Boat Trips in Savannah

The best things to do in Savannah are very different, but one activity that most people find interesting is a boat trip along the Savannah River, which marks the border between the states of Georgia and South Carolina and has given this beautiful city great historical importance for centuries.

Keep reading to learn more about how these boat tours work, so you can plan your budget and the duration of this tourist experience.

Discover one of the city's most magical experiences with this river tour. Book your sunset cruise on the Savannah River here and enjoy a two-hour tour as the sun sets over the Georgia skyline. From the upper deck of the boat, you'll have privileged views of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge and historic River Street, all while listening to live music on board.

Aboard a traditional riverboat, you can relax and enjoy a unique atmosphere. The boat features a covered lounge, heated glass-enclosed observation deck, and open-air deck. Plus, you can sample delicious dishes from the Skyline Bar & Grill à la carte or even dine on board if you wish. This option is perfect if you're looking for a romantic evening or just a relaxing way to end the day.

• Duration: Approximately 2 hours.
• Price: From $38.
• Recommended if... you want to enjoy a relaxing sunset experience with live music, panoramic views, and the option of dinner on board.

For those who want to combine gastronomy and scenery, this dinner cruise on the Savannah River is the perfect option. For about two hours, you'll sail along the river while enjoying a buffet dinner with live music and a dance floor. A fun and cultural way to discover this historic city from a new perspective.

During the river cruise, you'll see iconic sights such as Old Fort Jackson, Savannah Harbor, and River Street. In addition to the views, you'll enjoy live entertainment, ideal for those who want to dine, dance, and have a good time in a lively and welcoming atmosphere.

• Duration: Approximately 2 hours.
• Price: From $79.
• Recommended if... you're looking for a lively dinner with a buffet, dance floor, and a festive atmosphere while cruising down the Savannah River.

If you prefer to visit during the day and get to know the city in detail, this 90-minute sightseeing boat tour on the Savannah River is ideal. You'll travel on a riverboat and listen to the captain's stories and interesting facts as you cruise past the most iconic sights of this southern city.

From the upper deck, you'll enjoy incredible views of Old Fort Jackson, River Street, and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. Plus, if you're feeling peckish, you can buy food and drinks at the boat's Bar & Grill. An ideal excursion for those who want to take photos, relax, and learn about Savannah's past.

• Duration: Approximately 90 minutes.
• Price: From €34.
• Recommended if... you prefer an informative tour with live commentary to learn about Savannah's history while you sail.

If you're looking for a complete excursion that combines land and water, you'll love this combined tram and boat tour of Savannah. Over the course of about five hours, you'll tour the historic center by tram with a local guide and then enjoy a scenic river cruise with live narration. An excellent way to get to know Savannah in depth.

The river tour includes views of Old Fort Jackson, the city skyline, and vibrant River Street. From the trolley, you'll discover St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Forsyth Park, and City Market, among other highlights. This experience is ideal for those who want a complete view of the city, both by land and water.

Details of interest

• Duration: Approximately 5 hours (combined tram + boat).
• Price: From $65.
• Recommended if... you want to make the most of your visit by combining a guided tour on land with a boat trip on the river.

A boat trip on the Savannah River is an experience that can be enjoyed in different ways, even though in theory it is always the same event:

• Savannah cruise, which is a short trip for 100 or 200 people who board a steamboat in the style of the last century. This tour is designed to allow participants to enjoy a privileged view of the natural surroundings.
• Savannah Sunset Cruise, which is a boat ride focused on offering a more exclusive experience.
• Savannah Dinner Cruise, where participants can enjoy a three-course dinner accompanied by live music and entertainment.

All three types are among the best things to do in Savannah and are ideal alternatives if you are looking to explore the city from a unique and different perspective. Especially if you have never had the opportunity to ride a boat with such a distinctive design.

Details of interest

• Price: Boat ticket prices depend on the experience offered. Those that include dinner and live entertainment usually cost from $84 per person, while tours that only take you on a river cruise usually cost around $39 per person.
• Duration: the average duration of this type of tour is always quite similar. Tours without food included usually last 1 hour and 30 minutes, while tours that include dinner or lunch usually last a maximum of 2 hours.
• Means of transport: these are usually mechanically powered boats designed to resemble the paddle steamers that were so common in the southern United States during the 18th century.
• Advantages of this option: this tourist experience is an excellent way to enjoy the beauty of the Savannah River.
• Disadvantages of this option: some people feel that two hours is not enough and would prefer a boat trip that includes a visit to another nearby destination in the state of Georgia.

There are different ways to book a Savannah river cruise, and it's up to you and your interests to choose one:

• Wait until you arrive in the city to go to a tourist service agency and choose the option that seems most appealing to you. The problem is that there is no guarantee that you will have availability for the date and time you want, nor that the prices will be competitive.
• A better bet is to book a Savannah cruise online. The first reason why this is a better option is that you can pay for it with your credit card from the comfort of your own home. The second reason is that you can make a fairer comparison between all the alternatives available on the Internet.

With an online booking, you also usually have free cancellation if you notify them in advance, and you even have the opportunity to see reviews from other people who have already enjoyed the best tour you are interested in purchasing.

This is very important, as it allows you to find out if it is one of the best activities to do in Savannah with children. All thanks to the testimonials of other families who, like you, wanted to join the tour with their little ones and were not sure if they were making the right decision for them.

The duration of Savannah river tours is fairly predictable, as they usually last between 1.5 and 2 hours on average . On some occasions, tours that include dinner and live entertainment may last up to 2.5 hours, but it is very rare for them to last up to three hours because logistics do not usually allow it.

In any case, keep in mind that an hour is more than enough time to enjoy the experience of boarding this boat and appreciating the scenery, and even to hear enough information about the history of navigation if the experience includes a guide.

This way, if you book a cruise in Savannah, this activity can take up a small part of your day. Therefore, you can spend the early afternoon participating in other sightseeing tours, while the rest of your evening can be devoted to entertaining activities such as the best ghost tours in Savannah, which are truly entertaining for true history lovers with a spine-tingling focus that comes quite close to the paranormal world.

Book the best boat tours in Savannah

If you book a cruise in Savannah, you will see:

• The historic center of Savannah, known as the Riverfront. Since its founding, it has been one of the city's main piers and today it has become an extremely touristy and commercial area.
• Hutchinson Island, a stretch of land located just opposite Savannah that separates the state of Georgia from the state of South Carolina.
• If the tour heads towards the mouth of the river, you will come across sites such as Old Fort Jackson, a Civil War-era structure. You will also be able to enjoy the landscape of a delta that opens up until it merges completely with the Atlantic Ocean.
• If you walk in the opposite direction, you can enjoy the natural landscape of the forests closest to the city and see some of the industrial buildings located to the northeast of Savannah.

In any case, if you are looking to be impressed by historic buildings, it is best to visit one of Savannah's best museums. Keep in mind that this is a city that did not really grow along the river, but rather many of its most important buildings are located inland, where the city has been occupied for over 200 years.

On the other hand, if you want to make the most of your cruise in Savannah, keep the following tips in mind:

• If you get seasick, take special medication for motion sickness. These types of boats are less stable than other types of boats.
• Bring snacks and drinks if you are going on a sightseeing tour without dinner. This recommendation will also come in handy if you want to take one of the best tram tours in Savannah. You may work up an appetite during the tour, and it can be quite uncomfortable to have to wait until you can visit a restaurant to satisfy your hunger.
• Go with an open mind and be ready to enjoy the experience so that the trip is pleasant. This applies to all the best tours in Savannah. The idea is to do your part to make the event fun, even if it doesn't meet all your expectations.
• Don't forget your sunscreen, as Savannah is a city that is quite sunny most of the year. In fact, I recommend wearing breathable clothing, as humidity is another major feature of Savannah's climate during the summer, spring, and even fall.

The average price for a boat tour in Savannah always depends on what is offered. If it is just a sightseeing tour along the river, they usually cost between $39 and $50 per person. However, if the tour includes dinner or lunch with live entertainment, the price is likely to be around $84. Any other price below that is a good deal in every way.

Keep in mind that these prices are quite reasonable when compared to the cost of a boat ride in other tourist cities in the United States. For this reason, booking a cruise in Savannah has become a must for anyone visiting the city.

So, whether you're spending three days in Savannah or staying for a longer period, we recommend taking one of these tours. The river is one of the most special places in this part of Georgia, and the boat itself is a sight to behold.

For better or worse, if you book a cruise in Savannah, you don't get to choose which places you visit. In reality, it's a linear route where you leave and return to the same pier.

In any case, I recommend paying close attention to your surroundings, as you'll have the opportunity to see the city from the perspective of the river that was one of the most important trade routes in the entire region for many centuries.

This tour is also one of the best things to do in Savannah during Christmas, as you'll get to see the Riverfront area decorated in the best festive style.

Booking a cruise in Savannah is recommended simply because it allows you to explore an area of the city or at least its surroundings at a low cost and in a completely safe way.

At the same time, it's an activity that doesn't take up your whole day and allows you to combine it with other equally interesting events so that you can complete your list of places you want to see in the city. Therefore, a boat tour is something you could do after participating in one of the best food tours in Savannah, or even before, in the case of a night tour focused on dining.

And if it's a boat tour that also includes the possibility of dining with live entertainment, then you would be enjoying a completely unique experience at a very reasonable price.

Booking a cruise in Savannah will always be a better option than going out on a boat on your own for a variety of reasons. Want to know why?

• On a boat like this, you'll never have to worry about hiring a sailor, let alone planning a sailing route. This is something you would have to do if you paid for an individual boat for your family group.
• The budget is another factor to consider, since if you rent a boat for your group, the rates would double or even triple. This is logical, since renting a boat for a group of people is not cheap, especially knowing that you have to pay a sailor to drive the boat.
• You will learn more, as on your own you could miss many details about the history of this community, since many of the guided tours include a specialist who gives a talk that is of the same quality as some of the best history tours in Savannah.