Savannah Vacation News

Time Shares versus Vacation Rentals = over paying for your vacation accommodation

We own mountain property in the state of South Carolina and were recently surprised by announced cut backs of time share oversight by the South Carolina Real Estate Commission in the form of staff and budget cuts. This is surprising indeed in light of South Carolina being the second largest state in the USA behind # 1 Florida in the time share industry. As a result of these cutbacks, consumers can now look at just one state employee to oversee fourteen developers and a whopping 130 separate resorts in the state of S.C., an open invitation for the time share marketers to take advantage of those individuals that still believe time shares are the best way to go as opposed to your garden variety vacation rental transaction. This premise is patently untrue according to our investigation as you can confirm below.

Here are a few compelling arguments for resort property investment opportunities in Florida versus time share purchases. The concept is the same whether you are renting or purchasing vacation property. And right across the river on Hilton Head Island is one potential investor’s experience with a high pressure time share salesman on island that engendered this well thought out analysis. Bottom line, it is always prudent to shop the goods and services one spends money on and the vacation rental/purchase experience is no different.  We here at Savannah Getaways strongly recommend our many patrons shop our accommodation rates and ask questions to find out what kind of vacation experience is to be had while staying at one of our self catered accommodations in the district. And of course, we will always put you in touch with live individuals on request that have posted favorable comments in our kudos section.

Fall is here along with fresh Shellfish throughout coastal Georgia

Seafood lovers of every stripe anticipate the fall harvest that starts ratcheting up into full swing this time of year as our fisheries go after our highly prized shellfish bounty, shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs. Coastal Georgia waters are known for their not inconsequential shrimp harvest every year as well as the rebounding blue crab population that is making a comeback after low harvests as a result of disease related to high salinity in coastal waters in 2003. The blue crab harvest is traditionally the number one seafood crop by weight every year and second in dollar value only behind shrimp in the state’s pecking order of seafood varieties. But enough about the metrics of harvesting seafood in the fall, we need to move on to the all important information of a few of our favorite locations to savor fresh local seafood.

The difference between eating fresh oysters as opposed to gulf coast imported oysters, same as shrimp or blue crab is the difference between day and night and would more appropriately be compared to the well known difference of eating fresh tomatoes raised in your own back yard versus tomatoes purchased at a local supermarket. With this in mind, here are a few of my favorite tried and true seafood restaurants that serve fresh locally harvested seafood found in close proximity to the Savannah River Basin and a little further south towards St. Simons Island. My personal favorite is Pepper’s Porch across the state line in Bluffton, South Carolina with their May River oyster harvest in full swing with a close second to Liberty County’s Sunbury Crab Company in historic Sunbury, Georgia fronting the Medway River for all three varieties of the above shell fish, and the awesome seafood buffet provided at Pelican Point Restaurant a mere 45 minutes south of Savannah. If you are coming to the historic district of Savannah here in the Lowcountry this fall, here is a list of Savannah area restaurants that you can confirm for yourself serves locally harvested seafood prior to showing up for their seafood.

Tie me to the whipping post and make me listen to righteous Southern Rock Music

Haven’t firmed up your travel plans yet for an October visit to Savannah’s historic district? Enjoy the music of your youth? Remember back in the 70’s when Southern Rock Music broke out from Macon, Georgia all across America? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you just might want to plan to take in Gregg Allman of Allman Brothers Band fame at Savannah’s Civic Center on October 24th in the early leg of his Gregg Allman and Friends Tour. Some of you may be aware that Gregg and his band had a lot to do with putting the southern Georgia city of Macon on the map 30+ years ago but what you may not be equally aware of is Gregg might as well be considered a Savannahian when he is not gigging around the country with his band. Allman lives just across the Ogeechee River in neighboring Bryan County, a mere hop, skip, and a jump out of Richmond Hill. He frequents his favorite historic district haunts from time to time but this time, we are making you aware that he will have his band in tow.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Allman Brothers Band style of music, click on the You Tube link and watch and listen to this Georgia road warrior as he continues to crank out southern rock classics from years gone by like Rambling Man and Hitching Post.

Knock down a castle wall on behalf of coastal birds of prey

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Last weekend’s collaborative fundraising effort for our many feathered and furry friends housed at Oatland Island’s facility was once again well attended. The Oatland Island Education Center hosted their third annual Medieval Festival on Saturday last. Guests traveled back in time as many attendees showed up in appropriate period dress! The Society for Creative Anachronism, Shire of Forth Castle, and Friends of Oatland pulled off another memorable weekend as they reenacted the medieval period of yore. Realisticly garbed Lords and Ladies  demonstrated a variety of skills in the Medieval Village as well as valiant Knights that demonstrated period fighting techniques including archery, sword fighting, and a 1700-lb. catapult!

The $5 admission once again benefited Oatland Island’s Rehabilitation Surgery and Recovery area in their ongoing efforts to provide life sustaining care to these precious low country resources. Just like previous years, The Friends of Oatland (FOO) and the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) teamed up to provide one of historic Savannah’s favorite events for local residents and Savannah visitors alike. This years Festival was sponsored by Comcast, Old Savannah Tours, Savannah Art Works, Southern LNG, The Mercury Lounge, AAction Air, Gulfstream, and the Dixieland Cruisers Car Club of Savannah.

We don’t got no stinking bursting real estate bubbles round here

Pardon us real estate investors here in coastal Georgia if we sit out the long predicted real estate market collapse that is the cause of growing concern to investor’s nation wide. This much hyped possibility is a non event in the Lowcountry of coastal Georgia for a number of different reasons – undervalued coastal real estate comparatively speaking, low population density, and plenty of eco-tourism resort type activities that are favored by a growing number of retirement age baby boomers. Fundamentally, these boomers continue to target, buy, and hold future real estate investments that figure high on their retirement plans along our “golden highway” paralleling Interstate 95 and Highway 17, an approximate 100+ mile stretch of road infrastructure that runs the Heritage Corridor from Hilton Head, South Carolina down to the Georgia/Florida state line. Boomer retirement accounts, long anticipated leisure life style choices coupled with retirement plans, and relatively undervalued real estate properties trumps all other considerations in this local real estate market that remains alive and well if not actually cranking out real estate transactions as robustly as just six months ago.

The long term prognosis not only remains solid but fortunately ample investment vehicles are still available. And the ongoing trend of many planned developments to be built by migratory nationally known builders confirms this trend is likely to continue unabated minus any overly worrisome peaks and valleys over the next decade or two assuming you continue to purchase real estate along this corridor  underneath the market. A recent article by one low cournty resource, St. Simons based The Center for a Sustainable Coast consortium, who’s mission statement reads that they were “formed in 1997 by a group of public-spirited environmental professionals and concerned citizens” to “improve the responsible use, protection, and conservation of coastal Georgia's resources - natural, historic, and economic” lays out the mythic good life style scenario in a pristine environment. Read this article to see why coastal Georgia is in the proverbial right place at the right time with the prerequisite undervalued real estate investment inventory that bears investigation for savvy boomers that are still undecided that a southeastern coastal move and a Lowcountry Lifestyle is not a prudent choice for living in the Promised Land.

Avast there bloody landlubber, leave your loot here on Tybee Island

As the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise continues to capture the imagination of the American consciousness, the Tybee Tourism Council appears downright prescient after they positioned themselves last year to capitalize on this love of the buccaneering life style during their inaugural Tybee Island Pirate Fest on Columbus Day. As the second annual event is fast approaching next weekend October 6 through the 8, pack up the kids and hit the road for that much needed Tybee Island weekend getaway, and help us repulse the anticipated Pirate attack at the Lazaretto Creek Marina and Café Loco complex. Or maybe you prefer to just kick back with the family and enjoy our Tybeefest sponsored festival weekend that encompasses a variety of other events which include: A Pirate Party, Parade, Costume Contest,  Adult and Children’s Treasure Hunts, and our Thieves Market which features arts and crafts, food, games and live music. The event is designed to appeal to all ages so bring your entire family of swashbucklers for a day or the whole weekend! Aargh and shiver me timbers, there is a reason that Blackbeard Island is found along coastal Georgia, matey.

Living the Good Life on Daufuskie Island, accomplished artist points the way

A recent Hilton Head television show featured Daufuskie Island artist Chase Allen in a September segment of the popular Lynes on Design TV show where host Debi Lynes transports local WHHI TV viewers

"into the world of interior design and home building. Each program showcases tips, tools and techniques for creating a personal home sanctuary. Lynes on Design also provides viewers with an inside looks at the work of design and home building professionals as they showcase their workmanship and craft. LOD also regularly tours many of the most beautiful and interesting homes in the Lowcountry.”

Check out the proverbial dream life style in this 20 minute clip of accomplished metal forging artist Chase Allen in his 100+ year old Gullah Cottage, his interior design techniques, along with a metal forging preview of his nautical themed art form in his Iron Fish Art island studio by clicking on Daufuskie Cottage in the top right hand navigation bar of the link.

And when Chase is not busily at work in his studio, or selling collectible works of arts to tourists that stop by his island abode, you might find him pursuing his other passion fishing! Talk about living the good life, make it a point to spend some time on Daufuskie with Allen and his fellow islanders on your next getaway weekend to Savannah. The ferry out to Daufuskie Island from historic downtown  Savannah River Street's Market Place (purchase tickets here) makes the turnaround cruise five times a day.

The fabled tunnels found underneath Historic Savannah

Many Americans are familiar with Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, "Treasure Island".  And many Savannah visitors are now familiar with Stevenson’s inspiration for this novel, the tunnel found underneath Savannah restaurant, The Pirates House, (located in Trustees Gardens) where the hapless victims were allegedly waylaid in this establishment and spirited off to sea as seaman underneath these tunnels that led to the Savannah River several hundred yards away. Few outside of Savannah, however, are aware of the additional tunnels that have gone unreported to the world at large outside of Savannah proper. Enjoy today’s Murem Sharpe's Evoca podcast interview of a SCAD student as well as this reprinted article written by Jacob Cottingham, managing editor of The South Magazine, for Savannah’s Best web site.

"Intrigue has spun around the Savannah tunnels for over a century. Nearly 50 years ago, a William H. Whitten wrote in the Savannah Morning News about secret autopsies held in the passageway and noted that a Mrs. James Harrison remembered playing in the tunnel as a youngster in the 1880’s. Her grandfather, Dr. Stephen Harris, apparently “had told her years before of his having witnessed the bodies of yellow fever dark from the woods for burial.”their history, but all seem agreed that written records of the tunnel’s construction are scarce, due to the lack of information in hospital minutes. An unaccredited typewritten page, written in September-October 1958 and found in the Georgia Historical Society, claims that “Others say it (the tunnel) was built during the War Between the States.” Rumors run rife about the tunnels and victims being secretly moved through the tunnel to the ‘marshy and wooded’ area adjacent to the hospital (today’s Forsyth Park) for quiet removal during the Civil War."

For those underground cave dwelling spelunker types among the guests to our Lowcountry Buzz today, enjoy the pertinent information provided here. And we hope to see you soon in our fair city to find out for yourselves about the tunnels of Savannah, the most famous originating inside of the Pirates House Restaurant. 

If you enjoy a taste of the good life, this upscale Savannah vacation rental is perfect!

This two bedroom and one and a half bath carriage house is unique in its design because the living room, dining room and kitchen are on the top floor and the bedrooms are on the bottom floor. The Liberty House was built in 1870 and has recently undergone renovations to make your stay even more comfortable.

Two large pillars separate the dining room from the living room and you will find lovely paintings throughout. Open the curtains your bedroom in the morning to allow the sunshine in while you taken in the beautifully landscaped shared courtyard.

This upscale accommodation will make you feel right at home while you’re in Savannah!

Hutchinson Island, future home of the new Historic District Quadrant across the Savannah River

The Savannah International Trade and Convention Center rolled out their comprehensive plan for future development at a recent CVB luncheon. This visionary model calls for a Savannah Historic District like infrastructure implementation to an undeveloped parcel of land adjacent to the existing convention center. The master plan submitted by historic urban design firm preservationist Sotille and Sotille calls for extensive greenery in an urban park setting, a ferry slip, a 350 room hotel, boutique shops, restaurants, and a possible music performance venue.

Tying this whole concept together will be the grid style street design reminiscent of The Hostess City’s own well known English Township themed design just south across the Savannah River. An additional thousand foot River Walk area will connect to the existing river walk in front of the Convention Center moving north along the eastern edge of slip three and connect to the water ferry stop. Plans to start construction on the initial river walk area are slated to start within the next six months with final completion of this ambitious plan projected to end by 2012.