Name a musician or group from the last 50 years and they probably have ties to the South. Places like Memphis and Muscle Shoals were known for their recording studios, but it was a small city in the heartland of Georgia that is responsible for names like The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Otis Redding, and Little Richard.
It’s become a popular road trip spot for international music lovers, but even Georgians seem to overlook it. I visited for the first time a few years ago, passing through to see a friend in medical school while also “seeing the sights” for my other website. But I can’t say I understood it then.
But someone sought out to change that. I met Ruth earlier this year as she was the PR rep of the trip I took through Louisiana. I’ve now had the pleasure of traveling with her a number of times, but she was most excited to show me her home: Macon.
During my last visit, I stayed near the highway and hit the high points (lunch at The Rookery, visits to The Big House and Hay House) before continuing onward to Florida, as many people do. But Ruth showed me Macon’s unique neighborhoods, especially the College Hill Corridor.
My visit started with dinner and a Friday night tour with Rock Candy Tours. Created by a couple with backgrounds in the confectionary and music industries (hence the name), the tour focuses on Macon’s impact on the music history. The night ended with a stop at Grant’s Lounge, an iconic venue in its own right, to see Robert Lee Coleman, a guitarist that played with James Brown.
The next morning, we visited another important musical landmark, H&H Restaurant, which is known among fans as the soul food eatery where The Allman Brothers were fed by “Mama” Louise when they were first signed but had no money.
While we skipped it, we saw more ambitious locals participating in yoga in Tattnall Square Park, a free weekly ritual. It’s just one of many community-driven projects in the College Hill Corridor, the area between Mercer University and downtown Macon.
Here you’ll find Little Free Libraries (including one that looks like a Tardis!) and historic homes that have been restored through incentive-based programs. The College Hill Alliance seeks to connect the students to the rest of the city, to make it home for more than four years. It’s a feeling I could relate to after four years in Charleston, a place that exists differently for students and locals.
Something that continued to strike me about Macon during this visit was the sense of community not only in the College Hill Corridor but the city as a whole. It’s what brought The Allman Brothers here and countless others after them.
On two separate nights of my visit, I went to local’s houses for drinks and chats (shoutout to my Macon friends!). I love the idea of being a part of a community like this one. It made me seriously think about buying a historic home, fixing it up and becoming a part of the city. To be honest, I’m still considering it.
Macon has a lot to offer those who are willing to get “off the beaten path” of Interstate 75 and even more for music fans. Here are just a few of my favorite spots to check out on your own visit:
Eating in Macon
Rookery– A Macon legend for its burgers, beers and more. Choose one of the offbeat milkshakes to pair with your meal.
Downtown Grill– This former speakeasy is now one of Macon’s fine dining options. Steak is the main attraction.
H&H Restaurant– The soul food favorite serves breakfast and lunch just the way Mama Louise does. Sit beneath the posters of the bands that made their names in Macon.
Dovetail– Upstairs at The Rookery is a bit more upscale. Order a cocktail to go with your dinner.
Drinking in Macon
Macon Beer Company– Macon’s first brewery is in a historic warehouse that has repurposed many of the materials. Their beers are all named after aspects of Macon life.
Grant’s Lounge– Catch a performance at Grant’s, the original home of Southern rock where countless rock and jazz acts played since 1971.
Sightseeing in Macon
Allman Brothers Band Museum– Visit the home where the band lived with their friends and families during the Macon years. It’s now full of memorabilia and items from their time here.
Hay House– Visit this Italianate mansion during one of their Behind the Scenes tours, which gives you an extensive visit and allows you to see the view from the cupola.
Ocmulgee National Monument and Museum– Before this area was settled by Europeans, it was home to Native American tribes who lived and created burial mounds here.
Rock Candy Tours– Learn about Macon’s music history from the people who know it best.
My trip to Macon, Georgia was organized by the College Hill Alliance and Laurie Rowe Communications. For more on where I stayed in Macon, see my post on This Is My South.
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