44 Things To Do in Augusta this Summer

 Whether you’re new to the area or you’ve lived here your entire life and need some inspiration for summertime activities, we’ve compiled a list of 44 activities to try in and around Augusta, GA to keep you busy all summer long. Get out and be adventurous this summer! Try new things, eat new foods, and experience all that the wonderful city of Augusta, GA has to offer. MUSIC  1) You can’t miss the Wine & Dine Candlelight Jazz Concerts that take place in the Evans Town Center Amphitheater. Bring a picnic of your favorite wine, cheese, and fruit (or BBQ- whatever tickles your fancy) and sit back in your camp chairs or on your picnic blanket while you listen to the sweet sounds of local jazz musicians. Put on by Garden City Jazz and the Aiken Public Radio Station, tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.   2) Evenings in the Appleby Garden Summer Concerts, May and June 2016. Free concerts, open to the public on the lawn of the Appleby Branch Library on Walton Way. Bring your own chairs and food.   3) Grab a drink on the expansive porch of the Partridge Inn, located in the Summerville Historic District, just on the border of the medical district of Augusta. This gorgeous building, which was once a grand mansion, is now a Hilton Hotel. The P.I. Grill hosts live music every Friday evening.   4) Moonlight Music Cruises on the Augusta Canal. Watch for wildlife during a 1.5 hour cruises on the Petersburg Boat. $25 per seat, you can bring your own food and relax as you’re serenaded by live musicians. Cruises run April through October. All boat tour tickets include FREE admission to the Augusta Canal Discovery Center.   SCREEN & STAGE 5) Check out the historic Imperial Theater this summer where they’re featuring the FREE Summer Family Fun Film Series, showing wonderful family-friendly films like: The Wizard of Oz, Babe, and James and the Giant Peach.   6) Take a date to the Fort Gordon Dinner Theater - $53 for Civilians; your ticket gets you dinner and a show. There are discounts for seniors, active military and students.   7) The Big Mo drive-in theater is only 45 minutes northeast of downtown Augusta and it actually features movies that are currently in theaters. Two movies back-to-back, and a variety of showings to please all age groups. $8 for adults, $4 for kids 4-11 and FREE for kids 3 and under. Gates open at 7, movies start at dusk: between 8:30 & 8:45pm.   8) Throughout the summer enjoy free Family Movie Matinees playing on Wednesdays in the Evans Town Center Park.   ADULT BEVERAGES If you’re into the craft scene, you can check out some of the breweries in and around Augusta, GA:

9) Aiken Brewing Company

10) Riverwatch Brewery

11) Poplar Creek Brewing – Try your hand at beer or wine homebrewing.

  FOOD 12) The Veggie Truck – Support local farmers every Tuesday downtown and pick up some fresh veggies.   13) Saturdays at the Augusta Market, 8am – 2pm on 8^th street in downtown. Stock up on fresh produce, shop handcrafted jewelry and home décor, or just grab lunch from a food vendor and listen to live performances.   14) Take Cooking Classes at Fireside Outdoor Kitchen in downtown Augusta.   15) Brunch! This topic deserves it’s own blog post because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love brunch? There are a number of local restaurants serving brunch including, but not limited to: The Bee’s Knees, Fuse Restaurant, Finch & Fifth, Sunrise Grill and Manuel’s Bread Café.   LOCAL FLAIR & EVENTS 16) After brunch, take a walk on the Augusta Riverwalk in Downtown Augusta between 6^th and 10^th Streets. Two bricked levels overlooking the Savannah River feature plaques with Augusta’s history, as well as a gorgeous view of the homes on the South Carolina side.   17) Thunder Over Evans is the CSRA’s public celebration of Armed Forces Day. The perfect opportunity to bring together the public and the military for a fun filled day of events and a tribute to those who serve. Helicopter rides, lumberjack show, kickboxing, and fireworks. May 21, 2016.   18) See a rotating exhibit at the Morris Museum of Art. Admission is $5 Tuesday through Saturday, but if you go on Sunday at 3PM it’s FREE.   History buffs can enjoy the local historic attractions:

19) Sacred Heart Cultural Center – Yes, that beautiful church you drive by on John C. Calhoun Expy is open during the week and you can walk inside to learn about the architecture and history! You can also preview a virtual tour of the inside before you go.

20) SouthstarTrolley - Board the Lady Liberty trolley and explore Augusta's Historic Downtown. $15 includes admission to the Augusta Museum of History.

21) Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History

22) Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson

  23) Augusta Outdoor Expo – Hunting, Fishing, Archery, Shooting, Taxidermy, Off-Roading and Chainsaw Carving!   24) End the Summer with the Arts in the Hearts Festival in downtown Augusta September 16-18, 2016. Over the years, this 3-day cultural festival has grown to take over 6 blocks in downtown. Patrons continue to come back year after year to experience new foods, music, and art. (You’ll also see First Choice Home Builders there!)   In Augusta, there are quite a few ways to volunteer your time and talents if you want to give back this summer.

25) Augusta Golden Harvest - Help out at the food bank.

26) CSRA Humane Society – Teens and adults alike can spend a Saturday helping out around the Humane Society.

  #OPTOUTSIDE – SPEND TIME IN THE FRESH AIR  If you’re into hiking / trail walking:

27) Phinizy Swamp & Nature Park is a great dog-friendly walking park. There are a few different trails on raised platforms through the “swamp” and a lot of opportunities to see wildlife. Take a picnic and eat your lunch in the Pfizer Pavilion.

28) Augusta Canal Trail – As its name implies, this 10.9 mile trail winds along the Augusta Canal, but you don’t have to tackle the entire thing. Dogs are allowed and you can bike or walk the trail. (We advise against road bikes since it’s dirt and gravel)

29) Savannah River Bluffs – One of the steeper hikes in the Augusta area, while still considered beginner level, this 2-mile hike just across the river in North Augusta ends on the beautiful Savannah River, making it well worth the effort.

30) Magnolia Springs – A state park 1 hour south of Augusta where you can enjoy crystal clear springs and catch a glimpse of alligators and turtles sunbathing on the lawn together. This park is hiker, biker, and camp friendly. (They even have cottages for rent).

  Curious about all things nature?

31) Reed Park in Evans offers programs where you can learn about frogs, owls, pond critters and more.

32) Heggie’s Rock Preserve – An outcropping of Piedmont flat rock spanning 100 acres of Columbia County, you can see dome-shaped granite, shallow pools, and dish gardens filled with extremely rare plants. It‘s a National Natural Landmark.

  33) Locals love Lake Strom Thurmond (also called Clarks Hill Lake). Go out on a boat, canoe, kayak, paddleboard or whatever floating mechanism you prefer, but there’s arguably nothing better to help cool you off in the hot Georgia summer heat than heading for the lake.   If the lake isn’t your thing, you can try one of the area’s Waterparks!

33) Splash in the Boro – About an hour south of Augusta in Statesboro, GA.

34) Scuttle Island – Rumored to open sometime in 2016.

  35) If the kids need something different, why not spend a night under the stars, camping? Whether in your back yard, or at Lake Strom Thurmond’s many campgrounds, spending a weekend in a tent and making smores over a campfire can be relaxing for kids of any age - just be sure to take the bug spray!   36) FATS biking trails, or the Forks Area Trail System, is a series of 6 loop bike trails with varying features in Sumter National Forest just north of Augusta. Great for beginners and seasoned riders alike, this gem is only 25 minutes north of downtown Augusta.   37) Try taking horseback riding lessons at Hilltop Riding Stables located at Fort Gordon. Lessons are offered for beginners to advanced riders, or if you’re an expert, you can join an organized lake side trail ride.   SPORTS 38) The Augusta Sports League offers many opportunities to join a team this summer, so you can try a new sport while meeting new people! Basketball, Cornhole, Dodgeball, Flag Football, Kickball, Soccer, Softball, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball - and most game days end with a social gathering at a restaurant afterward.   39) Need to take out some aggression? Visit Augusta Paintball. $50 gets you the gun, mask, chest & back armor, and 500 paintballs.   40) Grab a box of peanuts or cracker jacks and support your local baseball team, the Augusta Green Jackets - $9 General Admission Tickets. Go on a night with a promotion to help support a local cause or take advantage or food and drink specials.   41) Aspiring Masters players can get in some good swings at the Putt Putt Fun Center in Augusta. They also have Laser Tag!   42) Try your hand at disc golf (think putt-putt, but with small frisbees) at the Hoppodrome in North Augusta, SC, for $5 all-day pass. Or, try some of the free courses around town.   43) Golf – After all, this IS the home of the annual Masters Tournament. Augusta and the surrounding areas offer a dozen different golf courses on which to wield your clubs.   44) Prefer an indoor sport? BrunswickBowling can help you out there. They have a full menu, arcade, and even a billiards room with pool and dartboard (bring your own darts).     Did we leave out any major summer activities to do in Augusta? If so, let us know on our Facebook!  

First Choice Home Builders is a local homebuilder in the Columbia County and Greater Augusta, GA area specializing in custom, semi-custom, and build-on-your-lot homes. Currently the company is building homes in the Riverwood Plantation, Whispering Pines, and Rhodes Farm Master Planned Communities. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Houzz to see current projects.