Photo: Sregor54, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Augusta is Georgia’s second-oldest city, founded by James Oglethorpe in 1736 as a trading post on the Savannah River. A 19th-century canal built to power cotton mills still runs through town, and you can ride it on a replica cargo boat. The city is best known for the Masters golf tournament each April, but its riverfront, house museums, Black history sites and a huge urban swamp park make it worth a weekend any time. It is about 149 miles east of Atlanta on I-20. Here are the best things to do in Augusta.
- From AtlantaAbout 149 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes without traffic
- CountyRichmond County (Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government)
- Known forThe Masters, the Augusta Canal, the Riverwalk and James Brown
- Canal Discovery CenterEnterprise Mill, 1450 Greene St.; Tue to Sat, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 706-823-0440
Top Things to Do in Augusta
1. Augusta Canal boat tour
Narrated tours on flat-bottomed Petersburg boats glide past 19th-century textile mills. Tickets include the Discovery Center, and reservations are strongly encouraged (706-823-0440, ext. 502).
2. Augusta Canal Discovery Center
Inside the 1848 Enterprise Mill, with working mill machinery, models and films on how the canal built Augusta. Start here for our Augusta Canal and downtown historic walk.
3. Augusta Riverwalk
Brick paths along the Savannah River levee downtown, with the Jessye Norman Amphitheater, gardens and the Morris Museum of Art, devoted to the art of the American South.
4. Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
More than 1,000 acres of wetlands south of downtown, with boardwalks and trails over swamp, beaver ponds and marsh. Free, and excellent for birds.
5. Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History
The home of educator Lucy Craft Laney, who founded the Haines Normal and Industrial Institute, now a museum of Black history in the Laney-Walker district.
6. Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home
The house where the future president lived from 1860 to 1870, as a boy during the Civil War and Reconstruction, while his father led First Presbyterian Church.
7. Meadow Garden
The home of George Walton, one of Georgia’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence, near the canal.
8. Springfield Baptist Church
A congregation tracing its roots to 1773, with a strong claim to be the oldest independent Black congregation in the United States.
9. Sacred Heart Cultural Center
A 1900 church of striped brick and twin spires, now an arts and events center downtown.
10. Savannah Rapids and Clarks Hill Lake
Ride or walk the canal towpath upstream to Savannah Rapids Park, where the canal leaves the river, or drive 30 minutes to Clarks Hill Lake and Mistletoe State Park.
Advertise in Augusta
Own a hotel, restaurant, shop or tour in Augusta? Put it in front of visitors planning their trip. See our advertising options or download the 2026 media kit (PDF).
Events and Seasons
Masters week, the first full week of April, fills every hotel for miles; tournament and practice-round tickets are sold through the club’s lottery. Otherwise spring and fall are the best seasons for the canal and Riverwalk. Summer is hot, so book early morning boat tours. Augusta is also James Brown’s hometown, and his statue stands on Broad Street.
Nearby Towns and Trip Planning
Downtown’s historic buildings are covered stop by stop in our Augusta Canal and downtown historic walk. Northwest of town, Clarks Hill Lake is Georgia’s largest lake. For more, see our Augusta historic sites, best day trips from Atlanta and lodging and accommodations listings.
Common Questions
What is Augusta, GA known for?
Augusta is best known for the Masters golf tournament, the Augusta Canal, its Riverwalk on the Savannah River and as the hometown of James Brown.
How far is Augusta from Atlanta?
Augusta is about 149 miles from downtown Atlanta, roughly 2 hours 45 minutes by car on I-20 without traffic.
Can you visit Augusta National Golf Club?
Not as a tourist. Augusta National is a private club. The only way in for most people is a Masters tournament or practice-round ticket, sold through the club’s annual lottery.
Is Augusta worth visiting outside of Masters week?
Yes. Outside of April, hotels are easier to find and the canal boat tours, Riverwalk, Phinizy Swamp and house museums make a good weekend.
Sources we checked
Facts on this page were checked against official sources and our own detailed pages. Drive times are from downtown Atlanta (Five Points) using OpenStreetMap routing and do not include traffic. Hours, fees and event dates change, so confirm before you go:
- Augusta Canal National Heritage Area: Discovery Center hours, boat tours and reservations
- Visit Augusta: attractions and events
- Phinizy Center for Water Sciences: Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
- Masters Tournament: tournament dates and ticket lottery
Spot something out of date? Email Contact@n-georgia.com and we’ll check it against the official source. Read how we research our guides.