The early-morning sun cast kaleidoscopic patterns through the lush trees in Forsyth Park onto the verandah of the eponymous inn that was my home for a couple of days in the Savannah Historic District, one of the most beautiful historic districts in the United States.

I was enjoying breakfast al fresco at Forsyth Park Inn, rising slowly with the city as joggers and dog walkers began their daily rituals in the park. Passing through the tall windows in the parlor to access the verandah, I had taken a seat between the rocking chairs and was falling in love, not for the first time, with genteel Savannah, a small city I am quite obsessed with. Even now, barely awake and awaiting my morning meal, just in this little part of town, I was already enamored by the gorgeous homes around my inn, the welcoming park across the street, Spanish moss dripping off the live oak trees, flowers in bloom, the asphalt blocks paving the side street. It promised to be another perfect day, and it all began with breakfast, which varies daily. One day may be orange juice, a warmed orange half with melted brown sugar, eggs, and grits; the next will bring apple juice, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs with spinach, and a biscuit with sausage gravy.

Charged for the day, I crossed the street for a better view of the inn. Built in 1893 as a private residence, this Queen Anne Victorian was repurposed as the 12-room Forsyth Park Inn in the 1980s. Its white and bright yellow paint job maintains a chipper presence. Two stories of bay windows, the verandah with balustrades and Ionic columns, and two chimneys that push up from the roof, with a couple of gables and trimmed with brackets and dentils, add to the historic charm of the inn and, indeed, the city itself.

Behind the inn, a serene courtyard garden invites you to sit outdoors, listen to the calming trickle of water in the fountain, and revel in the city that General Sherman thankfully spared from his destructive march to the sea during the Civil War.

The free shuttle that loops around the historic district, with a stop conveniently right outside the inn, passes by every 20 minutes or so for easy access to all the district’s attractions. But Savannah is an eminently walkable city, practically begging to be experienced by foot. That’s the best way to explore its nooks and crannies, where every street seems to draw your attention with its stellar architecture, brick streets, abundant vegetation, and hidden gems.

When I returned from hours of strolling through seductive squares and enchanting streets, down to the riverfront, about a mile away, I passed through the lobby, complete with a grand staircase with twisted rope balusters, a leftover detail from when the home was owned by a Nova Scotian sea captain. I retired to my room, making sure to pick up my complementary nightly dessert, along with an unlimited supply of sweetened iced tea. My spacious ground-floor room, with a private entrance apart from the rest of the inn, featured a queen sleigh bed, fireplace, original heart pine floors, and Jacuzzi tub. Quiet and comfortable, it’s a wonderful place to tuck yourself in for the night after a day exploring America’s most beautiful city.

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