Why you should experience River Street Market Place in Savannah, Georgia.
River Street Market Place is a vibrant open-air marketplace where Historic District's maritime heritage, artisan craftsmanship, international culture, and waterfront commerce revive the spirit of Savannah's nineteenth-century trading tradition.
Set along East River Street near East Broad Street and just steps from Waving Girl Statue, this lively riverside marketplace recreates the historic market sheds that once lined Savannah's bustling waterfront through rows of open-air vendor stalls, handcrafted goods, regional artwork, specialty foods, international imports, and uninterrupted views of the Savannah River. Passing cargo ships, cobblestone streets, and restored cotton warehouses surround the market with an atmosphere that feels inseparable from the city's historic commercial waterfront. The result is a destination defined by local creativity, historic character, and one of Savannah's most distinctive shopping experiences.
What you should know about River Street Market Place.
River Street Market Place is best known for recreating the open-air market sheds that occupied Savannah's riverfront during the mid-nineteenth century, celebrating the city's historic role as one of America's most important maritime trading centers while providing a permanent home for independent artisans, craftspeople, and specialty vendors. Opened in 2011 on the eastern end of River Street, the marketplace was intentionally designed with timber-framed open-air pavilions that echo the appearance of the commercial sheds once standing beside Savannah's working docks, allowing visitors to experience the riverfront in a setting inspired by its historic mercantile past. Today more than 70 vendor spaces showcase locally made artwork, handcrafted jewelry, regional foods, artisan gifts, home décor, specialty apparel, and international merchandise, creating a shopping environment that reflects both Savannah's local creative community and its long history as a global port. Positioned beside Waving Girl Landing and overlooking one of North America's busiest container ports, the marketplace preserves the enduring relationship between commerce and the Savannah River, where modern cargo ships continue passing within sight of a destination inspired by the city's nineteenth-century waterfront markets. By blending historical interpretation with contemporary entrepreneurship, River Street Market Place demonstrates how adaptive design can celebrate Savannah's commercial heritage while supporting today's independent makers and small businesses.
River Street Market Place feels like a natural continuation of Savannah's historic waterfront. Every timber pavilion, artisan booth, handcrafted product, and river view reinforces the atmosphere of a working port whose traditions continue evolving through local creativity, making the marketplace one of the city's most authentic expressions of commerce, craftsmanship, and Southern hospitality.
How to fold River Street Market Place into your trip.
River Street Market Place is best experienced as the shopping centerpiece of an exploration through Savannah's historic waterfront.
Begin at Waving Girl Statue, where Florence Martus' renowned devotion to greeting passing ships introduces Savannah's enduring maritime traditions before browsing the artisan stalls of River Street Market Place. Continue to Olde Harbour Inn, whose beautifully preserved nineteenth-century cotton warehouse architecture offers a direct connection to the commercial era that inspired the marketplace's historic design. Conclude at Factors Walk, where elevated bridges, granite ramps, and restored warehouse complexes reveal the extraordinary engineering that linked Savannah's bluff-top city with its thriving riverfront commerce. The progression moves naturally from maritime legend to artisan marketplace before concluding with the historic infrastructure that powered Savannah's global trading economy, revealing why River Street remains one of America's most remarkable waterfront districts.
Where your story begins.
Start the planning journey with Foresyte Travel.
Experience immersive stories crafted for luxury travelers.
