About 80 miles southeast of Atlanta, Macon is Georgia’s 4th largest city and has a rich Native American, Civil War and music heritage. So, if your only experience of Macon, Georgia, is seeing its name on the mileage signs while whizzing down I-75, you’re missing out. With so many top things to do in Macon, Georgia, we decided to make it our destination instead of a blur from the car window.
15 Best Things to Do in Macon Georgia
Visit the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park
Tour the Hay House
Hike the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
Play at the Coleman Hill Park
Float at Amerson River Park
Visit The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House
Catch at the Macon Bacon Baseball Game at Luther Williams Ballpark
Tour The Tubman African American Museum
Play at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
Visit the Macon Museum of Arts & Sciences
See a Performance at the Grand Opera House
Go Birding at the Lake Tobesofkee Duck Ponds
Tour Fort Hawkins
Browse at Gottwals Books
Play at Reboot Retrocade and Bar
Stop by Comics Plus of Macon
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park
With free admission and plenty of space to roam, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Site is one of the top things to do in Macon, Georgia. This National Park is dedicated to preserving a prehistoric American Indian site used at various times and by different groups.
Best of all, you can keep your kids active on vacation while they learn about 12,000 years of American Indian culture at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park. The Indian mounds are fascinating, and you can peek inside one and climb to the top of another.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park Visitor Center
You’ll want to check out the museum in the visitor’s center. In the largest archaeology dig in American history, more than 2,000 artifacts in the museum were excavated on-site. Each item dates back to 10,000 BCE to the 1800s.
There’s also a 17-minute interpretive film shown at the visitor center. It covers the history of the Ocmulgee Mounds, a great overview for most visitors.
The Ocmulgee Mounds Visitor Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Find restrooms, a water fountain and a picnic table at the visitor center as well.
Hiking at Ocmulgee Mounds
With over 8 miles of hiking trails, hiking is one of the top things to do at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park. The park has seven mounds, and the walking trails are the best way to see them.
- Main Path–A .5-mile trail to the Great Temple Mound. See the Earth Lodge, the Trading Post site, the Great and Lesser Temple Mound Sites
- Dunlap Trail–A .25-mile trail to see the Dunlap Mound and Civil War Earthworks.
- McDougal Trail–A .5-mile trail to see the original entrance of the park from the 1930s.
- Opelofa Trail–A 1-mile trail past the wetlands in the park.
- Bartram Trail–A .75-mile to see the railroad bridge located in the park.
Note: Leashed dogs are welcome at Ocmulgee Mounds.
Biking in Ocmulgee Mounds
If you have a bike, then the Heritage Trail is for you. It’s a 1.75-mile trail that passes the Ocmulgee River, and part of it is accessible.
What to Do with Kids
The Junior Ranger Program is the go-to program for families to learn more about the National Park site. It’s free and takes about two hours to complete. You just can’t beat a free program that gives your kid a souvenir badge and swears them in as an official Junior Ranger.
Located at 1207 Emery Highway (off of Interstate 16) in Macon, Georgia. The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to enter. Nominal entrance fee for special events.
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Hay House
Formally the Johnston-Felton-Hay-House, this 1855 home is owned by the fabulous Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. If you’ve got an eye for historic homes, this one is worth the stop.
With 18,000 square feet and 24 main rooms, it is one of Georgia’s most distinguished homes and one of the top things to do in Macon, Georgia. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974, it offers a one-hour tour that explores the first three floors of the home.
The home itself is gorgeous and I enjoyed the home tour. The boys most enjoyed the grounds. They could run around, pop in and out of the low-hanging magnolia branches and spy frogs and other insects in the fountain.
Located at 934 Georgia Ave. Open from Wednesday to Sunday, and tours are offered at 10 a.m.,11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. (no noon tour on Wednesday and Thursday). Adult admission is $20, students (6 – 18) are $12. Parking is in the rear. Online tour reservations are recommended.
Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
On both sides of the Ocmulgee River, travelers will find a 13-mile multi-use trail that connects many of the top recreation sites in Macon. On the east side of the river, it connects Jackson Springs Park, Spring Street Landing and the Otis Redding Bridge; it extends into the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park via the Walnut Creek connection, known as the Mike Ford Trail.
At the west side of the river it connects Carolyn Crayton Park, Gateway Park, Rotary Park, and Riverside Cemetery. It is free to use.
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Coleman Hill Park
Within walking distance of the Hay House is Coleman Hill Park and an amazing concrete slide. This is low-tech, old-fashioned fun at its best.
My kids spent ages sliding down in any physical condition they could imagine – on bottoms, bellies and backs, forward and backward, with cardboard and without. It’s a great picnic stop to burn off some energy after you’ve toured Hay House.
Located at 285 Spring St. in Macon. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free to enter.
Amerson River Park
Georgia in August is HOT, y’all. When my oldest suggested we head to the Ocmulgee River, I was all in. We parked at the Amerson River Park and headed down the river steps. There, we found some shallows to lay back in and rocky “islands” to explore. The temperature was just right, and we relaxed there until well past dinner time. You can go tubing along the river, too.
Amerson River Park offers 180 acres of land to explore, including forest, wetlands and the river’s oxbow. Along with the river, there’s a playground and 7 miles of trails. There are also picnic tables in the Park.
Tubing and Canoeing at Amerson River Park
The Amerson River Park offers the Jay Hall Memorial Canoe Launch, a 2-mile float perfect for kayaks, canoes or tubes. Floaters can exit at the Bragg Jamm Canoe and Tube Takeout.
Located at 2551 N. Pierce Dr. in Macon, Georgia. Open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and it is free to enter.
The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House
From 1970 to 1973, the original members of the Allman Brothers lived in the three-story Grand Tutor house with members of their family. When the band was on tour, it was just the wives and girlfriends living in the house, which is rich with original details. The band, along with the roadies, would return to liven up the house and create music.
Now, the home has been transformed into a museum dedicated to the Allman Brothers, from the music room to the roadies room. Visitors can see original memorabilia and instruments.
Located at 2321 Vineville Ave. Open from Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $20 and kids (10 and younger) are $10.
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Catch at the Macon Bacon Baseball Game at Luther Williams Ballpark
This was my second attempt to see a matchup between the Macon Bacon and the Savannah Bananas. I know, RIGHT? Games at held at the 1929 Luther Williams Ballpark in Central City Park.
The Macon Bacon and the Savannah Bananas belong to the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate wood-bat summer league. As a serial visitor to Savannah who has passed by the Bananas stadium multiple times, I was giddy to discover that they played the Macon Bacon and I wanted in on that experience.
After one game was rained out, we saw the Bacon-Bananas game and had so much fun! How can you not love a team where the mascot is Bacon, and his name is…Kevin? Be sure to check their schedule and go on one of their fun-themed nights!
The Macon Bacon plays at the Luther Williams Field on Willie Smoker Glover Dr. in Macon. The field was built in 1929 and offers covered seating. Games start in late May and continue until the first week of August.
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The Tubman African American Museum
The Tubman African American Museum offers a well-rounded collection that includes many individuals local to the Macon area who have contributed to advancing rights and equality for African Americans. It’s part art gallery, part museum.
Exhibits include a gallery on the creativity of African Americans, including inventions. Another gallery tells the untold stories of those from the Macon area. The exhibit, Macon’s Musical Heritage, shares the influences in R&B, Soul and Southern Rock.
I loved introducing my youngest son to musicians with local ties, like James Brown, Little Richard and Otis Redding. The former Georgia Music Hall of Fame closed, and many of its artifacts and memorabilia came here.
Note: The Tubman Museum and the Sports Hall of Fame both rely on private funding. Each doesn’t receive assistance from the State of Georgia. They raise money through private donations, renting event space, admission tickets and gift shop purchases. Even if it’s something small, your gift shop purchase helps keep these museums open for many to enjoy.
Located at 310 Cherry St. in Macon. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $10 and kids (3- 17) are $6. For Georgia residents, a Macon Museum Pass is available at the Macon Library and grants four general admissions to The Tubman Museum, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Museum Arts and Science. For more information, check out its website.
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Tour the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
As the largest museum dedicated to state sports, this is one of the top things to do in Macon. Visitors can explore the 43,000-square-foot facility, which resembles a turn-of-the-century ball field and includes a theater.
We are college ball-loving people in my house, and SEC all the way. A stop at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame was definitely a hit for my crew. It was fun for the boys to see memorabilia and learn facts about athletes from various sports.
Even if your family doesn’t “follow the ball,” kids will still have a blast. Upstairs, there is an interactive sporting area where kids can shoot hoops, throw footballs, kick soccer balls and sit inside a race car for a video simulation.
A scavenger hunt makes everything more engaging for the kids. I learned a lot, too! The Sports Hall of Fame includes college, professional, Olympic and Paralympic sporting figures.
Located at 301 Cherry St. Open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult admission is $8, kids (16 and younger) are $3.50. For Georgia residents, a Macon Museum Pass is available at the Macon Library and grants four general admissions to The Tubman Museum, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Museum of Arts and Science. For more information, check out its website.
Macon Museum of Arts & Sciences
The Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences is a favorite with families. It features a planetarium, live animals, and rotating art exhibits. If you have younger kids, I think a day trip from Atlanta is totally worth it just for this stop alone.
Our most recent visit marked our third time at the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences. We keep coming back because it’s just that fun. There are tons of low-tech, high-fun activities for the kids and even a mini-zoo inside! By far, this tops my list of family-friendly things to do in Macon.
Upstairs is the artist’s garret, where kids have many opportunities to explore and create. The main level is full of hands-on exhibits and the mini-zoo as well as a planetarium. Downstairs is the science exploration area – this is where my big kids had the most fun.
Make sure you get outside and take the Sweetgum Trail. The pond there is full of frogs and turtles to spot!
Located at 4182 Forsyth Rd. in Macon. Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $10 and kids (3 to 17) are $5.
See a Performance at the Grand Opera House
The Grand Opera House, located at Mercer University, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It hosts various events, from traveling Broadway Shows to Comedy Acts to Musical Performances.
Located at 651 Mulberry St. Its box-office house are Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Go Birding at the Lake Tobesofkee Duck Ponds
Calling all the birders to this hidden gem in Macon. Lake Tobesofkee offers a secluded area to see birds and other wildlife.
Located at Bonner Gilbert Rd, Open from dawn to dusk.
Tour Fort Hawkins
Fort Hawkins was a fort built between 1806 and 1810 in the historic Creek Nation. Named after the Indian Agent Col. Benjamin Hawkins. It was used as a meeting and trading location for Native Americans in Middle Georgia.
Located at 736 Emery Highway, It is open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Gottwals Books
Of course, I had to sneak in a stop at a used bookstore. Gottwals Books is a small chain with four locations in Georgia.
This location had a great variety of reasonably priced used books and a selection of new titles. The staff was friendly, and my kid honed in on the graphic novel section like it was a beacon.
Located at 2834 Riverside Dr. in Macon. Open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Reboot Retrocade and Bar
Don’t shut down at the word “bar.” This is a family-friendly place from 1 to 7 p.m. My 15-year-old gamer was beside himself with classic video games, pinball games and two large-screen TVs with gaming consoles. This is a teen’s virtual playground.
I sat in a window seat with an adult beverage and watched my children happily scampering between all the games. If you were a kid in the 80’s you can get some serious street cred with your kids. My husband and I were playing games like Donkey Kong and Galaga, much to the amazement of our children. If your family is more into board games, there is a shelf full of those, too.
Located at 566 Cherry St. Open Monday from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday 4 p.m. – 1 a.m., Saturday 1 p.m. – 1 a.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. Once 7:00 pm rolls around, they are serious about the 18+ only rule.
Pro Tip: The Tubman Museum, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Reboot Retrocade and Comics Plus are all in the downtown Macon area and walkable to each other.
Just Under Two Hours From Atlanta
The fact that I can throw the kids in the car and find the top things to do in Macon, Georgia, within two hours from home, is a huge draw for me. I could absolutely see us making a day trip down for an afternoon Macon Bacon baseball game next summer. It’s a destination just a few hours from home and still has the right Road Trip spirit without the non-stop. Are we there yet? that kicks in on longer trips.
Instead of Macon being a blur on the highway, why don’t you make it the destination?
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