Published on USA365, adapted in 2025. Some cities simply belong on your American road trip. The famous highlights everyone talks about, the ones that fill travel guides and Instagram feeds. But sometimes, you end up spending a night in a place you know little about, where expectations are low. That’s exactly what happened when I stopped in Augusta, Georgia, and left pleasantly surprised.
A Stopover
On a journey from Atlanta to Florida, the planned highlights included Charleston, Savannah, Jekyll Island, a few state parks, and some Black Friday shopping in Orlando. With only a week to spend, we wanted to reach Charleston as quickly as possible from Atlanta — but after a long flight, a five-hour drive (plus Atlanta’s notorious traffic jams) seemed unattainable. So, a stopover was needed. I started searching for something interesting along our route. Scrolling through Google Maps, checking itineraries, scanning Tripadvisor, I found very little worth an overnight stay.
Historic Hotels of America
Then I took a different approach: instead of looking for cities, I searched for historic hotels. A great resource is www.historichotels.org, a collection of more than 300 historic hotels across the U.S. Each property is at least 50 years old and listed as a National Historic Landmark or Historic Place. These hotels, found in 46 states, range from tiny five-room inns to grand properties with over 1,600 rooms. About one-third belong to well-known chains, but many have remained family-owned for generations. What sets them apart is their character — a combination os architecture, history and a sense of place. The site lets you search by city, state, or map view. Halfway between Atlanta and Charleston there was one such hotel, in Augusta. Decision made.
The Partridge Inn
Built in 1820, The Partridge Inn has operated as a hotel since the early 1900s, quite a history by American standards. Today, it’s part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, blending heritage with modern comfort. Over the years, it has hosted presidents, celebrities, and golf professionals. Augusta is, after all, known as “Masters City”, home to the world-famous Masters Tournament, held every April. We loved the hotel’s classic Southern charm, its rooftop terrace with a stunning view, and the cozy restaurant serving excellent food.
Haunted
Where there’s history, there are always ghost stories. Savannah may be America’s most haunted city, but Augusta has its share of eerie legends too: haunted houses, cursed pillars and restless spirits. Local tours recount the tales, the most famous being that of Emily, a young bride who stayed at The Partridge Inn over a century ago. According to legend, her fiancé died in an accident on the day of their wedding, and Emily is said to still wander the halls, crying in her wedding dress. Despite her story, we slept like logs after the long day of traveleling, no ghostly encounters to report.
James Brown Is Dead
After a peaceful night’s sleep, we were up early and eager to see something of Augusta before driving on to Charleston. To our surprise, Augusta turned out to be the hometown of James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul,” known for classics like I Got You (I Feel Good), Sex Machine, and It’s a Man’s World. Here you’ll find the church where he learned to play piano, a small museum curated by his daughter, the Imperial Theatre, the James Brown Arena, and of course, his statue downtown. It instantly brought to mind the 1991 techno hit “James Brown Is Dead”, the first techno song ever to hit the charts, now with over 3 million views on YouTube.
Riverwalk Augusta
It was still early, and the city felt quiet, even neglected. Many shops were closed, some buildings in need of love. Augusta is known for its Southern charm and lively atmosphere, though in the morning we saw little sign of that bustle. We admired the Victorian homes, the moss-draped oaks, and that unmistakable deep south feeling. Following signs to Riverwalk Augusta, we strolled along the well-kept path by the old railway bridge. The view was stunning, mist rising over the river, a hawk circling above, and a lone squirrel darting past. I can imagine it’s lively here in summer, but that morning we had it all to ourselves.
Savannah Rapids Park
We continued a few miles along the Savannah River. Each curve revealed a new panorama. At Savannah Rapids Park, we stopped to explore the visitor center, the historic locks and the Reed Creek waterfall. I hadn’t expected much after seeing a few modest photos online, but the area was beautiful. We enjoyed the peaceful views over the Savannah River and the Augusta Canal, where a scenic trail that follows the water. Joggers passed by and kayakers paddled downstream. The light was perfect for photographing herons and birds of prey among the Spanish moss.
What began as a necessary stop, turned out to be a perfect start to our trip. The rich history, an elegant hotel, scenic nature and the authentic Southern vibe: Augusta is well worth a visit. Even after many journeys, once again, I realize that America is so much more than its famous cities and landmarks.
