Neighborhoods & Communities
From the meticulously preserved to the thoroughly modern, Savannah’s diverse districts and communities are as distinctive as the people who call them home. Here’s a guide to help you discover your home base.
Downtown
As artsy and eclectic as it is steeped in history and lore, the Historic District strikes the perfect balance between hip urban living and sweet Southern charm.
NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT: From Broughton Street lofts to Jones Street brown-stones, this 2.2-square-mile district boasts secret gardens, art galleries, shops, cafés, museums and a tightly knit community of urban dwellers.
VICTORIAN DISTRICT: This diverse neighborhood flows from the Historic District south of Gwinnett Street and is studded with two- and three-story houses as ornate as wedding cakes. College students and urbane families can find affordable living near Forsyth Park at the heart of downtown.
THOMAS SQUARE/STARLAND ARTS DISTRICT: This section of town—a haven for local artists and musicians and packed with the city’s best indie boutiques, cafés and shops—has piqued the interest of preservation buffs because of its Queen Anne, Greek Revival and Craftsman-style homes.
BALDWIN PARK: This enclave of early 20th century wood-frame and brick single-family homes and picturesque promenades is one of Savannah’s most recent “it” neighborhoods. Once you move in, you’ll be welcomed with open arms into this community-conscious residential area.
Midtown
Savannah’s earliest suburbs attract families and young professionals looking for early 20th century craftsmanship, convenience and strong community ties.
ARDSLEY PARK-CHATHAM CRESCENT: Savannah’s first suburb, laid out in 1910 around a series of squares and pocket parks, maintains a refined air with stately homes while managing to exude a family-focused atmosphere. It’s the kind of idyllic neighborhood where parents still walk or bike their kids to nearby schools and cafés.
PARKSIDE: Named for its proximity to the Beaux Arts-inspired Daffin Park, this charming area radiates hometown warmth and familiarity. Families and sports teams can be found tossing baseballs, kicking soccer balls and throwing frisbees across the green every day of the week, and the annual neighborhood-wide yard sale is a treasure hunter’s paradise.
East and the Islands
Vast marshes, meandering rivers and sandy beaches lure sun seekers, bathing beauties, fishing fanatics and free spirits.
GORDONSTON: Similar to Midtown’s Ardsley Park in look and feel, this eastside neighborhood sports a more laid-back approach to life. Although the area is permeated with a sense of peaceful seclusion, the entire Savannah area can be easily accessed via the convenient Truman Parkway.
THUNDERBOLT: Thunderbolt is home to historic Bonaventure Cemetery, once home to Savannah’s famed Bird Girl statue. Peppered with houses reminiscent of old Key West, this tiny maritime municipality is a place where shrimpers still haul in their catch in the afternoons so that it will be on your plate the next day.
THE ISLANDS: Each of the islands east of town has a distinct per-sonality. The first, Whitemarsh, offers the serenity of island living along with schools, shopping centers and a popular YMCA with forested walking trails. Wilmington Island, the largest, is dotted with tree-lined neighborhoods and large, private waterfront properties.
TYBEE ISLAND: Well-known as Savannah’s beach and just 20 minutes from downtown, Tybee Island is filled with oceanfront condos and pastel cottages that attract beach goers, kayakers, paddle boarders and marine enthusiasts.
The Southside
From midcentury ranches to luxury waterfront mansions, enclaves in Savannah’s southern regions draw connoisseurs of the good life.
ISLE OF HOPE: One of Savannah’s most picturesque neighborhoods, Isle of Hope exudes the look of the Old South with beautiful old cottages and mansions overlooking the Herb and Skidaway rivers.
HABERSHAM WOODS: Although most of its spacious, traditional homes were built during the 1960s and 1970s, Habersham Woods remains one of Savannah’s most coveted addresses because of its proximity to downtown in the north as well as the commercial corridors further south.
GROVELAND/KENSINGTON PARK: One of Savannah’s first post-war, mid-century subdivisions, this neighborhood is trending high with young families and features a members-only neighborhood swimming pool.
COFFEE BLUFF: Once the site of two antebellum plantations, Coffee Bluff today is home to a few hundred families—and a small group of Carmelite nuns who live in a historic, waterfront monastery.
SKIDAWAY ISLAND: Upscale gated communities like The Landings Club, private golf courses and deep-water marinas are nestled among the natural grandeur of Skidaway Island’s salt marshes and maritime forests, located conveniently off the Diamond Causeway.
West and Neighboring Communities
Emerging municipalities meet peaceful countryside, where young families seek room to grow.
WEST CHATHAM COUNTY: The seat of Savannah’s industrial and manufacturing base, west Chatham County is also the site of four fast-growing municipalities: Bloomingdale, Garden City, Pooler and Port Wentworth. These areas boast several growing golf communities, family-oriented spaces with affordable homes, and an abundance of popular recreational opportunities.
BERWICK: Berwick Plantation includes several distinct, newer neighborhoods crisscrossed by wide sidewalks, connected by golf, tennis and fitness facilities and close to abundant shopping.
GEORGETOWN: Georgetown was one of the Southeast’s first master-planned suburban communities, and it still thrives. Georgetown now includes a variety of single-family, condominium and apartment homes, plus two schools, a community center and plentiful family amenities.
SOUTHBRIDGE: About 15 minutes west of downtown Savannah, Southbridge offers a variety of newer, larger homes with an average 2,900 square feet. A large golf course and community resort center encourage neighborly interaction.
Click here to learn more about the surrounding counties.
