Savannah is a city wholly devoted to it's past. As any one of the ubiquitous tour guides will tell you, the seminal event in Savannah's recent history was the razing of a town square, specifically Ellis Square, to build a parking garage back in the fifties. That act so appalled the women of The Historic Savannah Foundation that they were moved raised money to save another historic property, called The Davenport House, which had been slated to be turned into a parking lot for a funeral home. From there, the town was off and running down the road to renovation. The impulse to save Savannah's historic buildings, most of which had fallen into severe disrepair and were mere fodder for mini-mall developers, overtook Savannans with the power of a religious vision. Fifty years later that impulse shows no sign of waning.

The latest big announcement for them is that same hideous facility, now called City Market parking structure, will be demolished and the parking facility moved underground, so that Ellis Square can be recreated and Savannans can reclaim another section of their history. This gives local tour guides shivers of delight. And knowing Savannans, they will expend a great deal of effort to determine exactly what the square originally looked like, right down to location of the ant hills circa 1854. To give you some idea of how deep the inclination to restore is in Savannah, the pre-eminent educational institution in Savannah is SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, which claims the entire historic district as their campus, runs classes in restored buildings, and offers a degree program in historical preservation. They even have dorm rooms in a reclaimed Howard Johnson's motel from the '60s. Needless to say, attention to detail will be paramount.

So while the rest of the country labors to legislate and regulate quaint, old-fashioned neighborhoods into existence (including its more posh northerly neighbor Hilton Head, SC), Savannah has been restoring the real deal for decades. If you are one of those folks who watch HGTV and This Old House, this city is your wet dream.

Folks in Savannah refer to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil as simply "The Book." Although in contrast to, say, Montana, where they sneer at visitors who come to fly-fish the streams like Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It, they kind of like all the book tourists in Savannah. The only exception being at the Mercer House where The Book's key character, Jim Williams, lived. You can tour the Mercer House, but mention of The Book is forbidden; they weren't particularly pleased with the portrayal of Williams in The Book.

The bird-girl statue on the cover of The Book had to be moved from Bonaventure cemetery where is stood comparatively unnoticed for years until that cover pic. It now resides in the Telfair Museum where it can be safe from pigeon bombardiers and other vandals.

Chances are you've seen bits and pieces of Savannah, even if you've never been there. The profuse historic authenticity has attracted scores of filmmakers over the years. Remember Forrest Gump sitting on a bench while ruminating on the metaphysical nature of chocolate candies? That was Chippewa Square. The Legend of Bagger Vance (Will Smith) was partially set here, as was the Something to Talk About (Julia Roberts) and some scenes of the original Cape Fear (Robert Mitchum). Savannah Now has the full list of them all.

That's not to say, there is nothing but history. There is also food and drink. Start at City Market; a couple of closed off blocks full of shops and restaurants. You wanna talk genuine? Try a slice of pepperoni at Vinnie Van Go-Go's. That's a real pizza joint, kiddies -- looks like a head shop that suddenly went legit.

Down the street you'll find the now famous Lady and Sons restaurant founded by the Oprah-show heroine Paula Deen. I can't tell you how good the food is, but some folks must like it because there was a four hour wait for a table -- reservations not accepted. Walk a little further and you stumble across the Olde Pink House, probably the best restaurant in the city, situated, not surprisingly, in a historic landmark house from the late 18th century.

For a decent brew try the Moon River Brewery (Yes, that Moon River), or for something more on the edge, check out Jinx (formerly The Velvet Elvis) to catch a taste of the local music scene. You could also wait in line at Club One to see Lady Chablis, the female impersonator made famous by -- you guessed it -- The Book.

There are tons of restaurants along River Street, which can be thought of as something like a French Quarter on a very small scale. This is main area of tourist convergence. Plenty of t-shirt shops and assorted crap stores, but also a good place to grab a beer on a hot day, and something from the raw bar perhaps. Street musicians -- some good, some mediocre, some who need to be killed -- play all day long. Stroll the cobblestone street and look out over the Savannah River. Even here, the buildings are clearly handed down from history, the one glaring exception being the Hyatt; it may be a fine hotel and very conveniently located, but it sticks out like a sore thumb.

If you want to stay on River Street but still be in synch with the scene, a better choice is the River Street Inn. At the risk of sounding like a tape loop, The River Street Inn has plenty of historical pedigree; it is identified as one of the Historic Hotels of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Luckily, you don't sacrifice comfort or service for the authentic atmosphere, although you will have a nice slow ride in a historic elevator. The rooms are large and tastefully styled. Some have four-poster beds, balconies, or Jacuzzis. Service is chop-chop.

More authentic still would be a stay in one of the famous historic homes that have been turned into bed and breakfasts. Premier among them is the Kehoe House which, as you may have expected by now, is on the National Registry of Historic Places. It also happens to sit just a couple of blocks from the Owens-Thomas House, which according to the guides I spoke with, is the one old house to tour in Savannah if you are only going to tour one. An equally good alternative might be The Ballastone Inn, another renowned B&B of historic lineage, which happens to be across the street from the Juliet Gordon Lowe birthplace (founder of the Girl Scouts, and quite a personality). Both inns have had their share of celebrity guests.

I feel pretty safe in predicting that this page is going to rank high in a Google search that contains the word "historic", but that's appropriate for Savannah. Savannah was saved once when General Sherman, who is still not highly thought of in these parts, decided not to burn Savannah to the ground like everything else in his path. Later, The Historic Savannah Foundation saved the town from utilitarian dilapidation. Judging from the purposefulness of the folks I met, Savannah is in no danger of needing to be saved again any time soon.

Perfect for a long weekend, Savannah is not much more than a couple hours air time from most points east of the Mississippi. A day trip would also be a good remedy for Hilton Head overload. You'll come back wondering what ever possessed you to buy that newly constructed condominium and furnish it with all that run of the mill stuff you saw at Home Depot.