Victory Heights - Savannah, GA

The city of Savannah was founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe, who was on an expedition from England. Known as America's first planned city, Savannah was established to help strengthen trade between England and America. After the country gained independence from Britain following the Revolutionary War, the city began to flourish. Much of the land was used to grow cotton and rice. Today, the city of Savannah has over 142,000 residents.

For those who want to learn more about the history of the community, the Thunderbolt Museum was established in 2002 to house a variety of artifacts, historic books, photographs and art work from the area and the military. This small museum holds fundraisers throughout the year to help support itself and the maintenance of the collection. Nearby to the museum, Savannah hosts the Harvest Fest fall festival each year. The festival features food, entertainment, a variety of crafts and exhibits for those who want to view work by local artists.

Lying in close proximity to downtown and the historic district, Victory Heights provides a wealth of dining opportunities for those who want to skip cooking and eat out. Whether you want to eat at a fast food chain like Taco Bell and Subway or you want to try an established locally-owned business, you can find everything you want in the surrounding area.

For some of the best Southern cuisine in the area, Larry's Restaurant provides a down-home atmosphere with classic country cooking. Swing by the restaurant for a daily dose of hospitality and popular entrées including the shrimp salad and hamburger steak cooked just the way you want it. The restaurant also provides delivery service.

If you want to sample some local freshly-caught fish, Carey Hilliard's remains a go-to spot for a large selection of seafood and classic barbecue dishes. The restaurant has monthly specials and can even cater your next party or event. Be sure to sample the renowned crab stew, or start your meal off right with an order of fried pickles dipped in fresh ranch dressing.

Not only does the area have plenty of dining opportunities to choose from, Victory Heights also lies within reach of an eclectic nightlife. Located on Victory Drive in Savannah, the Coach's Corner provides an ample watering hole for after-work drinks or weekend adventures. The pub has daily and weekly drink and food specials, and the large screen TVs make this pub an excellent place to watch the game with friends.

While automobile transport remains the most popular method of travel in Victory Heights, the area also has several other options. Parking in Victory Heights remains plentiful and cheap, but parking in downtown Savannah can be tricky. You should choose one of the parking garages for an all-day stay, as they charge a flat fee for the day. Parking meters may be conveniently located but can also be expensive, while parking on the street on the weekends remains free. Victory Heights also lies close to U.S. 80, Truman Parkway and a variety of other major streets, which makes travel convenient.

Uber provides service to the area, and you can also contact a local taxi cab service to schedule a pickup. For those who prefer public transportation, the Chatham Area Transport (CAT) buses have several locations throughout the area as well as in Victory Heights.

Those who prefer to ride bikes or walk will find Savannah and the Victory Heights neighborhood a very pedestrian and bike-friendly area. Residential areas provide the safest place for bikes and those on a walk.

Those who live in the Victory Heights area can enjoy plenty of outdoor activities in the area parks. Hull Park provides a water park and a playground for children, and you can even find a baseball diamond for team sports. The picnic pavilions can be reserved for a small fee, but using the park remains free.

For those with pets, the Tom Triplett Community Park has a large dog exercise area. You can also enjoy the jogging paths beside the lake and picnic pavilions. Outside the dog exercise area, your dog will need to be leashed.

Every year, residents in the Victory Heights and city of Savannah gear up for the pet cancer awareness walk, which helps sponsor pet cancer research. The event takes place in November at the Jacob G. Smith Elementary school.

Victory Heights remains a less expensive part of Savannah with a cost of living that falls around 2 percent less than the city average. The cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment averages $800 per month, and you can expect to pay around $5 for a glass of beer at a local pub.

If you decide you want to commute back and forth to the city via public transportation, you will pay a flat fee of $1.50 each way. If your automobile will be your main source of transportation, you should expect to see gas prices that hover around 1 percent lower than the national average.

Savannah has many shopping opportunities. Whether you like shopping at major shopping malls with anchor stores like Macy's and Sears or you prefer grocery and supermarket stores like Walmart, this area has everything you need to satisfy your shopping habit. Inside the neighborhood there are many chain stores selling a variety of supplies from CVS and Target to Big Lots and Family Dollar. You will also find plenty of boutiques and specialty stores outside of the neighborhood for that hard-to-buy-for person in your life. Start making your own beer or wine and visit Savannah Homebrew Shoppe. This local favorite has all of the supplies you need to successfully brew and bottle your first concoction. They even sell cheese making kits. Check out their kegging kit special to stop buying and start brewing today. If you want the perfect dress for a formal event or for a professional work environment head out of the neighborhood to the BleuBelle Boutique. This shop has all you could ever want and the staff can also assist you if you need help planning your wedding. If the shop doesn't carry that perfect dress you've had your eye on, they may be able to order it in for you. The shop also carries a variety of accessories from fine jewelry to scarves. Publix, Food Lion and Kroger provide grocery stores in the area, while the Savannah State Farmer's Market provides a large selection of hard-to-find items and locally-grown vegetables and fruit. There, you can purchase flowers and seeds to help complete your own garden. The market opens its doors Monday through Saturday.