Augusta GA. info needed

I'll be heading to your area for the Masters golf tournament in April. I have never been to your part of the country. Flying into ATL on Saturday, will be a Monday's practice round, and flying back home on Wednesday.
Too cost prohibitive to stay in Augusta, so I have booked a room in Greenwood, SC. Other options would be Lexington, Newberry, Columbia. I am limited to these areas with my HI Express points.
Question: Which area would be most efficient for me to stay in since i'll be heading to the tourney early morning on Monday?
Also, with Sunday & Tuesday open-any suggestions for what the wife and I should do or see?
Our time is limited, but anything you could suggest would be appreciated.
Thanks, Sam

lots of resturants and bars on broad st,

i'm a big fan of rhineharts on washington rd,

iron horse saloon, hard to find harley hangout in the woods of beach island,

i always wanted to do the cannel tour but never got around to it.

I would recommend Raes Coastal Cafe. Its a Caribbean/Jamaican Style resturant.

Catalyst would be the best to reccomend resturants and things to do in Augusta. He works for Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau. I sure he will chime in.

You can cross post over here also.


http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366851

Lexington (on the west side of Columbia) is the closest of these locations and probably the easiest to get to/from Augusta. It's pretty much a straight shot east on I-20 from Augusta.

It's a good clean little town with very little crime. Augusta is a shit hole. With a bunch of lowlifes around. The national is a golf course in the ghetto. I suspect it was quite nicer when Mr. Jones bought that piece of land way back when. But times have changed. You are looking at a 50-60 min drive from Lexington against traffic. And Lexington is only 10 min west of Columbia. Columbia is cool town with lots of history and stuff to do. Like any big city it has it problem "areas". But those are usually easy to spot. It a pretty safe town nothing like the ATL. Great resturants from high end(Ruth Chris) to low end(wing joints) and everything in between.
The Vista is where it is happening-casual to classy. 5-points is for the college kids doing the bar crawl. I would not stay in Columbia because of traffic. Lexington is right off of I-20 very easy access. That's why I moved there. Forget Newberry Its way off and you would either have to take alot of back roads or come down I-26 into Columbia to get on I-20. What about Aiken,SC -but not North Augusta. Its a nice town just over the border. I would definitely try and see Columbia regardless of where you stay. Growing up on the outskirts of Atlanta I hated big cities. But I almost wouldnt mind living in Columbia-almost.

I am not even sure where Greenwood is?

Greenwood is not the best choice. Nice town, but not especially easy to get to Augusta. About 65 miles, all back roads. Newberry is doable, but again, it will be back roads via Saluda - bring a GPS. Lexington is a straight shot down I-20 off exit 55 - 55 miles from the GA border, all freeway with no cities.
Don't worry about the "evil city" talk. Augusta is just like any other town, as is Columbia, North Augusta, and even Atlanta - just stay away from stupid places and stupid people and you'll have no trouble. That said, the area in which the National is located has been, ah, in transition for a couple of decades, though we're not talking Detroit or South Central LA.

The week of the Masters is quite the big deal in the area so don't delay in getting a room.