Georgia's Historic Heartland

If you are given a choice visit in spring when the cherry trees bloom. However, Macon has fine weather for year round enjoyment. Macon's location on I-75 makes for a great stop over when enroute to Florida. There's a good selection of inexpensive motels and family restaurants.

Quick Tips:

The public library has a very well developed family history section. Much to my daughters' chagrin, I can spend hours there. If you're interested in Georgia history, this is a good place to resource.

Best Way To Get Around:

Like most southerners, I prefer the comfort and convenience of my own car. The historic district is best seen by foot.

My husband is a music buff and the 2 hours we had allotted for the museum stretched to half a day. This museum is jam packed with memorablia, instruments, costumes, photos and interactive music displays. Southern rock, country, blues and gospel are all represented. A music lovers dream. And yes, they do have to stop, put on those headsets, and listen to the tracks. They cannot resist the obsession. :) Cost is about $15 for two.

This 2 hour tour makes three stops in the historic district: Hay House, The Cannon Ball House and the African American Museum. The guides, who dress like Sidney Lanier, are well versed in Macon's history. Of course you don't have to take a tour to enjoy Macon's history, but I enjoy the dialog, and think of narrative tours as field trips for adults. Plus not having to bother with parking at multiple stops is a treat.

This architectural masterpiece is much more than a restored antebellum mansion. The Hay House is a fabulous example of Italian Renaissance architecture. The beauty, craftmanship and design that went into this house is unmatched by any structure (I have ever seen) that was intended as a dwelling place, rather than a place of art or worship.
There are fantastic examples of trompe l'oeil marble located throughout the mansion. I had to touch the wall before I could believe it was constructed of Georgia pine artistically disquised. A former secretary once told me that her family, the Hays, had built the house. At first, I did not believe her- come on, she's working for minimum wage and can't afford needed dental work. Later, I had to accept that though the house escaped the war and restoration years, the family inheritance did not. But luckily she, like the rest of us, can marvel at the opulent splendor of Hay House.

The diverse elements of Macon and the Heartland come together each spring for the Cherry Blossum Festival. This citywide celebration occurs the third week in March every year as 200,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom simultaneously heralding the advent of spring. Make reservations early as things are booked tight well before the festival.

The Antebellum trail extends from Macon to Athens Ga. (441 east of I-75). This segment of Georgia survived most of the murderous wrath of Sherman. The legacy of wealth is still visible in the opulent grandour of the homes and cottages along this route. The route can be traveled in less than a day offering ample time to view the scenery, stop for refreshments and marvel at a life and a time when a southern aristocracy lived among us.