A Fun Weekend Getaway in Macon, GA Itinerary

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway full of music, art, and historic homes, then you’ll love Macon, GA. Spend a weekend in Macon with this itinerary.

I visited Macon for a fall weekend getaway and found a city full of vibrant art galleries, diverse history, and delicious restaurants.

Macon is just a short drive from Atlanta, making it the perfect place to spend a few days. Plan your weekend getaway in Macon with my itinerary.

A special thank to Visit Macon for hosting me for a weekend! Check out my post on Travel The South to see how to spend A Fall Weekend Exploring Macon, Georgia.

Macon Weekend Itinerary

Day 1 in Macon

I drove to Macon because it’s only about a 1.5 hour drive from Atlanta. It was super easy and straight down I-75.

Since it was such a quick drive, I had plenty of time to explore on my first day in Macon.

Check-in at the Hilton Garden Inn Macon/Mercer University

For my weekend in Macon, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Macon/Mercer University.

This is your typical Hilton Garden Inn experience. My room had a king bed, a cozy armchair, a desk, and a mini fridge and microwave. The best part is that this hotel has free parking, free Wi-Fi, and is just a few minutes drive from Downtown Macon, so it’s super convenient to all of Macon’s best attractions.

Visit the Macon Visitor Center

Once settled into my hotel, I visited the Downtown Visitor Center, which has fun exhibits and a super informative timeline. It’s the perfect place to start learning about Macon!

There’s also a five-minute video that will give you a proper introduction to the city. And then you can do some souvenir shopping in the gift shop.

Discover the Tubman African American Museum

The Tubman African American Museum displays exhibits on African American art, history, and culture.

Some people may be confused by the name; it is not a museum of Harriet Tubman but rather named in her honor.

The museum has a focus on Macon’s rich African American history, local artists, and Macon’s music history. This is the largest museum in the Southeast dedicated to displaying African American art, history, and culture.

Dinner at The Rookery

The Rookery in Downtown Macon was voted Best Burger in town and featured in Garden and Gun’s “Guide to the South’s Best Burgers 2014″. Their menu also includes milkshakes, hand-cut fries, and extensive list of craft beers.

This was my favorite place to eat in Macon. Now whenever Kevin and I drive through Macon, we stop here for lunch or dinner.

I recommend the classic Rookery Burger, the unique Jimmy Carter Burger, or the Walden Greenback Burger.

Take a Rock Candy Tour

Rock Candy Tours offers guided tours, both public and private, that focus on the history of Macon.

You can take a music history tour, an African American heritage tour, a brewery tour, or a macabre tour to learn more about different aspects of Macon’s history.

I took their Macon Macabre Walking Tour, which happens each Friday during the month of October. This 1.5 hour walking tour through Downtown Macon tells the history of the city through its darkest stories of murder and mayhem. The tour explores the downtown Macon commercial and nightlife district.

It’s not necessarily a ghost tour; there are some haunted sites, but mostly the stories are about murder, crime, and Macon’s darker history without any ghost stories. They don’t recommend this tour for children due to its gruesome nature.

And thanks to Macon’s open container ordinance, on Friday nights you can carry alcohol in approved cups from one of downtown’s restaurants or clubs during the tour!

Day 2 in Macon

My second day in Macon was spent exploring some amazing historic homes!

Breakfast at H&H Soul Food Restaurant

Founders of H&H Restaurant, Inez Hill and Louise Hudson, were close friends with The Allman Brothers Band. This iconic restaurant serves up delicious Southern soul food for breakfast and lunch.

I recommend starting your day with Kirk’s Mystic Gravy Biscuits.

Visit the Allman Brothers Band Museum at The Big House

The Allman Brothers Band and their families lived in this house on Vineville Avenue from 1970 to 1973.

In 2009, the house was turned into The Allman Brothers Band Museum at The Big House, displaying the largest collection of The Allman Brothers Band memorabilia in the world.

Along with instruments, clothing, tour posters, and art, the museum has also recreated Duane Allman and Brittany Oakley’s bedrooms.

Tour the Cannonball House

The historic 1853 Cannonball House is named for the cannonball damage it sustained during the Civil War.

A tour of the home offers a great glimpse into antebellum life and the Reconstruction Era in Macon.

The home also houses the founders’ furniture for the two oldest sororities in the world, Adelphean (Alpha Delta Pi) and Philomathean (Phi Mu), recreated from nearby Wesleyan College where the sororities were created.

Lunch at Ocmulgee Brewpub

Ocmulgee Brewpub makes their own craft beer that pairs perfectly with their gourmet burgers and huge helping of hand-cut fries.

I recommend getting the Clucker Club.

Visit the Johnston–Felton–Hay House

The Johnston–Felton–Hay House, commonly just called the Hay House, is a stunning 7-story Italian Renaissance Revival home with more than 16,000 square feet and 24 rooms.

Since the home has had three different families living in it (first the Johnstons, then the Feltons, and finally the Hays), the rooms have changed functions over the years. You’ll get a glimpse of the style of each family based on what era each room is styled after.

This is such a beautiful home, and it gives a great look at Macon throughout the years. I love how they picked different rooms to represent the different families and time periods. It’s such a unique way to show the fashions of the times.

You can also get a tour that climbs to the top of the house to the cupola for great views of Macon.

Attend the Spirits in October event

Spirits in October is an annual event at the Historic Riverside Cemetery that shares the stories of some of Macon’s fascinating former residents that helped shaped its history.

For two weekends in late-October/early-November, you can take a stroll through the cemetery, listening to the stories of Macon’s most influential residents. Costumed actors bring the characters alive right at their graves.

It’s not a scary ghost tour, but rather a fun and family-friendly way to learn about Macon’s history.

Dinner at Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen

Piedmont Brewery has handcrafted beer, modern smokehouse deliciousness, and a family-friendly arcade downstairs with old-school video games and arcade games.

I recommend getting the Mac & Cheese with Smoked Chicken.

Where to Stay for a Weekend in Macon

Hilton Garden Inn Macon/Mercer University

I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Macon / Mercer University during my weekend getaway in Macon, Georgia. This hotel has free parking, free Wi-Fi, and it’s just a few minutes drive from Downtown Macon.

Macon Weekend Itinerary Map

Ready for a weekend getaway in Macon, Georgia? Use the map below to plan out your trip!

I hope you found this Macon weekend itinerary helpful!

• How to Spend an Afternoon in Macon, Georgia
• Tips for Visiting High Falls State Park
• 5 Delicious Restaurants in Macon, GA

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Ready to visit Macon, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book your flight to Macon: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Macon using Hotels.com.
• Start Packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.

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Cheers!

Paige

When are you planning a weekend in Macon, Georgia? Let me know in the comments!