BAR #7-FL, and #8 GA

February 1, 2020 PT

While traveling back from a Florida trip, my wife and I swung a bit east to catch the oldest bars in Florida and Georgia. Our first stop was the Palace Saloon on Amelia Island, Florida. Then, we continued up the coast to the Pirate House in Savannah, Georgia. Both had that typical coastal, nostalgic pirate feel. So, I figure that I would cover them both in one entry.

Amelia Island would not be my first place for destination vacations. It’s OK, but it only has one road leading to the island. Traffic problems are common. The island is a bit too touristy and artsy for my taste. But, I found that the Palace Saloon made the side trip worthwhile. There was no denying its a tourist bar with the usual offering of tourist fu-fu drinks and live music. You are not going to get PBR on tap here, but the bar is nice. Lots to look at….nice old preserved building, great woodwork, and lots of history. According to bar lore, Adolphus Busch was even involved in designing this very interesting place. The bartender was friendly and made our stop quite enjoyable. If you happen to be near Amelia Island, the Palace Saloon is worth a stop.

Then, it was on to Savannah for the Pirates House. The Pirates House certainly sounded like that seedy little, historic dive bar that I like to visit. Not really. I call this category the OLDEST BARS, but it would be more accurate to say oldest bar/restaurant. Some tend to be more “bar” while some tend to be more “restaurant.” I like the bars, and The Pirates House is a restaurant. It even takes reservations and has a gift shop. While the history of the place features pirates and everything Savannah. There is nothing seedy or dive bar-ish about the Pirates House. It was not overly fancy, but it’s more of an interesting place to take your family while visiting Savannah. It was dinner time, so my wife and I enjoyed a meal here. So, I do not want to sound overly critical here. Its a restaurant worth eating at. It just not the place to hammer down a few PBRs with your friends. PT