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Suggest a Feature →Augusta & the Central Savannah River Area
The Masters, cyber command, and a river city finding its identity.
Fort Eisenhower (formerly Gordon) is home to Army Cyber Command and the Signal Corps, and it sits next to Augusta — a city defined by two things: the Masters Golf Tournament and the Augusta Canal. Outside Masters week (early April), Augusta is a mid-sized Southern city with a genuine food scene emerging, a revitalized downtown, and the Savannah River waterfront providing natural anchor.
The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) straddles the Georgia-South Carolina line. North Augusta across the river has family neighborhoods and lower South Carolina taxes. The region is 2.5 hours from Atlanta, 1.5 hours from Columbia, SC, and close enough to the mountains and coast to make long weekends genuinely valuable.
Must Eat
The spots worth eating at before you PCS out.
Frog Hollow Tavern
"Augusta's best restaurant. Seasonally driven Southern cuisine."
James Beard-quality Southern cooking in downtown Augusta — local ingredients, creative preparations, an exceptional whiskey and cocktail list. This is the dinner reservation that impresses people from Atlanta. Make one.
Eli's on Reynolds
"Augusta's beloved weekend brunch spot."
Breakfast and lunch in downtown Augusta with a commitment to local sourcing and Southern comfort food done thoughtfully. The biscuits are exceptional. Weekend brunch has a wait and is worth it.
Rhinehart's Oyster Bar
"The oyster bar on the Savannah River. Cold beer, fresh oysters."
Raw and steamed oysters on the Savannah River waterfront, with a deck that makes the setting as good as the food. The boiled shrimp and crab legs are solid. This is the casual warm-weather spot.
Outdoor
Get outside. The land around military installations is usually the best reason to be there.
Sumter National Forest (SC)
"Waterfalls, trails, and the Chattooga River across the border."
The Chattooga River — where Deliverance was filmed — forms the Georgia-South Carolina border north of Augusta and provides serious whitewater for experienced paddlers. The surrounding Sumter National Forest has excellent hiking trails. Oconee State Park and the Long Cane District are within 90 minutes.
Culture & History
Places with stories. Most military towns sit on deep history — dig in.
Augusta Museum of History
"James Brown's cape, a pharaoh exhibition, and the best local history museum in Georgia."
Augusta is the birthplace of James Brown, and this museum has the cape. The permanent collection covers 12,000 years of regional history, including remarkable exhibits on Augusta's role in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement. Well-done and undervisited.
Family
Stuff to do with the kids. Rated by people who have brought actual children.
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
"Wild Georgia wetlands within Augusta city limits."
An urban wetland nature park with boardwalk trails through swamp habitat and a nature center with interpretive exhibits. Alligators are present and visible. The birding is exceptional. A good outdoor option without leaving town.
Day Trips
When you need to remember there's a world outside the gate.
"One of the most beautiful cities in America. Squares, food, and ghosts."
Two hours to Savannah — packed with 22 historic squares, the River Street waterfront, some of the best restaurants in the South (The Grey, Cotton & Rye, The Olde Pink House), and a ghost tour culture that takes itself seriously enough to be fun.
Masters week transforms Augusta. If you're stationed there, getting practice round badges through the lottery is worth attempting every year.
The Georgia Cyber Center (downtown Augusta) signals where the city's economy is heading. More tech workers means better restaurants.
South Carolina state income tax exemptions for military pay can save money. Understand your options.
Lake Thurmond (Clark Hill Lake) on the Georgia-SC border is 35 minutes away and has excellent fishing and camping.
The SRP Federal Credit Union and local military community ties are strong — Augusta has a long military history.
Augusta's downtown has improved but is still a work in progress. The restaurant scene is growing but limited compared to larger cities. Most entertainment driving will be to Columbia, Atlanta, or Savannah.
This guide is built by people who've been stationed here. If there's a spot we got wrong or a gem we missed, tell us.