Savannah riverboat: where to board

Where the boat is

The boat is at the dock on River Street, across from the Riverboat Ticket Office at 9 East River Street, near Olympia Cafe and River Street Sweets. River Street is a commercial street and promenade along the southern edge of the Savannah River. Its most well-known section runs below City Hall and Yamacraw Bluff to its eastern end. East River Street consists largely of restaurants, cafés and craft shops, so you can find your way by the shopfronts as well as by the water. Several riverboats are berthed beside it, so look for the dock across from the ticket office. The ticket gives one meeting point, the ticket office, so there is no second place to find.

Collect your tickets first

You collect tickets at the Riverboat Ticket Office, not at the boat. The ticket says to pick them up at 9 East River Street, and the boat is across from the office, at the dock. The booking page shows the starting times for your date, and your confirmation repeats them. Treat the ticket office as your first stop and arrive with a margin, because the ticket is plain that a missed boat is not refunded. If you are travelling in a group, check that every confirmation shows the same starting time and the same ticket office address. Have your confirmation and your passport or ID card to hand at the office, since the ticket asks you to bring one of them.

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Parking

Driving takes the most planning. The ticket says to allow an extra 30 to 60 minutes to find parking in downtown Savannah, and it names the public lots on River Street, the lots at Bay Street level and the Bryan Street Parking Garage. Parking is not part of the ticket, so check the sign before you leave the car. A car is not essential: River Street runs for 2 miles along the river, and ramps from Bay Street reach it from the historic district. A walk from a downtown hotel is often the simplest way to arrive on time. Whichever way you come, plan to reach the ticket office before the starting time on your confirmation.

The drop down to River Street

River Street sits around 40 feet below Bay Street, at the foot of the bluff Savannah was built on. Downtown stands on that bluff, and River Street was the working level below it. The height was good for defence but made movement between the waterfront and the city above difficult, which is why Factors Walk and its ramps exist. The street has Belgian block paving, so wear flat, closed shoes, and note that the operator recommends comfortable shoes. If anyone in your party finds stairs hard, the ramps are the gentler route down from Bay Street. In the dark the stones are uneven underfoot, so take the ramp slowly afterwards too.

Boarding and on board

The ticket describes a round-trip cruise with a captain and crew. The operator's site calls the Georgia Queen a paddlewheel riverboat with multiple decks and elegant dining spaces, and says both of its boats have onboard restrooms. You eat in the dining space, and a top deck is open for the evening air. Alcoholic drinks are for purchase, tips are not included and parking is separate, so those are the extras to plan for. Group rates and event packages are available from the operator for a large party. The ticket lists a round-trip cruise, so you come back to the dock where you boarded. Reviewers describe a friendly crew, a clean, spacious boat and servers who looked after the table, so expect service in the main dining space.

What to wear

On the operator's site the dress code is not strict: casual clothes are common on sightseeing cruises, and dinner cruises and events see more polished outfits. It recommends comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Savannah's climate is humid subtropical, with hot, humid summers and frequent but brief thunderstorms, and mild, sunny winters. Pack a thin jacket for the open deck once the sun is down, in any season, and a compact bag beats a bulky one on a boat with several decks and stairs. Leave the heels at the hotel, because the walk to the dock crosses cobbles. Summer storms are brief, so a short shower rarely changes the plan.

Rain, tides and the river

The cruise operates rain or shine, so a forecast shower is not a reason to skip a booking, and an umbrella is one more thing to leave at the hotel. The Savannah River is tidal at the city. In the nineteenth century its sandy channel changed so often that it caused numerous steamboat accidents, and the paddlewheel boats you see at River Street belong to that long river tradition. The riverfront is also a working port, so expect large ships on the water. Summer brings frequent but brief thunderstorms, and the evening air is humid, so a thin jacket and a dry bag for a phone are worth carrying. Check the forecast the day before, and expect the evening air to be humid in summer.

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Access

Wheelchair access is marked on the ticket. The operator says both of its riverboats are accessible on the main decks, that the Georgia Queen has an elevator and accessible restrooms and that the Savannah River Queen has no elevator to its upper levels. The operator recommends contacting it in advance, and that is wise if anyone in your party needs the top deck, because the approach to River Street also involves ramps and cobbles. Ask which boat your sailing uses, and ask about the dining space and the restrooms for your own needs. Allow extra time at the ticket office if anyone needs help with boarding, and mention it when you collect the tickets.

After the cruise

East River Street consists largely of restaurants, cafés and craft shops, and Rousakis Riverfront Plaza, a half-mile-long pedestrian promenade, runs along it. After the cruise it makes an easy walk beside the water, and the ramps lead back up to Bay Street, which sits around 40 feet above River Street. Watch your footing on the cobbles at night. If you want to read the waterfront before you board, the riverfront guide names the bridge, the warehouses and the Waving Girl statue, so that the shapes on the bank mean something when you pass them. Ships on the river sometimes pass within yards of the promenade.

Read next: What you see from the Savannah River

Who this isn't for

Anyone who needs a step-free route to every deck should look elsewhere: one boat has no elevator to its upper levels, and the approach to River Street involves ramps and cobbles. Nor is it for guests who want silence or a commentary-led tour: the evening is a buffet with live, amplified music. And if you cannot allow time for parking, plan to walk from your hotel instead, because a missed sailing is not refunded. The ticket lists English as the host's language. Anyone who dislikes stairs between decks should also think twice, since guests describe moving between several floors to hear different music.

Before you go: a short list

Check these five things the day before, and then leave the rest to the crew.

• Your confirmation: the starting time and the ticket office address.
• A passport or an ID card.
• Comfortable shoes for cobbles and ramps.
• A thin jacket for the open deck.
• Your parking plan, with 30 to 60 minutes in hand.
• Your ID and the ticket office address, saved on your phone.
• A plan for the walk back up to Bay Street afterwards.
• The starting time, checked in your confirmation.
• A way to pay for drinks, since alcohol is for purchase.