Georgia’s second-oldest city, on the Savannah River at the South Carolina line: a working 1845 power canal you can tour by boat, kayak or towpath, a cluster of small museums priced $5–$10, a free swamp park, and the Masters every April.
Augusta at a glance
- Drive from Atlanta
- 148 mi, about 2h 44m free-flow via I-20no traffic model · full drive-time table
- Drive from Savannah / Macon
- Savannah 121.5 mi, 2h 44m · Macon 122.8 mi, 2h 40mfree-flow · full drive-time table
- Typical costs
- Free (Riverwalk, Phinizy Swamp) to $14 (canal boat tour, which includes the $6 Discovery Center); Morris Museum $5, free on Sundays; Augusta Museum of History $7; Wilson Boyhood Home $10our Augusta guide
- Dogs
- Leashed dogs OK on the canal towpath and at Phinizy Swamp; pets allowed in rental kayaks; not in the Morris galleries (assistance animals OK)our Augusta guide
- Strollers and access
- Canal boats are boarded down a few narrow steps; the Augusta Museum of History has an elevator and a free wheelchairour Augusta guide
- Masters week
- 2027 Masters April 5–11 (practice rounds Apr 5–7, tournament Apr 8–11); 2027 tickets are all awarded; the 2028 application opens June 1, 2027our Augusta guide
- Best time to visit
- October (about 79°F highs, the driest month); July is the hottest of our 13 stations at 94°FGeorgia weather by month
- Ideal length
- One full day, or a weekend with the canal and a museum or two
- Last verified
Where an operator doesn’t publish a figure, or we couldn’t confirm one, we say so rather than estimate it. How we check · Verification log
Augusta vs the alternatives
Free-flow drive time to Augusta and the two other Historic South cities we cover, from the five Georgia cities in our drive-time data (no traffic model; collected 29 September 2026).
| Augusta | Athens | Macon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive from Atlanta | 148.0 mi / 2h 44m | 73.2 mi / 1h 31m | 83.8 mi / 1h 37m |
| Drive from Savannah | 121.5 mi / 2h 44m | 215.0 mi / 4h 33m | 166.3 mi / 3h 03m |
| Drive from Macon | 122.8 mi / 2h 40m | 93.1 mi / 2h 09m | — |
| Drive from Augusta | — | 98.9 mi / 2h 02m | 123.0 mi / 2h 41m |
| Drive from Columbus | 248.9 mi / 4h 39m | 179.7 mi / 3h 32m | 98.4 mi / 2h 06m |
Augusta questions
How much is the Augusta Canal boat tour?
$14 for adults and $12 for seniors 60+, military and students. Tours run Tuesday to Saturday and the ticket includes the canal Discovery Center (normally $6). (Our Augusta guide, checked 21 September 2026.)
When is the 2027 Masters?
April 5–11, 2027: practice rounds Monday to Wednesday (April 5–7) and the 91st tournament Thursday to Sunday (April 8–11). The 2027 ticket draw is complete; the 2028 application opens June 1, 2027. (Our Augusta guide, checked 21 September 2026.) Schedule, what you can bring and parking: our Masters 2027 guide.
Can I bring my dog in Augusta?
Leashed dogs are welcome on the Augusta Canal towpath and at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, and the canal kayak outfitter allows pets in its kayaks and shuttle. Pets are not allowed in the Morris Museum galleries. (Our Augusta guide, checked 21 September 2026.)
How far is Augusta from Atlanta?
About 148 miles, roughly 2 hours 44 minutes free-flow on I-20. From Savannah it is 121.5 miles (about 2 hours 44 minutes). (Georgia drive times, OSRM routing, free-flow, collected 29 September 2026.)
What is free to do in Augusta?
The Riverwalk (dawn to dusk) and Phinizy Swamp Nature Park (free, open every day of the year) cost nothing, and the Morris Museum of Art is free on Sundays. (Our Augusta guide, checked 21 September 2026.)
Guides that cover Augusta
Plan the trip
- Things to do in Augusta, GA
- The Masters 2027: dates, tickets, what to bring
- Free things to do in Georgia
Data
Nearby
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
