Macon (Georgia)

Macon is the center of a metropolitan area that contains around 400,000 people and encompasses the nearby city of Warner Robins. The downtown area of Macon has antebellum homes, cathedrals, and other historic buildings that were built in the past by Macon's elite, including the Woodruff House, the Hay House, and the Cannonball House.
Macon is one of several cities to hold a cherry blossom celebration in springtime, although Macon stands out because it has a particularly large number of trees throughout the city. With over 275,000 Yoshino cherry trees, Macon calls itself the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World."

By car

From the north: Drive south on I-75. To reach the main downtown area of Macon, take exit 164, turn left at the end of the exit ramp, then drive along Forsyth St. a short distance into the main downtown area.
From the south: Drive north on I-75. To reach the main downtown area of Macon, take exit exit 164, turn right at the end of the exit ramp, then drive along Forsyth St. a short distance into the main downtown area.
From the east: Drive west on I-16. To reach the main downtown area of Macon, take exit 1B, turn right at the end of the exit ramp, then drive along the 2nd St. bridge over the Ocmulgee River into the main downtown area.
From the west: There are no interstates that travel directly into Macon from the west. However, there are many state highways that you can use. The best route will depend on where you're traveling from; consult a road atlas.

By bus

Greyhound, America's largest bus carrier, can connect you to many other major cities in the southern United States region. It doed not offer service to the smaller cities and towns near Macon, including Warner Robins. is on 65 Spring St, northwest of downtown.

By train

There are no commuter trains that travel directly to Macon. However, Atlanta's Amtrak station offers bus service to Macon.

By plane

• Middle Georgia Regional Airport

  phone: +1 478 751-3760
  address: 1000 Terminal Dr
  Silver Airways makes daily trips between Macon and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (), and Orlando's Orlando International Airport ().

The Middle Georgia Regional Airport has several car rental service stations; see below in the "Get around" section for more information.
Many visitors choose to fly into Atlanta's much larger Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 80 miles north and then drive or take shuttle service from Atlanta to Macon.

• Groome Transportation

  phone: +1 478 471-1616
  address: 4540 Sheraton Dr
  popular shuttle service

By foot

The downtown area is reasonably compact, and most travelers can probably explore this area on foot. However, traveling to other sites outside the downtown area will require an automobile.

By bus

The Macon Transit Authority () operates a bus service throughout the city. The routes map will show you which bus route to take, and the bus schedule will explain when to arrive at the bus stop. In general, a bus arrives at each stop every 30-40 minutes. You must pay the bus fare when you board the bus; the regular fare is $1.25. If you will be transferring to a second bus route in order to reach your final destination, notify the bus driver when you pay your $1.25 fare; each transfer costs $0.50. When the bus is within one or two blocks of your destination, pull the yellow cord inside the bus to signal to the driver that you want to stop.

By car

Touring Macon by car is perhaps the best way to see the city, especially if you plan to visit sites far from the main downtown area, such as the Ocmulgee Indian Mounds or the Museum of Arts and Sciences.
There are several car rental services in Macon:

• Alamo Rent a Car

  phone: +1 478 788-5385
  address: 1000 Terminal Ave

• Avis Rent a Car

  phone: +1 478 788-3840
  address: 1000 Terminal Dr

• Budget Rent-A-Car

  phone: +1 478 784-7130
  address: 1000 Terminal Dr

• Economy Rent-A-Car

  phone: +1 478 742-4316
  address: 2145 Riverside Dr

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car

  phone: +1 478 784-8633
  address: 2840 Pio Nono Ave

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car

  phone: +1 478 746-9422
  address: 2135 Riverside Dr

• Hertz Rent a Car

  phone: +1 478 788-3600
  address: 2178 Flightline Avenue

• Hertz Rent a Car

  phone: +1 478 788-3600
  address: 1000 Terminal Dr

• Heritage Trail along the Ocmulgee RiverThere is a statue there commemorating Otis Redding who was born and raised in Macon.

• Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

  phone: +1 478-752-8257 ext 222
  address: 1207 Emery Hwy

• The Hay House

  phone: +1 478-742-8155
  address: 934 Georgia Ave

• Rose Hill CemeteryHistoric cemetery, final resting place of Allman Brothers Band members Duane Allman and Berry Oakley

• Vineville AvenueDozens of historic houses and churches.

• Museum of Arts and Sciences

  phone: +1 478-477-3232
  address: 4182 Forsyth Road

• Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

  phone: +1 478-752-1585
  address: 301 Cherry Street

• Tubman African-American Museum

  phone: +1 478-743-8544
  address: 310 Cherry Street

• Allman Brothers Band Museum

  phone: +1 478-741-5551
  address: 2321 Vineville Ave

There are special events that are held at specific times:

• Cherry Blossom FestivalEvery year from late March to mid-April, mostly in the downtown area and Central City Park but some events are held in other areas of the city. Parades, carnivals, crafts market, local art exhibitions, concerts, and other special events.

• Georgia State FairEvery year in late September in Central City Park.

• First Friday. The first Friday night of every month in the downtown area. Festival-like atmosphere with music and streetside shops. Downtown bars sell beer at cheap prices.

• Macon Music baseball gamesMid-May to mid-August in Central City Park at Luther Williams Field, which is the second oldest minor league baseball stadium in the United States. Macon Music team has now folded, but check for any new team that may decide to call Macon home.

Cultural activities:

• The Grand Opera House

  phone: +1 478-301-5470
  address: 651 Mulberry St
  See a show in this historic venue.

• Douglass Theatre

  phone: +1 478-742-2000
  address: 355 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

• Cox Capitol Theatre

  phone: +1 478-257-6391
  address: 382 Second Street

Shopping centers

• Macon Mall

  phone: +1 478 477-8840
  address: 3661 Eisenhower Parkway
  Large indoor mall. Has become increasingly less popular due to crime, violence, gang-related activity, and the opening of the Shoppes at River Crossing. Still a good place to shop, however.

• Shoppes at River Crossing

  phone: +1 478 254-2940
  address: 5080 Riverside Dr
  Open-air shopping center, includes Belk's, Dillard's, a large Barnes & Noble, and other stores.

• Eisenhower Crossing

  address: Presidential Parkway
  Open-air shopping center with many well-known businesses in a concentrated area. Includes Target, Best Buy, Old Navy, Office Depot, Ross, GNC, Dick's Sporting Goods, Home Depot, and various others.

Other noteworthy places to shop

• Academy Sports & Outdoors

  phone: +1 478 785-2300
  address: 1689 Eisenhower Pkwy
  Sells outdoors products. Similar to Bass Pro Shops but cheaper and less decorative.

• Bass Pro Shops

  phone: +1 478 757-7600
  address: 5000 Bass Pro Blvd
  Sells outdoors products for fishing, hunting, etc. Somewhat expensive.

• Nu-Way WeinersNationally recognized as making one of the best hot dogs in the United States, second longest continually-operating hot dog stand in the U.S. (since 1916).

• Fincher's BBQ

  phone: +1 478 788-1900
  address: 3947 Houston Ave
  Old style drive-in BBQ that actually went on a NASA shuttle mission. In Macon since 1935, this is a must-try.

• The Back Burner Restaurant

  phone: +1 478-746-3336
  address: 2242 Ingleside Ave
  A nice small French restaurant close to Ingleside Village - this is probably one of the most under-stated restaurants in Macon.

• Tic Toc Room

  phone: +1 478 744-0123
  address: 408 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
  Upscale dining and bar in downtown Macon

• Natalia's

  phone: +1 478-741-1380
  address: 201 N Macon St
  Probably the most expensive restaurant in the city; do not be fooled by the shabby exterior of the restaurant - the food makes up for what the location lacks.

• Margaritas at Mercer Village

  phone: +1 478-254-7707
  address: 1602 Montpelier Ave. #106
  32 draught beers. Great Mexican food on the Mercer University campus

• Dovetail

  phone: +1 478-238-4693
  address: 543 Cherry Street

Downtown

• The Hummingbird Stage and Taproom

  address: 430 Cherry St
  Friendly bar and stage in downtown Macon. Hosts live music several nights of the week.

• The Rookery

  address: 543 Cherry St
  Restaurant by day, bar by night. This is a frequent drinking spot for many of the local college undergraduates.

• ENVY Nightclub

  phone: +1 229-292-2640
  address: 420 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd

• 1842 Inn

  phone: +1 478-741-1842
  address: 353 College St

• Hilton Garden Inn Macon/Mercer University

  address: 1220 Stadium Dr

• Macon Marriott City Center

  phone: +1 478-621-5300
  address: 240 Coliseum Dr

• Riverview Hotel

  phone: +1 478-755-9985
  address: 205 Broadway
• Numerous chain hotels at Arkwright Rd Exit off I-75, and Eisenhower Pkwy Exit off I-475.

• Residence Inn Macon

  phone: +1 478-475-4280
  address: 3900 Sheraton Dr

• Wingate by Wyndham Macon

  phone: +1 478 476-8100
  address: 100 Northcrest Blvd

• Homewood Suites by Hilton

  address: 1514 Bass Road
  Homewood Suites by Hilton Macon North provides spacious family accommodations for the weekend traveler with complimentary full hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and free movie rental. A dinner reception is provided for our guests staying Monday - Thursday evenings.

Hospitals

• Medical Center of Central Georgia

  address: 777 Hemlock St

Coliseum Medical Center

Consulates

• Denmark (Honorary)

  phone: +1 478 477-8145
  address: 130 N Crest Blvd Ste B

• Savannah 166 mi E.
• Warner Robins -- 18 mi S. Home to Robins Air Force Base and the Museum of Aviation. Free Admission.
• Milledgeville -- 31 mi NE. Georgia's state capital until 1868.
• Fort Valley/Byron -- 26 mi S. Pick your own peaches at one of Peach County's numerous peach orchards.
• Lake Tobesofkee -- 10 mi W. Macon's closest outdoor recreation area.
• Perry -- 29 mi S. Home to the Georgia National Fair each October.
• Andersonville -- app. 30 mi S. Historic Civil War prison.