A Continuing Care Retirement Community in Macon, Georgia
A Life Care Community

Macon -- a lively community, rich in history and the arts

Carlyle Place is ideally located in Macon, Ga., a lively community with a rich cultural and historical heritage. From educational institutions to architectural treasures, music halls to sports venues, libraries to museums, its many facilities and events delight residents and tourists, as well as visiting family members and friends. In general, sites are easily reached by car and physically accessible, and many amenities are free or have special rates for seniors

Macon is also known as a city of churches of all faiths and denominations. In addition to services, many have outstanding musical and other cultural programs. The city has many excellent art galleries, hotels and motels, and restaurants as well.

Here are just some of the many exciting attractions:

Mercer University, a nationally renowned institution with graduate schools of medicine, engineering, theology and law, presents outstanding lectures and concerts, which are usually free. At the acoustically superb McCorkle Hall, you may see and hear budding stars in addition to their talented instructors from the Townsend School of Music.
Wesleyan College, the country’s first college for women, offers a venue for both small and large professional and community arts events, which are open to the public. It is the also the site of Midsummer Macon, a summer residential or day camp on the campus primarily for children, teens and educators interested in an intensive exploration of the arts. Many professional evening programs are open to the public
Macon State University, a public institution offering two- and four-year degrees, provides a large number of classes for adult education at reasonable cost.
The Museum of Arts and Sciences, just a short distance from Carlyle, offers a continually changing display of excellent national, international and local collections. It also has a large planetarium and a wildlife trail. Seniors enjoy special rates.
The Grand Opera House, a magnificently restored attraction listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to the outstanding Macon Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Broadway Series, offered by Mercer University, operas presented by the Macon Opera Guild, and other musical and theatrical events.
The Tubman Museum, with attractive galleries dedicated to fine arts, folk arts and African arts, offers guided tours, programs and traveling exhibits that are educational as well as cultural.
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the nearby Georgia Sports Hall of Fame are popular attractions downtown. Both offer tours with special discounts.
Many old houses and buildings in the historic section are open for visitors. One of the most famous is the Hay House, among the finest antebellum houses in the country. Featured on A&E’s “America’s Castles,” it offers tours year round and opens its facilities for special events.
For history buffs, the Ocmulgee National Monument is a must-see. From the ice age through several Indian eras to the present, it preserves a record of human life in the Southeast.
Recurring special events in Macon include:

The city’s annual 10-day-long Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring draws thousands of tourists with its long list of varied opportunities for fun and adventure under a beautiful canopy of 300,000 blooming Yoshino cherry trees throughout the business and residential areas. The Mulberry Street Arts and Crafts Festival is a special treat.
The Tour de Georgia bicycle race, a warm-up event for the internationally renowned Tour de France, has thrilled thousands of spectators as it wends its way through the center of the city in late April.
The Lane Packing Co. in Fort Valley about 25 miles away, is an interesting destination. The company offers free, self-guided tours of its large peach and pecan orchards, as well its state-of-the-art packing facility, where the premier crops are graded for shipping all over the country.
About 30 minutes’ drive to the south is the Museum of Aviation, a major Southeast attraction of interest to retirees and students of all ages. Adjacent to Robins Air Force Base, it preserves and protects more than 90 aircraft, from the early 1896 glider to the more recent Mach 3 SR-71. The huge Eagle Building also houses military and civilian aviation exhibits and archives.
Other nearby attractions in the area include several State Parks: High Falls State Park, Indian Springs State Park, Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site, Oconee National Forest, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Dauset Trails, Uncle Remus Museum, and Old Governor’s Mansion in Milledgeville.
Further to the west are Callaway Gardens and the nearby Warm Springs Village and the Little White House of the Roosevelt era and to the south, the Okefenokee Swamp, a national wildlife refuge and the Andersonville Historic National Monument, a Civil War prison.
Additional information about Macon’s attractions and facilities may be obtained from the Macon-Bibb Convention and Tourism Bureau.

- Isabel Wright

Carlyle Place - 5300 Zebulon Rd., Macon, GA 31210 - Phone (478) 405-4500 / Fax (478) 405-4553