5 Neighborhoods Savannah

Why it made the list: The largest National Historic Landmark district in the country: 22 leafy squares strung through a grid of antebellum mansions, church spires and Spanish moss. Simply wandering it, square to square, is the whole point of Savannah.

Why it made the list: The cobblestoned riverfront below the bluff, lined with old cotton warehouses turned into candy shops, pubs and souvenir stores, with giant cargo ships gliding past close enough to wave at. It's touristy but genuinely atmospheric.

Why it made the list: A restored four-block market district around Ellis Square, full of open-air cafes, art studios, live music and horse-drawn carriages. It's the easygoing social center of downtown, day and night.

Why it made the list: Savannah's creative, indie heart just south of Forsyth Park, where a former dairy and old storefronts have filled with muraled walls, vintage shops, craft breweries and some of the city's best young restaurants. It's where locals actually hang out.

Why it made the list: Just below Forsyth Park, block after block of ornate, gingerbread-trimmed Victorian houses in candy colors, quieter and more residential than the squares but every bit as photogenic. It's a lovely, low-key stroll.