Savannah Is the 2012 CCA Conference Host City

For nearly three centuries, visitors have been lured to the Georgia coast by a southern belle named Savannah. With the city’s unique blend of history, elegance and charm, it’s no wonder Travel + Leisure Magazine named Savannah one of the Top 10 Cities in the US and Canada.

Savannah is known as America's first planned city. Oglethorpe laid the city out in a series of grids of streets intertwined with shady public squares and parks that served as town meeting places and centers of business. Savannah had 24 original squares, 22 are still in existence.  A certain Mr. Gump sat on a bench located in one of the squares in a famous movie.  Do you know which one?  You can find out by taking a city tour or the Savannah Movie Tour.

Wonderful Southern Cuisine

The southern style cuisine is not lean but it is really good. There are many restaurants and renowned chefs like Paula Deen, a famous author and cook, who has her own in Savannah. The Lady & Sons restaurant serves thousands of locals and tourists on a daily basis.  If you want to get to Mrs. Wilkes (open only Monday to Friday from 11:30-14:00), you need to line up early to experience the unique family style that will bring back memories.  Many options are available for dining and wining. You can even try some gator at the Alligator Soul Restaurant or the crispy scored flounder at the Olde Pink House.  Don’t miss Leopold’s Ice Cream Parlor or forget to try grits with cheese! 

Attractions

From museums and historic house tours to art galleries and dolphin sightings, you can fill your days with one-of-a-kind experiences for all ages. Make your own itinerary or take a themed tour — from ghosts to gourmet.

The Telfair Museum of Art has three wonderful buildings that you can visit; the modern Jepson Center, the Telfair Academy - a National Historic Landmark - and the historic Owens-Thomas House with a bridge located inside the house on the second floor. Many historic houses can be visited in Savannah and the Companions’ Tour offered to all registered companions will cover a few of them.

Some of Savannah’s other attractions include City Market, River Street, 22 historic squares, walking tours, trolley tours, boutiques, galleries and specialty shops in the historic Meetings District, Juliette Gordon Low’s (founder of the Girl Scouts) birthplace, Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, Mighty Eight Air Force Museum, Forsyth Park, Bonaventure Cemetery and numerous golf courses. 

Visit www.savannahvisit.com for more information. 

Spend the 188th St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah

Did you know that Savannah is known for hosting the second largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world? While our annual conference will wrap up on Friday March 16, 2012, it might be interesting to stay for an extra day or two to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Savannah. Next year’s St. Patrick’s Day falls on Saturday March 17, 2012.

Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities span two week s and some of the events include the Investiture of the Grand Marshal, Greening of the Fountain in Forsyth Park, Tara Feis, Celtic Cross Mass and Ceremony, and Sergeant William Jasper Green Ceremony. On the morning of the parade, Mass is held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. The parade itself is spectacular with over 350 units, including several US military divisions, many award-winning bands and outstanding marching units as well as the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales.