Macon, Georgia

Macon makes an attractive stop, especially when its 280,000 cherry trees erupt with blossoms in late March.

Home to Little Richard, Otis Redding, and the Allman Brothers, Macon is also where James Brown recorded his first smash, the epoch-making "Please Please Please," in an unlikely-looking mansion at 830 Mulberry St. Otis is commemorated by a bronze statue beside the Otis Redding Memorial Bridge. Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, killed here in motorcycle smashes in 1971 and 1972 respectively, are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery on Riverside Drive, the inspiration for several of the band's songs. These lives are celebrated in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, next to the visitor center at Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and Walnut St (Mon– Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 1–5pm; $8; Tel:478/751-3334, Web: www.gamusichall.com ). Georgia musicians are recalled by displays including a gospel chapel, a rock'n'roll soda shop, and a country café. Also worth a visit is the Tubman African American Museum, at 340 Walnut St (Mon– Sat 9am–5pm; $5; Tel:478/743-8544, Web: www.tubmanmuseum.com ), named for Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman, and dedicated to African American arts, culture, and history.