Luther Williams Field
Team: Macon Bacon
Affiliate: N/A (Coastal Plain League)
Ballpark Basics: A classic park with the necessary upgrades.
Key Stats:
Parking: VIP, Handicap Accessible require passes. Ballpark is part of a large park complex and general parking is free.
Seats in the Shade: The farther back you are in the main seating bowl, the more likely you are to be covered by the roof. There are also tables with umbrellas on the concourse, and VIP areas like the party deck and the Bacon Box also offer at least partial shade.
The Coastal Plain League highlights another classic park. Like Fleming Stadium in Wilson, NC, or War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, VA Luther Williams Field is another gem that thankfully is still in use today. Built in 1929 with baseball being played on and off ever since, the ballpark keeps all of the charm of a classic ballpark with the necessary upgrades.
Luther Williams Field sits in the center of Central City Park, surrounded by athletic fields, a skate park, and walking paths. We attended a 4th of July game and this was one of the main firework displays so it seems the entire city showed up to watch the show. Many people came to Central City Park with no intention of attending the game and the outside of the ballpark had a party feel.
The original covered grandstand is still in place and gives the park a classic feel. The team has made a number of additional upgrades to the park without losing its essence. The seating bowl has all new seats with seat backs. There are areas for groups down each baseline with the Tractor Supply Party Deck down the left field line and the US Foods Pavillion down the right field line.
Best Spot for Beer: There are a couple concession stands sprinkled throughout the ballpark with your typical options. However, in the left field corner you will find the Bacon and Kegs Beer Garden. On top of the typical macro choices they have multiple options from Terrapin Beer Co.
The team really leans into the bacon theme including the sections of the ballpark like the Bacon Box (seating in the right field corner with unlimited food and drinks) and the aforementioned Bacon and Kegs Beer Garden. There are a number of bacon themed items at the concession stands. Then there is one of the best mascots in all of baseball: Kevin Bacon!
The Macon Bacon have done a great job of keeping the character of a classic park while making improvements that don’t interfere with the vintage feel. The team, staff and fans have a fun time with the name (and the game) and that makes this a great spot to catch a game.
Fall Line Brewing and Society Garden
Rating: Home run at the visiting park
Brew Basics: And now for something different…
Dog Friendly: Yes.
Good for Groups: Definitely. Also available for private events
Food Available: Rotating food trucks when we went, now home to Liliana’s Italian Street Food. Outside food is still ok to bring in.
A unique twist on the usual, which is also how we felt finding the Society Garden. Tucked away in the Ingleside Village neighborhood of Macon, this is part music venue, part kid and dog-friendly place to catch up with friends, part bar, and part enchanted garden.
Weave and wander your way through vines, flowers, murals and chains upon chains of light strings across the various sections, from bar, to garden space, to open air “rooms” with seating that ranges from stools to couches, fire pits and swings. A massive but clearly benevolent giant oversees his domain from a seated position that provides a natural selfie opportunity. There are cornhole and ring toss setups and a few other options to entertain Littles (and the rest of us) too. Eclectic and fun with something for everyone, our stop at Society Garden ended up being one of the highlights of our summer trip.
Brew Breakdown:
Fall Line Brewing, reportedly a gorgeous wood and wrought iron brewery that also doubles as a popular Macon wedding venue, was our pairing for our visit to Macon, but unfortunately they were closed for July 4th. So while Society Garden offers a full bar with wine, cocktail and non-alcoholic options (including 100+ different craft beers and a claim of the largest bourbon selection in town), in our true intrepid journalistic style, we still managed to do our research on the local brewing option… by ordering every Fall Line Beer available at the Society Garden. They were:
Fall Line Norsehart IPA (6.3% ABV) – Self described as “Beer that tastes like the weekend” The Norsehart has that traditional brewery smell of yeast and wet hops. The flavor is more of the same, a solid, simple and smooth IPA, with a slightly grassy and earthy aftertaste that is still also clean. It was less carbonated than the other Fall Lines we tried, and though it was not strongly hopped for an IPA, it still had more of a hoppy bite than the others.
Fall Line Portage Ale (5.8% ABV) – For the Portage Ale, the slogan is “Beer that tastes like Adventure”. This translates to a slightly tangy, and tropically floral pale yellow beer. It’s smooth and dry and smells hoppy, with the hops notable throughout the palate without turning bitter.
Fall Line Daily Rind (5%) The bouquet isn’t amazing, in fact, it kind of smells like sourdough. The palate of this pale beer is much lighter than the bouquet implies, with a oaky, floral taste that’s somewhat reminiscent of a Chardonnay. Daily Rind gets tangier as it warms and the hint of orange remains subtle but present, especially in the aftertaste.
Society Garden Fall Line Brewing
2389 Ingleside Ave 567 Plum Street
Macon, GA 31204 Macon, GA 31201