What To Do & Where to Eat in Savannah for Families

Our family vacation to Savannah was so nice and relaxing. Here I am rounding up what to do & where to eat in Savannah for families. We visited Savannah in December which is a bit off-season. But it’s still a great time to visit especially if you live in a place with cold winters like us. In general, we just wanted to explore the city of Savannah, see some sights, and eat great food. We were able to do all of that in just five days, with plenty of time to relax too. Truthfully, you only need about 3 days or so to see a lot of Savannah. So if you only have a long weekend to get away, I still highly recommend a Savannah getaway!

Since we were visiting Savannah with a toddler, we obviously were looking for family-friendly things to do and places to eat in Savannah. I will say, a lot of Savannah is geared towards couples or girls and guys getaway groups. There is no shortage of places to find drinks in Savannah. Many of the places turn to 21+ after 6pm if not all day. Still though, we were able to find some great things to do and places to eat in Savannah for families with kids.

What To Do & Where to Eat in Savannah for Families. Savannah riverfront at night. December in Savannah. Plant Riverside District at night in Savannah.

One of the great things about Savannah is that it is easily walkable and a very small, manageable city. We did not rent a car while visiting Savannah and didn’t feel like we missed out at all. Bring a good stroller if your child(ren) are younger because the streets and sidewalks can be rough. There is a lot of cobblestone! We brought this stroller, and I was so glad we did since it handled really well on the rough surfaces. It also has a ton of storage space for anything we purchased and a diaper bag.

What To Do & Where to Eat in Savannah for Families. Savannah rooftop bar. Savannah riverfront. December in Savannah.

What To Do in Savannah for Families

Walk Along the Riverfront & Explore the Plant Riverside District // one of my favorite things to do in Savannah is just to walk along the riverfront. While we were there, there was a Christmas Market going on in the Plant Riverside District, which made it so pretty and festive. Throughout the different seasons, they have other events going on as well. A number of the eateries I have shared below are in this area along the river. There are also some higher end shops in the Plant Riverside District {near/attached to the JW Marriott} and other tourist shops and eateries further down River Street.
Wander Down Broughton Street // this is the main commercial street in Savannah. Here you will fid chain stores like Urban Outfitters, Free People, Gap, & H&M as well as some really cute local boutiques, other eclectic stores, & eateries.
Enjoy Forsyth Park {and it’s 2 playgrounds!} // this iconic park of Savannah is a must-see for its beauty. But the fact that it also has two large playgrounds makes it a great stop with kids. Luca had a ball running around!
Visit the {many} Squares // Savannah has 22 squares throughout the city. Many of these squares offer very pretty scenery & a place to enjoy a coffee while the kids run around. If you are into history, these are great places to visit too. If you have older kids, this Savannah Scavenger Hunt might be neat to do!
Check out City Market // City Market has a bit of everything. Shops, art galleries, dining, nightlife etc. Super close to the riverfront and definitely a must-visit area to explore!
Visit River Street Marketplace // this open air shopping area right along the river has a lot of giftable and souvenir type items for purchase.
Take a Savannah Trolley Tour // we didn’t get a chance to do this, though I really had wanted to. The company linked offers historic trolley tours around Savannah with character experiences as well as hop on hop off tours and ghost tours of Savannah. This trolley tour company is another option as well.
Visit The Jepson Center // located at the Telfair Museum, there is a TechSpace and ArtZeum. Unfortunately the ArtZeum {more suitable for younger kids} was closed due to COVID during our visit. However, the TechSpace was still open so call or check online for their most up-to-date offerings. The museum also has many neat exhibitions if your family is interested in art and history!
Take a Riverboat Ride on the Georgia Queen // see Savannah from a different vantage point on a Riverboat Ride!
See a Show or Film at SCAD Trustees Theater // this iconic theater hosts film festivals, fashion shows, music festivals & more. Check out what is showing during your visit!
See a Performance or Film at Lucas Theatre // this historic theater is a non-profit and shows classic films and other performances throughout the year.

Read my review of The Alida Hotel Savannah here, where we stayed during our trip. A couple of the restaurants listed below are on the property so nice and convenient especially with little ones! The location was literally perfect too!

I have Savannah Reels & Highlight on instagram for you to check out videos of all of these recommendations as well!

Where to Eat in Savannah for Families

* You many notice that a lot of these are outdoor dining options. One, I love to eat outdoors whenever possible, especially on vacation. And, two, we visited when Covid was still a concern so for our little guy’s safety, we targeted outdoor dining whenever possible.

Savannah Tequila Company // most likely our top meal while in Savannah. We ate here twice during our 5 day stay lol! Amazing, fresh food {tacos, ceviche, enchiladas and more!}, great service, a nice outdoor patio option with a view, and high chairs! They also have a children’s menu.
The Grove // inside tables on the upstairs/rooftop level as well as on the main level that are suitable for high chairs, which they do have available. We ate on the rooftop, which I will admit, doesn’t have the best tables for high chairs (they are low or high tops), but it did give plenty of room for our toddler to run around which he loved! We really wanted to eat outside on the rooftop so we just used the high chair at our low table. They have a children’s menu and our son enjoyed the grilled cheese as well as some of our food. They have an elevator for strollers to get up to the rooftop as well.
Cafe M // delicious, french-inspired brunch menu {I wanted one of everything lol} and an adorable spot that totally reminded me of Paris. Sit inside or outside, and they do have a high chair available. You order at the counter & then they bring your food to where you choose to sit. They also have a menu of specialty mimosas!
Two Cracked Eggs Cafe // delicious, Southern-style breakfast & lunch served all day. Their cappuccino is to die for & they also sell mimosas and other alcoholic breakfast drinks. They have high chairs and indoor or outdoor seating. Indoor is a bit tight, but we had the outdoor seating area almost to ourselves when we went!
Rhett // this is the restaurant in The Alida Hotel, where we stayed. Being that it was so convenient, we ate there a few times during our stay in Savannah. They offer an American style menu with classics like salads, burgers etc. for lunch and your morning staples like eggs and bacon, french toast and pancakes for breakfast. The staff is extremely welcoming, and they offer indoor or outdoor dining. They also have high chairs and a children’s menu. Luca loved their pancakes for breakfast and gobbled them down lol.
Riverside Biergarten // we grabbed a bite here {and from the sushi place listed below which shares an outdoor seating area} our first night in Savannah. They have great, authentic sausage options and pretzels and delicious beer options on tap!
Riverside Sushi // directly across from the Biergarten is this little sushi joint with awesome specialty sushi rolls. Their shared outdoor dining area is so cute, right on the riverfront!
Turbine Market + Cafe // this is a small breakfast, lunch & early dinner spot that serves basic American cuisine. We had lunch here on the day that it rained during our family vacation to Savannah because it was well spaced out inside, relaxing, and they had high chairs. They do have a small children’s menu as well. You order at the counter & then they bring out your meal to you wherever you sit. They are located inside the JW Marriott so again, a very convenient location for a quick bite if you are staying in this area of Savannah.
Collins Quarter at Forsyth // I so wish we had gotten to eat here at their Forsyth Park location because it looked so nice! If I get a chance to do it again, I would hit the playground with our little guy and then have lunch here, or vice-versa! They offer brunch, lunch and dinner and you can sit outside with views of the park. They also have a Collins Quarter location downtown on Bull St. that offers indoor & outdoor table seating if you prefer to stay closer to downtown or the riverfront.
The Olde Pink House // my cousin said one of her top meals she’s ever had was here! Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to eat here because they were booked up at good times for us by the time I called, even for lunch! I recommend making a reservation in advance. We did walk by for a photo op though since it’s so pretty & an iconic Savannah spot!
The Lost Square // my personal favorite rooftop that we visited because it is just so beautifully decorated. They have igloos set up for winter dining too. They do not have high chairs at The Lost Square, but if you go during hours that Rhett {the downstairs restaurant} is open, they can bring one up for you. The also have an elevator for easy accessibility with a stroller. We just visited for drinks, views & for Luca to eat food we brought up with us since we were staying at The Alida Hotel. Keep in mind, the igloos have a food minimum and require reservations at the time I am writing this. If you have a young baby {aka, not mobile} or older children, I 10/10 would recommend dining in the igloos!
Electric Moon // this one is one of the last on the list because technically they aren’t super family-friendly {aka no highchairs or kid’s menu}. However, the view and vibe are awesome and so is the adult food. We brought food for Luca and they were very accommodating of us having our toddler with us. They also have an elevator to take you up to the rooftop which is stroller friendly. Keep in mind, after 6pm, it turns to 21+ so I recommend heading there for an early dinner {perfect timing for sunset if it’s winter time}.
Rocks on the Roof // though we didn’t make it here in person due to their more limited hours {they opened at 2pm during off-season & we only had so many nights sadly}, it came highly recommended. The menu is a great light bite menu for sharing with kids. Some of the rooftop menus at other restaurants had very little, if anything, for a toddler, so we had to bring our own food with us for Luca. The menu at Rocks on the Roof is more crowd-pleasing in my opinion. It also looks so inviting and has great views of the river. They have covered and uncovered open-air seating. They also have indoor dining at Rocks on the River downstairs.
Top Deck // also at the end of the list because no high chairs or kids menu, but a must-go for the view. We went at lunch and had the entire rooftop to ourselves almost so Luca could run around to his heart’s content. Many of hte rooftops are closed for lunch so it was nice to have the option to go there for lunch. They also have corn hole boards and bags which kept him occupied for a bit. I shared some of my charcuterie board with him and some food I had brought in my bag. They do have elevators up to the rooftop which is a plus for strollers. If you don’t go for a meal, at least go for a drink and the view {I hear it’s even better for sunset!}.

What To Do & Where to Eat in Savannah for Families. Savannah riverfront restaurants. December in Savannah.

Other Notable Mention Spots for Dining

Peregrin // super cute rooftop bar with fairly crowd-pleasing lunch/light bite menu and drinks.
The Rooftop at The Drayton Hotel // sadly they were closed for the winter when we visited, but if you are there during their open season, it looks amazing!
Leopold’s Ice Cream // this ice cream parlor on Broughton Street is an iconic, must-visit spot in Savannah!
District Gelato // a cute little gelato & dessert spot in the Plant Riverside District.
Starbucks // there is a really nice Starbucks right on the riverfront as well as a few others downtown if you need your Starbucks fix!

Where NOT to Eat in Savannah for Families

Myrtle & Rose // though this rooftop looks amazing, it is for 21+ only at all times. So unless you have a babysitter with you, you will need to skip this one.
Graffito Pizza // I’ll admit, we only gave this place one shot. But, we ordered pizzas and dessert from here and we were not impressed at all. Maybe they are better for their Italian specialties, but you would think a pizza place would know how to do pizza. I would skip it unless you are desperate.