Since moving South twenty-five years ago, I’ve driven past Macon dozens of times. I always thought of it as a place to refuel, filling my gas tank and my growling stomach on my way to Savannah or Florida, never realizing Macon had become a destination in and of itself.

Best known as the home of Mercer University and as a haven for historic mansions, Macon has also developed a host of tourist attractions, including the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Tubman African American Museum. But it was an elegant old Southern belle, one who implored me to come enjoy a refreshing mint julep and a healthy dose of hospitality, that finally lured me to the Middle Georgia mecca which Sherman spared.

Like many of Macon’s other grand old dames, the antebellum beauty that beckoned me here reclines upon a well-manicured expanse of lawn, coyly regarding her admirers through a screen of towering magnolias. Built more than 160 years ago by one of Macon’s former mayors, this gracious Greek Revival mansion operates today as the 1842 Inn, a member of the Distinguished Inns of North America.

An 18-column wrap-around verandah, anchored by a fleet of wicker rockers, proves irresistible to guests, who gather here to browse through the morning paper or sip a cocktail before dinner. Inside, this AAA Four Diamond facility boasts 12-foot ceilings and 10 sumptuously appointed guest rooms outfitted with period antiques and reproductions. Nine more rooms are housed within a century-old Victorian cottage, which was cut in half and reassembled on the property in 1983, so that it now overlooks a brick courtyard just behind the old mayoral manse.

Stepping through the beveled glass doors of the main house upon my arrival, the first thing I notice is the smell of maple syrup and lemon-scented furniture polish, a combination of fragrances that conjures memories of childhood visits to my grandmother's house in South Carolina. A towering grandfather clock in the foyer marks the hour as my footsteps whisper over a faded rug unfurled across the oak floor.

To my left, ornate white columns flank the entrance to a comfortably furnished double parlor, featuring a grand piano at one end and a well-stocked bar at the other. On the parlor walls, a stern-faced woman in a polka dot dress and a tiny girl decked out in white ruffles stare out of old black and white photographs with questioning expressions, as if they were as curious about their admirers as we are about them.

During the cocktail hour, which actually lasts a good 90 minutes, guests huddle before the twin fireplaces on brisk evenings, warming themselves from the inside out with the inn's signature mint juleps, which combine bourbon, rum, mint tea and a few drops of bitters in top-secret quantities. At nine o'clock, cookies are served in the parlor, fresh from the oven.

It's late when I finally make my way to the Victorian cottage, where my cozy niche, the Douglass Room, looks out into the courtyard. All the rooms are named for people, places and things that have been significant in Georgia's history. My abode was dubbed in honor C.R. Douglass, a nineteenth century real-estate investor who was one of Macon's most prominent black citizens. It's a masculine room, with an imposing antique cherry cabinet from England, a wrought iron bed, and dark paisley wallpaper.

In the morning, daylight streams through the tall windows, and I'm tempted to eat my bran flakes - beautifully presented with a fresh blossom under a silver dome - in my room. But the Charleston green porch overlooking the courtyard is too inviting to ignore.

Wandering into the main house, I find Nazario Filipponi, a jovial, Italian-born businessman and co-owner of the inn, chatting with guests over a morning cup of coffee. “We really make an effort to see that the customer becomes our friend and wants to come back,” says Filipponi, who endeavors to make visitors “feel at home.”

But with nightly turn-down service, wireless internet access, overnight shoe shines and fresh cut flowers abloom in every room, the inn boasts luxuries far beyond the comforts of home. My only regret is that I didn't discover it sooner.

IF YOU GO

Getting there:

Macon is 85 miles south of Atlanta. Take I-75 south to Exit 164 (Hardeman and Forsyth Streets). Turn left at the second light onto Forsyth St. At the third light, turn left onto College St. Continue through two more lights. The 1842 Inn is on your left at 353 College St.

Inn info: 1-877-452-6599. www.1842inn.com.

Where to eat:

The City Club of Macon is an upscale, private facility, but guests of the 1842 Inn can dine here, as well. 1-478-738-9000. 355 First St.

Len Berg's is a down-home meat-and-three whose fried catfish fillets, turnip greens and country cole slaw have become the stuff of local legend. 2395 Ingleside Ave., 1-478-743-7011 and 240 Post Office Alley, 1-478-742-9255.

Other nearby fun:

Ingleside Village offers rows of antique stores and eclectic boutiques. Don’t miss the Society Gardener, an exotic garden shop where potted herbs and lavender keep company with terra cotta Buddhas, cedar sculptures from Thailand, and French and English antiques. 2389 Ingleside Avenue # B, 1-478-744-2402. Open M-F 10-5, Sat. 10-4. Closed Sunday.

Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Original costumes, musical instruments, and album covers memorializing artists ranging from Johnny Mercer and Lena Horne to the Allmann Brothers and the B52's. 1-888-427-6257. 200 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. www.gamusichall.com.

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. 43,000-square-foot facility encompassing everything from Olympic medals to UGA memorabilia. 1-478-752-1585. 301 Cherry St. www.gshf.org.

Tubman African American Museum. The largest museum in Georgia devoted to African-American culture, heritage and art. 1-478-743-8544. 340 Walnut St. www.tubmanmuseum.com.

The Douglass Theatre. Beautifully restored gilded theater completed by African-American entrepreneur Charles H. Douglass in 1921 hosts live productions as well as movie releases. 1-478-742-2000. 355 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. www.douglasstheatre.org.

Hay House. An ornate, Italian Renaissance Revival mansion and National Historic Landmark that has been featured on A&E's "America's Castles." $8 adults, $7 seniors and military, $4 students, under 6 free. 1-478-742-8155. 934 Georgia Ave.

Rosehill Cemetery. The final resting place of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley of the Allman Brothers. On Riverside Drive.

More information: Macon-Bibb County Convention and Visitors Bureau. 1-800-768-3401. 200 Cherry St. www.maconga.org.