Day Trip to Macon, GA

Driving on Vineville Avenue, you might not suspect that the giant Tudor home to your right is a museum devoted to one of the biggest musical acts to come out of the South: The Allman Brothers Band. The band’s popularity exploded in the 1960s, and in 1970 the band, their families, and their friends moved into the sleepy town. It was near this house where Duane Allman and Berry Oakley died in motorcycle accidents a year apart. Shortly after that, the band members left Macon, but the house became a museum in the 1990s. The museum has the biggest collection of ABB memorabilia and has been renovated to how it looked when the band lived there.

In a time of lavish luxury, the 18,000 square foot Italian Renaissance Revival Hay House is an unrivaled mansion. Built from 1855 to 1859, the home’s most iconic features are the custom made wooden sliding doors, the art collection and the three story cupola. Tours run throughout the year, but the holidays and behind-the-scenes tours offer the most in-depth views of the Hay House. Admission is $11 for adults.

The Rookery has been serving up Southern favorites since 1976, and Macon locals are loyal to the place. The sandwiches are infamous, many named for beloved bands like the Gram Parsons Cosmic Club and Blind Willie’s Buffalo Chicken. But both the fried-green tomato BLT and grilled pimento cheese are worth a try. The old-fashioned hand-spun milkshakes are equally decadent. In honor of a former president, order the Jimmy Carter Shake, which mixes banana ice cream and peanut butter with a strip of bacon to top it all off. If it’s a nice day, sit outside on the patio for the best people watching in downtown Macon.

The area now known as Macon was settled over 17,000 years ago by the Ocmulgee tribes, who formed mounds to be used for burials as well as for rituals and ceremonies. The museum has an extensive range of exhibits as well as a 17 minute documentary that provides background knowledge for your visit. There are dozens of miles of walking trails within the national monument, so give yourself time to explore.

The Tubman African American Museum, named for abolitionist Harriet Tubman, is Macon’s educational resource for school groups and curious visitors who want to learn more about African American history and culture. The first exhibit displays the mural pictured above, which tells about African American history from African heritage to the slave trade to modern-day America. In addition to information on Tubman, many prominent African Americans are featured, as well as those who helped advance civil rights. Work by artists and African American inventors are also on display.

Baseball fans will appreciate a stop at Luther Williams Field, the second-oldest minor league stadium in the country. It started as the home to the Macon Peaches in 1929. Since then, the names and teams associated with the park have changed, but many notable players have passed through the iron gates. Pete Rose played for the Macon Peaches and while the Macon Braves were an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, future players Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Rafael Furcal and John Smoltz spent time here. The Macon Pinetoppers currently play at the field, which has also become a filming location in the movies 42 and Trouble with the Curve.