The Pros and Cons of Fall in Savannah

If you’re trying to pick the best time to visit Savannah and have landed on one of the fall months… congratulations! You’ve picked my favorite season of the year.

Fall in Savannah is spectacular — particularly during October and November when the weather is perfect for festivals and outdoor dining.

If you’re trying to narrow down exactly when to visit, I can help. I live in Savannah and run a Facebook group about the city, so I’m happy to share the pros and cons of the season, as well as some of my favorite fall photos.

Collage of three images showing fall scenes in Savannah -- one of a ship statue on River Street with fall color in the background, one close-up of a tree with yellow leaves and Spanish moss in Forsyth Park, and one of a home in the Historic District with fall hues in the landscaping

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Pros of Fall in Savannah

Let’s cover the perks first, since there are so many good reasons to visit…

Temperatures are milder, especially mid-October through November.
It rains less, and humidity levels dip as the season progresses.
Hurricane chances lessen after a seasonal peak in mid September.
Expect fall festivals, food festivals, music festivals, and the SAV Film Fest.
SCAD students return to class in September, so the city feels more vibrant.
Savannah is known as a spooky Halloween destination.
The Gothic architecture helps enhance the city’s spooky vibes.
There’s no shortage of ghost tours in Savannah.
There are plenty of haunted houses to visit and spooky hotels to stay in.
You can even dine at a handful of haunted restaurants!
There are plenty of events during September, October, and November.
It’s an ideal time to tour Bonaventure Cemetery or Wormsloe Historic Site.
Fall is perfect for outdoor dining at Savannah’s most dog-friendly restaurants.
Speaking of pets, Wag-o-Ween is super cute and fun for the whole family.
The Southern live oaks are nearly evergreen, so they never appear completely bare.
Forsyth Park is planted with winter grass, so the park stays green year-round.
The Spanish moss hangs from the trees year-round, too.
Plenty of restaurants stay open for Thanksgiving, so the city makes a nice holiday destination.

Cons of Fall in Savannah

Luckily, the downsides to visiting during the fall season are few and far between.

Atlantic hurricane season doesn’t fully end until November 30th.
The city doesn’t have a ton of seasonal color, since most trees are evergreen.
Winter (December) is actually the peak month for fall color in Savannah.
Daylight Savings Time ends the first Sunday in November, so there are fewer daylight hours to explore the city towards the end of the season.
Ghost tours are so popular during October that it’s a bit obnoxious to have all of the hearses and ghost tour trolleys circling the streets, and the walking ghost tours get so full they often block the sidewalks.

Some Favorite Autumn Photos

I already mentioned that fall color isn’t abundant in Savannah, but it’s out there!

Don’t expect much during September or early October, but look in areas like Colonial Park Cemetery, Forsyth Park, or throughout the Historic District towards the end of October and during November.

Close-up of a branch with dark bluish-purple berries on a branch draped in Spanish moss during fall in Savannah

Tree with tiny bluish-purple berries and yellow leaves next to an old lamppost on an overcast fall day in Savannah's Colonial Park Cemetery

Front entrance to an elegant mansion surrounded by fall color in Savannah GA

Yellow leaves surrounded by Spanish moss on a tree in Forsyth Park

A couple walks their dogs on a crisp fall day in Savannah. The grass and shrubbery in Forsyth Park are green, while a tree in the foreground displays seasonal yellow and orange leaves

Photography Tips

Look for detail shots to showcase the arrival of fall in the city:
Spanish moss hanging from the branches of a colorful tree, pumpkins lining a staircase, or seasonal plants in the window boxes of a home.

Due to temperature shifts, sometimes a nice fog settles over the city during the early morning or late evening hours, so you can get good shots if you’re an early riser or a night owl!

The famous "wedding cake house" in Savannah is a tan/yellow tone with detailed white trim. The Mansard-style roof has red tiles and features multiple dormer windows

Peering through tree branches towards the gold dome of Savannah's City Hall enveloped in fog

Colorful orange and yellow berries on a holly plant with green waxy leaves

Gothic-style entryway to a home in Savannah. The front door is painted black with a lion knocker, and a gas lantern made from cast iron casts a warm glow over the greenery in planters on the stairs

Gothic-style entryway to a home in Savannah. The double front door is painted black with a lion knockers, and a gas lantern casts a warm glow over beautiful marbled stairs. Two pumpkins are randomly placed on the stairs

Detailed wrought-iron staircase railing decorated with red bows and surrounded by greenery in planters. A tree in the foreground displays red and orange fall color

The Propeller Club Memorial Fountain sprays water from a metal ship sculpture. Fall color is visible in the foliage in the background

A small garden tucked into the cubby of a brick home displays greenery with slight tinges of yellow and orange, signaling the beginning of the fall season in Savannah

Savannah Travel Guide

I hope this post was helpful! If you’re planning a trip to the city, my Savannah First-Timer’s Guide combines my most helpful tips from this website into one downloadable ebook.

When you purchase the guide, you’ll also gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions about your trip and get advice from others who have recently visited.

If you have any questions about the fall season, please let me know in the comments below.

Erin authored the Savannah First-Timer's Guide and loves helping first-time visitors plan their trips. She lives in the artsy Starland District and enjoys exploring Savannah's hidden gems, as well as the surrounding Lowcountry.