The Antebellum Trail is a 100-mile trek through seven communities that virtually escaped General Sherman's burning march through Georgia. As you travel down the Trail, you will enter a magical place where time has stood still. Each community, from Macon to Athens, holds hidden treasures from the past and features stately homes still active and enjoyed.

Start your journey in Athens, a college town with a dynamic downtown, attractive architecture, and strong commitment to historic preservation and revitalization.  Start your day with a hearty southern brunch at Mama’s Boy then let a Classic City Tours historian guide you through the historic district. Haven’t had enough of the Classic City? Spend the night at the Foundry Park Inn & Spa, Athens’ only premier boutique inn.  The next town on the trail is Watkinsville, located only minutes away.  Stroll through downtown, have lunch at Mirko Pasta, and do some shopping in Town Center or the many antique shops and art galleries.  Spend the night at the Ashford Manor B&B, an 1893 Victorian home surround by 4 acres of gardens.

Continuing down the trail, make your way to historic Madison, home to the largest designated historic district in Georgia, encompassing most of the town.  A national treasure of antebellum buildings—its architecture stands as a monument to the time when cotton was king. Visit the Rogers House, a fine example of Piedmont Plain style architecture, and Heritage Hall, a Greek revival home built in 1811. Rest up for the next day at Madison Oaks Inn & Gardens, a beautifully restored 1905 Greek revival mansion.  After some coffee or tea in the garden, make your way to Milledgeville, a town boasting stately southern mansions and gracious garden gates.  Formerly home to Georgia’s governors, take a tour of the Old Governor’s Mansion which has recently been restored to its original 1850’s appearance. You can also visit Andalusia, the home of Flannery O’Connor where she did some of her writing. To ensure that you don’t miss any of the spectacular architecture Milledgeville has to offer, take a guided Historic Trolley Tour through the town.

As your trek down the trail is nearing its end, you will pass through Jones County and the Old Clinton Historic District, a quaint town from the early 1800s. Visit the Jarrell Plantation, a cotton plantation that was owned by a single family for more than 140 years.

The final town on the trail is Macon, the song and soul of the south. An eclectic fusion of amazing architecture like the Cannonball House blends smoothly with urban downtown. Visit Macon’s historic homes, interactive museums and unique attractions with Around Town Tours. Conclude your journey down the Antebellum Trail at the 1842 Inn located in historic Intown Macon, a magnificient mansion symbol of elegance and genteel Southern Hospitality. Come and sip a mint julep or discover a hidden memory in these communities that serve as an exquisite reminder of a bygone era – an era now “Gone with the Wind.”