For my 28th birthday, we decided to do something special — a girls’ trip to Savannah, GA, with my mom and sister! We kicked things off by meeting up in Jacksonville and carpooling to Savannah on Friday night. Our home base for the weekend was a charming little Holiday Inn Express in the North Historic District. Jordan and I have stayed there before, and I love its prime location right off Bay Street — perfect for walking to all the must-see spots.

When we checked into our room, we were greeted by a stunning view of the Savannah River during golden hour. Talk about perfect timing!

We started the night with dinner at Treylor Park, just steps from our hotel. Jordan and I have had this place on our foodie list for ages, so I was thrilled to finally try it. The outdoor seating was adorable and thank goodness for their heaters — Savannah was unusually cold that weekend! The food did not disappoint. I even tried fried Oreos for the first time. Let me tell you — life-changing!

Next up was the Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour. We strolled down to River Street and hopped on the trolley, ready for some spooky fun. Our guide shared eerie tales of Savannah’s haunted past along with fascinating historical tidbits.

While we missed out on the Andrew Low House due to renovations, we did get to visit the Colonial Park Cemetery, which dates back to 1789. If there are any ghosts lingering in Savannah, they’ve got to be hanging around there! Even though we didn’t spot any spirits, the tour was a blast.

On our way back to the hotel, we wandered through River Street and, of course, had to stop at some iconic historic steps. Maybe it’s the engineer in me, but I’m obsessed with these stairways. Built in the 18th and 19th centuries — long before building codes and accessibility standards — they’re incredibly steep. Some steps are easily a foot tall! They connected the riverfront to the commercial hub above, and I love pointing them out to people because you just don’t believe how steep they are until you see them in person.

After enough stairway fun, we made our way back to the hotel to settle in for the big birthday festivities the next day. What a great start to my birthday weekend!