Where to Play, Eat, and Stay in Macon, Georgia, This Halloween

During a tour of the Douglass Theatre in Macon, Georgia, my tour guide, who was playing the role of a ghostly employee, explained how important this theater was to Black citizens as the first African American theater in Georgia. Then he faced the seats and said, “Isn’t that right, Mr. Douglass?”

Eerily, Mr. Douglass, who died in 1940, replied by flickering all of the lights. On then off. On then off. Then two more times until we left the stage. It was the first, but not the last, ghostly experience I had in Macon.

Macon is the epicenter of lots of lore, legends, and haunted tales, which is no surprise considering people have been living in the area for 12,000 years, starting with the Mississippian people in 900 CE and later the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, who still call it home. After the city was founded in 1823 by white European settlers, it became a hub for cotton production as a result of the work of enslaved Black people, and eventually played a role in the Civil War. Later, it became the home of Wesleyan College, the first US college to grant women college degrees; a hub for musicians like Otis Redding, Little Richard, and Ma Rainey; and the adopted home of The Allman Brothers Band.

This October, I got the chance to experience Macon in all its facets, and I wasn’t surprised to discover that there are quite a few spooky and ghostly things wrapped up in the city’s historical, cultural, culinary, and architectural offerings. Here’s how to experience all of the hauntingly fun things to do in “The Heart of Georgia” for yourself.

Things to do in Macon during spooky season

Embrace all the seasonal events

October is a special time of year for Macon, with several annual spooky events. There are multiple ghost tours, like the Haunts and History on the Hill tour that guides people through supernatural happenings in the historic buildings in College Hill Corridor, or the 1.5-hour Macon Macabre Walking Tour in the historic district that covers ghosts, murders, and lore.

The weekend before Halloween, Macon hosts a Halloween street party with a Thriller parade, featuring 100 zombie dancers recreating the “Thriller” dance in downtown. There’s also a Witches Float, where 100-plus witchy participants float down the Ocmulgee River in witch costumes and decorated canoes.

At the beginning of October, I got to experience a four-hour paranormal investigation at the Burke House with the Macon Beyond paranormal investigation team. I witnessed many unexplainable and supernatural things. It was the first time Macon Beyond held this event, and it was a huge success, so keep your eye out for future investigations.

Mingle with spirits at Hay House

Known as the Palace of the South, the Hay House draws visitors for its Italian Renaissance Revival architecture, five levels of grand rooms and stained-glass windows, and a beautiful cupola with views of Macon — not to mention the ghostly residents that still move about the 18,000-square-foot mansion and museum. Employees have noted spinning chandeliers, lights that shouldn’t turn on, and other spooky happenings. Macon Beyond filmed an episode at Hay House, noting many ghostly hot spots on various levels.

The house tour is magnificent even without the ghostly tales (there’s a hidden room where a treasure trove of gold may have been kept), but those interested in supernatural stories should take the Legends & Lore at Hay House tour offered every October.

Hay House: 934 Georgia Ave, Macon, GA 31201

Catch a show at the ghostly Douglass Theatre

I mentioned the Douglass Theatre’s haunted happenings above. While it’s true that some odd things like flickering lights and sounds have been seen and heard, the best way to experience the magic of the Douglass Theatre is to catch a live show, be it a musical performance, comedy show, or play. Opened in 1921 by Charles Henry Douglass and Fannie Appling Douglass, the theater was a hot spot for musicians like Otis Redding, Ma Rainey, and James Brown. It also doubled as a hotel listed in the Green Book for Black travelers. The theater was created to give the state’s African American community equal access to entertainment, and whether you take a tour or catch a show, you’ll feel the love, the respect, and the spirit of the Douglasses throughout it all.

Douglass Theatre: 355 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Macon, GA 31201

Tour the Riverside Cemetery

Established in 1887, Riverside Cemetery is a 125-acre terraced cemetery that’s well worth a jaunt and exploration. While I heard some spooky stories about Riverside Cemetery, like ghost sightings and a hole that leads to hell, I didn’t witness any during my morning visit. That said, every October, the cemetery hosts Lies and Alibis, a one-hour guided tour in the evenings featuring costumed actors portraying some of the most fascinating figures from Macon’s past. Don’t expect a scary haunted tour but rather one that highlights the fun of lore, cemeteries, and storytelling.

Riverside Cemetery: 1301 Riverside Dr, Macon, GA 31216

Mix history and hauntings at The Big House

Back in the early 1970s, The Allman Brothers Band lived and wrote some of their most famous songs in the Big House. The home has been turned into an amazing museum full of notable items and displays of one of the biggest rock bands in history. Bonus? The house is said to be haunted by a young girl who fell down the stairs and died over 150 years ago. Even the Allman Brothers and their wives experienced some of her playful pranks — be it noises or slight shoves on the stairway.

The Big House: 2321 Vineville Ave, Macon, GA 31204

Where to eat and drink in Macon

H&H Soul Food Restaurant

H&H Soul Food Restaurant is the go-to breakfast and lunch spot in town — just ask the ghosts of The Allman Brothers Band. The band members were fed by Louise Hudson who founded the restaurant with Inez Hill, which is why you’ll find a large colorful mural of the band and Hudson and Hill on the side of the building. I chowed down on the restaurant’s biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast, though it’s said that the fried chicken is a big hit at lunch. You can’t go wrong with the chicken and dumplings and unique biscuit combinations like the Midnight Rider, featuring fried chicken with bacon jam and pimento cheese.

H&H Soul Food Restaurant: 807 Forsyth St, Macon, GA 31201

The Rookery

Bite into the best burgers in Macon at The Rookery. Before I devoured a Walden Greenback Burger (with fried green tomatoes, chevre, bacon, and sun-dried tomato remoulade), my tastebuds were delighted by the Solid Gold Soul Rolls (eggrolls filled with fried chicken, pimento cheese, and collard greens served with peach chili sauce). My only regret was seeing the October special after I ordered. Called the Vampire Slayer, it involves a burger with aioli, but instead of two buns, the meat is held together with two grilled cheeses on either side.

The Rookery: 543 Cherry St, Macon, GA 31201

Just Tap’d

Just Tap’d serves 64 taps of craft beer, as well as a large list of cocktails and wine that pair well with bar food like loaded potato skins, pizzas, and soda floats. Say hello to Janice for me — she’s just one of many staff that make things fun and lively with bar trivia nights and seasonal favorites like a pumpkin spice white Russian cocktail.

Just Tap’d: 488 1st St, Macon, GA 31201

Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen

At Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen, chow down on barbecue and wash it down with in-house craft beer. Pork belly features prominently on the menu, but don’t overlook the wings, fish and chips, mac and cheese platter, country fried brisket, or grit fritters (fried grits topped with pulled pork and Carolina BBQ sauce). There’s also a family-friendly classic game room for the whole family to enjoy.

Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen: 450-B 3rd St, Macon, GA 31201

Longleaf Distilling Co.

Longleaf Distilling Co. feels like a bit of a hidden gem in Macon, as it’s on the edge of the historic downtown, but I’d like to sound the alarm for all to visit. While its buffalo dip, jalapeno poppers, and meat pies are divine, the real showstoppers are the in-house liquors and liqueurs. In the back, the team distills its own gin, vodka, and the most delicious liqueurs I’ve ever tasted. My favorites were the Alba, a blue butterfly pea liqueur that changes color with citrus, and the Liqueur of Life, which tasted soft and fresh to me (but slightly different to my friend). The Hawkins Way cocktail — featuring high tea and Alba liqueur, grenadine, grapefruit, and lemon — blew me away.

Longleaf Distilling Co.: 664 2nd St, Macon, GA 31201

The Dovetail

The Dovetail was my favorite restaurant in Macon, as it serves high-quality Southern cuisine with local ingredients. I started with deviled eggs and cornbread muffins lathered in honey butter before digging into my entrée of pan-seared swordfish on a bed of grits. Dessert was the famous cracked pie, featuring salted caramel gelato and toffee. This restaurant shows that Southern cuisine can be elevated yet accessible to all who crave a great meal.

The Dovetail: 543 Cherry St, Suite B, Macon, GA 31201

The Rose Room and The Man Upstairs

If you’re looking for a classic bar for happy hour or after-dinner drinks, visit the pink-colored Rose Room or the speakeasy-like cocktail bar The Man Upstairs. The Rose Room’s cocktails are stunning and tasteful works of art, like the Gulaab, a cocktail with rose- and harissa-infused mezcal, pink peppercorn, mint grenadine, and lime. The Man Upstairs is a small but very cool find with mouthwatering cocktails like the Copacetic, featuring tequila, heimbeergeist (a raspberry spirit), grenadine, lemon, and egg white, topped with an orange peel.

The Rose Room: 378 2nd St, Macon, GA 31201

The Man Upstairs: 562 Mulberry Street Lane, Macon, GA 31201

Where to stay in Macon

1842 Inn

The 1842 Inn is a Greek Revival mansion built in 1842 by John Gresham, a former mayor of the city, that’s been turned into a charming boutique hotel. Here, I had American breakfasts in the courtyard, tea in the parlors, relaxed in my room in a cozy robe, and enjoyed a glass of wine from the bar in a rocking chair on Macon’s best front porch. The historic hotel features 19 rooms — and a ghost or two. The workers were a bit tight-lipped on the spirit activity, but I awoke in the Magnolia Room in the middle of the night feeling four light touches on my shoulder. Apparently, the ghost of a little girl plays on the second floor with her red ball. Others have noticed a little boy ghost and an adult male and female ghost. If you’re looking for a particularly spooky experience, you might want to stay in the Dogwood or John Gresham room, both of which had a lot of haunted activity during a Macon Beyond paranormal investigation.

1842 Inn: 353 College St, Macon, GA 31201

Burke Mansion

The Burke Mansion is an equally charming and haunted historic place to stay. Built in 1887, it features a Queen Ann Victorian style. Here, you’ll enjoy comfortable beds in five suites, an evening happy hour, and a coffee station. I visited the Burke Mansion for a paranormal investigation, witnessing flickering lights, unexplained shadows, and conversations with ghosts via paranormal instruments. I’m convinced that the previous owners and their family members are quite present at the Burke Mansion, protecting their pride and joy.

Burke Mansion: 1085 Georgia Ave, Macon, GA 31201

Getting to and around Macon

Macon is a 1.25-hour drive from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the busiest airport in the world. Although it’s a hub for Delta, I flew in from Dallas on an American Airlines flight, then rented a car from Budget and made the short drive to Macon. Because the airport is south of Atlanta, and Macon is south of the airport, I didn’t really experience any traffic to or from Macon.

Most of Macon’s popular spots (spooky or otherwise) sit within or near the historic downtown. My hotel, the 1842 Inn, was an 18-minute walk from the historic downtown; however, I’d usually park the car in the downtown area, then walk five to 10 minutes to my next tour or restaurant.

If you decide to drive to some of the destinations listed above, keep in mind that many of the historic landmarks, like the Hay House or The Big House, have limited parking. Macon’s downtown parking spots aren’t free but require three-hour parking space bookings with ParkMobile (at least until 8 PM when parking is free).

Taxis aren’t common in Macon, and while there are some rideshare options, they’re limited. Your best bet is to drive or walk most places. I felt comfortable walking during the day and in some cases at night, though you may want to keep in mind that the downtown area gets quite lively on the weekends.