Seated on the bank of the Savannah River, the sleepy city of Augusta has two claims to fame—native son James Brown and the Masters tournament, which has been played at Augusta National Golf Club every spring since 1934.

When the tournament rolls into town, so too do 35,000 golf-obsessed fans. Local officials don't expect the bad economy to put a dent in that number this year—hotels are reporting reservations on par with those of 2008 (which is to say, there's no room at the inns). Tickets (or in Masters parlance, badges) to the tournament are sold out, but websites like Craigslist and eBay have sellers offering badges for as little as $100 for a half-day and as much as $4,000 for a four-day badge.

The Masters appears to be more recession-proof than other lower-wattage golf tournaments. While other stops on the PGA tour have lost sponsorships, longtime Masters backers IBM, AT&T, and ExxonMobil are all still behind it. The one soft spot is home rentals. Augusta residents often take off for the week and let their houses to visitors, athletes, and corporate sponsors, but they won't be making as much on the service this year. Local realtor Adam Beall says that renters have had to drop their rates by around 30 percent.

Here then is our guide to where to stay, eat, and drink while in Augusta, as well as a few suggestions of what to do when you're not watching the Masters. For an interactive map to some of the places listed below, click here.

Getting there: If you're driving, allow some extra time; Augusta is a 2.5-hour drive from Atlanta, but traffic will be grisly. I-20, the main corridor into town, starts backing up the Sunday before the tournament. Delta and US Airways will ramp up service to Augusta, adding daily nonstop flights to Augusta Regional Airport (1501 Aviation Way; 706-798-3236) during the week of the Masters. Augusta Regional also accommodates private planes, as does Daniel Field (1775 Highland Avenue; 706-733-1674).

Where to stay: Augusta's hotels are booked solid, so home rentals are the way to go. One-bedrooms start at $1,000 a week; four-bedrooms can run up to $7,000. Local real estate brokers and the Augusta Chamber of Commerce (706-821-1300) have listings.

Where to eat: Executives from corporations such as Travelers and BP are regulars at La Maison on Telfair (404 Telfair Street; 706-722-4805; $19 to $40), where the most popular dish is Big Bird Gets Mean, a smoked-ostrich carpaccio appetizer. For lunch, stop by the Boll Weevil Café (10 Ninth Street; 706-722-7772; $7 to $13), which serves up Southern favorites, or if you have the patience, Luigi's (590 Broad Street; 706-722-4056; $10 to $22), a Greek-Italian hybrid. Be forewarned: The wait there can reach two hours, with hopeful diners lined up on the sidewalk.

Where to drink: The in-town-for-golf crowd heads to the no-frills Surrey Tavern (Surrey Center; 471 Highland Avenue; 706-736-1221) after the competition knocks off for the day. Locals swear by Still Water Tap Room (974 Broad Street; 706-826-9857) for its laid-back vibe and live music. If you'd rather keep an eye on the tournament, try Somewhere in Augusta (2820 Washington Road; 706-739-0002), which boasts a flat-screen in every booth.

What to see: The Morris Museum of Art (1 10th Street; 706-724-7501) hosts "Nashville Portraits," a photo exhibit of legends from Johnny Cash to Dolly Parton. The new James Brown exhibit at the Augusta Museum of History (560 Reynolds Street; 706-722-8454) pays tribute to Augusta's most famous native. Or stroll the town's Riverwalk (along Fifth Street), which winds along the Savannah River.

Go pro: The best deal in town is the Mayor's Masters Reception, a kickoff party on Monday, April 6, at the Augusta Common (Broad Street at Eighth Street). It's free, local eateries offer tastings, and everyone goes. Each year, a golfer is celebrated at the reception; the honoree for 2009 is Fuzzy Zoeller, the tournament's 1979 champion. The links at Augusta National Golf Club are off-limits while it hosts the Masters, but if you still want to shoot a round, try Forest Hills Golf Course (1500 Comfort Road; 706-733-0001; $75 to $150), where Bobby Jones won the first title of his grand slam in 1930.

To see an interactive map of key sites in and around Augusta, click here.