We had big plans for our last full day in Savannah! We originally wanted to book a dinner cruise, but since they only had brunch cruises available, we pivoted and made that our main afternoon activity.

The morning started slow and cozy — my mom and I headed down for hotel breakfast while B snoozed (classic). Once everyone was up and ready, we made our way into the Historic District for coffee at Black Rifle Coffee Co. Jordan and I had discovered this place on a previous trip and fell in love with their vanilla honey latte, made with local Savannah Bee Company honey. Still just as good the second time around.

Fueled by caffeine, we headed over to the Georgia Queen riverboat for our brunch cruise. Once onboard, we found our seats and waited for the buffet to open. Everything was delicious, but the French toast, ham, and shrimp and grits were the standouts for me (though I may have skipped the grits part…).

The boat gently cruised along the Savannah River as a guide shared fun tidbits and history about the city. I felt a little woozy at times but didn’t get full-on motion sick — a win in my book. We spent some time out on the deck soaking in the views and fresh air, but once B got cold, we ducked back inside until the cruise wrapped up. All in all, a relaxing and fun way to spend the afternoon.

After docking, we walked to Savannah Bee Company to browse for honey and gifts. I ended up grabbing some jalapeño mead for Jordan — we first discovered mead at this exact shop on a previous trip, so it felt like a full-circle moment.

Next stop: Byrd’s Famous Cookies. Their peach cookies are dangerously good, and we stocked up on plenty to bring home.

We wandered into Cassandra’s Jewelry Imports next, where B found a necklace that matched her turquoise ring perfectly. It’s such a fun little local shop, and we enjoyed browsing the unique pieces.

Then it was time for what became the Great IPA Beer Mission. B had been given strict orders to find a local IPA to bring back for our dad — and to spend any leftover money on something silly. But our go-to brewery next to the hotel (a favorite of mine and Jordan’s) had just permanently closed. So, we set off across the River Street Market to try our luck at a nearby liquor store… but of course, no IPAs in sight.

Defeated but determined, we backtracked all the way to Service Brewing Co. — Savannah’s only brewery — a solid mile away that felt like five after all the walking we’d already done.

We picked out a ‘few’ beers for Jordan and my dad and then came the moment of realization: we had to carry it all back. B was not thrilled with me 😂

Still, I’m glad we did it when we did — if we had waited until the next day to swing by on our way out of town, we would’ve been out of luck. Service Brewing doesn’t open until 4PM, and we were planning to leave earlier than that. So, heavy arms and all, it ended up being the right move!

On our way back, we made one final stop at the JW Marriott Plant Riverside District to check out their dinosaur and gemstone exhibit (it’s seriously so cool — don’t skip it if you’re nearby!).

We decided to eat dinner in the area and found a restaurant serving traditional African cuisine. I love trying new dishes, so this was such a fun and flavorful experience! Some of our favorites were the saboob chakalaka, carrot lentil soup, and lamb meatballs — everything was amazing.

B started feeling a little sick, so we headed back to the hotel, put our feet up, and finished the night with more Squid Games. I think we knocked out most of season 1 just by binging episodes each night on this trip!

A perfect blend of exploring, eating, and relaxing — just how a birthday weekend should be.