Mount Airy is a small town in Surry County, North Carolina, that is famous for being the home of renowned actor Andy Griffith and the resting place of the original Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. Founded in the 1750s as a stagecoach stop, the town was the inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry in 'The Andy Griffith Show’ half a century ago. Mount Airy features several attractions built in honor of Andy Griffith, as well as other interesting sites such as the Historic Earle Theatre, the Trinity Episcopal Church, and the William Carter House. There are also plenty of options for wining, dining and outdoor entertainment.
The Andy Griffith Museum]
![The Andy Griffith Museum]](https://vacationidea.com/pix/img25Hy8R/articles/t-t1_the_andy_griffith_museum,_mt_a_158425_mobi.jpg)
The Andy Griffith Museum is dedicated to the life of Andy Griffith, famous American actor, singer, and television producer. Located in Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, the 2,500square-foot museum as founded by the late Emmett Forrest, Griffith's lifelong friend, and houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia. The collection includes many pieces from the sets of The Andy Griffith Show and the television series, Matlock, as well as a rocking chair made by Griffith's father, and visitors can explore the museum on guided tours. The Andy Griffith Museum is open year-round, seven days a week.
218 Rockford St, Mt Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-786-1604
Historic Downtown Mount Airy
Historic Downtown Mount Airy embraces the spirit of the charming town where ancient tradition harmoniously blends with urban living. The best way to explore the downtown area is by strolling through the area on foot and soaking up the history and culture of the town that became popular in the television series of The Andy Griffith Show. Mount Airy’s historic downtown district is home to an array of small businesses, ranging from antique shops, retail stores, and gift shops to plenty of restaurants and cafés, the Earle Theatre and the Blackmon Amphitheatre. The town has many Mayberry tributes to visit, such as The Blue Bird Diner, Snappy Lunch, Floyd’s Barber Shop, and Wally’s Service Station, and visitors can ride in one of several RFD Mayberry squad cars while learning about the history of the town.
Mt Airy, NC 27030
Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is dedicated to documenting the history of Mount Airy and the people who settled and developed the little town. The museum tells the story of how the beautiful valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains was settled by pioneers and features a collection of many artifacts, objects and photographs depicting the history and heritage of the town, including the natural history of the region, and the local Saura Indians who lived in the area in the 1600s. Permanent exhibits at the museum include a typical pioneer village with a log cabin and a general store, a medical display, an agricultural display, vintage fire-fighting equipment, and Victorian-era artifacts from the Woodroffe family. There is also a “Hands-on History” gallery for kids, and the museum can be explored on docent-led guided tours.
301 North Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-786-4478
The Historic Earle Theatre
The Historic Earle Theatre is a 1930s American music hall-turned-movie theater that has been providing Mount Airy and surrounding communities with exciting and entertaining cultural experiences since 1938. The theater houses the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall that was founded to preserve, promote, and protect Surry County old-time Music through a variety of fascinating exhibits, lessons, workshops, and audio guided tours. The Hall also presents a daily UNC-TV Documentary hosted by David Holt called Music of Surry County and is open seven days a week for the public to explore.
142 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-786-2222
Mount Airy Public Library
The Mount Airy Public Library is a public library that is home to a wide range of books, DVDs, and other literary material that the community can enjoy in a quiet, classic atmosphere. The library is part of the Northwestern Regional Library system that includes 13 member libraries in the counties of Alleghany, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin. The Mount Airy Public Library features plenty of reading and study spaces, comfortable lounge seating, several conference rooms, a separate Children's Library and Teen area, public-access computers and collections, an Exhibit Gallery, and wireless Internet throughout the building. The Mount Airy Public Library also hosts several events such as book and poetry readings, storytime, and workshops for all ages.
4759, 145 Rockford St, Mt Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-789-5108
The Grave of Chang and Eng Bunker
Chang and Eng Bunker were the world’s most famous conjoined Siamese twins, and their final resting place is in the White Plains Baptist Church Cemetery in Mount Airy. Born in Siam in 1811, Chang and Eng Bunker were conjoined at the chest and traveled the world as an independent act known as the famed “Siamese Twins.” They settled on a small plantation in the town of Traphill in North Carolina, where they married and subsequently had 21 children! The twins died in 1874 and were laid to rest in Mount Airy, and it is estimated that around 1,500 descendants of the famous twins still reside in the vicinity of Mount Airy.
The Grave of Chang and Eng Bunker, 614 Old U.S. 601, Mount Airy, NC 27030-7892
Old North State Winery
Old North State Winery is an urban winery and brewery located in located Old North State in downtown Mt. Airy that offers wine tasting tours, excellent food, and drinks, and hosts live entertainment. Founded in 2002, the unique dining destination is based in a renovated former hardware store that was built in the 1890s on Main Street that boasts a hip, upbeat atmosphere. The Old North State Winery produces a range of wines from Cabernet Franc and Chambourcin to Riesling, Petit Manseng, and Nobel Muscadines, all of which can be sampled on guided wine tasting tours at the facility. A deli and restaurant serve delicious farm-to-table cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients, and a variety of live entertainment is hosted throughout the year.
308 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-789-9463
Little Richard's BBQ
Little Richard's BBQ is a family-friendly restaurant chain that was founded in Winston-Salem in 1991 and serves mouthwatering barbecue in a casual and relaxed setting. The chain aims to preserve the great North Carolina BBQ tradition by serving the best barbecue in the state, which includes fresh, hickory-smoked pork shoulders that are roasted for up to 16 hours in an old-fashioned way. Using authentic Lexington-style recipes that have been passed down through generations, the chain serves signature dishes of grilled brisket, smoked chicken, pit beef, hearty burgers, and hot dogs, along with fresh salads, sides, and vegetarian options. The food is accompanied by a range of craft beers, casual wines, and sodas and is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.
455 Frederick Street, Mt Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-679-0227
Snappy Lunch
Snappy Lunch is a local landmark diner whose claim to fame is being mentioned on The Andy Griffith Show that serves hearty breakfast dishes, homemade biscuits, and the celebrity-endorsed pork chop sandwich that has a story of its own. Located at the end of North Main Street in Mount Airy, the small diner has two dining spaces with tables and cozy booths, walls adorned with pictures from The Andy Griffith Show, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The diner’s famous pork sandwich is filled with pulled pork, chili, coleslaw, onions, tomato and mustard, and crowds of locals and tourists alike line up to get one of these finger-licking monsters. Snappy Lunch is open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday.
125 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC 27030, Phone: 336-786-4931
Prudence McCabe Confections
A sweet tooth’s paradise, Prudence McCabe Confections offers an assortment of tasty treats made in-house by owner Sue Heckman. After making simple chocolates for family and friends for a number of years, Heckman decided to open her own confectionery shop in downtown Mount Airy. The family-owned shop was named after her grandmother, Prudence, and her husband’s grandmother, McCabe. Visitors will find nearly every confectionary treat their mind can think of from chocolates to gourmet popcorn. The store also offers a variety of cheesecakes, truffles, infused truffles, chocolate-dipped treats, cake pops, chocolate bark, and gourmet apples.
192 North Main Street #400, Mt. Airy, North Carolina 27030, Phone: 336-648-8160
Opies Candy Store
Reminisce over some of the best treats from your childhood and even introduce them to your kids at Opie's Candy Store. Specializing in old-time sweets, this store draws in both young and old visitors from around the country. The store sells over 500 different kinds of candies and chocolates, along with hand-dipped ice cream and cold bottle pop straight out of a vintage Coke cooler. Their candy selection includes a variety of candy bars, fruity candies, gummies, jawbreakers, licorice, sugar-free candies, and novelty candies like baby bottle pops and candy necklaces. Their chocolate selection is equally impressive with a number of chocolate-covered treats like coffee beans, cookie dough, and chocolate turtles. Not sure where to start? Ask one of their warm and friendly staff members for a recommendation.
135 North Main Street, Mt. Airy, North Carolina 27030; Phone: 336-786-1960
Round Peak Vineyard
Enjoy the fresh air, beautiful scenery, and fantastic wine selection at Round Peak Vineyard. This casual and pet-friendly vineyard sits on about 30 acres of land nestled amongst the Blue Ridge mountains. The vineyard hosts indoor tastings as well as outdoors on their large patio overlooking the vineyard. Sample their selection of bottled and canned wine including dry wines like Obsession, a blended red wine with aromas of cherry and red fruits, and sweet wines like their sparkling red sangria. A variety of beers are served in their tasting room as well. For those wanting a longer visit, the vineyard is home to two rental cabins, which can accommodate up to 8 people each. Both rentals have fantastic views of the property and come with a complimentary wine or beer tasting.
765 Round Peak Church Road, Mt. Airy, North Carolina 27030, Phone: 336-352-5595
The Gertrude Smith House
Built in the early 1900s, The Gertrude Smith House is one of the most iconic historical landmarks on Mount Airy. This Victorian-style historical home was formerly owned and built by a local businessman and landowner named Jefferson Davis Smith. The house was eventually passed on to his daughter, Gertrude Smith, whom the house is named after. Gertrude was a formally-educated professional decorator living in New York until her father’s passing prompted her to move back and manage the family’s assets. She was also the one who decorated the home and wished for it to become a museum after her passing. Today, visitors may tour the home together with all of its original furnishings placed exactly as the family left it, as well as the beautiful yard filled with vintage landscaping.
708 North Main Street, Mt. Airy, North Carolina 27030; Phone: 336-786-6856
