More Than the Masters: A Weekend in Augusta, Georgia

by Melissa Teutsch on November 6, 2025 in Travels,
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When most people hear “Augusta,” they immediately think of the Masters. But Georgia’s second-largest city has plenty to offer beyond its legendary fairways. 

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or making a stop on your way to Savannah or Charleston, Augusta is the perfect blend of Southern charm, culture, and unexpected finds.

Where We Stayed

White Colonial Revival-style hotel entrance with multiple levels of wraparound porches featuring white railings, green-striped awning over brick steps leading to the main entrance marked "2110," with a large mature tree in foreground and American flag displayed.
The Partridge Inn has welcomed presidents, musicians, and socialites since opening in 1910 as a winter resort for wealthy Northerners seeking milder weather. President William Howard Taft, Reba McEntire, Ryan Seacrest, baseball legend Alex Rodriguez, and numerous Masters champions have stayed at the hotel. Photo Courtesy Destination Augusta

Our home base for the weekend was The Partridge Inn, a grand hotel that’s been part of Augusta’s story since 1910. Once a social hub for the city’s elite, it has hosted everyone from musicians to presidents and still holds onto that classic Southern sophistication. Today, it’s one of only a handful of Georgia hotels recognized by Historic Hotels of America—and conveniently, it’s also the closest hotel to the famed Augusta National Golf Course.

Friday: Coffee, Oysters, and Cake (Lots of Cake)

We rolled into town on a Friday afternoon and made our first stop at Trellis Coffee Bar for a much-needed caffeine fix. If you’re planning a coffee crawl, download the Augusta Coffee Trail app—it maps out the best local spots and even offers discounts as you check in at each one.

Wooden serving board with triangular golden-brown hoecakes arranged around a center mound of pimento cheese topped with roasted okra and diced tomatoes.
Abel Brown’s Johnny Cake appetizer features crispy hoecakes served with smoked Tillamook cheddar pimento cheese, andouille, and chives. Photo Melissa Teutsch

Once properly fueled, we checked into The Partridge Inn and dropped our bags before heading out to dinner at Abel Brown, a Southern kitchen and oyster bar that was hands down our favorite meal of the trip. We started with their OG Crabcake and oysters—Rockefeller-style and Broiled with harissa-lime butter, a surprise favorite for someone like me who doesn’t usually eat oysters. Their famous Johnny Cake appetizer, made with smoked Tillamook cheddar pimento cheese, andouille, and chives, served alongside crispy hoecakes, was so incredible that my husband and I are still talking about it. For my entrée, I had the trout stuffed with crab and cornbread, served alongside butter peas, andouille, and pickled watermelon.

Close-up of a layered cake slice showing red velvet cake layers separated by thick white cheesecake and cream cheese frosting, garnished with whipped cream rosettes, chocolate drizzle, and a small decorative red frosting rose, with a chocolate cake slice visible in the background.
The Boll Weevil Café has been serving Augusta since 1990, earning a reputation for desserts that require serious decision-making. The “half slices” are generous enough to share—or save for tomorrow’s breakfast. Photo Melissa Teutsch

Of course, no evening in Augusta is complete without dessert, and The Boll Weevil Café and Sweetery is basically a local landmark for anyone with a sweet tooth. With a dozen cake options, seven cheesecakes, and a couple of pies, narrowing it down was no easy task. We ordered half-slices of Velvet Delight, red velvet layered with cream cheese icing and a layer of white chocolate cheesecake, and 7th Heaven, a dark chocolate cake layered with buttercream and cheesecake, topped with ganache. The half slices were so big that we could only eat half, but they were delicious. 

Saturday: Markets, Museums, and Main Street

We started the next morning at The Brunch House, a cozy Southern diner. We liked the homemade biscuits and yellow stone grits, but all the dishes we saw passing us looked amazing. It’s a small spot and wildly popular, so it’s worth reserving a table in advance on their website.

After breakfast, we strolled along the Augusta Riverwalk and explored the Augusta Market on the River, an open-air market that runs every Saturday. Local artists, farmers, and food vendors fill the riverfront with everything from handmade crafts to global eats—African, Thai, Guatemalan, Korean, and more. If you go, plan your visit around lunchtime so you can snack your way through the stalls and eat alongside the Savannah River.

View from a boat on dark water showing a wetland shoreline with bright green aquatic plants covering the water's edge, tall grasses, reeds, and a backdrop of deciduous trees under an overcast sky.
The Augusta Canal, completed in 1845, was built to provide transportation and power to the textile mills that fueled Augusta’s industrial growth. Today, historic Petersburg boats offer tours along it. Photo Melissa Teutsch

From there, we joined a canal tour, gliding down the Augusta Canal in a historic Petersburg boat. Our guide shared stories about the old textile mills and the Confederate Powder Works, pointing out herons and egrets as we meandered along.

Lunch was at Tacocat, a vibrant taco spot with live music and a breezy patio. My top pick: the Crispy Pork Belly taco with Oaxaca cheese, roasted habanero salsa, and cilantro.

The afternoon was all about art and history. We began at the Morris Museum of Art, the nation’s first museum dedicated solely to the art and artists of the American South. Its collection spans more than 6,000 works—from 19th-century portraits to contemporary Southern landscapes. Two pieces that stuck with me were The Sunny South (c. 1889) and Columbia Welcoming the South Back into the Union (1876), both rich in symbolism and storytelling.

Colorful street mural celebrating James Brown featuring multiple portraits of the performer in vibrant shades of purple, orange, yellow, and green, with text reading "JAMES BROWN The hardest working man in Show Business" and "The Godfather of Soul," alongside references to his R&B Hall of Fame induction in 2013.
Augusta is filled with vibrant street murals, including this James Brown mural honoring the legendary performer who was raised in the city. Photo Melissa Teutsch

Just a short drive away, the Augusta Museum of History offered a deeper look at the city’s past. Exhibits range from Augusta’s Story, a 12,000-year journey through local history, to sections on transportation, golf, the military, and even James Brown, the Godfather of Soul himself. I especially enjoyed the “Local Legends” exhibit, which highlights Augustans who’ve made their mark far beyond Georgia.

Later that afternoon, we browsed the shops along Broad Street, popping into a record store, The Book Tavern, and Augusta & Co., a visitor center-meets-boutique with local art, regional goods, and a tasting bar. It’s a great spot to pick up souvenirs.

Interior of an independent bookstore featuring floor-to-ceiling wooden bookshelves lining both walls, decorative pressed tin ceiling, hardwood floors, and display tables with books and artwork in the foreground, with a small tree visible in the background of the long narrow space.
The Book Tavern opened in 2005 and remains one of Augusta’s beloved independent bookstores, housed in a historic building with original pressed tin ceilings that date back over a century. Photo Melissa Teutsch

Dinner that night was at Craft & Vine, an upscale eatery with a modern speakeasy vibe. We started with their signature deviled eggs topped with sundried tomato pesto and parmesan tulle, followed by the Autumn Flatbread (honeycrisp apple, prosciutto, ricotta salata, and Calabrian honey) for me, and a mushroom pizza for my husband. 

We ended the evening back at The Partridge Inn’s popular rooftop bar, sipping wine while watching the city lights twinkle below. The rooftop also serves small plates and entrees, but we were too content (and full) to order more than a drink.

Wine glass sitting on a granite bar table in foreground with Augusta city lights twinkling across the dark landscape in the background at night, residential homes and buildings visible below.
The Partridge Inn’s rooftop bar offers panoramic views of Augusta’s Summerville neighborhood and the lights of downtown. Photo Melissa Teutsch

Sunday: Coffee and Nature

Sunday morning began with another coffee stop—this time at Relic Coffee Company, found through the Augusta Coffee Trail app. They’re known for their handcrafted espresso drinks and homemade sourdough bagels. I ordered the Cotopaxi (espresso with Ecuadorian cacao syrup and cashew milk) and a sweet bagel with Biscoff cookie butter (so good!), while my husband went for the Ambato (espresso, strawberry-rose syrup, honey, and cashew milk) with an everything bagel.

Yellow ceramic coffee cup and saucer with latte art on a black metal mesh outdoor table, with blurred black metal chairs and address number 1504 visible in the background.
Relic Coffee Company specializes in handcrafted espresso drinks and makes their sourdough bagels fresh in-house daily. Photo Melissa Teutsch

Fueled and ready for one last adventure, we made our way to Phinizy Swamp Nature Park. The park is part of a wetlands system created to help purify water naturally—an impressive example of science and nature working together. With over 14 miles of trails and boardwalks winding through cypress trees and marshland, it’s a haven for wildlife lovers. We spotted herons, egrets, and even a couple of alligators (from a safe distance). What was supposed to be a quick two-mile stroll turned into a six-mile trek, complete with a surprise downpour—but honestly, it just added to the story.

Curved wooden boardwalk trail leading through wetland marsh with bright green grasses and still water on both sides, framed by tall trees draped with Spanish moss under an overcast sky.
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park’s boardwalk trails wind through bald cypress groves draped in Spanish moss. Photo Melissa Teutsch

A Weekend Well Spent

By the time we made it back to the car—muddy, damp, and laughing—we realized the weekend had been exactly what we needed: a mix of great food, history, art, and nature, all wrapped in Southern hospitality. Augusta may be best known for the Masters, but after a few days exploring its markets, museums, and marshes, it’s clear this city is more than a golf destination. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, savor, and discover something new around every corner.

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 Cover Photo Courtesy Destination Augusta

A native of Louisiana, Melissa Teutsch enjoys hiking, reading, baking, dabbling in home improvement on her 106-year-old home, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two kids. When she’s not working full-time in the publishing industry, she’s planning trips to new places for her family or taking day trips to explore the North Georgia and North Carolina mountains.