Discover Bibb: Mounds, Museums, and River Landscapes

At the confluence of Walnut Creek and the Ocmulgee River, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park lies in Bibb County. Human settlement here dates back more than 12,000 years and has been continuous. Exploring Bibb begins with a landscape where river nature and a long history meet.

Mounds, Earth Lodge, and Trails

The Great Temple Mound is the largest mound in the park and stands 55 feet tall. The Earth Lodge served as a council chamber for the Mississippian Culture (900–1600). These two sites offer different perspectives: the mound gives a sense of the scale of the historic complex, while the Earth Lodge points to a specific communal purpose.

The park can also be explored outdoors along several trails: eight miles of trails pass seven historic mounds and wind through wetlands and woodland. If you want to combine nature and history during your stay, you can find both on the same trail network. The trail length and the landscapes described also provide practical guidance for planning your time.

Museums and Historic Houses

The Tubman Museum is the largest museum in the southeastern United States dedicated to African American art, history, and culture. Its permanent exhibitions include “Black Inventors.” This gives you both the museum’s broad subject matter and a specific focus to choose from during your visit.

Hay House is an 18,000-square-foot mansion in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and a National Historic Landmark. Inside are furnishings from the 18th century, Italian Carrara marble fireplaces, and stained glass. Cannonball House offers a different perspective: built in 1853 as the townhouse of a plantation owner, it is considered an example of authentic Greek Revival architecture and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These historic houses let you explore architecture and interiors as well as construction dates and original uses.

The 50-acre Rose Hill Cemetery was established in 1840. It is the final resting place of musicians from the Allman Brothers Band and 600 soldiers from the American Civil War. The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, by contrast, focuses on sports: its more than 14,000 square feet of exhibition space is designed to be interactive and energetic, and its Hall of Fame Corridor honors more than 400 inductees.

The Big House Museum is housed in the former residence where members of the Allman Brothers Band, along with their families, friends, and roadies, lived, worked, and spent time from 1970 to 1973. It features an extensive collection of the band’s memorabilia and artifacts. The museum is open Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; check the hours before your visit. The Museum of Arts and Sciences is the largest general-interest museum in Georgia. Its offerings include planetarium shows and live animal experiences. As program details may change, it is a good idea to check what is currently on before visiting.

River Trails and Water Experiences

The Ocmulgee Heritage Trail is a riverside trail network with parks in Middle Georgia. It is suited to walking, cycling, boating, and birdwatching, and leads to historic landmarks such as Ocmulgee National Monument, Historic Rose Hill Cemetery, and Macon’s original waterworks. Access is available from Interstates 16 and 75 and from downtown Macon.

Amerson River Park offers a different landscape: its 180 acres include forests, meadows, and wetlands, and the park is surrounded by a river oxbow. Its seven miles of trails are designated for walking, cycling, and running. Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, by contrast, centers on its seven mounds and the wetlands and woodland along its eight miles of trails. These different details can help you choose an outdoor activity focus without conflating the two trail offerings into a single loop.

At Lake Tobesofkee, on Tobesofkee Creek in Macon-Bibb County, open water and shoreline go hand in hand: the lake covers nearly 1,800 acres and has 35 miles of shoreline. Activities include swimming, fishing, boating, camping, water skiing, sailing, and pickleball. Options range from activities directly on the water to those along the shore.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

The specific descriptions of places and activities can help you weigh your options without assuming any particular hotel amenities or proximity to individual attractions.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Macon, Carroll County, Harris County, Polk County, Glynn, Greene, Pike County and Barrow County.

For the main travel overview: Georgia.