Spend a weekend in Macon, Georgia
This Southern city is home to soul music and the most Yoshino cherry trees in the world
Last spring I took a day trip to Macon. I posted some Stories and a Reel on IG and then forgot(?) to share about it here although this has been in my drafts pretty much since then. Previously the only things I knew about Macon were that a.) there’s a university there—one of my friends went to Mercer on a soccer scholarship—and b.) Macon is about halfway between Savannah and Atlanta—the only Georgia cities that mattered to me for a very long time.
But see when you disregard a place for so long you often miss out on some really interesting stories. The Allman Brothers are from Macon; so was Otis Redding, who’s been dubbed the King of Soul. The Otis Redding Foundation, run by his family, has a yearly music camp that takes place in the city, too. Mercer Music at Capricorn is home to more than 1,200 square feet of artifacts, murals and interactive digital kiosks featuring music, video footage and writing… Macon has a REALLY rich music history and hosts huge acts at the Macon Coliseum and the Macon City Auditorium.
Besides music, Macon is also the cherry blossom capital of the world. Weird, right? Because we all thought it was Japan. But more than 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in Macon for weeks every March, culminating in an annual International Cherry Blossom Festival, which consists of music (of course), food and drink vendors, art and more in Downtown Macon.
Eat & Drink
I only spent a day in Macon last year, but these are some of the spots I checked out while there… packed a lot into just a few hours making my trip feel like a Macon food tour, which was fine.
Burgers and beers at Ocmulgee Brew Pub; Allman Burgers and Jimmy Carter shakes at The Rookery, which has been around for decades; a little higher end, Dovetail serves “seasonally inspired and Southern honored cuisine,” AKA deviled eggs and smoked pork belly bites.
If you venture outside of downtown, there’s Society Garden in Ingleside Village—an outdoor beer garden and wine bar.
Sleep/Stay
OK so there is one—and when I say one I mean ONLY ONE—really cool hotel here. I was supposed to spend the night, but didn’t have anyone to take care of Juni that day (dog mom problems), so I took a tour and hung out for a bit at the property instead. It’s called Hotel Forty Five and while the building was finished in 1941, it was renovated and officially opened as a historic boutique hotel just last year (Feb. 2022). There are 94 rooms total at this Tribute Portfolio Hotel—with a coffee and wine bar, lobby restaurant and a rooftop bar, this was much needed for locals but also for visitors and concert-goers (as well as people traveling to Macon for sporting events) in the city.
Grab a postcard at check-in, they’ll mail it for you—which I think is so retro and cute and thoughtful. The rooftop bar, called Hightales, is the star of the show here; it’s indoor/outdoor, offers gorgeous sunsets and city views and has cocktails named after songs.
The name of the hotel comes from the unique 45-degree angle it’s located on as a result of Cotton Street's diagonal track through Macon—an urban design ahead of its time that made transportation of cotton barges to and from the river possible.
See/Do/Experience
We already know this is a music city, but it’s also a museum city. Ocmulgee Mounds is a prehistoric American Indian site and its museum showcases artifacts spanning not hundreds but thousands of years. There’s also the Tubman Museum by the visitors’ center, which displays African-American art, history and culture.
7th Street Salvage is an architectural salvage smack in the middle of Georgia; its owners, Brent and Catherine Meyer, were passionate about historic homes and buildings and thought that saving architectural pieces instead of sending them to the landfill might be smart. So six years ago, they started doing just that. The shop is now a custom door builder using reclaimed salvaged wood, a hand poured candle company using old wood scraps for the lids and an artisanal gift shop featuring other local makers.
When I visited, Fresh Produce Records had yet to open, but I saw the storefront and knew I’d love it. They sell records, vinyl accessories and supplies and more.