A Self-Guided Walk Through Savannah's Squares

Savannah has 22 squares, and seven of them sit within a short walk of City Market. This route links those seven in a loop that runs under two miles and takes about an hour at an easy pace, longer if you stop and sit. It starts and ends on Congress Street. Every square on it is open to the public, free to walk through, and shaded by live oaks for most of the way.

The whole Historic District covers a little over two square miles, which is why walking beats driving here. Park once and leave the car.

How many squares does Savannah have?

Twenty-two. The city had 24 by 1851. Three of them, Elbert, Ellis, and Liberty, were built over or altered beyond recognition for road work in the twentieth century, which left 21. Ellis Square was reclaimed and reopened in 2010, bringing the count back to 22.

Around 15,000 people pass through the squares on an average day, according to the American Planning Association. They are working public space, not museum pieces.

Where to park before you start

The Whitaker Street Parking Garage at 7 Whitaker Street is the closest garage to Ellis Square and City Market, about a two minute walk. It is underground, open 24 hours, and runs $2 an hour with a $16 daily maximum.

If you want cheaper and do not mind a longer walk, the Liberty Street Garage at 401 W Liberty Street is usually the least expensive city garage at $1 an hour with a $10 daily cap. It is roughly half a mile south of City Market.

For street parking, meters run $2 an hour in the core downtown zone and $1 an hour further out. Enforcement is Monday through Saturday, 8am to 8pm north of Liberty Street, and Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm south of Liberty Street. Meters are free all day on Sunday. You can pay at a kiosk or through the ParkSavannah app.

Rates and enforcement hours change from time to time, so check the City of Savannah parking page if you are counting on a specific number.

The route, square by square

Start at 31 W Congress Street. Johnson Square is the first stop, half a block east.

Johnson Square. Bull Street between Bryan and Congress. Savannah's first and largest square, laid out in 1733. The obelisk at the center is the grave and monument of Nathanael Greene, the Revolutionary War general. Christ Church and City Hall are both steps away. Plenty of benches and deep shade.

Reynolds Square. Abercorn Street, one block further east. Small, quiet, and usually the emptiest square on this walk. The statue is John Wesley, who served as a minister in Savannah before founding Methodism. The Olde Pink House, a 1771 mansion, sits on the square's edge.

Wright Square. Two blocks south, then back west to Bull Street. Another of the 1733 originals. The large boulder here honors Tomochichi, the Yamacraw chief who negotiated with the settlers and without whom the colony would likely have failed. The tall monument is to William Washington Gordon.

Chippewa Square. Continue south on Bull Street. The bronze figure at the center is James Oglethorpe, sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the same artist who made the seated Lincoln in Washington. Chippewa is the Forrest Gump square, where the bus stop scenes were filmed. The bench was a movie prop, so do not go looking for it.

Telfair Square. Back north, then two blocks west to Barnard Street. Telfair holds two of the three Telfair Museums sites, the Telfair Academy at 121 Barnard and the Jepson Center at 207 W York. One ticket covers all three sites and stays valid for seven days. Both are open 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5pm Sunday and Monday.

Ellis Square. North on Barnard, at the east end of City Market. Ellis was reclaimed and reopened in 2010 as an open plaza built over an underground garage, with a fountain, a life-size chess set, and a statue of Johnny Mercer. It is the one square on this route with no tree canopy, so it is better in the morning than at midday.

Franklin Square. West along City Market to Montgomery Street. Laid out in 1790 and named for Benjamin Franklin. First African Baptist Church stands on the square at 23 Montgomery Street, home to the oldest Black church congregation in North America, with origins in 1773. The Haitian Monument here honors the Chasseurs-Volontaires, the Haitian soldiers who fought at the Siege of Savannah in 1779.

From Franklin, walk back east through City Market and you are a couple of blocks from where you started.

What else is worth the detour

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum at 41 MLK Jr Boulevard sits in an 1819 mansion and keeps two acres of gardens that are free and open to the public, a block off the route.

Savannah City Hall at 2 E Bay Street has a gold-leafed dome and a rotunda you can visit on your own, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.

Forsyth Park is about half a mile south of Chippewa Square, which adds fifteen minutes or so each way. The fountain dates to 1858. If it is a Saturday, the Forsyth Farmers' Market runs 9am to 1pm at the south end of the park, year round, with produce and plants from growers within 200 miles.

Walking it with a dog, a stroller, or a wheelchair

Leashed dogs are welcome in every square. City ordinance requires a leash no longer than six feet and that you clean up after your dog. Dogs are not allowed inside the museums.

The squares themselves are flat and paved, but sidewalks around the Historic District vary, and some blocks are brick or cobblestone that can be rough on small wheels.

If you want to shorten the walk, the free DOT Shuttle makes 20 stops around the Historic District and is ADA accessible. It runs 7:30am to 7pm Monday through Friday and 10am to 6:30pm on weekends. The Savannah Belles Ferry is also free and runs daily from 7am.

One more thing worth knowing: shared rental scooters have been banned in Savannah since 2018, so walking, the shuttle, and your own two feet are the options.

When to go

Morning. Savannah summers are hot and humid well into September, the light through the oaks is better early, and the squares are quieter before the tour groups start moving.

Our Downtown Coffee Shop & Scone Shop is at 31 W Congress Street, open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 1pm. The scones are baked at our Midtown Bakeshop and brought down each morning, and the flavors change every week, so this week's menu is worth a look before you come. Get a coffee and a scone, then start the loop at Johnson Square.

If you have longer than an hour, our guide to a perfect Savannah morning picks up where this walk leaves off. If you are new to the neighborhood, here is more about the Congress Street shop and a local's take on Savannah gifts worth taking home.