Our Trip To Savannah, Georgia: Paula Deen and More!

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My husband teases me that I’m the “queen of the tack-on.” I can always come up with somewhere else I’d like to stop while we’re out. Whether it’s a Target order pickup after church, a stop at the “good Dollar Tree” when we’re on that side of town, or a visit to my favorite clothing store when it’s next to the place we’re shopping for a kitchen appliance – I do love a tack-on!

Needless to say, he was not surprised when I came up with a tack-on to our recent Disney vacation. I’ve always wanted to visit Savannah, Georgia, and it’s exactly half way between here and Orlando.

Paul sweetly obliged, as he usually does, and we left a day early to make our stop in Savannah!

I’m a huge fan of Paula Deen. The main reason I wanted to visit Savannah was to eat at the newest restaurant in her franchise, The Chicken Box. It’s a takeout lunch spot connected to The Lady and Sons Restaurant and is operated by Paula’s son Jamie.

I was so disappointed that we just missed meeting Jamie – the other employees said he left for the day right before we arrived – but the food was delicious! I had their sandwich trio with chicken salad, egg salad, and pimento cheese.

They also have a hot bar featuring the same food you can order in The Lady and Sons Restaurant, which is connected to The Chicken Box. Paul went that route and had fried chicken, mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. He said everything was delicious, especially the chicken.

This is a great option if you come to Savannah and aren’t able to get a reservation at The Lady and Sons – and it’s a little cheaper!

The Chicken Box doesn’t have indoor seating, so we grabbed a chair in the waiting area for The Lady and Sons.

One of the employees came out and chatted with us. She’s worked for Paula Deen for about fifteen years and said that Paula is the kindest, most generous lady who treats her employees like family. She said, “Paula just takes care of everyone.”

They were resetting the Paula Deen store and taking down all the Christmas merchandise, but I still enjoyed looking at all the lovely items. This store is much smaller than the one in Pigeon Forge, although the lady we talked to said it’s Paula’s favorite.

If you’re visiting Savannah, check the schedule to see if the store will be hosting a book signing with Paula while you’re in town.

After lunch we explored downtown Savannah. There are lots of shops, bakeries, and upscale stores to check out.

the most comfortable tennis shoes I’ve ever worn

I have to say, we were a little underwhelmed by downtown Savannah as a whole. Granted we visited on a cold, gray Monday during their off-season, but parts of the downtown were super sketchy. I was glad to be with my 6’2″ husband!

One of my favorite things about South Carolina and Georgia is that it’s green and pretty year round. I love these trees with the moss just dripping down from the branches, and was thrilled to find blooms in January!

There are lots of historic homes and buildings in Savannah. We enjoyed taking in the architecture and imagining all the history that has taken place here.

I was glad I booked a hotel outside of downtown. We stayed in nearby Pooler, Georgia, just a few minutes from the Tanger Outlets. I definitely recommend checking out this area – they have every store and chain restaurant you’d want! The outlets have several green spaces, a playground, and a children’s museum.

If you need a tack-on destination on your way to Orlando, Savannah is a good place for it. Eat at one of Paula Deen’s restaurants, be prepared to pay for parking downtown, stick to the nicer side of the city, and hit the outlets! 🙂

Read More:

• Your Guide To A Girls’ Weekend in Greenville, South Carolina
• Making Paula Deen’s Famous Fried Pork Chops