This past summer, my best friend and I decided to take a road trip to Savannah, Georgia. We're perfect travel buddies, and due to our mutual love of American history, spontaneous adventure and artsy shops, both the trip and our destination were perfect. Savannah is the epitome of a Southern city and is absolutely gorgeous. It is filled with Spanish moss, old fountains, city squares, French Colonial houses and artsy cafes. Part of what we loved about the city is the intersection between the old and the new. Savannah is a drowsy Southern city with a modern undercurrent due to the students from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), unique cafes and quirky restaurants. It's also extremely easy to navigate; parking is easy to find and the city is laid out in a neat grid, so its almost impossible to get lost.

We budgeted $150 each and spent about $130 each on the entire trip. Our hotel was taken care of thanks to my best friend's awesome Mom and her Marriott points, but $130 for a three night stay is incredibly cheap. That included parking, food, gas, gifts, sightseeing—everything. We ate breakfast in the hotel and packed lunches everyday to save money. But we treated ourselves to nice dinners, ice cream, macaroons and any other treats that came our way.

It was hard to narrow this list down, but these are our top ten things that everyone needs to do in Savannah, and all of them can be done on a tight budget.

1. Forsyth Park

Honestly, when I heard about Forsyth Park, I wanted to see it, but it wasn't high on my priority list. Let me tell you, it was everything I never knew I needed. We approached the fountain on a long path lined with ancient trees dripping with Spanish moss. Someone was playing a trumpet on the sidewalk, and I felt like I had stepped into another time and place.

2. River Walk

The river walk is a cobblestone street right on the water front. Lined with shops and restaurants, it's a great place for a walk in the evening. It's probably the most touristy place in Savannah, which is not what we were looking for, but it was worth walking down, and experiencing all the same.

3. Sorry Charlie's

We sort of stumbled on Sorry Charlie's and decided to really treat ourselves to dinner. In addition to salads, burgers and seafood, they have $1 oysters, so we bought a mix of raw, oysters Rockefeller and butter and garlic. I never liked raw oysters before, but these were so fresh and so amazing that I was forever converted.

4. Vinnie Van Go Go's

We went to Vinnie's for lunch on our last day in Savannah. So many of the travel guides and blogs I had read raved about the place, and they were completely right. We split a medium pizza for about $11 and had some leftover for the drive back home. and it was absolutely delicious.

5. Gallery Espresso

Since both of us are huge fans of coffee shops and cafes, we set out to find one within the first hour of our arrival. We happened upon this little cafe at random, but it was one of our favorite places. Large windows, comfy chairs and local artwork fill the interior, and the iced tea we ordered hit the spot.

6. Duncan V&J Antique Maps and Prints

Hidden in a sort of courtyard, this store was a treasure. I'm not kidding when I say we spent two hours in here, searching for old anatomy prints and maps of our home state of Virginia. The owners were so personable, and we felt completely comfortable to look to our heart's content.

7. Paris Market

If you've looked into going to Savannah at all, then you've probably heard of the Paris Market. Chic and adorable, this store is a grown-up, rustic version of Anthropologie and is located in the heart of downtown Savannah.

You can find absolutely anything there related to home decor or general knickknacks. From chandeliers and lavender sachets, to notebooks and soaps, it's all there. The outside of the store is bright blue, so it's impossible to miss, and going there is a necessity if you're in Savannah.

8. Savannah Bee Company

This was another one of my favorite places.

The Savannah Bee Company is a Savannah staple and sells hundreds of different items made from honey products from shampoo and lip balm to barbecue sauce and candles. Their honey bar alone is a reason to go; they have about 10 different types to sample, and the staff is super friendly. The honey itself is expensive, but it's absolutely amazing.

9. The Book Lady

When I asked my friend to describe the Book Lady, her eyes lit up and she described it as, "A happy cubby hole of wonderness." It's packed from ceiling to floor with any and all books about any topic. I bought a beautiful, leather-bound copy of short stories for $16 there, and it still makes me warm inside whenever I read the book.

10. Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Beautiful. Holy. Awe-inspiring. St. John's was built in the late 1800's and is an incredible to visit with its stained glass windows, soaring archways and murals. They still offer Mass on the weekends, or you can take a self-guided tour through the church.

Thinking back over the trip, both my best friend and I were so glad we chose Savannah. The sights we were able to see and the memories we have, there together are priceless, from touring old houses to accidentally walking up on a movie set with Adam Sandler and David Spade. If you're trying to find a place to go this summer or spring, look no further. As Audrey Hepburn once said, "Paris Savannah is always a good idea."