The scenery is beautiful. This can be a fun and unique day date adventure for outdoor enthusiasts, fitness fans, and couples who just want to experience something new.
5. Stroll the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a garden person. I love plants. It’s kind of my thing. But I will still recommend this as a date idea even if gardens aren’t your passion. Planning a day date to the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens can give you a casual but scenic backdrop to getting to know your date better.
You can walk the trails, visit the different gardens, and use that time to talk to your date. In December, you’ll even find holiday lights on display, so you can use this as a day date location and then return to it later for a nighttime outing.
6. Meet and Share Chocolates on the Forrest Gump Bench
If you didn’t know it already, the iconic bench from Forrest Gump is located in Savannah, Georgia. For a unique and charming day date idea, consider picking up a box of chocolates from one of the many local chocolate shops and then meeting at Chippewa Square where the famed scene was filmed. You won’t find the bench there.
It’s been moved to the Savannah History Museum, but you can still see the iconic spot facing Bull Street. Meet there, share a box of chocolates, and maybe even take a selfie where Tom Hanks once brought Forrest Gump to life. It can be a fun way to see a famous filming location while sharing a box of delicious chocolates.
7. Take a Cooking Class Together
I cannot recommend a single cooking class or cooking school in Savannah simply because there are too many to choose from. However, I do think that a daytime cooking date can be a fun way to get to know each other. Plus, if your date doesn’t work out, you’ll at least have learned how to make a new dish or two.
Cooking dates might sound more like work than fun, but it’s all about the attitude you bring to it. You can sample new cuisine, have fun learning something new, and have a casual way to get to know your date. If you find out he yells like Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, you might just want to know that upfront before proceeding any further. However, you might find that he’s willing to learn, to laugh at himself, and to have a good time cooking up something new with you.
8. Enjoy a Honey Tasting at Savannah Bee Company
People go on dates to taste wine or craft beer — why not honey? Savannah Bee Company offers honey tastings at all their locations. You’ll find them in Savannah along River Street. You can enjoy a walk down the cobblestoned streets, watch the river barges float by, and then step in for a sweet tasting of locally sourced honey. It can make for a delicious date for two! If all goes well, you can even take home a jar of honey to remind you of the sweetness of your date.
9. Go on a Secret Food Tour
One of my favorite ways to see any city is to go on a Secret Food Tour, which also happens to make a great date. These foodie tours work a lot like a progressive dinner. You get to try out new foods at different restaurants around the city.
The guides are well-versed in local history, so you get a tour along the way and a little sightseeing thrown in. They’ll take you to iconic food destinations in the area that you might not have known about or thought to try. It’s a great way to sample local food in a casual environment, and it can be a truly unique daytime date.
10. Meet for Ice Cream at Leopold’s
Leopold’s Ice Cream is an iconic Savannah destination. They’ve been serving up homemade ice cream since 1919. It has an adorable soda fountain with plenty of ice cream, shakes, malts, sodas, and sundaes to choose from. If you’re not from around the area, you can even have your favorite ice cream shipped to your home (with a 4-pint minimum). This sweet day date could be a hit!
Conclusion
It’s easy to find fun date ideas in the city of Savannah. There’s just so much to see and do. If you run out of things to do, and I can’t imagine that happening, you can always head the short distance to the beach at Tybee Island for a day of sun, sea, and sand.
However, there are plenty of ideal date locations in the city if you’re willing to think outside the box. There’s always the standard dinner and a movie, but even that can be spiced up with a little thought and effort.
