Whether you wish for a low vantage point that gets you up close and personal with your surroundings, suggests a sense of quiet seclusion, or whether you desire a high vantage point that opens onto vistas that typically privilege soaring birds, Augusta offers many places to take in the view. Allow me to introduce you to two places.
If you are one that gravitates to “natural” settings in order to find a place where your soul can luxuriate, then I invite you to the Thurmond Lake & Visitor Center. And if it’s true that most people find bodies of water and the rising or setting sun peace-inducing, then the panoramic vista this spot affords will surely satisfy.
I know, technically it’s not in Georgia, but only by approximately 2800 feet; you’ll certainly still feel as if you’re in Georgia. Anyway, you’ll be able to watch the sun set over Augusta.
It’s pretty much a straight shot to get there: take Washington Road west to Pollard’s Corner, turn right onto 221 and, 6.1 miles later, turn left into the visitor center, just after crossing the dam. It’s easy to see. Of interest to those with younger children, on the left and just before you reach the dam is West Dam Park, which has a well kept recreation area and beach.
Once you arrive, you need not do much more; in fact, if you park on the lake side of the spacious lot, you might not have to get out of your car. But most people take a seat on the low, stone knee wall surrounding the lot, a natural perch for taking in the view, below which a grassy hill descends to the granite rocks hemming the shoreline. You’ll probably not leave without snapping some photos, especially of the setting sun, but make sure simply to sit for a while and look. Or, as I saw one person doing, try sketching the view into an artpad: the downstream side of the dam, the lake, the bass boat or two, the Georgia skyline. It is a placid spot–perfect for a glass of wine, either with a friend or by yourself.
If, however, you prefer an accommodating view of Augusta proper, then I urge you to head downtown and up to the Roof Top Bar at the new Hyatt House hotel at 1268 Broad Street.
Opened on the Friday before the Masters Tournament this year, Roof Top Bar (RTB) offers a stellar view of the city and its environs. According to Christina, the congenial bartender on the sunset shift, RTB was going to be (and at some point may become) “Bar 111” since it lies 111 feet above the street. Standing at this height and at the edge of the glass-paneled railing surrounding the outdoor deck, you have at least a 270-degree view of Augusta. Perhaps the only drawback is that you cannot see the river.
Plenty of high places downtown afford a wonderful view of Augusta–the Marriott Hotel, the Morris Museum, the Pinnacle Club, and of course the Lamar Building penthouse–but the cozy, open-air ambiance of RTB’s spacious outdoor deck, accoutred with minimalist bar tables and comfortable, chic weatherproof furniture, earns it a high rating. A relaxing breeze wafts almost continuously, and if the sun is too much, you can find a cushioned seat in the shade of a corner nook. Bring your sunglasses and watch the sun sink lazily over Broad.