Augusta's biggest draw is the Masters golf tournament, held every April at Augusta National Golf Club. During that first full week of April, the city transforms: every room is booked months in advance and prices multiply. For the rest of the year, Augusta National is closed to the public — the most you can do is drive past on Washington Road and catch a glimpse of the gates.
Away from golf, the city has genuine appeal. The Augusta Canal, a 19th-century industrial waterway, offers a rare window into the American South's industrial past and can be explored by boat or on foot along the towpath. The Riverwalk traces the Savannah River through the heart of downtown. The Augusta Museum of History makes the surprising connections between the city's industrial and musical heritage, and the Boyhood Home of Woodrow Wilson is one of the better-preserved presidential homes in the South.