Augusta, Georgia, transforms each April as golf enthusiasts flock to witness the prestigious Masters Tournament. While Augusta National’s immaculately manicured fairways capture the sporting world’s attention, the surrounding region offers rich cultural experiences, historical sites, and authentic Southern hospitality that many tournament visitors never discover.
Here is a list of 20 experiences beyond the golf course that showcase the genuine Southern charm of Augusta and its neighboring communities.
Riverwalk Augusta
The scenic Riverwalk stretches along the Savannah River, offering peaceful strolls away from tournament crowds. This beautifully landscaped urban trail connects to restaurants with riverside dining, where locals gather to discuss tournament predictions over freshly caught seafood.
Morning visits reward early risers with misty river views and glimpses of waterbirds fishing along the shoreline.
Historic Downtown Augusta
The tree-lined streets of Augusta’s downtown district feature preserved 19th-century architecture housing modern boutiques and restaurants. The vibrant street life includes local musicians performing on corners during tournament week, creating an impromptu soundtrack as visitors explore shops offering handcrafted goods.
Evening walks reveal beautifully illuminated historic façades and buzzing outdoor dining areas where golf tales grow taller with each retelling.
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Augusta Museum of History
This comprehensive museum chronicles the region’s evolution from Native American settlement through its industrial heyday. The golf section extends beyond Masters memorabilia to document how the sport shaped the community’s development and social structure over generations.
Interactive exhibits offer context for understanding Augusta beyond its famous tournament, with artifacts dating back to the earliest European settlements.
Sacred Heart Cultural Center
The stunning stained-glass and Romanesque architecture of this former Catholic church now serve as Augusta’s premier cultural venue. During Masters week, special exhibitions often feature Southern artists, while evening concerts showcase regional musical traditions from gospel to bluegrass.
The meticulously restored interior spaces create perfect acoustics for performances that highlight Georgia’s rich musical heritage.
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
Just minutes from Augusta National, this 1,100-acre wetland preserve offers extensive boardwalks through cypress swamps teeming with wildlife. Early morning visits often reveal alligators basking in the first sunlight, while knowledgeable volunteer guides identify the diverse bird species that migrate through during spring season.
The visitor center explains how these wetlands naturally filter Augusta’s water supply, connecting environmental conservation to regional sustainability.
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Savannah Rapids Park
The headgates of Augusta’s historic canal system create dramatic water features at this recreational area where locals escape tournament traffic. Rental bikes allow visitors to explore the towpath alongside 19th-century engineering features that are still functioning after two centuries of continuous use.
Stone picnic pavilions built during the Great Depression offer perfect spots for enjoying takeout from Augusta’s famous barbecue establishments.
Morris Museum of Art
The South’s first museum dedicated exclusively to Southern art showcases the region’s unique visual traditions and contemporary interpretations. During tournament week, special exhibitions often feature golf landscapes and sporting themes through a distinctly Southern artistic lens.
The museum’s river-view restaurant offers refined versions of regional classics while providing panoramic views of the Savannah River.
Augusta Canal Discovery Center
This interactive museum documents how Augusta’s industrial canal powered the city’s development into a manufacturing center. Guided boat tours along the historic waterway provide unique perspectives on 19th-century textile mills and modern urban redevelopment initiatives.
Evening cruises during Masters week offer sunset views of the city skyline with knowledgeable narration about Augusta’s evolution from an industrial hub to a golf destination.
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Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson
The carefully preserved childhood home of America’s 28th president offers insights into antebellum Southern life and Wilson’s formative years in Augusta. Period furnishings and personal artifacts create an intimate portrait of Southern domestic life during the Reconstruction era.
The adjacent gardens feature plants typical of mid-19th-century Southern households, and master gardeners are often available for questions during the spring blooming season.
Summerville Historic District
This elegant neighborhood of Victorian and Edwardian homes emerges in spectacular fashion during Masters week when spring gardens are in full bloom. Walking tours highlight architectural details and fascinating stories of the neighborhood’s prominent residents through the generations.
Many homeowners open their gardens for special evening events during tournament week, offering rare glimpses behind historic walls.
Aiken, South Carolina
Just across the Savannah River, this charming town became the winter colony for wealthy Northern industrialists in the late 19th century. The horse culture remains vibrant, with polo matches often scheduled during Masters week for visitors seeking additional sporting entertainment.
The compact downtown features boutiques and restaurants in historic buildings, creating a walkable alternative to Augusta’s tournament-week congestion.
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Saturday Market at the River
Augusta’s weekend farmers market brings together regional producers, artisans, and food vendors along the riverfront. Local chefs demonstrate techniques for preparing traditional Southern dishes using seasonal ingredients available for purchase directly from farmers.
Live music creates a festival atmosphere where visitors can engage with residents away from the formal atmosphere of Augusta National.
Haunted Augusta Tours
Walking in the evening exposes the spooky parts of the historic district of Augusta. Stories related to the famous and the unexplained give the historical walking tours added touristic value.
Local guides have aged and passed-down folklore around old buildings that apparently have the most activity. The tours-very famous in the place-are also accompanied by history storytelling, creating the past-relevant aspect of the current culture in Augusta.
The Lucy Craft Laney Museum
This museum honors an influential African American educator who transformed educational opportunities in Augusta beginning in the 1880s. The modest Victorian cottage contains photographs and artifacts documenting Laney’s remarkable achievement in establishing schools during the challenging post-Reconstruction era.
Special exhibitions during Masters Week often highlight African American contributions to Augusta’s development and sporting traditions.
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North Augusta Greeneway Trail
This 7-mile paved trail across the river in South Carolina provides perfect morning exercise before tournament crowds gather. The path follows an abandoned railroad bed through residential neighborhoods where azaleas and dogwoods create spectacular spring displays during tournament week.
Access points near riverfront dining allow visitors to combine outdoor activity with Southern culinary experiences.
Clarks Hill Lake
Just 30 minutes from Augusta, this vast reservoir offers water activities and shoreline relaxation away from tournament excitement. Local outfitters rent fishing equipment and boats to visitors seeking authentic outdoor experiences in the region’s natural environment.
Lakeside restaurants serve freshly caught fish prepared according to regional traditions, with spectacular sunset views across the water.
Augusta Symphony Orchestra
The professional symphony often schedules special performances during Masters week, showcasing classical interpretations alongside Southern musical traditions. Programs frequently feature compositions inspired by Georgia’s landscapes and cultural heritage, creating musical connections to the surroundings.
Pre-concert talks provide context for understanding the region’s influence on musical development across multiple genres.
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Edgefield, South Carolina
This small town, 20 miles from Augusta, maintains its 19th-century appearance with remarkably preserved commercial buildings around the town square. The community’s pottery tradition continues in working studios where visitors can watch artisans create face jugs and other distinctive Southern stoneware.
Local restaurants serve authentic farm-to-table Southern cuisine as it existed before becoming a national trend.
Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art
Housed in a historic mansion, this community art center hosts special exhibitions featuring regional artists during Masters Week. Interactive studios allow visitors to try traditional Southern crafts like sweetgrass basket weaving under expert guidance.
Evening receptions introduce visitors to Augusta’s vibrant contemporary art community beyond golf culture.
Betty’s Branch Kayak Tours
Guided paddling excursions on this tributary of the Savannah River reveal natural areas inaccessible by road just minutes from Augusta National. Early morning tours often encounter diverse wildlife, including river otters, beavers, and numerous bird species in their natural habitats.
Experienced guides share knowledge about the river ecosystem while providing peaceful alternatives to tournament crowds.
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Southern Hospitality Beyond the Tournament
The Masters may bring the international spotlight to Augusta for one week each year, but the region’s genuine charm exists year-round in these experiences away from the fairways. The combination of historical depth, natural beauty, and authentic cultural traditions creates memories that often outlast recollections of specific golf shots or tournament winners.
By exploring beyond Augusta National’s manicured perfection, visitors discover the complex, hospitable Southern culture that makes this region truly distinctive.
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