Savannah, Georgia, has long been promoted as one of America’s most graceful and walkable cities. When I returned last year, I expected that reputation to hold. It did not.

Laid out in 1733 by James Oglethorpe, a British general and colonial administrator, the city is defined by more than 20 public squares — small urban parks framed by churches, townhouses and other historic buildings. Spanish moss drapes from live oaks. For anyone drawn to Southern heritage, Savannah should be irresistible.

It once was. I had a memorable visit years earlier, which is why I looked forward to returning. Instead, the trip was overshadowed by widespread homelessness and open-air drug use.

Many of the squares, the city’s defining civic feature, had effectively been overtaken. Benches and bushes served as makeshift encampments. In several places, the smell of marijuana hung in the air.

At Reynolds Square, a bronze statue honors John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who preached in Savannah as an Anglican priest. It should be a place for quiet reflection. Instead, it was a site of overt drug use. People injected and smoked in broad daylight. The odor was unmistakable. There was no visible police presence.

This was not an isolated incident. Similar scenes repeated across the city.

A leisurely stroll, particularly in the early morning, became an exercise in caution: watching where to step, skirting encampments and avoiding potential confrontations.

The squares function as Savannah’s civic living room. They set the city apart from peers such as Charleston and New Orleans. When they are compromised, so is the city’s identity.

Homelessness is a challenge in many large American cities. It is often tolerated or excused away. But Savannah is not New York or Chicago. With a population of roughly 150,000, it trades on Southern hospitality, walkability and history. Visitors come for weddings, anniversaries and heritage tourism. They book boutique hotels expecting a certain standard.

Even at the Andaz, a four-star hotel in Hyatt’s portfolio, lobby restrooms were kept locked to prevent non-guests from using them — a small but telling sign of eroding public order.

Since my visit, Savannah has taken steps to respond.

The city adopted an ordinance prohibiting urban camping. By late 2025, police had issued 179 citations and made 15 arrests, according to published reports. Enforcement appears to be increasing, though results are not immediate.

Savannah’s beauty is real. Its Oglethorpe plan remains one of the most distinctive urban designs in the country. Its architecture endures. But beauty requires maintenance: clean, safe public spaces, consistent enforcement and policies that prioritize residents and visitors alike.

For now, I am in no hurry to return. There are other destinations where a long-planned trip is not marred by conditions no historic American city should tolerate. Savannah can reclaim its squares and its promise, but only with sustained commitment from its leaders.

If you go

I stayed at the Andaz, which has an unbeatable location. Alternatives include the Perry Lane Hotel, which is part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection brand.

For restaurants, consider Circa 1875 French Bistro, Chart House and River House Seafood.

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post.

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/travel-one-of-americas-prettiest-cities-has-a-problem.html