5 Reasons to Spend Christmas in Savannah

The holiday season is upon us! With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Christmas will be here before we know it! If you are planning to spend your Christmas away from home, Savannah could not be a better choice – warm(er) weather, holiday light displays on historic homes, and several holiday themed activities to keep you and your family merry and bright! 

Here are some of South Key’s favorite ways to celebrate Christmas in Savannah. 

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1 – Experience Christmas Lights Downtown

Downtown Savannah is beautiful on any day, but it is especially beautiful during the holiday season. A great way to experience the charm of historic Savannah is to walk around at night and see how all of the buildings have been decorated! Some buildings stay classic with lanterns, garlands, and red bows while others use white or colored lights to create holiday displays. 

Some of the best places to view holiday lights are:

• River Street
• Broughton Street
• City Market
• Forsyth Park
• Calhoun Square
• Crawford Square
• Franklin Square
• Lafayette Square
• Pulaski Square
• Telfair Square
• Troup Square
• Washington Square

This is not an extensive list so make sure to wander around downtown and find more traditional light displays! 

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2 – Go to the Christmas Market

Every year the Christmas Market at River Street opens, fully decorated for the holidays. This year, stop by the Plant Riverside District between November 25^th and January 2^nd to experience the European style Christmas Market. With garland and red bows strewn throughout Christmas trees, it is the perfect place to spend time as a family and take holiday pictures for free. Enjoy live music, performances, and a kid’s corner opening weekend where kids can decorate ornaments and write letters to Santa. You can also visit Santa daily in Montgomery Park and get some last-minute shopping done in the vendor market. 

3 – Watch Savannah’s ‘A Christmas Tradition’ December 1^st-24^th  

Celebrate the 20^th anniversary of ‘A Christmas Tradition’ LIVE show at the Historic Savannah Theatre! This two-hour long performance celebrates the holiday season with song and dance. It never fails to be an entertaining way to get in the holiday spirit! 

‘A Christmas Tradition’ runs from December 1^st to December 24^th, with tickets varying in price from $20-$50 per person. 

Learn more or buy tickets here.

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4 – December Nights & Holiday Lights Walk Through

Another fun way to see holiday lights is by going to the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens for their annual December Nights & Holiday Lights event. Enjoy a stroll through nearly five acres of holiday light displays including a life size advent calendar, the new Woodland Wonders display, and Santa Land! 

Other exciting features include: 

• Nightly Santa visits
• Hot chocolate and coffee
• S’mores stations

The garden is open for walks every Friday and Saturday from November 25^th – December 17^th. Starting December 18^th, it is open nightly. 

For more information and to get tickets, visit the official December Nights & Holiday Lights website. 

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5 – Davenport House Museum Tours by Candlelight 

This event is the perfect way to end the holiday season – it takes place from December 26^th – 29^th. During the three days, from 6-8:30pm, visitors will be able to experience the end of year celebrations from 19^th century Savannah. While walking throughout the open house format experience you will encounter music and interpreters as well as some light refreshments all illuminated by only candlelight. 

For more information and to buy tickets, visit their website. 

These are just five events that make Savannah a magical place to spend the Christmas season. Add in the wide variety of restaurants to dine at and the warm weather and Savannah is the perfect Christmas vacation destination. 

If that excites you, it’s not too late to book your trip! Check out our available accommodations now and secure a premium stay with South Key. South Key’s historic and affordable locations downtown are the key to your holiday Southern comfort!