Visiting Augusta, Georgia

Latest Visit: December 2020

Tips for visiting Augusta:

Where to stay: We stayed at the Augusta Marriott at the convention center and it was centrally located. The rooms were remodeled, clean and relatively quiet. The Gym was very good and the staff was helpful. The restaurant, Augustino’s, was also a good in-house restaurant option.
Beware: Most restaurants and shops are closed on Sundays or have limited hours.
Things to do:
- Play golf or come to watch The Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club. Membership at Augusta National is widely considered to be the most exclusive in the sport of golf across the world.
- Riverfront walk
  - Walk along the Riverfront walk towards Lake Olmstead for some great paths and views. The old Confederate Powder Works Chimney is worth the detour.
  - If you walk towards the Marina, you will see cute boats and can hang out on the multiple chairs and hang out areas.
- Walk around Augusta Old Town (Greene and Broad streets) : there are such pretty houses and the mix of colors and history is amazing.
- Walk downtown Augusta on Broad Street: do some browsing, stop for some food or a drink! Be sure to notice the Imperial Theater: it is one of Augusta’s most beautiful theaters and still continues to host music performances along with plays, ballets, comedies and more. (pre covid obviously)
- Run/walk/bike the North Augusta Greeneway : I discovered this on my last afternoon in Augusta and didn’t have enough time to explore it. It looks like a fabulous, long, paved path through woods and along a waterbed.
- Rent a boat on the Savannah River or kayak on it.
- Visit Meadow Garden: step into a piece American history at the home of George Walton, signer of the Declaration of Independence. The historic house was built in 1791 and has been a part of four centuries. Most importantly, Meadow Garden connects modern visitors to this man who played a vital role in the founding of the USA.
- Augusta Museum of History: I want to check this museum out next time I’m here.
Best Coffee shop: Ubora Coffee . It’s an absolute must. It has a cozy vibe, the baristas are super friendly, the coffee was perfect and the pastries were to die for. Come support this coffee shop: they have a fantastic story. All the owners have or are currently serving in the US Navy and also work to offer the best cup of coffee in Augusta. Mission accomplished !
Places to eat:
- Beamie’s at the River for some great seafood with a local vibe. No fuss and frills but good food.
- The Boll Weevil Cafe and Sweetery for their cakes!
- Southern Salads: Nutella toast + smoothie = best combo after a long run! Their salads also looked divine!
- Humanitree: I ordered an Açai bowl from here and although the delivery person got lost and the bowl was more of a smoothie juice by the time I got it, it was still very tasty!
- Noble Jones, offers the best cute, cozy vibes and amazing food and service. I had my first fried picked okra here and it was delicious!
- To try next time: Pineapple Ink Tavern, Frog Hollow tavern
Fun fact- Augusta is the hometown of James Brown ! He was born in South Carolina, at the beginning of the Great Depression, but spent most of his youth in Augusta.

Impressions of Augusta:

There is something magical about this small town in Georgia. I haven’t quite figured out what it is but it’s a very special town with a unique vibe. The mix of old and new, the warmth of the people and the comfort food makes for an amazing city. With a population just shy of 200K people and a small downtown area, it’s impressive how much stuff there is to do and explore.

Most people go to Augusta to play or watch the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club every spring. The Masters brings over 200,000 visitors from across the world to the Golf Club!

I was there on a work trip for about 2 days and a half and I really made the most of it. I can truly say I could have enjoyed AT LEAST 3 or 4 more days here.

I was so impressed with all the bike trails and running paths as well as all the lakes and rivers.

All our meals were extremely tasty (although the service quite slow in one place) and the staff was so so nice. If you love fried food- this will be heaven. I tried my first picked fried okra, which was actually very good! My colleagues had ‘fried everything’ and were blown away by how good it was. I just tasted here and there and did enjoy each bite!

The city has such a huge potential to be a foodie destination. There are so many old abandoned buildings with a lot of charm that I could see transformed into cool coffee shops, local shops and restaurants.

Until next time (I hope) Augusta!