Known and named for its pink hue, The Olde Pink House is a favorite among tourists in Savannah. The menu is distinctly Southern, like fried green tomatoes and fried chicken, and maintains a fabulous reputation throughout the city. The savanna is prone to flooding, due to abundant rainfall, the elevation just above sea level and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater risk of storm surges during hurricanes. Located east of Savannah, on a swampy island, it has a 2-mile (3.2 km) nature trail that runs through maritime forests, salt marshes and freshwater wetlands.
Whether you're going to Hostess City for the first time or you just can't stay away for long, you'll want to see at least some of the 22 best things to do in Savannah, Georgia. While many locals, such as Taylor and Osbourne, recommend visiting the coastal community for at least three nights, Savannah is one of those places where travelers can return time and time again to enjoy something new on every trip. Savannah's main television stations are WSAV-TV, channel 3 (NBC); WTOC-TV, channel 11 (CBS); WJCL, channel 22 (ABC); and WTGS, channel 28 (Fox). Savannah is also home to Gulfstream Aerospace, a manufacturer of private jets, as well as other large industrial companies.
The world-renowned American novelist Flannery O'Connor grew up in Savannah, and her childhood home still stands today at 207 East Charlton Street. Instead of destroying Savannah as he did Atlanta, Sherman sent a telegraph from Savannah, with its tidy squares and lush vegetation, to President Lincoln offering the city as a Christmas present. Beyond its architectural importance as the largest historically restored urban area in the country, the city of Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene, offering cultural events throughout the year. The Savannah Technical College, a two-year institution, and the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, a marine science research institute at the University of Georgia located on the northern tip of Skidaway Island, also offer educational programs.
The Savannah Fire Department serves the city of Savannah, and there are separate municipal firefighting organizations in other parts of Chatham County. Some parts of the East Coast Greenway, a 5,000-kilometer (3,000 mile) long trail system from Maine to Florida, run through Savannah. In 1751, Savannah and the rest of Georgia became a royal colony and Savannah became the colonial capital of Georgia. The Port of Savannah, manufacturing industry, military and tourism have become Savannah's four main economic engines in the 21st century.
Savannah is characterized by its 22 squares, small parks arranged along five historic streets that go from north to south. Although summers in Savannah are often sunny, half of Savannah's annual rainfall falls during the months of June to September.