Sister Cities: S


Similar But Not The Same


AVANNAH AND Charleston are considered by some to be sister cities. They are virtually next door neighbors, separated by just


a few hours of driving time along busy Interstate 95 and picturesque U.S. Highway 17. They are in many ways simi-


BY EILEEN ROBINSON SMITH


lar, but there also are differences between these two coastal treasures. Just ask the people whose job it is to convince tourists to visit then return to Savannah. “It is so enchanting here,” said


Jody McIntyre, director of sales and marketing at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront. “When I travel and people ask me where I am from, they say how lucky I am.” The Marriott anchors the west end


of Savannah’s River Walk, which is among “America’s coolest,” according to Travel + Leisure. “We encourage our guests to park their cars in our lot and go on foot by the River Walk,” McIntyre said. Craig Cupit, director of sales and


marketing for the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, thinks Sa- vannah is easier for visitors to navigate than its sister to the north. He cited a wealth of outdoor entertainment as another of Savannah’s advantages. “There are concerts in the new


bandstand in Forsyth Park and the gazebo in Ellis Square, with bands playing in the City Market and on the riverfront,” he explained. Another reason visitors choose


Savannah is to stay at its renowned inns and bed and breakfasts, some two dozen of which are in the Historic District. “There’s no need to stay in an


ordinary hotel,” said Cindy Roberts, corporate director of sales and market- ing for Bed and Breakfasts of Savannah.


SAVANNAH’S RESTAURANT REVOLUTION Savannah has undergone a recent


restaurant revolution, according to Ja- mie Deen, Paula Deen’s oldest son and a key player in the family’s restaurant/ retail operation, The Lady & Sons. “We’re so lucky to have a restaurant


scene that’s as vibrant and as rich as we do in Savannah,” he commented. “Folks flock from all over to visit Sa- vannah as a food destination.” “In years past, there were lots of


sports bars and Bubba restaurants – all Southern fried,” said Kiara Balish, whose family owns Olde Pink House, one of Savannah’s landmark restaurants. Savannah is now attracting a more sophisticated brand of tourist, she pointed out.


“I saw the same thing happen in Charleston after Spoleto came to town in the late 1970s,” she said. “It


changed the city dramatically.” Matthew Roher, executive chef and


co-owner of Cha Bella, explained that Charleston’s restaurant scene was ahead of Savannah’s because it once was home to the Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts. He said some J & W grads migrated south to Savannah. “Ten years ago, Savannah was more of a blue collar town that attracted blue collar tourists. The restaurants served traditional Southern fare – fried, fried and more fried. Fish and shrimp came frozen in blocks from China. Our shrimpers were selling their catch elsewhere,” Roher said. Many Savannah restaurants


specialize in lunch, such as the Soho South Café and the Harris Baking Company. Both offer Southern com- fort food as well as creative options, and all will pack it to go if you want to eat on a table in a square, a Savan- nah tradition.


Charleston has its barbecue places, but nothing can quite compare with Barnes BBQ. And Charleston has nothing to rival the authenticity of Leopold’s Ice Cream. Stratton Leop- old, the successor to this family busi- ness, is also a Hollywood producer. There are businesses with locations in both cities, including the Savannah Bee Company, which recently ex- panded to Charleston. Its owner, Ted Dennard, had only good things to say about both cities. “If I didn’t live in Savannah,


I’d want to live in Charleston,” he said. “The new store requires that I go there weekly, and I love the Lowcountry drive almost as much as being in the city.” And the AVIA Savannah, a chic boutique hotel across from Ellis Square, offers Charlestonians and other South Carolinians a 20-percent discount. After all, we are sister cities.


www.CharlestonVacationGuide.com | www.ILoveCharleston.com | www.CruisesLeavingCharleston.com


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