The top 5 destinations for seniors in Middle Georgia

Looking for somewhere fun to take grandma? Here are the top five destinations and activities for seniors in Middle Georgia.

1. LANE SOUTHERN ORCHARDS

Tucked away in the Fort Valley countryside, just five minutes west of Interstate 75, this real working farm offers more than just fresh peaches in the summer. A year-round favorite destination for Middle Georgia seniors and visitors, marketing director Wendy Barton said there’s something for everyone.

Inside the main visitor building, which boasts about 40 white rocking chairs at its entrance, Lane’s has a market for shopping and a cafe for lunch.

“We make everything in the cafe fresh to order,” Barton said. “If you order a turkey sandwich, that turkey was baked in our oven if not that morning then the day before.”

Jams, jellies, preserves and unique gifts are a few of things the market sells.

“You can buy the products that are harvested on our farm right here in our retail store,” Barton said.

Lane Southern Orchards has about 2,500 acres of peach trees and patches for blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and kiwis.

It also has 2,800 acres of pecan trees, Barton said.

Pecans are harvested from October through January, and the two main varieties Lane’s offers are Desirables, which are larger nuts, and Schleys, which have a thin shell.

Pecans aren’t Lane’s only attraction in autumn.

“In October we have our corn maze. It’s a six-acre maze,” Barton said. “We’ll have senior groups that come out and go through our maze, then come inside and enjoy lunch and dessert.”

In winter, Lane’s sells fresh and unusual citrus fruits from its farm in Florida. Barton said after the fruits are picked, they’re on Lane’s stands the next day.

“We have ortaniques, which is a mix between an orange and a grapefruit,” Barton said. “We have several varieties here that you can’t find at any other store.”

Lanes is handicap accessible and has ample parking for busses and RVs.

While locals and travelers of all ages come to Lane’s, Barton said she thinks Lane’s Southern hospitality is one quality that attracts Middle Georgia’s seniors.

“We practice (Southern hospitality) here,” Barton said. “We train our employees on it. We’re blessed that we live in the South and we don’t have to train too hard.”

Lane Southern Orchards: 50 Lane Road, Fort Valley, 31030; 800-27-PEACH; www.lanesouthernorchards.com.

2. MACON LITTLE THEATRE

A senior itself, Macon Little Theatre has been around for 81 years. Since 1960, it has neighbored the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon and become a tradition for many Middle Georgians.

John Jones, theater manager, said the theater has about 400 members.

“Probably 60 percent of them are 65 and older,” Jones said of the membership. “We’ve got some people that have had memberships for 30 or 40 years.”

Jones attributes the high level of senior involvement to tradition.

“Macon Little Theatre has been a tradition in Macon for a long time,” Jones said. “A lot of seniors are just comfortable with us. They’ve come when they were younger and it’s just a comfort factor.”

Jones said the theater has high standards for its sound system to accommodate those with hearing loss. In addition to easy parking and handicapped seating, Jones said cheap tickets also are attractive for many.

“We’ve kept our prices down,” Jones said. “I think some other theaters are up to $20 and $25 for their musicals.”

When planning upcoming seasons, the theater tries to pick a variety of shows that will appeal to a broad range of ages.

Jones said he was a little apprehensive about the older crowd’s response to “The Wedding Singer,” which opened the theater’s latest season in July.

Jones said it was a modern play with a little bit of language, but nothing you wouldn’t hear on television.

“The truth of it is, seniors are a little bit harder to offend than you think, because they’ve seen it all,” Jones said. “They enjoy what we do.”

On Oct. 10-19, the theater will show performances of “I Do, I Do, I Do,” which is a romantic comedy about a woman who, on the eve of her wedding, winds up betrothed to three different men.

“Shrek The Musical” will be this year’s holiday show. It will appeal to the younger crowd, but Jones said seniors will enjoy it, too.

In spring, Jones annually schedules plays that are more like musical reviews and that appeal to the senior crowd.

“Last year, we did ‘The All Night Strut,’ which was a collection of songs from the ‘40s and ‘50s,” Jones said. “This season, we’re doing ‘Smokey Joe’s Cafe,’ which is a collection of songs from the ’60s.”

Another reason Macon Little Theatre is a popular outing for seniors is because there are two Sunday matinee performances for every show. Jones said most older people don’t like to drive at night, and the two daytime performances offer extra opportunities.

“Seniors are an important part of our heritage here,” Jones said. “I’m proud of the fact that seniors enjoy this so much.”

Macon Little Theatre: 4220 Forsyth Road, Macon; 478-471-PLAY; www.maconlittletheatre.org.

3. MUSEUM OF AVIATION

The largest aviation museum in the Southeast opened its doors in Warner Robins in November 1984. Since then, the museum has welcomed more than 12.5 million visitors to its four gigantic buildings on Ga. 247 adjacent to Robins Air Force Base.

Though people from all over the world have come to visit the museum during the past 30 years, it remains a popular destination for seniors in Middle Georgia.

“I think the older generations particularly are attracted to historical exhibits (and) patriotic museums like ours, which honor veterans,” said Robert Dubiel, the museum’s director of marketing. “We get people of all ages.”

The museum has more than 85 historic U.S. Air Force air crafts, cockpits and missiles. Popular exhibits include ones highlighting the 14th Air Force Flying Tigers; the 483rd Bomb Group, which flew B-17s out of Italy in World War II; the Korean War exhibit and the Tuskegee Airmen exhibit.

“The older generation remembers a lot about World War II and the Vietnam and Korean wars,” Dubiel said. “I think they particularly enjoy reminiscing about those events and relating to the military history.”

The best part is -- the museum is free.

Dubiel said many senior groups take a tour and then eat lunch in the picnic area. In recent years, the museum has made improvements to accommodate handicapped visitors including ramps, wider walkways and automatic-opening doors.

Guests may sign a visitors log to document their tour.

“A lot of times we’ll get comments, like, a person will say, ‘My father was in World War II,’ ” Dubiel said.

Even those with no military background may have a connection with the history the museum holds.

Museum of Aviation: Ga. 247 at Russell Parkway, Warner Robins; 478-926-6870; www.museumofaviation.org.

4. BUCKNER’S FAMILY RESTAURANT

Since 1980, the Buckner Family has been serving what is arguably the best fried chicken in Middle Georgia.

During the last 34 years, the Jackson restaurant has become a favorite pit stop for travelers and a treasure for locals. A wall by the entrance is covered with pictures of famous people who have eaten there.

The large round tables seat eight to 10 people each and mingle smaller parties together for a home style meal.

Drew Buckner, a third generation co-owner, said seniors come for more than just the fried chicken and vegetables.

“Our slogan is we do home cooking and we serve it family style on a lazy Susan table,” Buckner said. “It’s not like a buffet where you’re herded down the line. You still come to the table and we serve (food) and bring it to you.”

Servers bring out portions estimated by the number of people at a table so that food isn’t wasted and refills are fresh and hot. Unlike a buffet, you never have to leave your seat.

“Even though we’re busy and high paced, when (people) come in, it’s always just sort of that family atmosphere and I think it always takes them back to, you know, around grandma’s table,” Buckner said. “It’s just more of that relaxed, laid back, simple Southern food. I think it just takes (people) back to a happy place.”

Cathy Stokes, who leads and plans trips for her Lawrenceville-based company Seniors on the Go Travel, said she takes groups to Buckner’s for the fried chicken.

“It’s fried in peanut oil. It’s delicious,” Stokes said. “To me, it’s the best fried chicken in Middle Georgia.”

From coleslaw to okra, squash, cobblers, green beans and cabbage, Stokes said there are plenty of choices.

“It’s a great place for groups,” Stokes said. “The fact that they can serve it family style makes it fun. You can sit and talk. Anything you want to eat, you just turn the lazy Susan.”

Buckner’s offers discounted meals for “recycled teenagers” who are at least 60 years old.

Buckner’s Family Restaurant: 1168 Bucksnort Road, Jackson; 770-775-6150; www.bucknersfamilyrestaurant.com.

5. YODER’S DEITSCH HAUS

Nestled between dairy farms and pastoral scenes in Macon County, Yoder’s Deitsch Haus -- which translates to Yoder’s Dutch House -- offers home-style cooking served cafeteria style and fresh baked goods.

A local dairy farmer opened the Mennonite restaurant in 1984 to keep his 12 children busy. His sons have operated the restaurant and gift shop since 1998.

“We do get a lot of older people here and they always seem to enjoy it,” said Benjamin Yoder, a co-owner of the restaurant. “We have a lot of choices here.”

Pot roast is a customer favorite among choices of fried chicken, country fried steak and meatloaf, Yoder said.

“A lot of the recipes we use are my mom’s recipes,” Yoder said.

Yoder’s also offers a salad bar, homemade casseroles and pies.

Each item costs between $1.75 and $3.

“Our prices, I think, are very reasonable,” Yoder said. “Everything’s made from scratch (and) made here.”

Yoder’s also has a bakery, where a wide variety of sweets, breads and jams are sold. A gift shop, owned by brother Johnny Yoder, sits beside the restaurant.

“People who eat here often, they’ll leave the restaurant and walk over to the gift shop,” Yoder said. “They’ve got a lot of interesting things over there.”

Yoder said he doesn’t get a big lunch crowd during the week because of the restaurant’s rural location, but says plenty of folks come in on the weekend.

Yoder’s Deitsch Haus: 5252 Ga. 26, Montezuma; 478-472-2024; find them on www.facebook.com.

This story was originally published October 3, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "The top 5 destinations for seniors in Middle Georgia."