5 Best Sights in Greater Savannah, Savannah

In 1890, Mrs. Herman B. Miller planted three clumps of Japanese timber bamboo near her farmhouse 15 miles south of Savannah. As the bamboo took to the warm Southern climate, it spread to what now stands today at the Bamboo Farms at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. The gardens, deeded to the University of Georgia in 1983 for research and cultivation, now boast a 4-acre bamboo maze, a children's garden, and stunning seasonal formal and shade gardens including beds of iris and daffodil bulbs and the wonderful camellia trail in late winter/early spring. The annual Christmas lights event glimmers with fun for the whole family.

Members of the "Greatest Generation" formed the famous World War II squadron called the Mighty Eighth in Savannah in 1942. Within a month, they answered the call to arms and shipped out to the United Kingdom as part of the Allied Forces. Flying in Royal Air Force planes, the Mighty Eighth was the largest Army Air Force during World War II and played a major role in defeating the Nazis. Exhibits at this museum begin with the prelude to World War II and the rise of Adolf Hitler, and continue through Desert Storm. You can see vintage aircraft, fly a simulated bombing mission with a B-17 crew, test your skills as a waist gunner, and view interviews with courageous World War II vets. The museum also has three theaters, a chapel, an art gallery, and a 7,000-volume library.

Considered one of North America's most beautifully renovated lighthouses, the Tybee Light Station has been guiding Savannah River mariners since 1736. It's not the first lighthouse built on this site; the original was constructed on orders of General James Oglethorpe in 1732. You can walk up 178 steps for amazing views at the top. The lightkeeper's cottage houses a small theater showing a video about the lighthouse. The nearby museum is in a gun battery constructed for the Spanish-American War.

Don't miss the Tybee Island Marine Science Center's interesting exhibit on Coastal Georgia, which houses local wildlife ranging from Ogeechee corn snakes to American alligators. Schedule one of two guided walks along the beach and marshes if you're interested in the flora and fauna of the Lowcountry. There is also a "Turtle Talk," which consists of a classroom discussion and hands-on workshop.

Arrive early, as parking near the center can be competitive in the busier months.