Welcome to Fort Gordon!

Hey Friends! 

If you’re heading to Fort Gordon, you’re in for a real treat. Fort Gordon is often referred to as the cyber capital of the Army, as it houses the headquarters of U.S. Army Cyber Command. The Central Savannah River Area, or CSRA, is a hidden gem full of family-friendly spots, great food, parks, and fun activities for all ages. Whether you’re looking for a cozy coffee shop, exciting day trips, or the perfect town to call home, here are some of our family favorites. 

Without further ado, welcome to the CSRA! 

Where to Live: This is just a personal observation. For us, it was a toss up between North Augusta, SC and Evans, GA. We ultimately chose Evans, GA! 

• Augusta, GA: The largest city nearby with an urban vibe, diverse dining, shopping, and cultural events. Close to North Augusta, SC, so you get the best of two states. Perfect for families who want city amenities but still enjoy a friendly community. Augusta is also the host of the world famous Masters golf tournament! 

• North Augusta, SC: Just across the river from Augusta, offering beautiful riverfront parks, quiet neighborhoods, and easy access to downtown Augusta.

• Evans, GA: A fast-growing suburb with excellent schools and plenty of parks and recreational facilities. This is truly a great place for families.

• Grovetown, GA: More rural and affordable, with a small-town feel. Ideal if you want a quieter lifestyle but still close to Fort Gordon.

• Harlem, GA: The most rural option with wide-open spaces and a country vibe. Great for families wanting privacy and a slower pace. 

• On post is also a fantastic option for convenience and amenities! 

Local Favorites for Families: 

Let's just dive right into business, coffee! We need a good cup of coffee to give us the jolt to unpack our HHG's, amirite? Or maybe we need that sweet treat and calm atmosphere to re-center ourselves. Or perhaps you just want to support local businesses and get plugged in! 

Coffee Shops:

• Goat Kick Coffee Co. / 9345 Ronald Reagan Dr. Suite 101, Evans, GA /:  Cozy local spot with great coffee and treats. They have games and a small area for toddlers with coloring books and a play kitchen. 

• Rooted Coffee House (This coffee shop has three locations, however, this blog is highlighting the Westlake location) / 1030 W Lake Commons Dr. Suite 1, Martinez GA 30907/ : Acai bowls, avocado toast, and specialty drinks need I say more! They offer booths and large tables to invite friends, or to have enough workspace for your laptop and books! 

• Ubora Coffee Roasters /1128 Jones St., Augusta, GA 30901/ This coffee shop is downtown Augusta and offers sophisticated and stronger brew. They also offer fresh steeped tea. As an added bonus this shop is veteran owned! 

• Harlem Java House/ 211 N. Louisville St. Suite A., Harlem. GA 30814/ This coffeeshop is a quaint coffee shop in sweet little Harlem. It's a nice day trip to unwind and enjoy the day. They offer fun coffee flights to sample a variety of flavors. 

• Trellis Coffee Bar/ 1902 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904/ This place has such a vibe! It's in the Summerville district of Augusta. They offer a cute espresso bar for the littles, and amazing focaccia made in house. 

Parks, recreation, trails, and libraries: 

• Evans Towne Center Park/ 7016 Evans Town Center Blvd. Evans, GA 30809/ This park is a Columbia County staple. This is where concerts are held and special events. There is a dog park, small splash fountain, large playground, and walking path. This is also a fantastic spot for a birthday party. 

• Columbia County Library / 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans, GA, 30809/  Hands down this library has made the top of our list while being stationed here. They have a fantastic children's library program, teen center, and they even have fun items to check out that are not books! So, say you want to learn how to bake but don't have baking pans, you can check out a cookbook and baking supplies (unfortunately not the actual ingredients.) They have a lobby that has free books, and a little pre-loved book store to purchase books too! The added bonus is the ample seating in the lobby with vending machines and snacks. You can often find tutors and homeschool families there. When you're ready to take a break, you can walk to the park just behind the library. The park has a splash pad for toddlers, a walking trail with a pond with turtles! They also have grassy fields and picnic tables for you to enjoy lunch or host a birthday.  Of course, the library also has computers and the latest novels! 

• Gateway Park / 215 Partnership Dr. Grovetown, GA 30813/ — Splash pad, playground, walking loop, and picnic tables, fun for the whole crew! This park is close to the base and shopping centers. 

• Phinizy Swamp Nature Park / 1858 Lock and Dam Road, Augusta, GA 30906/  —Wetlands and Woodlands nature park. This park has programs for adults and children alike. If an organized program isn't your jam you are more than welcome to explore on your own! You may or may not see an alligator or two! 

• Savannah Rapids/ Augusta Canal / 3300 Evans to Locks Road, Martinez, GA 30907/ This is on the bucket list of places to take guests when they visit! You can rent kayaks, go for a run along the trail, play at the playground, visit the visitors center, leave a love lock at the bridge, and even host formal events such as weddings. Perfect for a day date or to take your littles out to explore. 

• Patriots Park/ 5445 Columbia Rd. Grovetown, GA 30813/ The center for all things sports! We spent a lot of time at this park for soccer and trail runs. You can park here and make your way down to the Euchee Greenway Bartam Trailhead! A piece of advice is, go with a buddy or someone who knows the trail.  You can sign your kiddos up for rec sports here and various other leagues. Disc golf and tennis is also a popular game to play here! 

• Reed Creek Nature Park and Interpretive Center/ 3820 Park Ln., Martinez, GA 30907/ My four year and I spent a lot of time here while my big girls were at school. This is a wetlands nature park with upkept trails. It includes a learning center and a kids area. They host a lot of events for children and adults. You register online to secure your spot. The park rangers will read a story, take you and a group on a walk, learn about native animals, and a craft! 

The CSRA sure has a lot of activities to get you and your family outdoors. I absolutely love the variety of educational opportunities in the area and many are free or for a nominal cost. 

Medical: Let's face it we need a good provider in our back pocket, especially with all the outdoor fun! From my personal experience, the on post hospital is amazing! Referrals were done quickly, urgent care and ER visits were done in a timely manner. Wellness checks were made within reason. However, Georgia law requires a 4 - point health screening (form 3300) when enrolling in school. We found the quickest way to get this done is through Mednow Urgent Care. They do take tricare and it's a small fee, but youre in and you're out!

*Dental and orthodontics were probably the hardest to navigate and find providers that take United Concordia. KEEP CALLING around! This is the downside of being at a smaller base. 

Grocery Stores & Markets: 

• Commissary FYI it may be smaller than what you may be used to! 

• Publix (multiple locations) has the best product and awesome customer service. 

• Costco/ 825 Cabela Dr, Augusta, GA 30909/ Membership bulk shopping, but worth it, in my opinion. 

• Evans Farmers Market/ 7025 Evans Town Center Blvd., Evans, GA 30809/  It is a smaller scale market that offers handmade gifts, food trucks, and produce. This is seasonal and not year round. 

• Augusta Farmers Market on the River/ 15 8th St, Augusta, GA 30901/ Seasonal market that is also a bucket list must see with family and friends. This market has it all. You can get a beautiful bouquet of flowers, local honey, farm to table produce and meat. You can explore a variety of cultural and authentic cuisine as well. It makes for a fun Saturday!

Restaurants: 

• Breakfast: Frog & the Hen/ 466 Flowing Wells Rd. Augusta, GA 30907/  Homestyle southern breakfast

• Lunch: Laziza/ 4272 Washington Rd. Evans, GA 30809/  Mediterranean flavors, fresh and kid-friendly

• Dinner: Ironwood Tavern/ 5117 Washington Rd. Evans, GA 30809/  Great ambiance with elevated dishes and the best wood fired pizza!

Ice Cream + Treats 

• Pink Dipper (North Augusta)/ 501 Georgia Ave, North Augusta, SC 29841/  Nostalgic Ice cream parlor with seasonal and classic ice cream favorites located in charming downtown North Augusta. 

• Scoops Ice Cream/ 211 Main Street, Harlem, GA / Classic small-town ice cream parlor with homemade flavors and family-friendly atmosphere.

Fun Things to Do: 

• Artsy Me / 4275 Washington Road, Evans, GA 30809/ Are you the artsy and creative type? This is a fun pottery studio where you can paint and customize your own pieces. 

• Hilltop Riding Stable/ 508 N Range Rd. Fort Gordon, GA 30905/  Horse riding lessons and trail rides for all ages and a playground. 

• Top Golf/ 437 Topgolf Way, Augusta, GA 30909/ Are you even in Augusta if you don't at least try to swing a golf club? Top golf is fun for all ages, a fun tip is to look for weekly specials. They have fire pits and an outdoor space with corn hole and other games. 

• Pointes West Army Resort / 6703 Washington Rd., Appling, GA 30802/ A great little staycation. It offers lake swimming, boat launches, RV lots, and cabins. 

• Timberline Glamping at Clarks Hill Lake/ 3780 Dogwood Ln, Appling, GA 30802/ Looking outside the box for a fun birthday idea or staycation? Local glamping at the lake is it! 

• Augusta Green Jackets Baseball/ 187 Railroad Ave, North Augusta, SC 29841/ Ill admit im not well versed with baseball, but if you were ever at Bragg and watched a Woodpeckers game this is the same league! You can catch a Green Jackets versus Woodpeckers game! I'm not saying which side I'd be on, but let's just say, GO PECKERS! 

Quick Day Trips from Fort Gordon:

• Atlanta, GA (approx. 2 hours): World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta Falcons football, Atlanta United Soccer, plus family-friendly dining like The Varsity. 

• Columbia, SC (approx. 1 hour): EdVenture Children’s Museum, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. 

• Greenville, SC (approx. 2.5 hours): Falls Park on the Reedy, M. Judson Booksellers, shopping and a variety of dining options. 

• Savannah, GA (approx. 2.5 hours): Historic tours and sites. 

• Athens, GA (approx. 2 hours): Football is huge in GA and UGA is an easy drive to catch a football game or any other sporting event. Go Dawgs! 

Fort Gordon was such a fun little duty station for our family. I'd have to agree with Money magazine by highlighting Evans, GA as the #1 place to live in 2020. It has affordable housing, top rated schools, and the people are genuine and friendly.  I barely touched the surface on all the things to do in the area. While I did not list them, be sure to check out the history and art museums. Fun fact: The boyhood home of President Woodrow Wilson is located in Historic Augusta!  If you are into golf be sure to be on the lookout for when to enter the lottery for Masters tickets.  Also, if you love thrifting, the Goodwills in the area are a dream. The Goodwill off Washington Road in Augusta is large with a bakery and massive book selection. There are also many local boutiques to shop at, and various big box stores and shopping centers.  My hope is you enjoy Georgia just as much as we did!  Written by Ashley Mercado Want to write a blog about your location? Email sabrinajohannes@deployedlove.org