Mount Airy
Mount Airy Visitors Center
Mon-Fri: 9am-5:30pm; Sat: 10am-5pm; Sun: 1-4pmSteeped in nostalgia and friendly charm, Mount Airy is the quintessential Southern small town. Known by many as Mayberry, Mount Airy is the birthplace of Andy Griffith and inspired the fictional town depicted in “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Andy Griffith's Mayberry
Fans of “The Andy Griffith Show” reminisce about their favorite scenes as they stroll Main Street to visit Floyd’s Barber Shop, stop by Opie’s Candy Store and eat a famous pork chop sandwich at Snappy Lunch, which was mentioned on the first season of the famed sitcom. Another eatery, The Loaded Goat, is named for one of the show's funniest episodes.
A bucket list activity involves a ride in the back of a patrol car. Mayberry Squad Car Tours depart daily from Wally’s Service Station and ferry passengers in vintage Ford squad cars to Mayberry landmarks and other points of interest. Don’t miss taking a picture at Sheriff Taylor’s desk in the replica courthouse or posing behind the jailhouse bars. You'll also see the world's largest open-faced granite quarry.
A walk around downtown reveals Mount Airy’s pride for its most famous native son. In 2004, TV Land donated a bronze statue of Andy and Opie walking to the fishing hole as they do in the show’s well-known opening scene. The iconic twosome stands outside the Andy Griffith Museum, where more than 1,000 pieces of memorabilia detail Griffith’s life and career. Adjacent to the museum is the Andy Griffith Playhouse.
Each September, the town celebrates its television heritage with the weeklong Mayberry Days festival. From watermelon-seed-spitting contests to bluegrass music, appearances by famous folks connected to the show, and the annual parade, the event promises down-home family fun.
More than Mayberry
Mount Airy’s rich music tradition lives on today with live performances at the Historic Earle Theatre and preserved memories in the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall. The area’s signature old-time sound involves instrumental numbers led by the fiddle and banjo. Old-Time music paved the way for bluegrass.
Every Saturday morning, WPAQ (740 AM) broadcasts its live radio show, called “Merry-Go-Round,” from the Earle Theatre stage. Merry Go Round started on Groundhog Day in 1948 and is the second-longest-running live radio show in the nation, trailing only the “Grand Ole Opry.”
Like any good Southern town, Mount Airy restaurants dish out plenty of comfort food, from classic meat-and-threes to smoked pork barbecue. Great burgers, too!
Several local eateries serve the county’s signature dessert, a cobbler-like concoction known as sonker. The dessert has its own trail with eight stops, three located in Mount Airy, serving the heritage dessert. One in particular adds a little moonshine to the recipe, but don’t tell Deputy Barney Fife.
Andy Griffith is not the only famous person from Mount Airy. Singer Donna Fargo, who had a string of Top 10 hits in the 1970s, was born and raised here. See an exhibit dedicated to Fargo at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History.
The original Siamese Twins — Eng and Chang Bunker — settled in Mount Airy and raised their families on a farm outside of town. Learn more about the twins’ fascinating story at the Siamese Twins Exhibit, located on the lower level of the Andy Griffith Playhouse.
The Market Street Arts and Entertainment District comes alive on the weekends, May through October. The street closes to vehicle traffic and welcomes makers, food trucks and musicians. Grab a craft beer at one of two breweries located on the street and browse the eclectic offerings. Public art installations and outdoor seating add to the festive atmosphere.
Wine Country
Mount Airy takes visitors from Mayberry to Merlot. The town’s location in the heart of the Yadkin Valley wine region makes it easy to explore beautiful vineyards.
Enjoy a glass of wine with dinner at Old North State Winery in downtown. Or head into the countryside for wine accompanied by views of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Round Peak and Serre vineyards. Several other wineries are nearby in Dobson and Pilot Mountain.
A local distillery also produces small-batch whiskey, the first legal moonshine in Mayberry since Prohibition.
