How To Avoid Paula Deen's Restaurants In Savannah Slideshow

Start the day in the serene, Spanish moss-covered historic downtown Savannah. Visit Clary's Café, which has gained popularity for its spotlight in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Lyons suggests, "Get a huge stack of pancakes from there — get the plain pancakes. Slather syrup all over that. They've got shrimp and grits for you there, too, with some good Southern gravy, the works."

While Vic's is one of the most popular restaurants for dinner, Lyons recommends checking out the more low-key lunch scene. "I like sitting in the sunshine so get a seat on the patio. I never had better fried green tomatoes with goat cheese. Oh my god, those are amazing! And shrimp and grits that are out of this world. They're rich," she says, adding, "You can't get better shrimp than in Savannah. You just can't." This spot, which was built in 1859, is great for the history buff as well — it displays a hand-drawn map Union soldier map showing General Sherman's march from Tennessee through Georgia. Maybe Paula Deen should check that out, too.

"Don't you want to go to Tybee Beach? Go there, get a drink from North Beach Bar & Grill, and you can walk down with it to the beach and camp out. My grandfather used to have a house there so I always grew up going to Tybee Beach, but bring sunscreen!" Apparently, Paula Deen even has a house on the luxurious beach — and it's available to rent.

Since 1753, sailors, pirates, locals, and tourists have been chowing and slurping down at The Pirate's House. Christine Danielle Lyons makes sure to visit a couple of times a year — "Not only can they make a good cocktail," she says, "but you have to get the she-crab soup. Their she-crab soup tastes like you're drinking a bowl of cream. I know that doesn't sound appetizing but for some reason, in Savannah, that is really appetizing," she laughs. "And oh my god they have fried chicken with pecan syrup poured all over it. It's pretty much like the best food ever. If I still ate meat that's what I would eat."

Visit the picturesque and stylish riverfront Bohemian Hotel, right near the ghost tour drop-off point, where Old Savannah meets a modern aesthetic. "Anyone can go to the hotel and have dinner and drinks, and the rooftop bar is ridiculous — the chandeliers are made of oyster shells." At Rocks on the Roof, you can enjoy jumbo lump crabcakes and cocktails and expect live music Thursday through Saturday.