Ok…so I have an unpopular Savannah opinion. I’m going to share but fair warning, I’m deleting any hate comments LOL!! I don’t’ love booking sessions at Wormsloe.
There – it’s out – I can move forward with my life in peace. Haha!!
For real though, I don’t love it. That’s not to say I don’t love the images that come from a Wormsloe session, they always deliver, I just don’t love the lead up. That’s why today I’m sharing 3 Wormsloe alternatives that I think you should consider the next time you want to have your session down the famous oak lined drive.
Why I don’t love to book Wormsloe
So now that I’ve got your attention and put my dirty photographer secret out there, I should give you the reasons booking Wormsloe (WHS from here out) isn’t my all time fav. The first reason is the cost. WHS charges (as of this post) $10 per adult and $4.50 per child to visit the site and a permit fee for photographers hosting sessions. Depending on the size of your party – that can add up. If you’re local you can buy a yearly pass but sometimes that doesn’t pay for itself and so what’s the point.
The second reason, especially during daylight saving time, is that they close at 5pm. And let me tell you, when they say they close at 5pm they mean they don’t let anyone in after 4:45 and by 5 you better be in your car and driving back down that beautiful oak lined lane. During daylight saving time the best time to schedule sessions is after 5 pm. I could tell all my WHS loving clients they can only book in the mornings but that starts to become confusing and another thing for everyone to manage and you know I don’t like overcomplicated or confusing.
The third reason…variation of photos. I know there is more out there than the oak lined lane but most of my clients don’t want to tromp around the park or spend the majority of their session walking (usually with kids) around. They, and I, would rather spend the duration of the session taking photos and engaging with each other getting those amazing memories.
So what’s the alternative?
I have 3 alternatives to share – these are all easy to schedule, free to access, and almost all have a variation of background that’s easily and quickly accessible.
Option One – Emmet Park and Washington Square
This is my favorite option for a Wormsloe alternative!! Emmet Park is that green space at the north east side of Bay Street. I love it because you can get that oak lined family photo but then easily walk to Washington Square (which is one of my favorite squares) for lots of background variation.
Pros – free to visit, park once and have variety of backgrounds, easily accessible
Cons – pay to park downtown, sometimes parking is hard to find right on the square or in the park, parked cars likely in background of oak lined photo
Option Two – Daffin Park
Daffin Park is another great free option if you are looking for the oak lined photo. The park itself is easily accessible and there are great spots within the park to walk around and get more than the one background – including a water feature!
Pros – free to visit and park, park once and have variety of backgrounds, easily accessible, playground on site to reward kids after the session
Cons – lots of activities in park could be distracting for kids, parked cars likely in background of oak lined photo
Option Three – Bethesda
The road leading into Bethesda Academy has the oak lined look you may be looking for in your photos. There is a $50 access fee AND there are times of year, specifically if they have events booked, where you won’t be granted permission but I’ve not run into any date issues with them.
Pros – only one fee for access (don’t have to pay per person in addition to photography fee), easily accessible, no parked cars on side/background of photos
Cons – date may not be available
Ready to book your Wormsloe alternative session!?
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