12 Best Things to Do in Madison, Georgia

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Heritage Hall in the quintessential Southern town of Madison, Georgia was originally built back in the year 1811 and later bought by Dr. Elijah Evans Jones, the town’s prominent physician, in 1830. The building served as a private residence up until 1977, when it was donated to the Morgan County Historical Society. Heritage Hall has been maintained by the Friends of Heritage Hall since 1977. The historic home is open to the public for tours.

277 S Main St, Madison, GA 30650, Phone: 706-342-9627

© The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

Bonar Hall is a historic Georgian-style home in Madison, built in 1839. The house was one of the town’s first grand-style homes constructed during its cotton-boom heyday that took place from 1840 to 1860. In 1972, the brick, two-story home was also added to the National Register of Historic Places. Bonar Hall was built by Morgan County pioneer John Byne Walker and Eliza Fannin, whose brother James Fannin, Jr. is a famous commander with counties named after him in Texas and Georgia. Eliza had inherited the land from Isham Fannin, her father and one of the county and town’s founders.

962 Dixie Ave, Madison, GA 30650

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North Georgia Tours, based in the town of Madison, offers one-hour and two-hour tours of the Madison area led by a knowledgeable local guide. These tours are full of local history, stories about the personal lives of many of the town’s historic inhabitants, architecture, and civil war history. A variety of different styles of tours are available with North Georgia Tours, including walking tours, haunted history tours, step on tours, driving tours, and cycling tours. Walking tours include tours of the Madison City Cemetery and the Historic District, including more than 50 historic churches, houses, and other sites.

Phone: 706-340-4357

© Madison Morgan Cultural Center

The Madison Morgan Cultural Center is housed inside of a beautifully restored Romanesque Revival building that dates back to 1895. Situated in the middle of Madison’s National Register Historic District, the building was originally one of the southeastern United States’ first graded public schools, operating as a school until the year 1957. The facility reopened as the Madison Morgan Cultural Center in 1976, after a major renovation, and has since earned a reputation for excellence in humanities and arts programming, as well as awards for its restoration of the building. The center now hosts a variety of performances in theatre, dance, and music.

434 S Main St, Madison, GA 30650, Phone: 706-342-4743

© Pure Bliss Spa & Shop

Located in the heart of the historic and beautiful town of Madison in Georgia, the Pure Bliss Spa and Shop is a place that devotes itself to providing both visitors and locals alike with a life-enhancing and nurturing experience. Guests can get a variety of relaxing and rejuvenating spa services and browse from a wide selection of spa products. This full-service spa and salon shop offers a broad assortment of body and bath products, candles, aromatherapy oils and diffusers, makeup, unique gift items, and many other items. Spa services include waxing, massages, facials, and other spa packages.

131 W Jefferson St, Madison, GA 30650, Phone: 706-342-2422

© Town 220 Restaurant

The Town 220 Restaurant is a popular restaurant in the charming and historic town of Madison, known for its exceptional service and world-class dining. Situated next to the James Madison Inn, the local eatery features a beautiful setting with local elegance combined with dishes made with the finest ingredients available and a spacious ambiance.

220 W Washington St, Madison, GA 30650, Phone: 706-752-1445

© Ricardo's Kouzzina

Ricardo's Kouzzina serves dinner to the community of Madison, Georgia six days a week. The restaurant aims to provide a unique dining experience in downtown Madison. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4:30pm until 8:30pm, and on Friday and Saturday until 9:00pm, the locally owned and operated two-level eatery offers guests a choice to dine downstairs in the lounge, upstairs with several tables overlooking the lounge below, or outdoors in the charming covered seating area. There is also a full-service bar in the downstairs lounge and a private dining room for private parties and special functions.

271 W Washington St St, Madison, GA 30650, Phone: 706-342-0729

© Crowe's Open Air Bar-B-Que

Crowe's Open Air Bar-B-Que serves mouth-watering, delicious Southern barbeque with Carolina-style sauce. Located just outside of Madison’s Historic District, the family-owned and operated neighborhood eatery aims to treat every customer like their part of the family, whether they’re a regular local customer or a traveler just passing through. In 1991, Phillip Crowe opened Crowe's Bar-B-Que with a goal of sticking to the traditions and roots set by both his father and his grandfather. Since it opened, the restaurant has been one of the top, if the number one spot, for barbeque in the town of Madison, Georgia.

1320 Eatonton Rd, Madison, GA 30650, Phone: 706-342-7002

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Opening planned in 2023

The Georgia Safari Conservation Park allows guests to get up close and personal with their resident wildlife to help each visitor gain a better understanding, appreciation, and connection to the majestic animals that roam this world. Located within 530 stunning acres of grasslands and pastures in Morgan County, the Georgia Safari Conservation Park is home to curious meerkats, elegant giraffes, hyperactive squirrel monkeys, powerful zebras, and many more. The best way to experience the park is via their drive-through safari where knowledgeable guides will take guests to see powerful kudus, ostriches, bongos, and more from within a specialized vehicle. A walk-through adventure is also available to be enjoyed before or after the safari drive. Opening planned in 2023

1881 Monticello Highway, Madison, Georgia 30650; Phone: 706-324-4296

© Morgan County African American Museum

Located in the historic Horace Moore House, circa 1895, the Morgan County African American Museum is a non-profit organization that seeks to research, educate, and preserve the art and history of African American culture through its collection of memorabilia, art pieces, and other similar objects. Although visitors can enjoy the museum at their own pace, one of the best ways to get the most out of your trip is by enjoying a group tour. While on the tour, guides will give guests a deeper appreciation of the many items on display as something as simple as a photograph or an antique can carry an incredible story worth listening to.

156 Academy Street, Madison, Georgia 30650; Phone: 706-342-9191

© The Rogers House and Rose Cottage

Gain an appreciation of life in Madison during the 1800s when you visit the Rogers House and Rose Cottage. Beautifully preserved and filled with great information and stories, both homes are must-sees for history lovers visiting Madison. Pre-dating the historic Morgan County Courthouse by nearly a century, the Rogers House was built in the early 1800s and is a stunning example of Piedmont Plain architecture that was prevalent in the rural states of the South. Meanwhile, the Rose Cottage was built in 1821 by Adeline Rose who made a living through washing and ironing loads of laundry at just 50 cents. This little house was built with such hard-earned labor of love and by a woman born into slavery, that the City of Madison felt it only right to preserve the home and save it from ruin.

179 E. Jefferson Street, Madison, Georgia 30650; Phone: 706-342-9627