Parking in Augusta

• In Downtown Augusta, there are several free car parks on Broad Street.

• There’s also plenty of on-street parking in Downtown Augusta – just make sure you check the charges and time limits before leaving your hire car.

• Many popular sites and landmarks have on-site parking, including the Augusta Museum of History and The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson.

Augusta Regional Airport to Augusta

It takes about 15 minutes to drive from the local airport to Downtown Augusta:

• Drive out of Augusta Regional Airport and turn right onto Doug Barnard Parkway.

• Continue on this route for about five minutes, and then turn right to merge onto the US-25 N highway.

• After a few minutes, turn left onto Walton Way – this road is the border of Downtown Augusta.

• Turn right before you hit 13^th Street.

Roads and motorways

• The speed limit on highways in the state of Georgia is 70mph.

• Congestion is light in Augusta, except during the Masters, when the city swells with more than 200,000 sports fans.

• Interstate-520 and Interstate-20 create a circular road around the heart of Augusta, making it easy to navigate the city.

• You can cross the Savannah River on 13^th Street Bridge and 6^th Street Bridge.

• Drive eastbound on the I-20 for just more than one hour to visit the famously ‘hot’ city of Columbia in neighbouring South Carolina.

Driving rules and regulations

• You’ll be in a left-hand drive car on the right side of the road.

• Georgia is known as a ‘right on red’ state, which means you can make a right-hand turn at a junction when the lights are red (unless signs dictate otherwise). You must always give way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

What to see and do in Augusta

Do the Riverwalk

Topping the list of things to do on a sunny day, the Riverwalk in Downtown Augusta is a scenic 10-minute stroll. Bright white sailing boats bob on the rippling waters and, in the summer, the amphitheatre brings a festival vibe to the banks with local music performances and movie showings. There’s parking at either end of the promenade on 6^th and 10^th Street, so you can easily find a space for your hire car.

Visit the Augusta Museum of History

This Downtown museum (GA 30901) pays tribute to the king of feeling good - James Brown. The musical pioneer was born and bred in Augusta, and now the local museum is home to his family photos and iconic stage costumes. Just down the road is the James Brown Plaza, where you’ll find an honorary statue of the soul star, microphone in hand.

Explore Phinizy Center and Nature Park

This sprawling, leafy nature park (GA 30906) is just 10 minutes’ drive out of Downtown Augusta via the Doug Barnard Parkway. Explore the Beaver Dam Trail, catching sight of local otters and beavers, or head up to the Observation Deck for a bird’s eye view of the wetlands. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot a resident alligator lurking in the waters.

Transform your Augusta adventure into a full-blown road trip with our Appalachian Trail route starting in north Georgia.

Best hotels in Augusta

The Partridge Inn

The luxurious Partridge Inn (GA 30904) combines traditional southern charm with modern style. The rooms are contemporary and crisp, with spacious balconies overlooking the city. Head down to the courtyard for a quiet dip in the pool and dry off on the white-panelled veranda. When evening falls, visit the rooftop bar where plump sofas and roaring fires provide a VIP seat for the sunset.

The Rosemary Inn

The stunning white mansion Rosemary Inn (SC 29841), complete with ornate columns and sweeping gardens, harks back to the Antebellum grandeur of the south. The rooms and suites are styled with all the elegance of the early 1900s. The hotel sits across the Savannah River, technically making it part of South Carolina - however, the heart of Augusta is just five minutes’ drive across the 13^th Street Bridge.

Where to eat and drink in Augusta

Rae’s Coastal Cafe

This blue wooden shack is notoriously difficult to find - but well worth the effort. Tuck into hearty seafood platters, Rae’s famous salad or the house special – fiery jerk chicken. Inside, the wood-panelled restaurant is cosy, while the outdoor terrace is the perfect place to relax on warm evenings. There’s free on-site parking too, so you can stay at Augusta Magazine’s ‘best hidden gem’ for as long as you like.

The Bee’s Knees

This candle-lit tapas restaurant is part of the new age of Augustan eateries - a breath of fresh air in Georgia’s second oldest city. Enjoy carefully curated small plates of tofu, seafood and locally sourced vegetables, while live jazz performances create a velvet atmosphere in the Downtown venue.

Abel Brown Southern Kitchen and Oyster Bar

You’re spoilt for choice with oyster houses in Augusta - but local chef Abel Brown runs one of the best, just a stone’s throw from the golf course. Take a seat in the bright dining room and enjoy freshly shucked oysters from the shores of New England. The main menu is always changing to make the most of local produce – but whether it’s salmon, steak or chicken, you can expect big Southern flavours.