Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) serves Savannah, Georgia's historic port city, and the wider Lowcountry region stretching toward the South Carolina coast, and a rental car makes it easy to move between the airport, the famously walkable historic district, and the beaches and marshlands surrounding the city. The airport sits a short drive north of downtown Savannah, with counters from major national and regional rental companies inside the terminal, and pickup is generally efficient given the airport's moderate size compared with larger southeastern hubs.
From SAV, downtown Savannah's historic squares are roughly twenty to thirty minutes south by car, while Tybee Island's beaches lie a further thirty to forty-five minutes beyond downtown along a straightforward coastal route through salt marsh scenery typical of the Georgia Lowcountry. Hilton Head Island, across the state line in South Carolina, is generally an hour or so northeast via I-95 and connecting roads, a popular add-on for visitors combining Savannah's history with a beach resort stay. Inland, I-95 and I-16 both pass near the airport, connecting Savannah to Jacksonville and other coastal cities to the south or Macon and inland Georgia to the west.
Driving is on the right throughout the United States, and the roads around Savannah are generally well maintained, though the historic district's one-way streets, squares and cobblestone sections around River Street call for slower, more attentive driving than the surrounding highways. Coastal Georgia's low-lying terrain means afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, and hurricane season, roughly June through November, occasionally brings tropical storm activity that can affect travel plans along this stretch of coast. Fuel stations are plentiful throughout the Savannah metro area and along the interstates, making refueling straightforward whether you are staying within the historic core or heading out toward Tybee Island or Hilton Head for the day. Humidity builds steadily through summer, so an air-conditioned rental and an early start make the Lowcountry considerably more comfortable to explore between May and September.