Built in 1845 to power textile mills along the Savannah River, the Augusta Canal is one of the only pre-Civil War industrial canals in the United States still in its original use corridor. The canal runs for about eight miles through the city, and the towpath alongside it makes for an excellent walk or bike ride. The headgates and lock mechanisms have been preserved and are worth examining up close.
Boat tours depart from Enterprise Mill, a handsomely restored textile factory that also houses the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area visitor centre. The flat-bottomed packet boats move slowly enough that you can take in the canal banks, the mill ruins, and the wildlife — herons are common. The visitor centre has exhibits on the canal's history, the workers who built it, and the textile industry that shaped this part of Georgia.
The towpath trail connects to downtown and makes for an easy half-day excursion on foot or by hired bicycle.