Go for a Bike Ride
Recommended by Rachel Hollar Umana
We all love a romantic stroll. But for your next date night, I’d like for you to consider a romantic roll. Whether you’re new to Macon or have lived here your whole life, nothing beats experiencing our beautiful city from the unique perspective of a bicycle. Make the most of these cool autumnal days and take your date on one of these biking adventures!
Bike the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
Grab your bicycle, your date, and a casual outfit and take a ride along the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail for scenic views of the Ocmulgee River, Amerson River Park, Riverside Cemetery, and Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park along the way. Enjoy spending relaxing time with your pedal partner while enjoying the simplicity of nature. The best part about this date is that it’s completely FREE!
Bike Downtown
Switching gears...work up an appetite by biking Downtown for dinner and entertainment. Finding a way to combine function and fashion may require a few more minutes of examining your wardrobe, but it’s worth it. From two wheels, it’s impossible to miss the romantic views of Macon’s iconic architecture, parks, and public art. I personally recommend riding down Cherry St. to admire the giant street mural of Little Richard lyrics floating in the Ocmulgee River painted by local artist Mama Hawk Draws. Pedal freely from place to place without the worry of finding a convenient parking space.
Bike to a local event or festival
There is never a shortage of events happening in Macon each weekend. I suggest visiting Macon365’s website and finding a local event you weren’t planning on attending and bike there together. Bike Walk Macon, a local nonprofit, hosts several free events like Open Streets Macon and Bike Party every month for riders of all ages and abilities. Nothing screams romance like trying new things together!
Rachel Umana is the founder and executive director of Bike Walk Macon, where she works to make bicycling and walking safe, fun, and convenient for everyone in Macon-Bibb County through advocacy, education initiatives, and community events. She is a Mercer University graduate, with a B.A. in Psychology, Social Entrepreneurship, and Spanish. Inspired by her car-free year as an English instructor in Thailand and her passion for exploring her city by bike and foot, Rachel founded Bike Walk Macon in July 2015 with the support of the 8 80 Cities Emerging City Champions Fellowship program.
She is a 2018 Leadership Macon graduate and serves on the Macon Transit Authority Board, OneMacon Steering Committee, Pedestrian Safety Review Board, and the MATS Citizens Advisory Committee. She lives in the Tatnall Heights neighborhood with her husband Jon and dog Roxy and loves that fun, food, and friends are all within walking and biking distance.