Attractions Nearby Augusta, Day Trips and Excursions

(Augusta, Georgia - GA, USA)

This part of Georgia has plenty to offer day trippers wishing to venture outside of Augusta for a brief excursion. Close by are the attractions of Madison, Milledgeville and Pine Mountain, with the latter being home to the rather splendid Callaway Gardens.

A famous Georgian city around a two and a half hour drive to the west of Augusta, Atlanta is roughly 150 miles / 241 km away. Atlanta is a simply enormous city and seems to be continually expanding its boundaries, offering attractions to suit all ages and persuasions. If you have the time, head out of Augusta and on into South Carolina, to pay a visit to either Columbia or Spartanburg.

Atlanta

Much redeveloping in recent years has ensured that Atlanta continues to appeal to tourists, with firm favourites including the CNN Center, the Georgia Aquarium, and a total of three fun-packed Six Flags theme parks. Families may also like to pencil in a visit to the World of Coca-Cola Atlanta attraction, the Zoo Atlanta and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the latter of which boasts a collection of dinosaur skeletons and fossils.

Columbia

Address: South Carolina SC, USA
Columbia in South Carolina is within easy reach of Augusta and stands only 75 miles / 121 km to the northeast. The state capital, Columbia is also the state's biggest city and is where you will find the esteemed University of South Carolina. Fort Jackson is amongst the main attractions within Columbia and regularly draws visitors. Also popular is the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens, the family friendly Riverbanks Zoo, the South Carolina Statehouse and the South Carolina State Museum.

Columbus

Columbus is the third-biggest city in Georgia and is around 240 miles / 386 km southwest of Augusta, and some 100 miles / 160 km southwest of Atlanta. Modern-day Columbus has a fairly industrial feel, with the downtown visitors center on 10th Street being on hand for tourism advice. On the southern side of Columbus, Fort Benning is a significant local landmark.

Macon

A small and pleasant city with a handful of appealing attractions, Macon is situated just under 150 miles / 241 km to the southwest of Augusta and was founded as long ago as 1823. Once famous for its cotton port located on the Ocmulgee River, Macon is brimming with antebellum (pre-Civil War) houses and in fact has a staggering 5,500 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is actually more than any other city in the whole of Georgia. If you are visiting Macon in March, then you may well be able to join in the Cherry Blossom Festival celebrations.

Madison and Milledgeville

Lying off the Interstate I-20, east of Atlanta and southwest of Augusta, Madison and Milledgeville are two towns of great historical appeal. Madison (93 miles / 150 km away) boasts an area now ranking as a National Historic Site, with a pleasant walking trail mapped out to pass the most interesting attractions. Milledgeville (99 miles / 159 km away) was actually once the capital of Georgia (1803 to 1868), and has managed to preserve some very impressive Victorian buildings, a number of which offer guided tours to paying visitors.

Pine Mountain / Callaway Gardens

A tiny town located directly west of Augusta, most people head to Pine Mountain en route to the stunning Callaway Gardens. These landscaped gardens are famous throughout Georgia and encompass in excess of 13,000 acres / 5,260 hectares. The main attractions at the Callaway Gardens include a butterfly center, vegetable gardens, Georgia nature trails, fishing, tennis, birds of prey shows, over 3,500 seasonal blooming hybrid azaleas, a gift shop and even a beach area.
Open hours: Callaway Gardens: January to March and September to December, daily - 09:00 to 17:00; April to August, daily - 09:00 to 18:00
Admission: Callaway Gardens: charge, discount available to seniors and children, children five years old and under are free

Spartanburg

Address: South Carolina SC, USA
Located approximately 125 miles / 201 km to the north of Augusta, Spartanburg stands within Upcountry South Carolina, where it is a sizable city of reasonable importance. Home to attractions such as the University of South Carolina Upstate, the Cottonwood Trail, the Walnut Grove Plantation, the 18th-century Seay House, and the Hatcher Garden and Woodland Preserve, central Spartanburg revolves around its busy Morgan Square.

Warm Springs

Warm Springs is a bit of a trek from Augusta, being some 214 miles / 344 km away and to the southwest. However, Warm Springs' strong association with former US president Franklin D. Roosevelt is often of interest, as it was here where he spent the last years of his life. Roosevelt founded a polio treatment center in Warm Springs and even built himself a home on the southerly outskirts, which is today known as the Little White House State Historic Site. The Kah-Nee-Ta Resort and Casino may also be of interest if you are looking for things to do.