Overview
Augusta is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland. Due to its location inland on the Savannah River, Augusta was a city of major strategic importance by the end of the Civil War. It was spared most of the destruction of many other southern cities, so there are many old buildings and landmarks. Augusta is also home to the Augusta National Golf Club, one of the world's most prestigious and exclusive golf clubs, which plays host to the Masters golf tournament.
18 sights · 16 things to do · 10 places to eat · 4 bars & cafés · 7 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Augusta
Augusta Canal Authority
Tours, seasonal events, hiking, biking, canoeing, and kayaking are available. There are several locations to access the canal area.
The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson
Georgia's oldest Presidential home where Woodrow Wilson and his family lived during the Civil War. See fourteen rooms furnished to the 1860s Victorian period, service building with kitchen, and carriage house. The house …
Sacred Heart Cultural Center
Former Catholic Church which was converted to a cultural center after the community banded together to save it. One of the most architecturally beautiful buildings in Augusta. Open to visitors, unless closed for a privat…
Springfield Baptist Church
Oldest African American Southern Baptist Church in the world. Built in 1801, its architecture is a great example.
Augusta Museum of History
The historical, archaeological, and ethnographic museum for the region. The area on transportation history is especially nice. Great place to take the kids.
Morris Museum of Art
Augusta's premier art museum, featuring Southern artists.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 93°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Columbia)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- AGS Augusta Regional At Bush Field, Augusta — 7 mi away. Directions
- CAE Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia — 59 mi away. Directions
- SAV Savannah Hilton Head International Airport, Savannah — 103 mi away (major hub). Directions
Augusta is on I-20, between Atlanta and Columbia, South Carolina. I-520 circles the city. Car is usually the best way to get around town, given the sprawl in the city's organization. Traffic is heavy on major arteries and intersections during weekday rush hour. Traveling around the Augusta National Golf Club, especially Washington Road, during Masters Week is not advised.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Augusta Canal Authority, Enterprise Mills, Butt Memorial Bridge
- Lunch Manuel's Bread Cafe
- Afternoon Meadow Garden, Sacred Heart Cultural Center
- Dinner Beamie's at the River
- Evening Metro Coffee House
Day 2
- Morning The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson, Old Medical College of Georgia, Old Government House
- Lunch Luigi's
- Afternoon Augusta Museum of History, Lamar Building
- Dinner French Market Grille
- Evening Joe's Underground Cafe
Day 3
- Morning Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Historic Downtown
- Lunch Sconyers Bar-B-Que
- Afternoon Garden City Candlelight Jazz
- Dinner Tako Sushi
- Evening Still Water Tap Room
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
If you have a ticket for the Masters, the food sold at the event is generally affordable and of good quality.
Augusta has many of the national chain restaurants found in other cities; however, the city has many excellent local eateries including:
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
There are some areas of town that the tourist might avoid, but they should be obvious upon inspection. There is a significant presence of military personnel who visit the city on personal business from nearby Fort Gordon.
Get in
By car
Augusta is on I-20, between Atlanta and Columbia, South Carolina. I-520 circles the city. Car is usually the best way to get around town, given the sprawl in the city's organization. Traffic is heavy on major arteries and intersections during weekday rush hour. Traveling around the Augusta National Golf Club, especially Washington Road, during Masters Week is not advised.
By plane
By bus
Augusta is served by Greyhound Bus Lines. The bus station is at 1128 Greene St in Downtown.
By taxi
Taxis are not often used and are fairly expensive because of the large distances between destinations in town. There is an often updated official list of taxi services on the Augusta Regional Airport website.
Get around
Augusta Public Transit, a public bus system, is available and serves many popular destinations. However, it may be easier to rent a car to access areas not served by the bus system.
See
See The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson
Georgia's oldest Presidential home where Woodrow Wilson and his family lived during the Civil War. See fourteen rooms furnished to the 1860s Victorian period, service building with kitchen, and carriage house. The house museum contains thirteen original pieces of furniture used by Woodrow Wilson and his family, as well as other period pieces.
See Lake Olmstead Park
Park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead includes a lake for fishing and sports, a disc golf course, and facilities for events. Beautiful place for a picnic or afternoon stroll. Directly across the street from Lake Olmstead Stadium, the former home of the Augusta Greenjackets. Area east of the park can be dangerous.
See James Brown Statue and Augusta Common
Statue of James Brown that people congregate around and leave flowers. In the median of Broad Street across from the Augusta Common, a downtown park that holds events throughout the year.
See Enterprise Mills
These are historical textile mills located on the Augusta Canal were built in the late 1800s. They are beautiful examples of industrial architecture of the period.
See Butt Memorial Bridge
Historical bridge dedicated to Major Archibald Butt, a resident of the city who died in the Titanic disaster. The bridge had been slated for destruction, and was saved by community intervention in the "Save Our Butt" campaign.
See Lamar Building
Tallest building in Augusta and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A strange architectural combination between 1913 architecture and a penthouse added in the 1970s designed by architect I.M. Pei.
See Mockingbird Hill
A miniature town behind Daniel Village shopping center, next to the Dairy Queen on the Water Authority property. It was built in the 1950s and maintained by a local firehouse. It was restored when the new water treatment facility was built. Wonderful little place to get an ice cream and sit.
Do
The famed Augusta National Golf Club is a private club and not open to the public, and membership is strictly by invitation only with no application process, meaning that you are unlikely to get in unless you are in the top echelons of Western society. However, the club designates one day in May every year as "Appreciation Day", where select members of the public are invited to play a round of golf on the famed course. One way to get invited for Appreciation Day is to become a volunteer at the Masters Tournament, but the waiting list for that is very, very long. In addition, employees and caddies of the club are also invited to play a round on Appreciation Day.
Annual festivals and events
Do Masters Golf Tournament
Major PGA golf tournament held annually during the first week of April. Badges for the tournament (as tickets are known) are difficult to acquire and allow admission for play Ts-Su. Practice round tickets which allow admission earlier in the week are easier to snag. The golf course is beautiful and the event is traditional. Overall, this is the crown jewel of golf tournaments and events in Augusta.
Buy
Shop Historic Downtown
Shops and restaurants line Broad Street, including the Art Gallery District.
Eat
If you have a ticket for the Masters, the food sold at the event is generally affordable and of good quality.
Augusta has many of the national chain restaurants found in other cities; however, the city has many excellent local eateries including:
Eat Tako Sushi
A fusion restaurant offering a mix of Sushi and Mexican-inspired dishes. This combination is actually very successful and keeps the small restaurant constantly busy.
Eat Manuel's Bread Cafe
The menu features breads and pastries, sandwiches, French Mediterranean dishes, vegetables and grilled meats. Chef Verney-Carron uses vegetables grown at Hammond's Ferry's organic Blue Clay Farm which is steps from the restaurant.
Eat Luigi's
Italian restaurant and locally-owned landmark, opened in 1949. Located across from the Augusta Museum of History on the far end of Downtown's restaurant district. Also has Greek cuisine, including the best baklava in town.
Eat Sconyers Bar-B-Que
A great BBQ joint, it has been listed by People magazine as one of the best BBQ restaurants in the United States. The portions are large and the sauces are made in-house. The Plantation Platter gives you a taste of everything, and should feed around four comfortably. Pork is their specialty, but they also serve smoked turkey and beef BBQ. If you're vegan, forget about it (unless you really like potato salad and cole slaw).
Eat Rhinehart's Oyster Bar
After 5PM, those under 21 must be with a parent or guardian. Seafood with a beach-shack atmosphere. Food is great and atmosphere is relaxed. It gets packed on Friday and Saturday nights. There is no list to get in, so you have to hover around the tables and grab one when it frees up.
Eat French Market Grille
New Orleans-style seafood and other dishes. Great service and rich food. Try the jambalya and the lamb, they are especially good. Good place to go celebrate a special occasion in Surrey Center.
Eat Wife Saver Restaurants
Locally-owned chain of fast food restaurants. Serves Southern cooking and soul food. Along with the usual suspects like fried chicken and fish, local specialties like fried okra, livers, and gizzards are also featured on the menu. Great biscuits and hush puppies. A good place for a locally-inspired lunch!
Eat Partridge Inn Bar & Grill
Traditional Southern food. The fried chicken is great. On nice days, you can sit on the verandah overlooking Walton Way, the Bon Air hotel, and Downtown Augusta in the distance. Great for Sunday brunch (Su 11AM-2PM) or lunch buffet. Live jazz on Fridays from 9PM-12:30AM. Live band Saturday from 9PM-1AM.
Eat The Village Deli Sub & Pub
Locally-owned southern deli and pub favored by the local Summerville population. Found in Daniel Village shopping center across from Daniel Field.
Eat Beamie's at the River
Seafood joint with indoor and outdoor seating at the Savannah River. Very popular amongst locals.
Drink
Drink Metro Coffee House
A coffee shop by day, but it becomes a bar at night. Live jazz on Saturday nights.
Drink Nacho Mama's
Great Mexicali style burritos (and nachos, obviously)
Drink Joe's Underground Cafe
Great local dive bar, located in a basement on 8th Street. Often has live music.
Sleep
Stay Partridge Inn
Traditional Southern accommodations. The Partridge Inn is a large hotel remaining from Augusta's historic days as a springtime playground of the elite. It is perched on the Hill, overlooking Downtown Augusta in the distance and lies across the street from the former Bon Air hotel.
Go next
- Clarks Hill Lake (also known as Strom Thurmond Reservoir)- large dammed lake northwest of Augusta in Columbia and McDuffie Counties. Known as "the Lake" in town, it is ringed by mostly Army Corps of Engineering land, who provides public access to the water. There are many marinas, public "beaches," and pavilion facilities for enjoyment just for the day. Camping is fairly cheap at many of the sites, and those at Amityville and Modoc are especially nice. Fishing is great, as are other water sports. Make sure to ask locals about the lake levels, as during drought years, the lake may be difficult to navigate or unpleasant to swim in as you get further away from the Dam.
- Modoc Speedway- in the suburb of Grovetown, this is a 1/4-mile dirt-track raceway which holds events most weekends throughout the summer. Races last a few hours, but are individually short in duration. Many racers are local amateurs, but the faster semi-professionals also race. Great for people watching and getting a taste of racing culture in the South. The track often changes ownership, making events somewhat unpredictable in timing. Check their website or call ahead to make sure.
- Carolina Dragway- across the Savannah River in Aiken, SC, this is a drag racing venue that holds events every Sunday in the summer.
- Kackleberry Farm- south of Augusta in Louisville, GA, this is a farm open for field trips and visits to the pumpkin patch and corn maze. Allows for kids to experience a farm. Great in the fall.
- Steeds Dairy- in the suburb of Grovetown, this educational working dairy farm is open September–November to the public.
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