Mass Tourism Has Ruined Savannah (Perry, Pooler: theater, cost, post office)

[Jack Apple]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

To review.
Savannah is a precious jewel. She’s been around since 1733.

Since I’m from the north, nobody wants to hear what has already worked elsewhere. They would rather reinvent the wheel. Fine, but Savannah should start being pro active, instead of playing catch up.

I do.
I wouldn't.
I would like to read more of your ideas about this, please.

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

Originally Posted by SavannahLife

https://www.wjcl.com/article/benjami...rpool/39841479
You're talking about Savannah? It's interesting it's so touristy given the higher than national average per capita (emphasis, per capita) violent crime. While I haven't been, I understand NOLA is a similar city in both regards. I suppose maybe tourists think, it won't happen to me. I have a hunch (maybe right maybe not) high crime is also perhaps why Yamacraw village is being demolished. They will get housing vouchers for areas like Pooler, southside etc. I suppose the theory is the crime won't be concentrated as much. I hope one day we can get crime down here to average. I always thought more after school activities and better paid cops and teachers and more of both would help.

I always thought Tybee was actually pretty good, in terms of crowding. Even in the summer it's less than Daytona or Myrtle Beach. I think because it's so far from Savannah it kind of limits the number of people that want to make the trek all the way out there. (only thing is, leaving taking so long! but solution is... stay out until late in the evening which is fun anyway) I like Tybee more each year. And on the off season it's great!

I'm not talking about Savannah being crime ridden, I'm talking about other places that are and also have no tourists.

[CampinMom]

Just a question. Were the people who do code enforcement downtown, originally hired as Ambassadors to help people get around the city?? I seem to remember that was the case when we first moved here. Now they’ve morphed into sneaky and rude ticketing enforcement. They are the ones that are making it hard for locals to make a living downtown these days. A couple of them need to be reined in by the city. You don’t reach into a window to grab a person’s lanyard. I’ve seen people quit their jobs over the rough treatment by a few that have let their position go to their heads.

When did they change their job descriptions?

[wp169]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Sorry to say, but our family will be adding to your nightmare in a few weeks for college graduation weekend.

We can't get dinner reservations at a decent time at any of the top restaurants booking ~1 month out! Looks like we'll be eating dinner at 9pm in mid-May. We'll head right back to our vrbo afterwards, & have cocktails there to avoid the debauchery.

My wife & I used to go to Savannah together on business back in the mid-90's for overnights, & it was much more enjoyable back then, than it is now....during the Spring & Summer especially. Off-season is the time to go now.

Great places all across the coastal South have been ruined by Northerners fleeing their cold overpriced areas...not just Savannah. Florida had 118M visitors in 2021, & so far this year, its seems worse. Charleston & HHI are no picnic either.

For decades, Northerners made fun of the South, & now they all want to be here...ugh! I like their cash flowing into our economies, but not much else.

I guess that is why Pooler is booming now...former Savannah residents fleeing the hoards.

I've lived practically my entire life in the north except for 10 years in Florida back in the 90's, but I have never heard one person say anything bad about southerners, ever, and I was exposed to many people during my career. Yet, when I went to a southern state to visit relatives I was called "Yankee" by their neighbors, but it was all in good fun, sure...

[Otis Street]

Savannah is a place I've long wanted to visit, but after reading these posts it doesn't seem like a good idea. Glad I read these though. Sounds like 1) Savannah has turned into a tourist trap and little remains of what I was thinking I'd want to visit and 2) It sounds like locals have decidedly hostile sentiments toward tourists. Not casting aspersions, in fact I can't blame local people for feeling this way. Sounds like outside mass tourism has created a place no longer recognizable, and no one enjoys feeling their hometown has changed beyond recognition.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by Otis Street

Savannah is a place I've long wanted to visit, but after reading these posts it doesn't seem like a good idea. Glad I read these though. Sounds like 1) Savannah has turned into a tourist trap and little remains of what I was thinking I'd want to visit and 2) It sounds like locals have decidedly hostile sentiments toward tourists. Not casting aspersions, in fact I can't blame local people for feeling this way. Sounds like outside mass tourism has created a place no longer recognizable, and no one enjoys feeling their hometown has changed beyond recognition.

There are the sentiments you mentioned, but they aren’t overt. You should still come. I live outside of Savannah, so haven’t been downtown in awhile, but lately I’ve been visiting one of the hospitals, and have opted to drive home through the historic district. I was reminded how beautiful and special it is.

Don’t come on St Patrick’s Day, or a holiday weekend, but during the week, when the tourists are lighter, and just become part of the daily hum of life in Savannah, like folks jogging in Forsyth Park, or walking their dogs in the squares, and grabbing a meal at the many cafes. Sit by the river and watch the container ships go by.

Definitely, still come.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by Jack Apple

I do.
I wouldn't.
I would like to read more of your ideas about this, please.

This is my experience only, and I’m sure there are also bad northern school systems, but for what it’s worth...

My biggest complaint right now is the unwieldy, poor performing school system in Chatham County. I do not really have a dog in the fight, but it seems like only common sense that when something isn’t working, you break it down into manageable parts. It’s like the old saying about how to eat an elephant....

Here, the children are bussed far from home, the busses don’t have enough drivers, so they run late. Up north, my schools and my children’s schools were within walking or biking distance. Community schools encourage parental involvement. The school yard was a gathering place for kids to play, even in the summer.

Here, the school board keeps asking for more and more money, and they always get it. Yet, the schools are low rated. In the north, every school levy had to be voted in, and it took several belt tightenings before the voters said yes. Still, the high schools turned out graduates who went on to top colleges.

Here, parents who can afford it, send their kids to private schools. If you can’t, well too bad. In the north, very few kids went to private school, because they were getting a decent education.

I am not personally affected by Savannah government, since I live in Pooler, but I hear that it is fraught with cronyism over competence. The Police Department has had a revolving door of chiefs and so has the city manager job.

I only wound up in Pooler by accident, but I’m so thankful we have our own governance, police and fire, etc. Now if only we had our own schools.

[Otis Street]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

There are the sentiments you mentioned, but they aren’t overt. You should still come. I live outside of Savannah, so haven’t been downtown in awhile, but lately I’ve been visiting one of the hospitals, and have opted to drive home through the historic district. I was reminded how beautiful and special it is.

Don’t come on St Patrick’s Day, or a holiday weekend, but during the week, when the tourists are lighter, and just become part of the daily hum of life in Savannah, like folks jogging in Forsyth Park, or walking their dogs in the squares, and grabbing a meal at the many cafes. Sit by the river and watch the container ships go by.

Definitely, still come.

Good points... there have to be parts of the city where life goes on as usual, and if I'm not doing "tourist things" I won't be stuck with a bunch of other tourists or contributing to the larger problem. It'll take more research to find the right activities, because it's always easier to go with the standard packages... easier but not as rewarding. Thanks for mentioning this!

[centralfloridaroadgeek]

As someone who has been visiting Savannah since when I was born (1986) because my parents are from Savannah. And our relatives live there. I have notice the increase in tourism over the years too. Live in Brevard County, Florida and people use to be like "where the heck is Savannah, GA?!" when me and my immediate family brought it up in conversations. Now when we mention Savannah, people know. Also I noticed the gentrification in my maternal grandmother’s neighborhood too.

And recently, me and my immediate family visited family there. I noticed heavy traffic when we exit off of I-95 at GA 204/Abercorn Expwy on a Sunday coming in. I can’t recall ever running into heavy traffic on the weekend coming in town to visit family.

[gentlearts]

Here’s the thing. We live in a bubble. We are planning to have dinner on Christmas Eve downtown. The following week, we will bring friends downtown to planet riverside. Savannah is beautiful, but it’s better when you can in and out. If you visit, be walking distance to Bay St. Parking is a *****.