Lookaway Inn

 

 

Features and Amenities

Lookaway's Innkeepers strive to make their guests' stay as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. The following is a list of features and amenities enjoyed by guests staying at Lookaway Inn:

• Elegant Bedrooms: Every large comfortable bedroom comes with beautifully appointed period-style furnishings, luxurious linens and towels, digital alarm clocks, toiletries and hair dryers.
• Large Bathrooms: Each guest room has its own private bathroom. Guest baths have tubs with showers and one room has a spa tub and shower.
• Breakfast Option: Breakfast is served at Rosemary Inn Bed and Breakfast. Breakfast at Rosemary is $15.00 per person and is served 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. daily.
• Courtyard Garden Room Verandas: Deluxe rooms in the Courtyard have private verandas overlooking the gardens.
• Internet: Complimentary WiFi internet access is available in every bedroom and common areas of the Inn.
• Cable TV: Complimentary cable TV and flat screen TVs are provided in each Courtyard guest room.
• Parking: The Inn offers limited complimentary on-site and adjacent on-street parking.
• Safety: The Inn is equipped with smoke alarms, emergency lighting, night lights in all bedrooms, lighted exit signs and fire extinguishers.
• Smoke Free: The Inn is a smoke-free facility. Designated outside smoking areas are available.
• Accessible: There are two first floor courtyard guest rooms that are ADA compliant and accessible via an exterior ramp.

 

 

 

 

About North Augusta

North Augusta is located on the fall line of the Savannah River, across from Augusta, Georgia. Millions of years ago the Augusta area was said to be oceanfront. There is a strong sense of preservation and it manifests itself in the old homes that have been saved as well as the style of new homes and commercial buildings. Nicknamed “South Carolina’s Riverfront,â€Â the city hugs the beautiful Savannah River and was once home to a thriving pottery business that made some of the most beautiful pots from the blue clay used in its production. The potteries are long gone but new parks, ponds and bird sanctuaries now exist where factories once stood.

The climate has an annual average high temperature of 78 degrees while the average annual low is 50. This makes North Augusta an ideal destination for those seeking refuge from the cold winters of the north or the hurricanes of the coastal states. North Augusta has beautiful flower filled springs, long summers, colorful falls and moderate winter weather. The Savannah River has always been an important part of its heritage. It is the southwestern boundary and serves as the state boundary between South Carolina and Georgia.

Recreational opportunities include the river, Lake Thurmond for swimming, fishing, and boating. There’s professional minor league baseball and hockey. Varied cultural events including plays, dance, opera, and symphony may be seen from several area venues. Horses will always be a large part of Aiken County and is present in horse racing, steeple chasing, polo, and the Augusta Futurity. This is the Mecca for golf including the famed Augusta National across the river in Augusta and North Augusta has a highly rated disc golf course.

North Augusta offers the amenities of a large town while maintaining its small town feel. There is a strong sense of community that is evident in its churches, civic organizations, and festivals. Come to South Carolina’s Riverfront and discover for yourself why so many want to call it home. North Augusta offers amenities ranging from beautiful public parks along the Savannah River and miles of walking and biking trails on the Greeneway. The new Arts and Heritage Center showcases art and history of the area. Augusta, Georgia’s second largest city offers great night life and top entertainers that play the Bell and James Brown Arena.

The city’s year-round schedule of events includes the Yellow Jessamine Festival in the spring, Music in the Park concert series in the summer and Colonial Times and Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee festivals in the fall. Located off West Spring Grove Avenue and about a ten minute walk from Lookaway is the North Augusta Living History Park and Sensory Garden. Living history comes alive through many buildings that represent the area during the colonial era. There are over a dozen antique shops in the area including North Augusta, Augusta and Aiken. A very popular attraction in Aiken is the Aiken County Historical Museum.

The Sno-Cap Drive-in is a charming 1950’s style restaurant that is one of North Augusta’s famous landmarks. There are many other restaurants in North Augusta and across the river in Augusta. North Augusta is just two and one half hours from Atlanta and minutes to Augusta and Aiken’s thoroughbred country. Just a few hours to beach and the mountains – North Augusta is conveniently located to great fishing lakes too. There’s something for everyone. It’s time to discover this beautiful city and of course – Lookaway Hall.

 

 

Lookaway Hall Inn and Events Center is a member of the following associations:
   South Carolina Bed & Breakfast Association

 

 

Lookaway Inn offers the convenience of a professional on-site meeting planner to take the stress out of planning business meetings. The Lookaway can accommodate groups of up to 64 seated inside and over 150 when combined with the exterior spaces.

 

Perfect Location

Lookaway Inn is within five minutes to I-20 and I-520 and within 7 minutes of downtown Augusta, 15 minutes to Augusta's Bush Field Airport and 75 minutes to Columbia, S.C. The Inn is just a few hours from Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and an easy drive to Charlotte and the coastal cities of Savannah and Charleston.

 

Meeting Options Inside/Out

Events at Lookaway Inn can be held outdoors in the garden areas and in the magnificent courtyard which can seat approximately 75 with or without tenting. The indoor event spaces include the dining rooms which seat up to 64 comfortably at round tables set for eight per table. There are other rooms available that can be used for smaller breakout sessions.

 

Food For Thought

Whether you are planning a company meeting, a new product launch or a training session,  Lookaway Inn can make it all happen. Breakfasts, lunches, breaks, cocktail parties and dinners - whatever your meeting needs we can deliver. We call in our professional partners including catering, music and more to make your meeting work for you and your team.

 

 

 

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Weddings

Engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, bridal luncheons - any occasion is magical at Lookaway Inn. Whether you are looking for an intimate affair, a larger outdoor garden venue, or a combination of the mansion and garden, Lookaway Inn is a magnificent backdrop to your special day. Not only will your wedding be in the midst of elegant, historic architecture and graceful gardens, but you will be indulging your guests with fine accommodations and a friendly staff. Groomsmen will be entertained with nearby championship golf courses, while you and your bridesmaids indulge in a variety of services and special treats such as spa and salon services that can be arranged exclusively for your wedding party.

 

Your Wedding at Lookaway Inn

Your wedding day will be one of the biggest, most memorable days of your life and you deserve the very best. We are very proud of our elegant facilities, professional service and our talented team. Lookaway Inn is one of the most beautiful wedding venues in the Southeast. You are going to love it here.

 

We Do It Your Way

Dream weddings do not just happen. They are planned and well-executed. And, your Wedding Planner at Lookaway Inn is a professional. Relying on experience, training and old-fashioned common sense, your Wedding Planner can help you determine an overall vision for your wedding and execute all the details.

 

Engagement Party to Reception

There are many ways to celebrate your love. Weddings today are usually more than a rehearsal dinner and a reception. Whether you are planning an engagement party, bridal party or, a farewell brunch,  Lookaway Inn can make it all happen. Give us a call at (803) 426-1030 and let's start planning.

 

 

 

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Special Occasions

At Lookaway Inn we have a professional planner that takes the stress out of planning your special occasion. We can comfortably serve groups up to 64 seated inside and 150+ in our inside and outside venues. Call 803- 426-1030 for special occasion 

 

• Holiday Parties 
• Galas 
• Fundraising Events 
• Anniversaries 
• Graduation Parties 
• Reunions 
• Birthday Celebrations 
• Retirement Parties

 

Lookaway is conveniently located within five minutes access to I-20 and I-520 and within 7 minutes of downtown Augusta, 15 minutes to Augusta’s Bush Field Airport and 75 minutes to Columbia, S.C. The Inn is just a few hours from Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and an easy drive to Charlotte, Savannah, and Charleston.

 

From Atlanta Via Interstate 20:

After entering South Carolina via I-20, travel 1 mile to Exit 1 (North Augusta). Turn right onto Martintown Road and go approximately 3 miles. Turn right onto Carolina Avenue (traffic light) and proceed approximately a half mile and make a left onto W. Forest Avenue and Lookaway Inn is immediately on your left (corner of Carolina and W. Forest Avenues).

 

From Columbia, S.C. Via Interstate 20:

Take Exit 1 (North August exit) and make a left onto Martintown Road and go approximately 3 miles. Turn right at Carolina Avenue. Turn right onto Carolina Avenue (traffic light) and proceed approximately a half mile and make a left onto W. Forest Avenue and Lookaway Inn is immediately on your left (corner of Carolina and W. Forest Avenues). 

 

 

Lookaway Inn is an example of the Beaux-Arts style, and was built between 1895 and 1898, just a few years after the Columbian Exposition in 1893. The home was then , and is today, the focal point of the community and a symbol of “the good life” that North Augusta provided. The home showcases the crossover from the Victorian Period to the Eclectic Period. Although the home holds true to classical detailing, the interior, especially fireplace mantels and fixtures, is strongly influenced by the Victorian style. The home is said to have been modeled after Barrington Hall in Roswell, Georgia.

Walter Jackson, manager of the North Augusta Land Company, built Lookaway. Legend has it that he and his brother James cut a deck of cards and Walter won drawing the high card and chose the most beautiful piece of land in the city. Lookaway was purposely sited on a hill centered between Georgia and Carolina Avenues overlooking a city park, the river and Augusta beyond. It was Walter’s son, George, who inherited the home and gave it the name “Lookaway” because of its dramatic 180-degree commanding view from the veranda.

 

The architectural plan of Lookaway Is called a modified “T” shape with octagonal bays at the protruding sides and four rooms symmetrically placed around a center hall downstairs. Nine two-story fluted Ionic columns with Scamozzi capitals at the corners accent the facade. The classical ornate exterior details include a frieze above the columns and is festooned with garlands. The porch or veranda is flat roofed and the hip roof beyond is highlighted by a dormer featuring a Palladian window and a double pediment. Four brick chimneys with corbelled caps and inset panels punctuate the roof symmetrically. Apart from the courtyard additions at the rear of the home added in 1992, the interior and exterior of the original home are basically unaltered.

 

The grand entry, centered on the south side facade, consists of a recessed set of doors with a stained glass transom surrounded by ornate detailing including two fluted pilasters on each side of the door with framed stained glass sidelights. The front doors are split into two panels by miniature entablature molding and features oval and circular raised moldings and medallions in each corner. Above each window is a panel with a “wedding knot” motif in raised trim. The door recess is topped by a scrolled keystone which supports a cornice upon which rests a second-story double-hung sash window centered over the door recess.

 

The first floor plan of the original main home consists of a center hall flanked by a women’s and men’s parlor. The entrance hall features rosemary curled pine wainscot and a pair of Ionic columns framing the stairway. The stairway is beautifully detailed and u-shaped. Stained glass windows highlight the stairs at each landing. At the front door, curved built-in benches are situated under stained glass windows that flank the entry way. Each of the front rooms are accessed by a pair of pocket doors . The fireplaces in the front rooms have brick hearths and elegant Georgian mantles. The other fireplaces in the home feature ornate cast iron coal stove inserts, tile hearths and Victorian mantles. All rooms have beautiful quarter-sawn pine floors. The second floor has a hall that extends the length of the main home with bedrooms opening onto it. The doorways have classical surrounds with corner rosettes and large transoms. All bedrooms, except one, has a fireplace.

 

Lookaway has played host to many guests through the years. From 1922-1923 the Detroit Tigers held their spring training in Augusta and some of the team stayed at Lookaway. The widow of George Jackson, Walter’s son, sold the home to Dr. and Mrs. Henry G. Mealing in 1936 and they lived there for over fifty years. Dr. Mealing was well known for his horticultural interests including his magnificent gardens and greenhouses. He grew exotic plants and provided some of his prized orchids for Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding. Dr. Mealing’s hybrid camellias can still be found on the grounds. His family sold the home in 1990 to a development firm who added ten courtyard rooms and turned the property into a bed and breakfast inn. It has had a few owners since becoming an inn. Diana and Kelly Combs, the current proprietors, purchased Lookaway Inn as well as Rosemary Inn in 2009. Both Lookaway and Rosemary are listed in the National Register of Historic Places In America.