What do you like to do on a weekend trip? Visit historic sites? Hike or enjoy the outdoors? Check out the food and drink scene? Macon, Georgia, checks off all these boxes, as this peaceful, quiet city packs a punch when it comes to culture and activities. Read on for a brief history of Macon and a guide to your weekend getaway!

History

The Native Americans inhabited this area along the Ocmulgee River 17,000 years before Europeans did. It was not until 1806 that President Thomas Jefferson established Fort Benjamin Hawkins here as a trading post between the U.S. government and the local Muskogee Creek Indians. The city of Macon, named after a North Carolina statesman (since many of the new residents of the town hailed from that state), was established in 1823.

Macon’s city planners envisioned “a city within a park” and designed spacious streets and parks into the city’s layout. They even required residents to plant shade trees in their yards! Macon flourished in the mid-1800s through trade on the Ocmulgee River, and cotton, as in much of Georgia, was king here. In 1836, the Methodist Episcopal Church founded Wesleyan College; this was the first college in the U.S. chartered to grant degrees to women.

During the Civil War, although Macon served as the arsenal of the Confederacy, General William Tecumseh Sherman spared it on his 1864 March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah. However, it was overtaken by Union forces on April 20, 1865.

In the 20^th century, Macon thrived as a hub for textile factories and railroad transportation throughout Georgia. Today this city only an hour-and-a-half from Atlanta offers several institutions of higher learning, museums, and tourist sites. Due to the careful planning of its founders and its luck during the Civil War, this city nicknamed “The Heart of Georgia” has retained its grandeur and features mature trees and impressive 150-year-old Greek Revival homes.

Weekend Activities Guide

Be A VIP At The Opulent Hay House

Any visit to Macon requires a stop at its crown jewel, the Hay House! This 1850s Italianate mansion is stunning in its massive scale – 7 stories at 18,000 square feet – and intricate details, such as gold plating adorning its crown molding. I recommend going more in-depth on a rare Behind-the-Scenes tour offered just twice monthly. This two-hour tour allows you to visit fascinating areas normally closed to the public, such as the vaulted wine cellar, attic, and two-story cupola.

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Don’t Mound If I Do!

Immerse yourself in ancient history at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park! Native Americans first settled this area thousands of years ago, but it is the centuries-old mounds that are today’s showstoppers. Built for religious and ceremonial events as well as dwellings of the chiefs, these mounds allow you to enter their interior spaces or climb to their summits for sweeping views of the countryside and Macon’s skyline.

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Have A Ball In The Cannonball House

This home received its name from a Union Hotchkiss shell (no, not a cannonball!) that struck it during the Civil War Battle of Dunlap Hill on July 30, 1864. This Greek Revival home displays authentic period furnishings and supposedly contains the Confederate uniform that inspired Ashley Wilkes’ wartime garb in the film Gone with the Wind! Learn about this and much more on an informative 45-minute tour of the home, kitchen, and grounds.

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Step Into A Fairytale In Washington Park

This idyllic park created in the late 1800s retains its unique bowl shape from its tenure as a vacant lot, when its dirt was dug out for construction projects around town. Today, this shape contributes to its charm, as do its lovely blooms and babbling brook and fountains. This park, tucked into one of Macon’s quiet city blocks, is perfect for a stroll before dinner or a rest after a long day of sightseeing.

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Take Me To Church

Late 19^th-century St. Joseph Catholic Church, set on a hilltop, is visible from all over Macon, beckoning you to enter. Its elegant Gothic Revival interior boasts glowing gilding, Bavarian stained-glass windows, and a Carrara marble altar. Don’t let those daunting steps deter you – it’s worth the climb!

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Marvel At Macon’s Historic Homes…And Maybe Even Stay In One!

Thanks to Union troops’ bypassing Macon on Sherman’s March to the Sea, its architecture is still intact. This has resulted in 14 historic districts with more than 6,000 homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is fun to stroll Macon’s streets and gaze at these grand antebellum mansions, but why not spend the night in one, such as the 1842 Inn?

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Be A “Ramblin’ Man” At The Allman Brothers Band Museum

Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969, the Allman Brothers Band came to Macon soon afterwards to record at the city’s Capricorn Studios. A few members of the band rented this stately Tudor home, “The Big House,” which became the center of the band’s activities in the early 1970s. Today, the house is a museum displaying the band’s guitars and other musical instruments, clothing, posters, gold records, and vast collection of memorabilia. Even if you are not an ABB fan, the home’s beautiful interior is worth the entrance fee!

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Drop Dead Gorgeous Grounds

Macon’s sprawling mid-19^th-century Rose Hill Cemetery nestled on the Ocmulgee River’s banks is worth a visit for scenic views of rolling hills, picturesque grave markers, and final resting places of the rich and famous! Allman Brothers fans can find four members of the band – who hung out and found inspiration in this cemetery – including Duane and Greg Allman buried here.  

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Chow Down!

Macon’s food scene features a wide variety of quality cuisine, but arguably the finest is found at Dovetail. Specializing in Southern fare, this restaurant takes farm to table to a whole new level, with local and seasonal ingredients contributing to starters such as deviled eggs and green tomato salad and mains like succulent Wagyu steak. Their wine and cocktail lists are extensive and creative, as well.  

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Have A Pint

Now home to several breweries, Macon is making solid contributions to the microbrewery scene and turning out mouthwatering bar food to boot. Just look at these cheese curds and pork rinds paired with a peach wheat ale from Ocmulgee Brewpub and tell me you’re not convinced!

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Try to plan your visit around Macon’s International Cherry Blossom Festival, held every March, to see the city at its finest!

And discover our favorite Southern destinations on our tours!