USA TODAY says Mount Airy's friendly and fun Main Street is the top attraction in North Carolina.
The media conglomerate commissioned a group of travel experts to select the 20 best attractions in the Tar Heel State, then readers voted on the top 10. The result: Main Street in Mount Airy, aka Mayberry, topped the statewide list.
Here's what USA TODAY said when making the announcement: "The charming town of Mount Airy was Andy Griffith's childhood home and the inspiration behind the town of Mayberry in his 1960s classic The Andy Griffith Show. The town's historic Main Street looks much like its fictional counterpart, complete with vintage squad cars and a replica of the jail and courthouse from the show."
Mount Airy emerged from an impressive list that included the Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Parkway, Grandfather Mountain, Battleship North Carolina and the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.
Visitors to Mount Airy have come to love Main Street for its nostalgic feeling and ample supply of things to do. It is easy to spend a day (or two) along Main Street checking out such places as the Mayberry Squad Car Tours, Floyd's City Barbershop, Historic Earle Theatre, Opie's Candy Store, Snappy Lunch, Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, Old North State Winery and several Mayberry-themed shops.
Just two blocks off Main Street are the Andy Griffith Museum and Andy Griffith Playhouse. A complete resource of all Mayberry attractions available in Mount Airy is available by clicking here.
"We are very proud to be named No. 1 in North Carolina, and this media exposure will be wonderful for the City of Mount Airy and Surry County," says Mount Airy tourism director Jessica Roberts.
Here is the list of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice selections for North Carolina:
- Mount Airy Main Street
- Battleship North Carolina
- Biltmore Estate
- Sarah P. Duke Gardens
- Grandfather Mountain
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- International Civil Rights Center & Museum
- Cape Lookout National Seashore
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Wild Horses in Corolla
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