College Visit Guides

Fly-in guide · 1 day, 1 campus

Georgia Southern in 1 Day: A Fly-In Visit to Statesboro

A parent-first plan for flying in to see Georgia Southern University's Statesboro campus: how to book a campus visit, free visitor parking at Lewis Hall, three hotels from budget to upscale in Statesboro and Savannah, times from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, the Georgia Southern Museum, raptor center and Botanic Garden for siblings, and Statesboro-area weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.

Hedges trimmed into the letters GSU in a mulched flower bed in front of a lawn shaded by large live oaks, with a Georgia Southern University banner on a lamppost and a red-brick building in the distance
Sweetheart Circle at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro (Jun 2006). Photo: Richardelainechambers · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

School
Georgia Southern University, Statesboro campus (Statesboro, GA)
Days
1 on campus, plus travel. Arrive the day before a morning visit.
Fly into
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), about an hour from Statesboro by car with no traffic.
Best base
Hampton Inn Statesboro, about 7 minutes by car from Lewis Hall, home of the Office of Admissions.
Car or no car
Rent a car at SAV. Visitor parking at Lewis Hall is free once you register your car.
Registration
Book a campus visit on Georgia Southern's Visit a Campus calendar, at least three business days ahead.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents flying in with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see Georgia Southern's Statesboro campus, home of the Eagles.

Campus visits check in at Lewis Hall (Office of Admissions) on Sweetheart Circle, the oak-shaded loop shown in this guide's photo.

Why this order

  • Fly into Savannah the day before and drive about an hour to a hotel in Statesboro, or spend the first night in Savannah.
  • Visit day: the Statesboro visit lasts about two hours, with a 15-20 minute information session, a 1-hour walking tour with a Southern Ambassador and a 45-minute bus tour to the RAC and Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
  • Afterward, siblings can see a 26-foot Mosasaur skeleton at the Georgia Southern Museum, raptors at the Center for Wildlife Education, or the Botanic Garden, about 5 minutes away by car.
Pick the right visit
  • Daily campus visits run Monday through Friday; book them on the Visit a Campus calendar, by calling 912-478-5851 or by emailing visit@georgiasouthern.edu.
  • Eagle Preview open houses run on select Saturdays through the year; check the admissions events calendar for dates.
  • Tours in Spanish are available on request with at least two weeks' notice.
  • Can't travel yet? Georgia Southern offers a virtual tour of its campuses.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Georgia Southern warns that its campuses can be quite warm and humid in summer, so dress for the forecast; Admissions hands out bottled water before every tour.
  • Statesboro-area summers are hot: July averages about 93°F highs at the nearest NOAA normals station, in Brooklet.
  • Coming with a school group? Georgia Southern has a separate group visits page for booking.

2. The suggested 1-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Times to campus are to Lewis Hall, home of the Office of Admissions.

Arrival day: fly into Savannah and drive to Statesboro

  1. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) → Hampton Inn Statesboro

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~62 min, 49.4 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  2. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) → Holiday Inn Express Statesboro

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~66 min, 51.2 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  3. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) → JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~14 min, 8.1 mi
    Driving and walking
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi
  • Staying at the JW Marriott in Savannah? Leave about 70 minutes for the drive to Lewis Hall the next morning.

Visit day: Georgia Southern campus visit, then the museum, raptors or garden

  1. Hampton Inn Statesboro → Lewis Hall (Office of Admissions)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 2.1 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive

  2. Holiday Inn Express Statesboro → Lewis Hall (Office of Admissions)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~3 min, 1.1 mi
    Driving and walking
    ~17 min walk, 0.8 mi

  3. JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District → Lewis Hall (Office of Admissions)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~70 min, 55.4 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive

  4. Lewis Hall → Dining Commons (discounted visit-day lunch)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 1.2 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive

  5. Lewis Hall → Georgia Southern Botanic Garden (1503 Bland Ave.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 1.2 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive

  6. Lewis Hall → downtown Statesboro (South Main Street)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 1.7 mi
    Driving and walking
    Drive
  • Driving? Park free in front of Lewis Hall on Sweetheart Circle or in the lot behind it. Admissions emails a car registration form before your visit; once your car is registered, you don't need a permit.
  • Arrive no more than 10 minutes early, or up to an hour early if you'd like to talk with admissions or financial aid staff.
  • Heading home: Lewis Hall is about 68 minutes from SAV with no traffic.

3. Campus by campus

Hedges trimmed into the letters GSU in a mulched flower bed in front of a lawn shaded by large live oaks, with a Georgia Southern University banner on a lamppost and a red-brick building in the distance
Sweetheart Circle at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro (Jun 2006). Photo: Richardelainechambers · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Georgia Southern University, Statesboro campus (Statesboro, GA)

Where visits start
  • Check in at Lewis Hall (Office of Admissions) on Sweetheart Circle, Statesboro campus.
  • Plan for about two hours: an information session, a 1-hour walking tour and a 45-minute bus tour to the RAC and Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
  • Want a one-on-one with an admissions counselor before or after the tour? Call 912-478-5851 to set it up.
Visitor parking
  • Free visitor parking is in front of Lewis Hall on Sweetheart Circle, with more spaces in the lot behind Lewis Hall.
  • Admissions emails you a form to register your car before the visit; once it's registered, no parking permit is needed.
  • For parking anywhere else on campus, check Georgia Southern's Parking and Transportation Services.
Getting there
  • Plan on a rental car from SAV: Statesboro is about an hour each way by car with no traffic.
  • Holiday Inn Express is about a 17-minute walk to Lewis Hall; Hampton Inn is better by car, about 7 minutes.
  • The walking tour lasts an hour, so Georgia Southern strongly suggests comfortable walking shoes.
What to know
  • The photo in this guide shows Sweetheart Circle, where Lewis Hall and visitor parking are, with the GSU hedge letters out front.
  • The 45-minute bus tour takes you out to the RAC and Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
  • Georgia Southern also lists the Botanic Garden, the University Golf Course, the Georgia Southern Museum, the Planetarium and the Center for Wildlife Education among its campus attractions.
Contact
Office of Admissions: 912-478-5851 or visit@georgiasouthern.edu. Lewis Hall, Sweetheart Circle, Statesboro campus.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Georgia Southern: Visit FAQ (parking, what to expect) · Georgia Southern: Schedule a Visit · Georgia Southern: Group Visits · Georgia Southern: Parking and Transportation · Georgia Southern: Virtual tour

4. Where to stay: Statesboro, minutes from campus

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Hampton Inn Statesboro

350 Brampton Ave., Statesboro, GA 30458

Why here

  • About 7 minutes by car to Lewis Hall and about 62 minutes from SAV.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 90 rooms, a free breakfast buffet, a seasonal outdoor pool, free self-parking and a minimum check-in age of 18. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Holiday Inn Express Statesboro by IHG

427 S. Main St., Statesboro, GA 30458

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's the closest of the three to Lewis Hall: about 3 minutes by car or a 17-minute walk.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 91 rooms, a free breakfast buffet, a 24-hour gym, a seasonal outdoor pool and free self-parking. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District

400 W. River St., Savannah, GA 31401

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 5-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's on the Savannah riverfront, about 14 minutes from SAV and about 70 minutes from Lewis Hall, so it suits an arrival night or a last night before flying home.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 419 rooms, a spa, a pool, 12 restaurants and valet parking for a surcharge. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Stay in Statesboro the night before a morning visit: Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express are both within about 7 minutes of Lewis Hall. Save Savannah for the arrival night or the end of the trip.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

On campus

On visit day, Admissions offers discounted lunch passes ($11.50 per person) at the Dining Commons; ask staff for the voucher.

Near your hotel

Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express both include a free breakfast buffet, and the JW Marriott lists 12 restaurants, per Expedia.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Georgia Southern Museum

Rosenwald Building, 2142 Southern Dr., Statesboro, GA 30458

On campus off Sweetheart Circle, with a 26-foot Mosasaur skeleton. Open Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 2 to 5 p.m.; $4 per person, free under 3. Free parking on Sweetheart Circle with a promo code for the AMP Parking app from the front desk.

Official page →

With siblings

Center for Wildlife Education and Lamar Q Ball Jr. Raptor Center

1461 Forest Dr., Statesboro, GA 30460

More than 17 acres of raptors, reptiles and eagles on campus. Open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; adults $5, children 3 to 11 $3.

Official page →

With siblings

Georgia Southern Botanic Garden

1503 Bland Ave., Statesboro, GA 30458

About 5 minutes by car from Lewis Hall, with a children's area and the Rural Life Museum on more than 11 acres. $5 per person, children free; summer hours (June 1 to Aug. 31) are shorter, so check before you go.

Official page →

With siblings

An Eagles game

Statesboro, GA

Check the Georgia Southern athletics calendar for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Getting to campus

  • Visitor parking is in front of Lewis Hall on Sweetheart Circle; fill out the car registration form Admissions emails you before you arrive.
  • Book at least three business days ahead, and contact Admissions at least three days ahead if you need accessibility help.

Flying in and out

  • Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) is about 62 to 68 minutes from Statesboro hotels and Lewis Hall with no traffic.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Brooklet, the nearest station to Statesboro)

  • Spring: April averages about 79°F highs and 53°F lows, with about 3.3 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 93°F/72°F, with about 4.8 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 79°F/56°F, with about 2.6 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 61°F/38°F, with about 3.6 inches of rain.

Parent checklist

  • Book a Georgia Southern campus visit on the Visit a Campus calendar at least three business days ahead.
  • Fill out the car registration form Admissions emails you before the visit.
  • Book flights into Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) and a rental car.
  • Book a hotel in Statesboro, or Savannah for the first or last night.
  • Pack comfortable walking shoes and clothes for the weather; summers are warm and humid.
  • After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

1 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Georgia Southern University, Statesboro campus): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Georgia Southern University
  5. Georgia Southern University, Statesboro campus Athletics (official site)
  6. Georgia Southern University, Statesboro campus Athletics: Staff Directory
  7. Georgia Southern University, Statesboro campus Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Georgia Southern Admissions: Visit Georgia Southern (visit FAQ)
  2. Georgia Southern Admissions: Visit a Campus (official sign-up calendar)
  3. Georgia Southern Admissions: Schedule a Visit
  4. Georgia Southern Admissions: Group Visits
  5. Georgia Southern: Statesboro Campus
  6. Georgia Southern: Visit Our Campuses (attractions)
  7. Georgia Southern Museum
  8. Georgia Southern: Center for Wildlife Education and Lamar Q Ball Jr. Raptor Center
  9. Georgia Southern Botanic Garden
  10. Georgia Southern: Parking and Transportation Services
  11. Georgia Southern virtual tour
  12. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Statesboro (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Statesboro-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Statesboro.h5871308.Hotel-Information)
  13. Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express Statesboro by IHG (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Statesboro-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-Statesboro.h42148804.Hotel-Information)
  14. Expedia listing: JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Savannah-Hotels-JW-Marriott-Savannah-Plant-Riverside-District.h36714275.Hotel-Information)
  15. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  16. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  17. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  18. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Brooklet 1 W, GA (USC00091266)
  19. Georgia Southern Eagles Athletics: Calendar
  20. Georgia Southern Eagle Dining: Hours and Locations