What will you find along River Street?
River Street runs along the south bank of the Savannah River at the base of a steep bluff, a cobblestoned waterfront strip that was once the commercial engine of the American cotton trade. The massive brick warehouses that line the street were built in the 18th and 19th centuries to store cotton, rice, and other goods before they were loaded onto ships bound for Liverpool, Le Havre, and ports around the world. Savannah was one of the busiest cotton ports in the United States, and these warehouses — some built with ballast stones from incoming trade ships — were the physical infrastructure of that wealth. Today the warehouses have been converted into restaurants, art galleries, candy shops, pubs, and boutiques, but their massive original timbers, exposed brick, and iron hardware remain visible, preserving the industrial character beneath the tourist-friendly veneer. The most striking feature of River Street is its working port. This is not a museum waterfront or a decommissioned harbor — enormous container ships pass within a few hundred feet of the restaurant patios, guided by tugboats through the narrow channel. The Savannah port is one of the busiest on the East Coast, and watching a ship the length of three football fields glide silently past while you eat lunch creates an experience available in few other American cities. The cobblestones underfoot are themselves historical artifacts: ballast stones carried by trade ships from across the Atlantic and used to pave the street, creating the uneven but characterful surface that has become one of River Street's defining features. Steep staircases and a pedestrian bridge connect River Street to the bluff-top Historic District above, making it easy to combine waterfront dining with a walk through the squares.