Wife and I are planning on a first-time visit to Macon for a day and a half later this month. I'm interested in suggestions on a place to stay, and sites to see.
We plan to visit the Big House, Rose Hill, Gallery West, and the H&H.
We'll also be in Savannah for a couple of days, so any suggestions for sites there would be welcome.
My Wife and I visited Macon a couple of years ago and visited the exact sites you mentioned. I'm sure others will chime in with other places to visit as well.
As for Savannah, we did that too a couple years ago and last year as we love that city. If you like history, the historic district is awesome. I'd recommend watching the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It was filmed in Savannah and based on a true story. Also, Tybee Island is about 20 minutes away by car. Great beach and a great place to spend a day or two. We stayed at the Thunderbird Hotel, it's adjacent to the historic district and reasonably priced. Also, take the ride out to Wormsloe Plantation. That was where the cover for Gregg's Low Country Blues cover was taken. Beautiful place.
Have fun!
The legendary TanDan took us around when we visited Macon for the first time several years ago, as he did for so many others, so I'm passing on what I know in his spirit.
I've stayed at the 1842 Inn in Macon, which is a lovely old Mansion-turned-B&B. It's on the expensive side, but not bad if just for a night - wonderful spot for cocktails on the porch and I think it's just down the road from the spot of the debut album photo (everything in downtown Macon is pretty close). There is a Marriott in downtown Macon, but the prices have varied every time I've looked. There are a number of more reasonably priced hotels just a mile from downtown Macon, either along the highway or south towards Mercer University, that are still convenient to downtown sites. A number of the sites you can find via Google maps (example: https://goo.gl/maps/NknRBefDNhzxYCAy9 .
Check the Big House hours, there are some days that they are not open, but often if you knock on the door you'll find someone working inside who might be willing to let you in. There are a number of nice restaurants and bars right downtown - The Rookery, Grant's Lounge, Piedmont Brewery.
Savannah is as beautiful as advertised, I've been there several times (the Kimpton Brice was a great spot and hotel). If you're staying near the river, you'll have no problem finding places to eat and drink - tons of great restaurants all over. It's a very walkable city, which is the only way to see it. Definitely head toward Forsyth Park during the day.
I'll "second" Tybee Island. Check out the Original Crab Shack along the way out there (another TanDan recommendation).
[Edited on 12/18/2019 by porkchopbob]
For several years I kept suggesting to Rose Hill that a couple of golf cart tours would pay for themselves pretty quickly back when GABBAFest was held in Macon.
The roads and alleyways were made back in horse and buggy days so are very tight on anything smaller than a compact car. Sometimes you're looking over a 20 foot drop on the right at a very sharp turn.
Several times I had to help get some of the larger cars out of jams where part of the car was over the side and the front was scraping a terrace wall.
Remember, there are no rest rooms in Rose Hill except at the gate office.
When you get to the gravesite, stand directly behind Duane and Berry. Turn around and look across the road.
When you get to that spot, look for the small gravestone for "Our Little Martha". Not the one the song was written about since last time i heard she was still alive.
When leaving the Big House continue on down Duane Allman Blvd until you reach Berry Oakley III bridge. Turn south on I-75 at the bridge. Get off at the Pio Nono exit and go around the cloverleaf. You will be on Highway 41 going South.
Going forward you will get to Seven Bridges Road. Stay in the right hand lane. Before you get on the long curved bridge, bear right and you are on Houston Rd (still on 41) and continue straight to the stop sign in about three miles. Turn right. Get in the left hand lane after the top of the hill and take the second left turn (still on 41).
When you see a store called Bobbys', you are at Middle Georgia Raceway. Stop and get a selfie of the marker in the roadside. The track isn't open for tours.
Coming back to Macon, stop at the Highway 41 Marker on the right side of the road. It's a big concrete cross with info about the road. if you want to come back a different way, just keep going forward after the marker.
The road ends in a cloverleaf that puts you back on 247 (Seven Bridges Road) headed into Macon.
Note: At the end of the curved bridge, look right and notice the several small buildings side by side. The one on the left end was the Sunset Grill.
In Savannah, take the Old Town Trolley tour (they have free parking). They have the drop off/get on routes that give you a chance to enjoy different places instead of just driving by. Good places to drop off: River Street for shopping (two different candy makers there), lunch, and a drink or two (since you aren't driving), The pirates' house Inn, been there since 1753. There's a story about a famous visitor who wrote a book based on what he experienced there. Stop off at the city park where the fountain was bought from the Sears catalog (it's huge and beautiful). Take photos of where Forrest Gump sat on the bench.
Now for the Crab Shack. My wife has me drive her there from Byron to eat seafood (400 mile round trip). I don't mind because the food is fresh caught by their boats, and is really, really good. Great atmosphere too. Don't forget to feed the gators!!!
Sorry, should have said BIGGER than a compact car.
I went to Macon a couple years ago to go the ABB museum and Cemetery. It was cool, stayed in Atlanta though as Macon did not seem to exciting.
The H&H in Macon is one of Georgia's best southern restaurants:
