City Market, Broughton Street Shopping & the Hip Starland District (Starland Yard)

While the 22 squares are peaceful residential parks, Savannah's shopping, live music, coffee roasters and evening energy are concentrated in three distinct commercial districts running from north to south.

1. City Market (Between Ellis & Franklin Squares) & Ellis Square

Operating since the 1750s as the public market of Savannah, four pedestrianised brick blocks between West Julian and West Bryan Streets form Savannah City Market. Stroll through the open-air courtyard for live blues and acoustic music, browse upstairs artists' lofts in the restored 19th-century brick warehouses, and sample crisp peach cookies at Byrd Cookie Company, baking since 1924. Immediately east lies restored Ellis Square, featuring interactive ground-level water jets and giant outdoor chess.

2. Broughton Street: The Paris Market & 1919 Leopold's Ice Cream

One block south of Bay Street runs Broughton Street, Savannah's historic commercial boulevard, revitalised with wide brick pavements and cast-iron awnings:

• The Paris Market & Brocante (36 W Broughton St): step inside an 1874 Victorian department store styled after a Parisian flea market and cabinet of curiosities, complete with a marble-counter French café serving macarons and lavender lattes.
• Leopold's Ice Cream (212 E Broughton St, Operating Since 1919): founded in 1919 by three Greek brothers and run today by film producer Stratton Leopold, visitors queue for a scoop of Tutti-Frutti (rum ice cream with candied Georgia pecans and maraschino cherries) or Savannah Socialite served from the original black-marble soda fountain.
• SCAD Museum of Art & Trustees Theater: at the western end of Broughton and Turner Blvd, visit the contemporary SCAD Museum of Art built into the brick ruins of an 1853 railway depot.

3. The Starland District (Bull Street South of Forsyth Park)

Walk or ride the free DOT Shuttle or Bus 14 ten minutes south of Forsyth Park down Bull Street into the Thomas Square and Starland District around Bull and 40th Streets. Converted mid-century service stations and warehouses house vintage record shops (Graveface Records & Curiosities), Foxy Loxy Print Gallery & Cafe, Back in the Day Bakery, and Starland Yard (2411 De Soto Ave), an outdoor courtyard with rotating food trucks, wood-fired pizza and craft beer.