Georgia

Signature City Savannah

Program No. 11376RJ
Discover the charm of Savannah as you visit historic monuments, enjoy a concert of Johnny Mercer’s music, try your hand at southern cooking and uncover this grand city’s roots.

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At a Glance

Like a graceful Southern belle, Savannah is where charming public squares and stately live oaks stand alongside meticulously restored, historic homes and enchanting cemeteries with ornate headstones. In some ways dignified and in others playful, the city is uniformly beautiful and goes out of its way to embody Southern hospitality. Hit the streets and squares of Savannah to discover what makes the city special, from Lowcountry cuisine to Civil War history and a mosaic of residents, past and present.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles on city streets, some uneven; stairs at museums, historic houses; getting on/off buses.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Uncover history from generals to ghosts during museum visits and expert-led walks through the historic district.
  • Relax to the rhythms of yesteryear as you pay tribute to Savannah native Johnny Mercer during a private recital.
  • Taste distinctive Savannah flavors during an interactive cooking class with a noted chef.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Darin Sehnert
A native of southern California, Chef Darin Sehnert pursued his culinary studies in hotel and restaurant management from California State Polytechnic University, and graduated with honors from Johnson & Wales University. He has been a chef in London’s theater district, at Walt Disney World, and the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Darin has also served on the faculty of the School of Hotel & Restaurant Management at Cal Poly Pomona, and has conducted culinary programs with Le Cordon Bleu-Paris.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Darin Sehnert
Darin Sehnert View biography
A native of southern California, Chef Darin Sehnert pursued his culinary studies in hotel and restaurant management from California State Polytechnic University, and graduated with honors from Johnson & Wales University. He has been a chef in London’s theater district, at Walt Disney World, and the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Darin has also served on the faculty of the School of Hotel & Restaurant Management at Cal Poly Pomona, and has conducted culinary programs with Le Cordon Bleu-Paris.
Profile Image of Kim Polote
Kim Polote View biography
Born and raised in Savannah, GA, Kim Polote has emerged as Savannah's foremost entertainer. A full-time singer, she has appeared on national television with her accompanist David Duckworth, and has performed with Harry Connick, Jr. She is the only Savannah native ever to win the gold medal for the annual American Traditions Vocal Competition hosted by the Savannah Music Festival. Kim headlines The Kim Polote Trio, which also includes talented musicians David and Alisha Duckworth.
Profile Image of David Duckworth
David Duckworth View biography
David Duckworth has been a full-time musician in Savannah since 1992, working as a pianist and a record producer. In this time, he has been one of the city's most prolific producers of jazz recordings. David’s music has been featured on PBS and Georgia Public Radio, and he has traveled to perform in New York and Paris several times. David, along with Kim Polote, and his wife Alisha, make up the musical group, The Kim Polote Trio.
Profile Image of Alisha Duckworth
Alisha Duckworth View biography
Alisha has performed the upright bass regularly in venues such as the Mulberry Inn, City Market, the Johnny Mercer Festival, and numerous other locations throughout coastal Georgia and South Carolina. She has been making music with her husband David since she met him in 1992 as his guitar student, and can be heard playing great music around town and performing as the third member of extremely talented The Kim Polote Trio, along with David and Kim.
Profile Image of Jamie Keena, Period Music
Jamie Keena, Period Music View biography
Jamie Keena loves to sing old songs, including folk songs of America and the British Isles, patriotic airs, and “songs written to order” by Tin Pan Alley composers. With a bachelor’s in music from the College of William and Mary, Jamie accompanies his singing with guitar, banjo and ukulele, and also plays the fife, hammered dulcimer and concertina.
Profile Image of Joyce Harvison
Joyce E Harvison View biography
Joyce Harvison epitomizes Southern hospitality. A native of Savannah, she has worked for the last 30+ years in Savannah's Historic District, first as an insurance agent, and the last 16 years as a Director of Groups/Charters with a local trolley company showing off the city’s best sights to visitors from near and far. She revels in treating family, friends, and visitors to the best possible time, including hidden gems when they visit her home town. Joyce has two daughters and three grandchildren.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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6 days
5 nights
12 meals
5 B 3 L 4 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Savannah, GA
D
Embassy Suites by Hilton Savannah

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration: 5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. We will be accompanied on some field trips by local experts who will provide commentary as we go. At some field trip sites, the extent and duration of walking and other activities will be according to personal choice. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
2
Savannah History & Field Trip
Savannah, GA
B,L,D
Embassy Suites by Hilton Savannah

Activity note: Getting on/off a trolley; driving about 10 miles total, approximately 2 hours riding time throughout the day. Walking approximately 2 miles over the course of the day; climbing steps & navigating uneven terrain.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Our expert in Savannah history will enlighten us on the first years in the 13th colony as experienced by our new country's earliest citizens. The colonial era extended from the founding of Georgia in 1733 until the Revolutionary War. The last of the original thirteen colonies, its early experience was markedly different from the rest. Boarding a trolley, we’ll depart on an expert led field trip to see some of Savannah’s highlights. With our study leader, you'll learn more about Savannah and her famous squares by trolley, getting on and off at select historical points. We will visit the Massie Heritage Museum, which was once Savannah's first free public school. Completed in 1876, it is noted for its gable roof, wood cupola and cornice, and its unique connecting passageway. Wings were added in 1872 and 1886, and the school remained in operation until 1974.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, we'll continue on the trolley to sights such as the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Forsyth Park, Victorian District, and Squares. We will be getting on and off the trolley as we stand in front of many of these sites and walk around while hearing stories of Savannah and her people. We will also be going inside the Cathedral, dedicated in 1876.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: An expert musician will provide a program on Negro spirituals which will include the emergence of Black music in the White world after the end of slavery, the success of black musicians and songwriters like Scott Joplin, W.C. Handy, and Louis Armstrong. He also plays the 5-string banjo, an instrument that came out of the slave quarters of the 18th century to become a "crossover" hit in the White world during the 19th century. This talented musician accompanies his singing with guitar, banjo and ukulele, and also plays the fife, hammered dulcimer and concertina.

DAY
3
Owens Thomas, Telfair Academy & Jepson Museums
Savannah, GA
B,L,D
Embassy Suites by Hilton Savannah

Activity note: Getting on/off a trolley. Walking up to 1.5 mile with breaks; periods of standing indoors and out; 3 flights of stairs in historic homes (no elevator). Time spent on trolley from one location to another is 1 hour all day.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: This morning we will begin the day with a visit by trolley to the Owens Thomas Home. At this Regency style mansion, we'll see gardens, carriage house, and slave quarters and review the relationship between the most and least powerful people in the city. The north half of the building contains the original slave quarters. Nine to 15 enslaved people lived and worked on the site at any given time between 1819 and the end of the Civil War. Leaving by trolley, we will visit Telfair Academy, home to a substantial collection of 19th and 20th century American and European art showcased on various mediums. The building itself is a 2-story mansion from 1819 with a rich and fascinating personal history that compliments its priceless interior possessions. A docent will be our expert throughout the museum.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will walk across the street to the Jepson Center for the Arts, a masterpiece of modernism, featuring permanent collections along with limited-engagement, special exhibitions of talented artists and diverse subject matter. This field trip is self led.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Davenport Home, SCAD Story, Free Afternoon
Savannah, GA
B
Embassy Suites by Hilton Savannah

Activity note: Getting on/off a trolley (3-4 steps). Climbing several steps and navigating uneven terrain. Davenport field trip has 16 steps, no elevator. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At hotel.

Morning: We will ride by trolley to the Davenport Home where we will have a special program designed just for our group. The Federal-style home neared completion in 1820. We will have a 40 minute discussion with Power Point before being divided into smaller groups. This experience will include refreshments in the garden at the end of the field trip. We'll continue our discovery of Savannah's people and places at the Savannah College of Art and Design. We’ll discover its origin story through an immersive 4D experience. The SCAD story takes guests on a journey through history, across four decades of beauty, design, and invention. You may spend time in this area to browse many of the shops and a special bookstore. Afterwards, we have the choice of walking or taking the trolley back to the hotel.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You might like to explore further in the beautiful Historic District or venture out into surrounding areas to take in sights and points of interest not included in our program.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy local fare.

Evening: At leisure. See and do more of what interests you most.

DAY
5
Strong Women, Johnny Mercer Music, Cooking Class
Savannah, GA
B,L,D
Embassy Suites by Hilton Savannah

Activity note: Getting on/off a trolley (3-4 steps). Riding approximately 2.5 miles and 20 minutes each way.

Breakfast: At hotel.

Morning: We'll start the morning off with a presentation by a local expert on “Strong Women, Strong Spirits”. Afterwards, we’ll delight in an entertaining musical presentation featuring the songs of Savannah's own Johnny Mercer, performed by an outstanding trio of a noted professional singer and musicians. Between songs, we’ll learn about the man behind the music and the life behind those timeless lyrics!

Lunch: At the hotel.

Afternoon: Following a short block of time to ourselves, we’ll board the trolley and head to a local cooking school for an interactive demonstration of Lowcountry cooking with opportunities to volunteer for hands-on participation. We’ll learn how to prepare popular local and regional specialties as Chef Darin gives us valuable tips — spiced with humorous wit — from his vast experience.

Dinner: We’ll enjoy the “fruits” of our cooking class labors, savoring the flavors of the meal we helped to prepare. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

DAY
6
Program Concludes
Savannah, GA
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 am..

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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