Il Pasticio, The Lady & Sons, Savannah Bistro, Vic’s on the River…all are wonderful restaurants. But I wouldn’t risk taking junior there, especially if he were in the throws of terrible twos.

Savannah visitors with young children may want to try a few of these more kid-friendly restaurants. Not only will they have a high-chair handy, but if your tike sucumbs to a crying fit, no one will turn up their nose. They are also reasonably priced.

- Juarez, 420 E.  Broughton Street – It’s a wonderful, inexpensive Mexican restaurant that serves Chicken Fingers and French Fries (pollitos y papas). It’s a nice sized place, and no one seems to mind when your kid throws a little rice on the floor. If you need a distraction, there’s some colorful murals on the wall that are a great way to point out primary colors (they are also masterful pieces of artwork, painted by SCAD students)

- Clary’s, 4430 Habersham Street - A nice feature of this breakfast/lunch restaurant is a little play area for kids. Coloring books, toys, miniature table with tea and coffee pots sit in the front of the restaurant. So, you can enjoy an incredibly delightful short stack of blueberry pancakes while the kids entertain themselves. (Clary’s on Habersham is a few miles from the famous Clary’s on Abercorn Street. To get there, you need to head out of the Historic District toward the Southside of town).

- Screamin’ Mimis, 513 E Oglethorpe Ave - A bunch of NJ folks opened this great pizza place a few years ago, and they have a lot of tolerance for kids. There’s a blackboard or two where the kids can write on, and it’s so informal, just about anything goes. Screamin’ Mimis also delivers.

- Mellow Mushroom, 11 W Liberty St - This pizza chain is pretty kid-friendly too, and a staple for SCAD students.  The pizza is good, albeit quite different than the NJ/NY-influenced  Screamin Mimis.

I was able to convince my husband to let us come back to Savannah for a vacation this month, while he toiled away in Atlanta, eating fast food and lamenting the fact that he’s a “terrible bachelor.”

So for the past two weeks, the baby, two older kids, the nanny and I have stayed at our Gaston Street vacation home,  enjoyed every minute of  downtown Savannah living. However, as a tourist, versus resident, I’m looking at things a bit differently.

For starters, I was always puzzled when I saw people traveling down the wrong way on one of Savannah’s many one-way streets. It seemed so intuitive. But now, I realize how easy it is to head in the wrong direction.

I was driving from Bay Street the other day, and I inadvertently went the wrong way down Taylor Street (which I mistakenly thought was Gordon Street). The folks on the corner laughed at me, but I was horrified. I could have caused a serious accident.

I also realized that the Kroger on Gwinnett Street is not a great place to shop late at night. While there’s security in and around the store, it’s a bit scary when it’s dark. (For some reason, I overlooked that fact when I was a resident).

On the plus side, the playground at  Matilda Beasley Park is far more cleaner than it was a year ago. No more glass, wrappers and litter dot the play area. It also seems to attract a better, family-oriented crowd (in the past, it had attracted some stragglers and seedy folks).  So, that was a very pleasant surprise, and a treat for the older kids.

Finally, I took a good look at our Gaston Street Getaway as a “temporary renter” versus resident. While it’s absolutely lovely, there were a few things that were missing. The living room television didn’t work optimally. So I replaced it.  We didn’t have a handheld dust-buster/vacuum to clean up spills, so I bought one. And, we had mistakenly locked some additional folding chairs in one of the closets. So, I pulled those out and made them accessible.

But one thing I didn’t fully appreciate: the home’s fantastic location and neighborhood. The Gaston Street Getaway is located in a truly wonderful part of the Historic District – it’s so accessible to everything and yet very quiet.  It also has some lovely neighbors, who are friendly and willing to lend a hand.  So, from both a tourist and resident’s perspective, I think it’s a wonderful place to stay.

Looking to commemorate fallen war heroes this Memorial Day? Head to Savannah’s Historic District.

The famed downtown area hosts multiple Civil and Revolutionary War landmarks that are free and open to the public.  It’s also only 20 minutes by car to Fort Pulaski, a famous marker in the Civil War.

While there are many historical landmarks, here are some of our favorites:

-  The Siege of Savannah landmark. This tribute, just off of Martin Luther King Boulevard in the Historic District, is paid to the second bloodiest battle of the Revolutionary War.  The Siege occurred in 1779, when Franco-American forces attempted to retake Savannah from the British during the Revolutionary War. The siege failed, leaving Savannah in British control until 1782. The landmark  is open 24/7 with no admission fee.

Pulaski Square – This free downtown square commemorates Revolutionary War Hero Count Pulaski, who was the highest ranking foreign soldier to die during the American Revolution.  The square is located on Barnard Street between Harris and Charlton Streets, and was laid out in 1837.  One of the houses on the square used to belong to Francis Bartow, a Confederate hero.

Warren Square – This is another free downtown square. It’s named after General Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary War hero who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. It is located at the corner of St. Julian and Habersham Streets.

Fort Pulaski – This fort, named after the war hero,  is about 15 minutes away by car from the Historic District. It became famous in the Civil War, when Union soldiers penetrated the fort with a rifled canon and mortar. The fort holds Memorial Day events on May 23 and May 24th, including Civil War cannon firings and soldier demonstrations. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children 15 and under.

Need a place to stay this Memorial Day?  The Heritage House and Gaston Street Getaways have discounted pricing.

The Abercorn Street mall has more than 100 stores, and is offering double rewards points this month for purchases made at the mall.  With 1000 points, shoppers can get a $25 gift card for use at any mall merchant.

Ordinarily, rewards participants get 1 rewards point for every dollar spent at Savannah Mall.  Through April 30, participants get 2 rewards points for every dollar spent.

Shoppers can turn in their same day receipts at the Customer Service Center and start accumulating points!   Certain restrictions do apply, so please see the Customer Service Center for more details, or check out savannahmall.com/events.

(Note: for families with children, the mall has a carousel on the second floor, which is a nice treat for children).

Traveling with children under 6 is always a bit challenging. You need kid-friendly restaurants, plenty of diversions, parks and easy site-seeing opportunities.

If you’re interested in something more historic  and less expensive  than Disney World, you may want to try a Savannah vacation, particularly in the spring/summer months.

Savannah has the best of both worlds. It has a 100% walkable Historic District, with landmarks from the civil and revolutionary wars, as well as Tybee Island, a beach 20 minutes by car. So it’s a great way to split your time and keep both the parents and kids happy.

Historic District for Kids

The downtown Historic District – known for its beauty and rich history – also has wonderful places for kids to play. After living in Savannah for four years, we got to know them quite well (see pics below). Here are some of our favorites:

Roundhouse Railroad Museum – A favorite with boys. This outdoor museum has locomotives and a massive operating turntable from the 1800s. Kids can climb on the trains and let their imaginations run wild.

Whistle Stop Cafe – near the Roundhouse Railroad Museum on MLK Blvd., this cafe is actually a locomotive train. It’s great for breakfast and lunch.

Oatland Island- a wildlife habitat just outside of the Historic District. Plenty of animals to keep the family entertained – birds, alligators, deer, snake and many others.

Forsyth Park – This historic park, off of Gaston Street,  features a nice playground for kids, as well as large fields where they can run around. A coffee shop, the Sentient Bean, is nearby.

More than 20-well-coiffed squares – While these squares are a must-see for parents, kids love to play in them. Almost all the squares have historic monuments, so you can get a nice walking tour in while pushing a stroller.

River Street – While it’s highly focused on tourism, kids love to walk down this cobble-stone street and watch the boats on the river and the trolleys on the street.

There’s also events all spring and summer long that are perfect for kids. A good resource to find them is  Southern Mamas.

Historic District Vacation Rental

To get the best value for your vacation, try staying in a vacation rental in the Historic District, like the Gaston Street Getaway or Heritage House. You can walk to all the activities downtown, make meals in a fully equipped kitchen, and spread out in a house (instead of trying to cram the family into a hotel room).

Moreover, it’s only a twenty-minute ride to the beach. And, you can save money by staying downtown, instead of paying the in-season fees for beach rentals.

Hope Joelle doesn't fall in!

Colby pushing his sister's stroller near St. John the Baptist

Joelle and Colby playing in Forsyth Park

Resting at Forsyth Park