I'm a New Yorker who visited Savannah, Georgia, for the first time. Here are 9 reasons I'm already planning my next trip back.

I recently left my home in New York City for a mini road trip through several cities, including Savannah, Georgia.

I flew from NYC to Charleston, South Carolina, where I started my trip. After three nights in Charleston, I headed down the coast to Savannah before driving up to Atlanta and flying home from there. 

As a New Yorker who walks everywhere I possibly can, I valued the walkability of Savannah.

When I'm home, walking is always my first choice for getting from one place to another. I wasn't sure what to expect from Savannah in terms of being able to walk from one neighborhood to another, but once I started exploring, I was thrilled. 

Walking from my hotel in the historic district to Victory Drive in the Starland neighborhood took around 45 minutes (not counting all the time I spent jumping in and out of shops along the way). While I wouldn't want to make that walk in a hurry, it was awesome to be able to see different neighborhoods without having to drive. 

The various architecture all over the city is a feast for the eyes.

While on my walks downtown, I found myself constantly marveling at the buildings all around me. 

Savannah is a city of many architectural vibes. From Federal to Georgian, Gothic Revival to Greek Revival, several modern-style buildings, and more, I thought every street offered a different stunning view of buildings for me to consume. 

I loved appreciating the difference in home styles, the towering look of temples and churches, and the more industrial-looking coffee shops and restaurants. I wished I had more time to walk around and explore even more of it. 

There was Spanish moss everywhere I looked, making for infinite photo opportunities.

From picturesque fountains to random street corners, the Spanish moss that dripped off of trees and telephone wires added personality to every photo I took. 

I already can't wait to go back to my favorite Savannah coffee shop for a $2 caffè Americano.

Yes, I can get a perfectly delicious coffee from the breakfast cart on my corner in New York City. But once the clock strikes 11 a.m. and those carts disappear, it's hard to find a quality cup of coffee for less than $3.50 these days — and that's just for drip. 

Ordering an Americano, cappuccino, or even just a large iced coffee usually runs me at least $5. So when I walked into The Coffee Fox on my first morning in Savannah, and I looked at my receipt while I waited for my coffee, I thought there was a mistake. 

But no, the barista assured me that my large, iced Americano only cost $2.50. I quickly learned that this wasn't a hard and fast rule for Savannah coffee, but it was worth it to go a few blocks out of my way for an inexpensive, super delicious Coffee Fox fix for the rest of my trip. 

I didn't realize there was such a big antique scene in Savannah. I'd love to dedicate an entire day to it next time.

I love antique stores. When I passed three within two blocks while on my exploration walk, I got the feeling this was a big part of the retail business in the city. 

There were way more shops than I was able to check out in my very short visit, so I can't wait to spend more time immersing myself in all the quirky stores I can find on my next visit. 

Spending an afternoon in Forsyth Park seems lovely.

I walked through Forsyth Park as I headed out on my day one adventure. It was a Saturday and there was a farmers market happening, which I love.

Between the playground, volleyball nets, tennis courts, ample green space, mix of shady spots and sunny spots, and a large chic cafe right in the center, I would love to schedule myself an entire afternoon to be carefree in the park. 

The historic downtown area of Savannah has open-container laws that allow visitors and locals to drink in the streets.

From a storied history of prohibition and underground alcohol sales, emerged the bustling public drinking scene that now exists in Savannah. 

When I first arrived, I noticed loads of people walking around with cocktails and beers in plastic cups. After popping into a restaurant and asking a bartender, I learned about the allowance of to-go drinks — something I got just a taste of in NYC in the summer of 2020, when they were temporarily allowed in efforts to aid struggling restaurants affected by the pandemic. 

Since I was visiting the city for work, I wasn't able to fully take advantage of this glorious rule. Next time, I'll be cheers-ing in the streets for sure. 

I loved how easy it was to change up my scenery and get a feel for different areas outside of the busier city center.

Aside from being able to take an architectural tour on foot, I was impressed at how easy it was to drive to other areas of the city that were farther out from downtown.

I ended up having a couple of extra hours to explore one day, so I got in my rental car and drove just 20 minutes to the more suburban-looking Isle of Hope. It could take me 20 minutes to get from my apartment in downtown Manhattan to midtown on the subway, so this was a nice, easy commute, in my opinion. 

My excursion included self-guided neighborhood tours using google maps and my own sense of direction, and a pit stop at the Pin Point Heritage Museum, which was unfortunately closed by the time I arrived.

Isle of Hope was beautiful, and I look forward to driving around more of Savannah's periphery areas next time. 

There are many more restaurants I'd like to try.

While there were a few key eateries I was sure to try during my time in Savannah, including The Grey and The Olde Pink House, I kept passing more and more on the streets.

Everywhere I went, there was somewhere else that looked or smelled amazing. So, I keep building up my restaurant wish list for next time.

Thinking about all the delicious foods still to be eaten and the tours, neighborhoods, and museums left to explore, I can't wait to head back to Savannah.