Welcome to Visit Augusta GA blog

“Whirl (N): a rapid round of events, affairs, etc”

We all need a little mini-vacation sometimes and a weekend whirl to freshen things up is always fun. September in Augusta, Ga is full of festivals, art and culture. This month’s Weekend Whirl puts brings you to one of the South’s most famous festivals – Arts in the Heart of Augusta. Start planning your trip for August 16^th through 18^th.

Friday Night

Music to give you a Southern Soul. Grammy award winning Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives bring their “hillbilly rock” to the historic Imperial Theatre in downtown Augusta for the kick-off performance of the Southern Soul and Song series. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. If you get into Augusta by 5 p.m. plan to stop by Blue Sky Kitchen a few blocks down from the Imperial Theatre for dinner before the show. If you’re running late, head over to Blue Horse Bistro after the show.

Saturday

Soul food for breakfast. Before heading into the festival, make a quick stop by the Coffee Break Café  for breakfast. You can grab a home-made, honest to goodness breakfast sandwich (no frozen stuff here!) and take it with you. Or order a breakfast plate and eat in.

Southern setting for International Culture. Greece, China, India, Jamaica –experience the art, music, food and traditions of cultures from all over the world at Arts in the Heart of Augusta. With over 100 artists and crafters, more than 60 performers and authentic ethnic dancers on 4 different stages, there’s more than enough to keep you busy exploring all day.

Stop by the Global Food Village and take your taste buds on an international culinary journey for lunch and dinner!

Sunday

Can’t get enough of your art, baby. With so much to see and do, you’ll probably want to plan on spending some more time at the Arts in the Heart of Augusta. If you haven’t already, make sure you take time to stop by the Global Stage in the Common and see a variety of performances by groups representing countries like Greece, Ireland, The Middle East and more!

Get a late breakfast, or lunch, or brunch. Before heading home, take a quick trip across the river to Manuel’s Bread Café. The Hammond’s Ferry neighborhood is a perfect example of Southern charm and style. Ask about their homemade lemonades and make sure you order one if it’s available!

“Whirl (N): a rapid round of events, affairs, etc”

We all need a little mini-vacation sometimes and a weekend whirl to freshen things up is always fun. So whether your planning a weekend trip to visit Augusta or looking to show visiting friends and family a good time, this is a fun itinerary that has a few of my favorite things to do.

Friday Night

Get a taste of Augusta’s downtown dining scene. There’s something to please everyone’s taste buds. Feeling adventurous? Try Bees Knees – this tapas style restaurant adds Southern flair to international dishes.

Get a shot of Augusta’s downtown nightlife. While you’re out and about, enjoy live Indie bands, bar bands, and drink specials downtown. A few of my favorite hot spots are Sky City, Soul Bar, Metro Pub and Stillwater Taproom.

   If you’re in town the first Friday of the month, go and enjoy the First Friday festival in the Augusta Commons area. It’s one of my favorite things to do on a Friday night. You’ll find live performances, music, art, vintage cars, fair food and more. Many of the downtown businesses host special First Friday events as well.

Saturday

Get a look at the local market. Take advantage of the cool morning weather and stroll down to the Saturday Market on the River. Grab a freshly roasted and brewed cup of coffee and some locally grown fruit to snack on for a light breakfast while you peruse the work of local artists and are serenaded by local jazz musicians.

Get some grub. Since you had a light breakfast, grab a good lunch—there are lots of cafes and restaurants to choose from. One of my favorite lunch spots is New Moon Café. They offer a good variety of soups, sandwiches and Panini’s that are made with fresh, and mostly local, ingredients.

Get on a trolley. Hop on the Lady Liberty trolley for the Saturday Historic Trolley Tour. Hear the legend of the Haunted Pillar and Civil War stories. Learn about the bones in the Old Medical College basement and a rambunctious boy who grew up in Augusta and became a U.S. President. Tour historic downtown and get a feel for all the unique shops and restaurants that you want to visit and more! Sound like fun? Make sure you call ahead  (706-724-4067) and make reservations at least 24 hours in advance.

Get a glimpse of nature. Rent a canoe, pontoon boat, or jetski from the Riverwalk Marina before setting off for a self-guided nature cruise down the beautiful Savannah River. If you prefer to hand over the captain’s hat, try an Augusta Canal Cruise so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Get some seafood. Before you head out for a night on the town, stop by Rinehart’s Oyster Bar for a “beyond casual” experience and enjoy fresh, simple seafood. My favorite thing on the menu is their fresh oysters, of course!

Get your groove on. A short drive down the road from Rinehart’s, you’ll find the Country Club Dance Hall and Saloon. Grab a friend and hit the dance floor. If you’re feelin’ lucky, go try and grab a balloon during the balloon drop and see if you’ve won a prize!

Sunday

Get to sleep late. After a late night, if you’re like me, you’ll want to sleep in a little. But don’t worry, you can still make it in time to enjoy “Augusta’s Best Sunday Brunch” at the Partridge Inn. Cheesy grits, bacon, biscuits and gravy, omelets, muffins, fresh fruit…you name it, they’ve got it!

Get a piece of Southern art. Take some time to explore the Morris Museum of Art. It’s the first museum that is dedicated to Southern art and works of Southern artists. Admission into the Morris is free on Sundays.

Get something to take home with you. I never leave someplace without doing a little shopping first. Augusta has tons of cool shops for you to check out. Downtown you can hit Artists Row—a group of galleries and studios that sell local art and hand-made jewelry, The Book Tavern—a little bookstore packed full of new, used and rare books, Vintage Ooollee—a vintage clothing and accessories boutique, and any of the quirky antique shops—my favorite thing about antique shops is you never know what you’ll find!  

Looking for someplace to stay? Check out our hotel listings to see which Augusta hotel best fits your style and budget.

One of my favorite shops in downtown Augusta is Elduets Treasures of the World. I sort of stumbled upon it one weekend when I had friends from out of town visiting and I was showing them around downtown. Little did I know, I’d find a few discoveries of my own that day!  The shop was immediately intriguing to me, since they had all sorts of things in the shop window and who doesn’t love ‘treasures’?  When we first walked in, I didn’t really know where to start. It’s not overwhelming, there are just so many different things to look at.  They have everything from sculptures and recycled artwork to candles and organic, fair trade coffees and teas.  I found some great handmade jewelry there recently for a birthday gift and the earrings were a hit!    

Elduets is located between the 11th and 12th Street block on Broad Street and is open Monday through Friday from Noon to 5:30 and 10 a.m. to 5:30 on Saturdays. They also stay open late on First Fridays! If you’re into rare gifts and treats, you should definitely check it out. It really is a unique place in Downtown Augusta.

I’ve met a woman who was one of the 40 people at John F. Kennedy Jr.’s wedding. In fact, she designed JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s wedding rings.

The Morris Museum of Art recently held a lunch and trunk show featuring Gogo Ferguson and her jewelry.

I signed up not really knowing what to expect, but I did a little research and learned that Gogo’s jewelry is collected and worn by Hilary Clinton, Isabella Rossalini, Goldie Hawn, Laura Bush and tons of other celebrities.

If you’re not familiar with Gogo Ferguson, let me tell you a little about her.

First, she was never a disco dancer (apparently she gets asked that a lot). Next, she calls Cumberland Island, Georgia home and is the 6^th generation of her family to live on the island.

To say that Gogo has been influenced by the island would be a huge understatement. It seems as if every piece of art that she’s created, whether it’s a pair of cufflinks or a serving spoon, is inspired by a found natural object. It could be a sea shell that she’s found while walking the beach or perfect leaf that she’s found during a walk in the woods.

Listening to Gogo talk about her upbringing and heritage on Cumberland Island was fascinating. Her grandmother instilled a respect and awe for nature that is contagious as you listen to her talk about it.

Listening to her speak, I gained a new respect and new found sense of wonder about nature’s little details. That’s what Gogo’s work focuses on—the details in nature. Sure, looking out at the ocean or into the forest is grand and majestic—but look at the perfect little geometric shapes on an armadillo shell. Look at the perfect spiral inside a conch shell. Look at the perfection of a single animal bone that serves little function on its own, but is just the right size and shape to fit with hundreds of other bones that make it possible for the animal to live. The details show off how exquisite nature really is.

Gogo uses the method of lost wax casting to capture the delicate details that often get overlooked. She turns a rattlesnake’s vertebrae into a wearable piece of art that not only retains the integrity of its natural beauty, but takes it to a level of adornment.

Just as we often times over look the intricate details in nature, we also often over look the hidden treasures of the South. This woman, who works with Senators and has met presidents and is friends with celebrities, has lived most of her life in the South. Her jewelry, which so many of the powerful and famous wear, is the result of a passion that was fostered by growing up on a barrier island in Georgia. We may not know her name by heart, but Gogo Ferguson is one of those hidden Southern treasures. One that I’m glad I got to uncover.

Morris Museum of Art

1 Tenth Street, Augusta Ga

706-724-7501

www.themorris.org

Gogo Ferguson Jewelry

http://www.gogojewelry.com/index.php

The Swank Co. is a super hip chic boutique located in the lower level of Surrey Center. Everything about it is swanky, except the prices of course!

It is unlike any other boutique here in Augusta, Georgia. Their buyers are careful to bring back only the latest and greatest swank for your style, home and soul from Atlanta and New York. The only thing missing…the Atlanta and New York prices!

Swank your style with their beautiful dresses, handbags and wallets!

Swank your party with these trendy cocktail, wine and bar accessories!

Swank your home with stylish wall art and these cute hanging lanterns!

Swank your soul with their fabulous smelling candles, reed diffusers, potions, lotions and soaps. Because it is perfectly alright to pamper yourself now and then!

They carry something for everybody, or should I say every lady! Check them out regularly because their inventory is always changing.

The Swank Co.
351 Highland Avenue
Augusta, Georgia  30909
(706) 364-3421