Welcome to Visit Augusta GA blog

When the weather’s nice outside, one of my favorite things to do is grab a quick lunch and take it to the Living History Park. It’s right across the river in North Augusta and is about 5 minutes from downtown Augusta. It’s a public park that’s being transformed into a mini-settlement, complete with colonial style church, tavern and meeting place. Each year something new gets added.

I like to stroll around the park and look at the buildings or go sit in the garden and just enjoy the weather! What most people don’t realize is that there are monthly and annual events held at the park regularly. There’s “Last Saturday in the Park” which is the last Saturday of the month from January through November where parents can bring their kids for an interactive history experience. Or they’ve got events like “Spirits of Hallowed Eve” and “Colonial Times” each fall and “Christmas in the Backwoods” each winter. No matter when you come, it’s always like you stepped back in history!

So make time during your next visit to stop by and enjoy the Living History Park. And if you’re in town during one of thier events, make sure you go!

Living History Park

229 W. Spring Grove Ave, North Augusta

Park Open Dawn – Dusk

Need something unique to do while in town? Take a tour of the Augusta Canal on a Petersburg boat. You can learn about some of Augusta’s history along the canal while observing birds and wildlife. My favorite thing about this tour is that you can bring along your own picnic basket and beverages to enjoy on the boat. This is an attraction you do not want to miss while you are in Augusta.  Call the Canal Interpretive Center at (706)823-0440 to make your reservations today!

Have you been to the Kroc Center yet? If not, what the heck are you waiting for? It’s amazing! Tours are offered daily on the hour.

The Kroc Center has a very interesting story, for more information on how the Kroc Center operates please click on the link below and check out their informational video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4r2hTeb_pQ

When you first walk in you are greeted by the friendly staff at the reception desk. Tell them you’d like a tour. Whether you are interested in meeting space, aquatics, aerobics, arts and education, group fitness, performing arts or practically anything, the Kroc has something for you! Want to actually experience what the Kroc has to offer and not just tour it? No problem! The Kroc Center offers day passes for only $5 and children three and under are free! And of course, memberships are available.

If you’re looking for a gym that’s great for the entire family, you’ve found it here! Check out this fly through video of the facility! WARNING – prepare to be awed!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXp59d4J0Ok&feature=player_embedded

The Kroc Center has a fitness area that has state of the art aerobic and strength/weight training equipment.

They also offer a remarkable aquatics center which has lap lanes, a water slide, a lazy river, outdoor sun decks and more!

There are several options for meeting space in the Kroc Center, there’s a gymnasium, board/meeting rooms, a performing arts theatre, banquet hall, six acre green space that backs up to the Augusta Canal (for outdoor functions) and party rooms for the little ones’ birthday celebrations. The possibilities are endless. They also offer an in-house catering service, experiences technicians who can help manage all of your audio, video and lighting needs and business and marketing services are all offered.

Want more information about the Kroc Center? Give them a call at (706) 364-KROC or visit the facility for a tour at 1833 Broad Street  Augusta, GA 30904

The Kroc Center
Hours of Operation:
MON-FRI 5:00 am-10:00 pm
SAT 7:00 am-6:00 pm

SUN 1:00 pm-6:00 pm

If you’re like me you probably get tired of the same routine of exercising at the gym. Cardio, strength training, cardio, strength training, again and again. It gets old, fast.

Well, you’re in luck because I am here to introduce you to a new way to both exercise and have fun at the same time! It’s called Disc Golf. You may have heard of it, or seen a group of people playing at your local park. If you haven’t, listen up…

Disc Golf is played much like the traditional game of “ball golf,” but instead of clubs, players use a flying disc and instead of a hole, there’s an elevated metal basket, or more formally called “the Pole Hole.” The sport was formalized in the 1970′s, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association and shares with ball golf the object of completing each hole in the fewest number of strokes, or in this case, throws and make Par.

The player tees off from the “Tee Pad.” As a player progresses down the fairway, he or she must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw landed. But, unlike ball golf, the terrain various. Often, a player must maneuver their disc around trees, shrubs and terrain changes located in and around the fairway. This provides challenging obstacles for the golfer.

Also like ball golf, which has various clubs, disc golf has various discs players use depending on the distance being played. There are drivers, mid-range/fairway drivers and putters. And a disc is far less expensive than a golf club.

And unlike ball golf, this game is often free! Rarely are there any green fees associated with the game. As a matter of fact, there are several courses in the Augusta area you can try free of charge, and what’s even better? You can play anytime you’d like, so you’re never stuck with a bad “tee time.”

Free Courses:

Lake Olmstead Park - 2200 Broad Street, Augusta, GA 30904 – (706)736-7889
Patriots Park - 5445 Columbia Road, Grovetown, GA 30813 – (706) 863-7523
Pendleton King Park - 1738 Pine Tree Road, Augusta, GA 30904-5068 – (706) 733-4176
Riverview Park - 100 Riverview Park Drive, North Augusta, SC 29841 - (803) 441-4300

Green Fee Courses:

Wildwood Park, located in Appling, GA is home to the IDGC (International Disc Golf Center and Hall of Fame) and also home to one of the most challenging disc golf courses in the area. This course is a paid course and monies are used for donation purposes.
3828 Dogwood Lane, Appling, GA 30802 – (706) 309-9017

For more information on disc golf, I recommend visiting the sites below…Hope to see you on the course!

Professional Disc Golf Association

Augusta Disc Golf Association

“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.