Things To Do In Macon, GA
Macon, Georgia’s “Central City,” lies roughly 85 miles southeast of Atlanta, less than two hours drive away. With several things to do, including museums and historic houses, ancient heritage sites, historic cemeteries and a rich music history, the city makes a suitable day trip out of Atlanta or a place to stop on the drive down to Savannah.
See also:
– Things to do in Augusta, GA
– Things to do in Athens, GA
– Things to do in Madison, GA
– Things to do in Atlanta, GA
Museums & Historic House Tours In Macon
Tubman Museum
This museum is dedicated to the art and history of African-Americans, with a permanent collection of art works and various special exhibits on the history and art of African-Americans from Macon and Georgia, folk art, and things invented by Black Americans. See upcoming exhibitions
310 Cherry Street. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm. Adults $10, concessions $8, children (3-17) $6.
Georgia Sports Hall Of Fame
The country’s largest state sports museum, this space explores the history of sport in Georgia through 3000 artifacts.
301 Cherry Street. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm (to 3pm Saturdays). Adults $8, seniors/students/military $6, children (0-16) $3.50.
Museum of Arts & Sciences
Primarily suitable for younger children, this small museum focuses on the arts, science and culture of Central Georgia through its permanent collection and special exhibitions.
4182 Forsyth Road. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm and Sunday, 1pm-5pm. Adults $10, seniors/military $8, students $7, children (3-17) $5.
Allman Brothers Band Museum
This is the house formerly occupied by the Allman Brothers Band. Today, several of its rooms are preserved in reflection of its members’ time in the house, with other rooms devoted to collections of memorabilia and other items pertaining to the history of the band.
2321 Vineville Avenue. The house is open Thursday-Sunday, 11am-6pm (to 4pm Sunday). Adults $15, seniors/military $13, children (10-18) $10.
Hay House
The Hay House is a beautiful 1850s mansion, in the Italian Renaissance style. Tours of the house, its artworks and period furnishing, discuss the history of the home and the several families who have lived there.
934 Georgia Avenue. Tours are available daily, from 10am Monday-Saturday and from 1pm Sunday, with the last tour at 3pm. Adults $11, seniors/military $10, students/children $7. Behind the scenes tours (for which advance reservations are required) are offered twice monthly, $25 per person.
Cannonball House
This antebellum Greek Revival mansion was built as a planter’s townhouse in 1853. Tours (of around 45 minutes) view the house, English gardens, and a small museum of Confederate artifacts.
856 Mulberry Street. Tours are given every 30 minutes Monday-Saturday, with the first tour at 10am and the last at 3:30pm. Adults $8, seniors/military $6, children $4.
Arts & Culture Attractions In Macon
Grand Opera House
This historic 1880s opera house today shows concerts, musicals, and theatrical performances.
651 Mulberry Street.
Douglass Theatre
In the 1920s, the Douglass Theatre was established as a performance space and movie theatre for African-Americans. It has since been restored and reopened as a community-wide facility, still showing a mix of film and performing arts.
355 Martin Luther King, Jr Boulevard.
Rock Candy Tours
Guided walking and bus tours exploring Macon’s music history and nightlife are available on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. 90-minute Friday tours are of downtown Macon’s commercial district, $15 per person. The longer (2hr) Saturday bus tours, $25 per person, focus on Macon’s music history. Advance reservations are required.
Outdoor Attractions
Rose Hill Cemetery
This 1840 cemetery, the oldest surviving in the city, is one downtown Macon’s highlights. Situated next to the Ocmulgee River, its landscaped hills are the final resting place of many of the city’s residents from the 19th century onwards, including military figures, politicians and members of the Allman Brothers Band, with separate areas for Jewish and Catholic burials.
1071 Riverside Drive.
Riverside Cemetery
Riverside Cemetery, established in 1887, is the private counterpart to the city-owned Rose Hill, located directly north of Rose Hill along the banks of the river. It is one of the lesser known design projects of the landscape architect Calvert Vaux, more famous as the co-designer of New York’s Central Park.
Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
11 miles of trails along the Ocmulgee River connect several of Macon’s riverside parks and cemeteries. The trails are ideal for biking, hiking and other outdoor recreations. Leashed pets are welcome.
Ocmulgee National Monument
Ocmulgee National Monument, around 3 miles from downtown Macon, preserves seven ancient earth mounds created by the original American Indian inhabitants of what is now central Georgia. There are also 6 miles of hiking trails, the remnants of Civil War earthworks, and an archaeological museum.
1207 Emery Highway.