The group checked out of their hotel in Savannah, Ga., the day after St. Patrick’s Day.
They were a bit blurry-eyed and some were still staggering from the day before, but they had enough wits about them to do something really smart: they made reservations on the spot for the next year.
You pretty much have to do that in Savannah. This mid-sized Southern city on the Georgia coast, which features moss hanging off trees in old Southern squares just as you saw in Forrest Gump, turns over a different leaf each year on March 17.
It becomes one of the world’s biggest – and, dare I say, best – St. Patrick’s Day destinations in the world.
Lord knows why, other than the fact that the people there do love a good party. The rest of the year it’s a real-life Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil, but on this day (as well as the days and nights leading up to it, Savannah dies its river and fountains green, opens up its arms and throws a party. Complete with a parade.
With 300,000 people, it’s the third-largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the USA. Or so say the locals.
Chicago, Boston and New York City have the fame but Savannah and two other less likely places are also great places to be for St. Paddy’s Day.
One is is Pittsburgh. The Steel City has a big parade and pubs along the route. I learned of this when PubClub received a press release from a PR person (named Kevin O’Brien and how can you not open up an e-mail about St. Patrick’s Day from someone named O’Brien!?) and turns out it has between 250,000-300,000 people turn out for its parade.
Just the other day, I learned about another huge St. Paddy’s Day celebration. Are you ready for this one? It’s St. Louis!
Its downtown parade has been going on for 50 years and attracts a quarter of a million people. I can only imagine the revelry that takes place at The Landing along the riverfront on that day.
So when it comes to celebrating – and, let’s face it, partying – for St. Patrick’s Day, look beyond the obvious places. These are three destinations where you will definitely be feeling Irish for the day.
If not a little green the next day.
Cheers!
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