You can't ice fish, snow ski or ride snowmobile in Middle Georgia, but you can fish, water ski and ride four wheelers, and you can do it almost all year long. The winters are so mild, outdoor enthusiasts are as likely to be active in January, February and March as they are in June, July and August.
One benefit of the climate is year-round golf. There are 25 golf courses in the area; 19 are public or municipal, allowing golfers a chance to test their mettle on a variety of tees. While the two most populated counties, Houston and Bibb, account for 14 of the courses, some of the smaller counties satisfy golfers' addictions as well. Pulaski County is the home of Southern Hills Golf Club, which Golf Digest Magazine named among the top five courses in the United States for service and Value. Jones County offers two public courses and one private course and even Robins Air Force Base has a course.
Just a short drive to the north is the famed Lake Oconee resort areas where the Golf Club of Cuscowilla and Great Waters at Reynolds Plantation are Located, Both of which made Golf Digest's list of top 100 public golf courses in the country. For Diehard golf fans, the fame Augusta National is the only a few hours away. With any luck friends you make in Middle Georgia will share their tickets to The Masters in the spring.
Just as golfers enjoy year-round play, so do tennis enthusiasts. A lot of public recreational facilities in the Midstate include tennis courts, and many communities offer league play and tournaments. Bibb County is particularly active in competitive tennis. The Macon Tennis Association was founded in the early 1970s and has membership of more than 2,000 participants with more than 80 teams in league play. MTA has received national and regional recognition as a community tennis association of excellence and hosts several statewide tournaments all year for adults and juniors.
Other athletes find plenty to do as well. Runners could wear holes in their shoes if they competed in all the road races scheduled around the area. The most prominent races include the annual Labor Day 10K in Macon, the Macon Triathlon in May and the Museum of Aviation Marathon in Warner Robins in January.
Recreation-league baseball and softball are also popular as well as soccer, Basketball, football and competitive swimming. Many of the county recreation departments offer league play and tournaments for those other activates.
For those who enjoy sitting on the events in the state is the Tour de Georgia, North America's only Hors Classe professional cycling stage race. Since its inception in 2003, Macon has been one of the host cities for an official stage start or finish.
If you want to see other big-time sports, Atlanta Falcons, Hawks, Thrashers and Braves are just a short drive up to I-75. Just south of Atlanta in Hampton is the Atlanta Motor Speedway, which hosts two NASCAR Nextel Cup races each season.
If competition is not you goal, but some relaxing recreation is, this is the perfect place. The Bass Pro Shops people knew what they were doing when they opened their retail and distribution enter in north Bibb County in 2006. There are more than enough Hunters, fishermen, campers, hikers, and others who love the outdoors in the area to support the business.
Hiking trails are plentiful, especially in Jones County's Piedmont National Wildlife refuge. The refuge also has a reputation as a bird watcher's paradise and is on of the few places to see the endangered red-coated woodpecker. Ocmulgee National Monument has a unique trail through the wetland near the base of the Temple Mound. For a more urban setting, the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail in downtown Macon meanders along the banks of the river under shady trees with a wide, paved sidewalk that is perfect for rollerblading, bicycling, walking and jogging, as well as baby strollers.
There are plenty of public hunting areas in the Midstate. State-owned areas include the Rum Creek Wildlife Management Area in Monroe County, Cedar Creek WMA in Jones County, Oaky Woods WMA in Houston County, Ocmulgee WMA in Bleckley County and river Bend WMA in Laurens County. Federal hunting areas include the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Jones County, Bond Swamp NWR in Bibb County and the Oconee National Forest in Jones and Monroe Counties.
Hunting is so popular that some wedding are planned around the opening of deer season in late October. Besides deer, other game animals include turkey, bear, feral hog and quail.
As for fishing, Midstate rivers and lakes offer mainly bass, bream, crappie an catfish. Most of the state wildlife management areas and federal lands mentioned also allow fishing. In addition to those, you can wet your line at High Falls State Park or Lake Juliette in Monroe County, Lake Tobesofkee in Bibb County, Houston Lake near Perry or Bucket Park Lake in Laurens County, as well as the various rivers in the area.
Public campsites are available at Rum Creek and Cedar Creek Wildlife management areas, Lake Tobesofkee, Lake Juliette and High Falls State Park. The public parks are too numerous to mention, most with playgrounds and picnic areas. Even dogs get to have their fun at the Macon Dog Park, a fenced-in area with a creek running through it where dogs can frolic off-leash with their canine buddies.
Along with the outdoor sports and hobbies, local communities offer a wide range of activities for every age group. Whether your interest lies in bridge, chess, scrapbooking, square dancing, classic cars, ballroom dancing or genealogy, you will be able to find a group that shares your passion.
