Macon Memories
We spent a whole month in Macon, Georgia. We decided that staying somewhere for a longer period of time would allow us to settle in and live more like locals than tourists.
My husband met Aaron, who works at Visit Macon, through a Minnesota connection. Because of Aaron, we met Paul, who manages Airbnb properties. Paul got us situated in our airbnb when we arrived and made sure we had everything we needed. He brought us some extra household items that one-night guests don’t usually need such as a card table, larger pots and pans, and a crockpot. We settled in and made it “home”. Our favorite TV shows to watch in the evenings were Wheel of Fortune and America’s Got Talent. Living in a small space made for a lot of family bonding time. Since we weren’t busy with homework and regular activities in the evenings, we were able to play scrabble, do puzzles, watch movies, and just talk about life.
Macon is a home to Mercer University. I came to realize while staying here that I love a college town. I saw students everywhere we went. The first weekend we were here was homecoming, and the campus was buzzing with excitement. The pep band played as the football team paraded through the crowds of fans, tailgating before the football game.
There is also a strong arts and music presence in Macon, which you pick up on right away when walking through the downtown. Famous artists who came from Macon include Little Richard, Otis Redding, and the Allman Brothers. You can tour the house where the Allman Brothers lived and the studio where their records were made. Mark dived deep into music history while we were here, taking several tours, and doing a lot of reading.
Here are a few of the places I remember visiting this month in Macon.
The Tubman African American Museum
Amerson Park
Ocmulgee Indian Mounds
Wear Thrift Store
Seussical the Musical performed by Miller Fine Arts Middle School
Reboot Retrocade
Macon Bagels
H&H Cafe (trying grits for the first time)
Fall Line Brewery – great outdoor seating with fire pits
Each weekday started out at the Washington Library where the kids and I spent a couple hours doing our homeschool work. We felt so welcomed by the staff in the children’s department of the library. There were days when the girls were not happy to be on the trip and feeling homesick for their teachers and classmates. I think the routine of going to the library everyday, sitting in the same spot, and seeing the same librarians working was therapeutic (at least for me!)
A few surprises in Macon were finding out Malia could play in a tennis tournament, getting complimentary tickets to a Mercer College girls basketball game, and attending a free Middle Georgia University choir concert. Another great surprise was being invited over to the home of a local family, Joey and Sherry, after visiting New City Church. After our visit, Sherry and her daughter asked me to teach them piano lessons while I was in town.
I didn’t know what to expect of Macon, but I can honestly say that I grew to love it. I know I wasn’t here long enough to learn its downsides (every town has downsides), but I don’t have a lot bad to say (other than the stop lights take a REALLY long time to turn from red to green. Also, I can’t get used to being called “Ma’am” and seeing everyone where jeans and sweaters when it is 80 degrees outside. They all say it’s “because it’s fall!”
Enjoy a few more photos of our time in Macon below.
