Blake Walsh

15 Best Things to Do in Houston County, GA

  • Published 2022/10/24

Located at the heart of central Georgia, Houston County welcomes visitors with its rich Southern culture and history.

Perry is its county seat and geographical center, though Warner Robins has a larger area and population.

Aside from the cities of Perry and Warner Robins, the county also includes Centerville, a portion of Byron, the census-designated place of Robins Air Force Base, and several unincorporated communities.

Houston County was established in 1821 and named after Georgia Governor John Houstoun.

The county is known for the famous Museum of Aviation and several historical attractions that would catch your interest.

There are hosts of river attractions, lovely parks, and fun amusement spots every member of your family will surely enjoy.

You’ll also find plenty of restaurants that offer Southern fare and local specialties.

Try the best things to do in Houston County, Georgia.

See the Aircraft Exhibits at the Museum of Aviation

Museum of Aviation's exterior

Bill Golladay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you’re an aircraft enthusiast,you’ll see the vast collection of aircraft displays at the Museum of Aviation inside Robins Air Force Base.

You can choose a history-based guided tour led by well-trained staff from the museum’s Education Center or take a free self-guided tour.

The guided tour includes an inside-aircraft experience of the C-130 “Hercules” and a video on paratrooper action and missions carried on the aircraft.

Take a peek into the World War II Scott Exhibit to view the C-47.

Likewise, take time to see the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame and learn about the contributions of aviation leaders in Georgia.

An aircraft on the grounds of the Museum of Aviation

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Try the different V.R. simulators like the Spacewalk V.R. and Danger in Orbit, then head off to the Gift Shop for unique souvenirs.

Drop by the Eagle Building to catch the Trainer Aircraft, the Hump Pilot exhibit, and an exhibit in tribute to the 483rd Bombardment Group.

Then, listen to the story of Robert L. Scott, the P-40 aircraft, and the story of Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers.

You’ll view other famous aircraft at the hangars, like the Lockheed Martin F-16A “Fighting Falcon,” the SR-71A “Blackbird,” C-45G “Expeditor” Cargo, and many more.

Enjoy a memorable experience at the Museum of Aviation.

Aircrafts inside the Museum of Aviation

Alan Wilson from Weston, Spalding, Lincs, U.K., CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Have Fun Loads of Fun at Rigby’s Entertainment Complex

Go to Rigby’s Entertainment Complex in Warner Robins for hours of fun family time.

The complex has ten bowling lanes equipped with a modern system, glowing backlights, and relaxing couches where you can lounge and enjoy bowling matches.

Play action-packed laser tag at the two-story, 6,000-square-foot area, or show off your golfing skills at the 19-hole mini-golf course with a wild west theme and amusing obstacles.

Race your companions on speeding go-karts, or enjoy zooming on the skate floor with concert lights, lasers, fog, and groovy music.

Check the arcade for an array of classic and the latest high-definition games and get a prize after earning points electronically on your card.

If you get tired after all the fun activities, you can relax and have meals at the complex’s three restaurants.

With its casual, cozy ambiance, Gracie’s Rooftop Bar offers pizzas, boards, and tossed tenders for snacks.

Order an array of cocktails, beers, seltzers, and seasonal favorites like apple cider spritzer.

The Patio at Rigby’s serves seafood delights from appetizers like Wicked Good Crab.

They also have specialties like crab legs, half-pound shrimp, fried shrimp, and fried clam strip platters.

Enjoy their oyster servings or try sandwiches and salads.

Likewise, Rigby’s Entertainment Complex offers starters like Quesadillas and nachos, salads, a kids’ menu, and signature sandwiches.

Learn Local History at the Perry Historical Museum

The Perry Historical Museum on Northside Drive, Perry, displays a series of collections of artifacts that showcase the city in its earlier days.

You’ll find World War II memorabilia, educational artifacts, and books you can browse.

Relive the past and see vintage clothing collections, antique toys, art pieces, and more.

Look at the different coin collections, vintage Christmas ornaments, and items like tools, maps, diaries, and scrapbooks to imagine life in Perry before.

View the business and medical exhibits and see how these sectors thrived in various decades.

Find all things about the city at Perry Historical Museum.

Explore Aquatic Wildlife at the Go Fish Education Center

Exterior of the Go Fish Education Center

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For a great learning experience with the family, you can visit the Go Fish Education Center in Perry.

You’ll see their live fish exhibits, including largemouth bass and trout, and other fish, along with other wildlife like alligators.

Discover Georgia’s marine habitats and watersheds to learn more about other diverse aquatic wildlife and the impact of pollution on these bodies of water.

Plaque marker of Go Fish Education Center

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kids can try catching fish at the stocked pond and enjoy the interactive fishing boat simulations.

You’ll also see a movie featuring Georgia’s fishing traditions and get practical tips on how to fish and where to go for a nice catch.

Learn everything about fishing at the Go Fish Education Center.

Visit the Historic E.L. Greenway Welcome Center

E.L. Greenway Welcome Center is in the City of Warner Robins, just across the Robins Air Force Base.

The booming railway transportation brought by the opening of the Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad in Macon and Perry paved progress to the area.

E.L. Greenway was the second depot in the city, built in 1944 during the 2nd Word War and listed as a National Historic Site in 2008.

The former depot was last used for railroad services during the 1970s.

As you step inside the current welcome center, the original paint, fixtures, and benches will give you nostalgia.

You’ll also find the Georgia Artisan Center gift shop with an assortment of souvenirs and keepsakes made and grown in Georgia.

E.L. Greenway Welcome Center is a great historic place to visit.

Take a Peek at the Caboose SOU X556

Caboose SOU X556 was built by Southern Railway in 1971 and was donated by Norfolk Southern in 2000.

You can find the marker from the North Armed Forces Boulevard just south of Marshall Avenue in Warner Robins.

The popularity of the caboose began in the 1830s when railroads made these structures as living quarters for the crew and an office for the conductor while also serving as lookout posts.

See this “Bay Window” caboose where train crews rode, and imagine yourself riding the old trains.

Stop by the Caboose SOU X556 display.

Drop by the Old Mildred’s Country Store

Mildred’s Country Store on Dunbar Road is an iconic store in Warner Robins.

People believe the store was built around the 1900s, formerly located at the corner of Todd Road and U.S. Highway 41.

Step inside to find plenty of antique items from different periods, most of which were sold by the store when it was open.

It offered essential commodities like corn, tobacco, and flour in earlier years.

The rise of grocery stores in the 1950s turned the country store into a one-stop shop used to tally hardware and food items and, eventually, a barbershop.

Mildred’s Country Store now serves as a museum that reflects the history and developments of the city.

Trace Railway History at Elberta Depot

Exterior of the Elberta Depot

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Elberta Depot currently stands next to the E.L. Greenway Welcome Center.

It was constructed around 1918 and originally located on what is presently the corner of Georgia Highway 247 and Elberta Road.

The depot was an important stop and landmark for transporting commercial goods from Houston County to surrounding areas.

When the trains ceased to stop by the area, the depot became a warehouse for several years.

The depot was rediscovered when the city tore down a salvage yard in 1983.

They finally purchased the property in 2002 for historic preservation and moved to its present location the following year.

Drop by the Elberta Depot and take snapshots of this historic structure.

Enjoy Southern Food Specialties at the Swanson

For hearty and sumptuous meals, dine at the Swanson in the city of Perry.

The restaurant, owned by couple Mike and Kim Sheridan, offers delicious Southern food.

Dress casually and enjoy your meals in the charming ambiance with Little Biscuits served at your table.

Your lunch can be served on the porch or inside the beautifully decorated dining rooms.

Try classic starters like fried green tomatoes or the collard green dip, then taste some lighter fare like collard green soup and quiche platter.

For a unique sandwich, have a serving of FGBLT.

For classic southern specialties served with signature Swanson sides, have plates of Southern fried chicken, meatloaf, or country fried steak.

Sink your teeth into a prime rib au jus with an addition of grilled, blackened, or fried shrimp or the fried captain platter for tasty seafood.

Then, have Nana’s bread pudding for the finale.

The Swanson also has a full-service bar with your choice of specialty cocktails, beer, and wines.

Enjoy Family Recreation at Rozar Park

Spend some time relaxing at Rozar Park on Keith Drive in Perry.

The 45-acre park is one of the city’s major recreational facilities offering plenty of outdoor activities.

You can play at the 18-hole Frisbee disc golf course, score goals at any of the soccer fields, play baseball at the areas or shoot some hoops at the outdoor basketball courts.

Stroll the surrounding walking trail, and enjoy a lunch picnic with your family at the pavilion afterward.

Rozar Park has two large fish ponds where you can catch largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish.

Go birdwatching or take photos of the scenic landscapes at the park, and let your kids run and play on the playground equipment.

Go Mall Shopping and Dining at Houston County Galleria

Houston County Galleria in Centerville is central Georgia’s premiere shopping location.

You’ll find popular quality brands here, like JCPenney, Belk, Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle Outfitters, and much more.

You’ll find what you need, from accessories, health and beauty, and houseware items to jewelry, toys, technology, and gaming, at the different mall outlets and department stores.

Watch the latest movie with the family at Galleria 15 Cinemas or head off for some good eats at the restaurants.

If you want to chill and relax, the Social Lounge & Bar offers great food choices, an array of cocktail selections, and live music for entertainment.

Enjoy shopping at Houston County Galleria!

Try the Mouthwatering Desserts at Decadent

You should visit Decadent on Warner Robins or Macon to indulge in sweet treats.

The family-owned dessert bar welcomes you to a relaxing atmosphere and offers unique dessert creations at affordable prices.

Everything on their menu is made fresh daily, using only the finest baking ingredients.

Some of the Chef Inspired treats you need to try on the menu include the crème brûlée, cheesecake, and brownie a la mode.

Savor the sweetness of their cannoli, banana pudding, and cake parfait, or order skillets like their cinnamon roll and donut holes.

Their various coffee blends, like Blackeye, Cold Brew, and London Fog, perfectly combine with any dessert. They also serve an array of latte flavors, smoothies, frappes, sodas, and milkshakes.

Are you looking for a good breakfast? Try serving their breakfast croissants, signature toasts, and lunch croissants, or go for pastries or waffles on their menu.

Decadent also offers Pup Treats and Pup Ice Cream so you can bring your four-legged buddies for special treats.

Other Things To Do Nearby

Stroll along the Lovely Massee Lane Gardens

Koi pond at Massee Lane Gardens

Bill Golladay, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Massee Lane Gardens is around 30 minutes west of the Houston County area.

This nine-acre garden lies in Fort Valley, Georgia, and offers one of the world’s most extensive camellia collections.

It was initially a private garden owned by David C. Strother, which he later donated to the American Camellia Society as headquarters in 1966.

You’ll watch slide shows to learn more about camellias and the various development in the Gardens.

Take your little ones to the Avera-Peterson Children’s Garden and see plants of the dinosaur era, tell the time with the armillary sphere, and sniff the herbs.

You can also cross the bridge overlooking the pond and wander the butterfly path.

A lovely flower at Massee Lane Gardens

Bill Golladay, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Stroll the Abendroth Japanese Garden, which quickly puts you in a zen mood with pools filled with koi and artistic stone works.

See the vibrant rose blooms like Apricot Nectar or Graham Austin in the rose garden and stay at the pavilion for some shade while appreciating the lovely flora.

You can also take the paved walking trail or the wildflower nature trail going around the big pond.

Stay at the benches to view wildlife like rabbits, deer, migratory birds, and others.

Visit the largest Edward Marshall Boehm porcelain sculpture collection at the Massee Lane Gardens.

Fully-bloomed flower at Massee Lane Gardens

Bill Golladay, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Take a Tour of the Big House Museum

A bedroom in The Big House Museum

Jud McCranie, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you’re a diehard fan of the Allman Brothers Band, you’ll have a memorable experience at the Big House Museum in Macon, Georgia.

The place is in Bibb County, around 36 minutes from Houston County.

The attraction became the band members’ home together with their friends and families until 1973.

The Allman Brothers Band was a famous Southern rock band, making Macon a famous recording spot in the 1970s.

Marker plaque of The Big House Museum

Infrogmation, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Book a private tour of the Big House and see the vast exclusive collections belonging to the band members, like guitars, shirts, and memorabilia.

Drop by the Gift Shop to bring home exclusive apparel, CDs, caps, guitars, vinyl records, and signed items.

Explore music history at the Big House Museum.

Get Fresh Produce and Delicious Food at Lane Southern Orchards

Strawberry picking at Lane Southern Orchards

Larry Porges / Shutterstock.com

Lane Southern Orchards started in 1908, producing pecans and peaches for over a hundred years.

At the Fort Valley, Georgia store, you’ll have farm-fresh produce harvested from thousands of acres of peach, pecan, strawberry, and apple orchards in Reynolds.

The orchard is open all year round with some seasonal events you can catch, like the 4th of July party and Fall Festival.

You’ll find stocks of shelled pecans, candy, samplers, and pecan oil, and buy some sweet Georgia peaches, jars, gift packs, and peach mixes.

Choose from a selection of syrups, assorted butter, jelly, jams, preserves, delicious pies, bread, salsas, and dressings.

Enjoy good old southern cooking at the Peachtree Café & Bakery with options like the pulled pork sandwich, Duke burger, and club sandwich, or try the famous chicken salad sandwich.

For something sweet, order the peach cobbler and pecan pie and have some homemade ice cream, pralines, and pecan bars, too.

Go to Lane Southern Orchards for fresh goods and great food options.

This place is in Peach County, 21 minutes from Houston County.

Final Thoughts

Houston County, located in the middle of Georgia, has plenty of exciting places, like museums and historical sites.

Experience its warm Southern hospitality and enjoy the family-friendly venues in the county.

Amusement spots, restaurants, shops, and scenic parks also thrive in the area, so there’s much to see and do here.

Discover the best things to do in Houston County.

© All rights reserved.