Savannah, GA

We took an extra day on the way home from North Carolina this trip to visit Savannah, GA. We stop at a no-frills campground in Hardeeville, SC on our way to and from North Carolina and it just a twenty-minute drive down Highway 17 to downtown Savannah.

I lived in Savannah for two years while stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in the late sixties. It was fun to drop by the areas I remembered from that time. There are many changes of course, for example the row house my apartment was in has now been combined with several others to be an inn. It is called The Savannah Bed & Breakfast Inn on West Gordon. We got a chance to walk through it and plan to return sometime and stay there. It is just around the corner from Forsyth Park. We parked on the square and walked the area. It is amazing how beautiful the area is, though it was largely lost on me as a 22 year-old Vietnam returnee.

119 West Gordon. Fond memories from the 60s.

The lobby of the inn that now incorporates my old apartment.

Mrs. Wilkes’ Boarding House was a mainstay eatery for me then, and it was nice to see that it was still operating under the ownership of Mrs. Wilkes’ granddaughter. We found no waiting (unusual most times of the year) so we went in and were seated with seven others at a large table. We were a mix of visitors and locals. Three were from England, two from Atlanta, two owners of a men’s wear shop on Broughton, and the two of us from Florida. The family style setting is conducive to mingling and having a nice conversation, and it all starts with “pass the peas”. The fried chicken was every bit as good as I remembered, but there was also beef stew and pork. There were more sides than I could recall as I write this. There were twenty some odd bowls on the table. When done you clear your own plates and take them to the kitchen. What a great time it was. If in Savannah, and the line is not down the block, give it a try. Just remember it is cash only.

So much food; so little time.

When we were here a few years ago the campground at Hunter Army Airfield had just opened. We found it to be a mud hole that time, so we thought we would drive through and see if things had been improved. Turns out they have not. If you have a large RV and are not into “rustic” camping I would pass on Lott Island Campground at Hunter AAF. There is one site, #16, which seems high enough and was dry. The remainder did not seem suitable for our needs and were muddy despite two clear and warm days since the last rain.