May 31, 2024
30+ Amazing Things to Do in Mount Airy and Nearby
By Christina Riley with NC Tripping
If you’re looking for fun things to do in Mount Airy NC and nearby, we created this travel guide for you!
Mount Airy is a wonderful small town, also known as Mayberry, North Carolina, thanks to its connection with The Andy Griffith Show.
Beyond attractions commemorating that storied TV series, Mount Airy is home to a lovely and walkable downtown, surrounded by incredible Yadkin Valley wineries, the iconic Pilot Mountain, and much more.
After enjoying so many wonderful Mount Airy attractions over the years, we’ve created this guide to help you experience it, too. With a mix of hidden gems and popular places to go, here’s how we’ve organized this NC travel guide to Mount Airy.
- Where is Mount Airy?
- Where to Stay
- Annual Events
- Things to Do in Mount Airy This Weekend
- Where to Eat and Drink
- Nearby Attractions (Wineries, Pilot Mountain, and More!)
Whether you’re a new Mount Airy resident, a frequent visitor, or a Surry County local, we’re leaving no detail behind. If you live in the area and are wondering, “What are the best things to do near me?” we know this NC travel guide will help you out!
Where is Mount Airy?
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Mount Airy is located on the western edge of Central North Carolina in Surry County. The town and its surroundings are considered part of the Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina.
Surry County borders 3 counties in Virginia and 5 counties in North Carolina, including:
- Stokes County (East)
- Forsyth County (Southeast)
- Yadkin County (South)
- Wilkes County (Southwest)
- Alleghany County (West)
(Photo credit: nctripping.com)
Multiple significant roads pass through or near the town, including I-77, I-74, and US-52. Mount Airy is an easy day trip away from many places in North Carolina, including:
- Elkin (35 Minutes Away)
- Winston-Salem (40 minutes)
- Wilkesboro (55 Minutes Away)
- North Wilkesboro (55 Minutes Away)
- Greensboro (1 Hour Away)
- Boone (1 hour 30 minutes)
- Charlotte (1 hour 30 minutes)
- Durham (1 Hour 45 Minutes Away)
- Raleigh (2 Hours 10 Minutes Away)
- Asheville (2 Hours 30 Minutes Away)
You can visually plan your Mount Airy NC adventures with the following maps:
Where to Stay?
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There are a variety of chain hotels in the Mount Airy area. We’ve stayed in town and nearby in a rental. Thirsty Souls, which we’ll mention in more detail below, has two beautifully decorated apartments (one pictured above) for rent.
This is where we stayed during one of our visits to Mount Airy, and we highly recommend either one.
Annual Events in Mount Airy
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Plan your trip to Mount Airy around these annual events and festivals!
- May: The Budbreak Wine & Craft Beer Festival in downtown Mount Airy features local wineries, breweries, and food from local restaurants. The Mayberry Farm Festival celebrates local agriculture with food, crafts, children’s activities, music, tractors, and more!
- Summer Concerts at Blackmon Amphitheatre: The Surry Arts Council runs a series of music and entertainment shows throughout the summer, starting early in May.
- June: The Peach Festival at Miss Angels Farm & Orchard is a great way to start summer in Mount Airy. Another fantastic June event is the Blue Grass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention, held the first weekend of the month in Veterans Park.
- August: Veterans Park also hosts the Surry County Agricultural Fair, with cotton candy, acrobats, a midway, and more!
- September: Held at the end of September, Mayberry Days takes over Mount Airy with events at the Historic Earle Theatre, the Blackmon Amphitheatre, the Andy Griffith Playhouse, and elsewhere.
- October: October is a busy month in North Carolina, and Mount Airy has some great events, too. The Sonker Festival is free to attend (nominal charges for sonker and drinks), and you’ll be able to sample sonker made from a variety of family recipes passed down through generations. The annual Autumn Leaves Festival is a nationally recognized fall event with crafts, bluegrass and gospel music, and delicious food!
Things to Do in Mount Airy NC This Weekend
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Those annual events belong on your calendar, but this section focuses on things to do in Mount Airy NC today, this weekend, and throughout the year!
- Downtown Mount Airy
- Andy Griffith Attractions
- Andy Griffith Museum
- TV Land Statue
- The Mayberry Courthouse and Jail
- Good Time Trolley Tour
- Mayberry Squad Car Tours
- Gertrude Smith House
- The Historic Earl Theatre
- Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
- Siamese Twins Museum
- Surry County Ground Steak Trail
- Surry Sonker Trail
Downtown Mount Airy
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Discussing things to do in Mount Airy without starting in its historic downtown is impossible. It’s home to many of the attractions and restaurants we’ll discuss, as well as a variety of shops you should frequent.
Here are a few of our favorite downtown Mount Airy shops:
- Bear Creek Gifts & Bear Creek Fudge Factory (165 N Main St, Mount Airy, NC)
- Floyd’s City Barbershop (129 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC)
- Memories on Main Antiques and Collectibles (220 N Main St, Mount Airy, NC)
- Uncorked in Mayberry (126 N Main St, Mount Airy, NC)
- Wally’s Service Station (625 S Main St, Mt Airy, NC)
Andy Griffith Attractions in Mount Airy
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Even if you’re not a fan of The Andy Griffith Show, it’s essential to recognize the impact of this show on Mount Airy.
Mount Airy is the hometown of actor Andy Griffith, and Mayberry is the fictional town based on it. While the TV show was not filmed in Mount Airy, the town has leaned into the history and nostalgia for everyone to relive famous moments!
If you’re among the many people who travel to Mount Airy to experience Mayberry, you’re in luck.
There are plenty of spots in town that are inspired by The Andy Griffith Show.
Andy Griffith Museum
Start your tour of Mayberry by stopping in the Andy Griffith Museum. Here, you’ll find items used on the set for filming, fun facts about the cast, and lots of memorabilia.
Relive your favorite moments from The Andy Griffith Show, and don’t skip a photo op with Andy and Opie in front of the museum!
Tickets to the Andy Griffith Museum are $8 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under.
Andy Griffith Playhouse
Originally Mount Airy’s first public school, the Andy Griffith Playhouse is one of the most storied places in the area. Andy Griffith attended school here and performed on its stage in the 1930s and 1940s.
Today, it’s managed by the Surry Arts Council and is open throughout the year. Offerings and events include art camps, classes, theatre productions, and live music concerts.
TV Land Statue
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TV Land donated this aptly named bronze statue, which was dedicated in 2004. If you’re a real Andy Griffith fan, you’ll know that the TV Land Statue depicts the show’s iconic opening sequence depicting Andy and Opie (Ron Howard).
The Mayberry Courthouse and Jail
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Any Andy Griffith Show fan must stop at the Mayberry Courthouse and Jail. It is a replica of the 1960s courthouse depicted on the show. Visitors can have their picture taken behind bars and sit behind Andy’s desk.
Just don’t end up on the Most Wanted Bulletin Board!
Good Time Trolley Tour
After touring the museum, hop on the Good Time Trolley Tour. This 60-minute tour takes you on an informative loop through the town.
It is narrated by a local and filled with interesting history and facts about Mount Airy and Andy Griffith.
This is one of our most recommended things for first-time visitors to Mount Airy! Tours run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from Spring to Fall.
Mayberry Squad Car Tours
Before getting locked up, you must take a trip in the squad car! The Mayberry Squad Car Tour leaves from Wally’s Service Station.
It will take you to iconic Andy Griffith spots like Floyd’s Barbershop, Andy’s Homeplace (711 E Haymore St, Mt Airy, NC), and even the granite quarry (the world’s largest open-faced granite quarry!) Tours are $50/carload of up to 4 people and should be booked beforehand.
More Things to Do in Mount Airy
After you’ve filled your day with all of the Andy Griffith things to do in Mount Airy, check out some more of these hidden gems downtown and beyond! The Gertrude Smith House was willed by the namesake owner to serve as a “living museum” and reminder of the early 1900s. Built in 1903 by the Smith family, the house is on the National Register of Historic Homes.
The Gilmer-Smith Foundation manages the Gertrude Smith House, which hosts art exhibits, musical concerts, Christmas events, and more annually.
Gertrude Smith House
The Gertrude Smith House was willed by the namesake owner to serve as a “living museum” and reminder of the early 1900s. Built in 1903 by the Smith family, the house is on the National Register of Historic Homes.
The Gilmer-Smith Foundation manages the Gertrude Smith House, which hosts art exhibits, musical concerts, Christmas events, and more annually.
Historic Earle Theater
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The Historic Earle Theatre is another Mount Airy icon with a history that includes premiering Gone with the Wind in 1939. Today, the Earle doubles as a theater that shows first-run, sub-run, classics, and movies during special events.
The Old-Time Music Heritage Hall is also inside the Earle, which preserves Surry County’s old-time music tradition through exhibits lining the walls and music filling its halls.
Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
Want to dig deeper into local history?
The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History features the surrounding counties of Surry, Stokes, Forsyth, Wilkes, and Yadkin, with permanent exhibits on the first inhabitants to famous people born there.
Special exhibits provide visitors with new experiences during each visit. Make sure to go to the basement to check out the vintage fire engines!
And the museum’s top floor has a children’s play space for those traveling with young kids.
The museum hosts ghost tours on Friday and Saturday nights from May through October, and advanced reservations are required.
Old North State Winery
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Old North State Winery is in downtown Mount Airy and is unlike any other winery in North Carolina.
The vineyard is located outside of town on 18 acres in the Yadkin Valley. Founder Ben Webb grows Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Riesling, Petit Manseng, Carlos, and Noble Muscadine grapes to produce his wines.
The winery is inside a historic Hardware store on Main Street, which has the original pressed tin ceiling and solid oak floors.
Siamese Twins Museum
Chang and Eng Bunker were Chinese-Thai-conjoined twins who made their way to Mount Airy. The two men traveled the United States and beyond as “oddities,” connected by a five-inch band of flesh at the chest.
In 1839, the twins settled down in Mount Airy and started families. They married sisters, fathered 21 children, and became successful farmers.
There is a lot of sensationalism about Chang and Eng, and the Mount Airy Museum aims to tell an accurate picture of what their lives were truly like.
Surry County Ground Steak Trail
I guarantee a stop on the Surry Ground Steak Trail will be one of the most unique things to do in Mount Airy!
What exactly is Ground Steak? During the Great Depression, meat rations needed to be extended, so people got creative.
Think of a mix between a hamburger and a sloppy Joe without the ketchup or Worcestershire sauce. Ground steak can be served as a sandwich or made into an entree without the bun. It is simple but unique to Surry County.
There are 11 restaurants along the Surry Ground Steak Trail serving the regional delicacy that you should check out during your visit to Mount Airy!
- All Sauced Up BBQ (425 E. Hwy. 52 Bypass, Pilot Mountain, NC)
- Aunt Bea’s BBQ of Mount Airy (452 N. Andy Griffith Pkwy, Mount Airy, NC) and Pilot Mountain (642 S. Key St, Pilot Mountain, NC)
- Central Cafe (304 N. Main St, Dobson, NC)
- Cousin Gary’s (626 S. Key St, Pilot Mountain, NC)
- Dairy Center (407 W Lebanon St, Mount Airy, NC)
- Martha Sue’s (885 Holly Springs Rd, Mt Airy, NC)
- Rockford General Store (5174 Rockford Rd, Dobson, NC)
- Snappy Lunch (125 N. Main St, Mount Airy, NC)
- Speedy Chef of Mount Airy (1516 S. Main St, Mount Airy, NC) and Speedy Chef of Elkin (685 N. Bridge St, Elkin, NC)
Surry Sonker Trail
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Just like Ground Steak, Sonker is another regional dish that can only be found in Surry County! It’s not a pie or a cobbler—it’s a mix of both!
Recipes have been passed down through families for generations, and there is even a festival in October since 1980!
We’ve enjoyed trying several spots along the Sonker Trail and can confirm that everybody’s granny does it differently.
Where to Eat and Drink in Mount Airy
Eating is one of our favorite things to do in Mount Airy, thanks to these fantastic restaurants.
- The Chef’s Table at Old North State Winery (308 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC): If you want the ultimate luxury experience, make a reservation for The Chef’s Table at Old North State Winery. It is offered on Friday and Saturday evenings and consists of a farm-to-table chef-prepared meal with wine pairings.
- Thirsty Souls Community Brewing (238 Market St, Mt Airy, NC): From carrying beer casks up the Slovakia countryside to a brewery in Mount Airy, Thirsty Souls satisfies a thirsty traveler. Owners Jan and Maria Kriska wanted to create a home around their passions, so together, they built a community around small-batch beer. Along with 12 European-inspired beers on tap, Thirsty Souls has tasty pizzas (including gluten-free!) and excellent appetizers.
- Snappy Lunch (125 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC): Snappy Lunch is an iconic place to eat in Mount Airy. It has been open for over 100 years and is famously Andy Griffith’s favorite place to eat when he was a boy. It is said he would pop over to Snappy’s for two hot dogs and a Coke! Today, Snappy Lunch serves classic burgers, hot hogs, breakfast plates, and more for very reasonable prices. And don’t forget to try their famous pork chop sandwich piled high with mustard, slaw, chili, and tomato!
Things to Do Near Mount Airy
Looking for more things to do near Mount Airy? There are wineries and outdoor adventures for everyone just outside of Downtown.
- Blue Ridge Parkway Stops Near Mount Airy
- Surry County Wineries
- Pilot Mountain State Park
- Downtown Pilot Mountain
- Horne Creek Farm
- The Farm at Dobson
- Elkin
- Hanging Rock State Park
- Stone Mountain State Park
Blue Ridge Parkway Stops Near Mount Airy
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most adventure-filled attractions near Mount Airy. Here are some nearby stops that you can reach within an hour:
- Cumberland Knob (Milepost 217.5, 30 Minutes Away from Mount Airy): Cumberland Knob is where the road’s first day of construction began on September 11, 1935. Today, it’s home to 1,000 acres of recreation, including the easy Cumberland Knob Trail.
- High Piney Spur Overlook (MP 218, 30 Minutes Away from Mount Airy): About a mile south of Cumberland Knob is the High Piney Spur Overlook, also known as Fox Hunter’s Paradise.
- Doughton Recreation Area (MP 238 to 241, 1 Hour Away from Mount Airy): 7,000 acres of open fields and uninhabited land await at Doughton Park. Highlights between Mileposts 238 and 241 include:
- Brinegar Cabin (MP 239)
- The Bluff Mountain Trail (7.5 miles)
- The Doughton Park Campground (MP 239)
- Doughton Park Picnic Area (MP 241)
- The Fodder Stacks Trail (2 miles roundtrip)
Surry County Wineries
The Yadkin Valley wine region has 40-plus wineries, some of them kid-friendly, and many of which are an easy drive from Mount Airy.
From Old North State, with sweeter sips, to Christian Paul, with bolder reds, there is a winery near Mount Airy for every kind of drinker. Our favorites nearby Mount Airy include:
- Christian Paul Vineyards (156 Tuscan Way, Elkin, NC)
- JOLO (219 Jolo Winery Ln, Pilot Mountain, NC)
- Pilot Mountain Vineyards (1162 Bradley Rd, Pinnacle, NC)
- Round Peak Vineyards (765 Round Peak Church Rd, Mt Airy, NC)
- Shelton Vineyards (286 Cabernet Ln, Dobson, NC)
Pilot Mountain State Park
Less than 20 minutes from downtown Mount Airy is Pilot Mountain State Park. The iconic knob that pops out of the hillside provides excellent views.
You can drive to the top for beautiful mountain views, but it can get very busy during the summer and weekends. Hike around the base of Pilot Mountain via the Pilot Knob Trail (0.8 miles), or test yourself with a hike from the Visitor Center to the top via the Grindstone Trail (3.5 miles one way)
If you love rock climbing, Pilot Mountain is a very popular spot for that, too.
However, I think the summit view sometimes overshadows the hiking trails at the base of the mountain. Pilot Creek Access and Bean Shoals Access have great trails worth checking out if the summit is too busy.
Downtown Pilot Mountain
You may know Pilot Mountain as the state park; we’ll mention it next. However, a great town nearby got its name from the famous peak.
Many believe Pilot Mountain inspired Mount Pilot, the fictional town in The Andy Griffith Show. Main Street in the small town has shops and places to eat and is an excellent base for exploring Mount Airy and its surroundings.
Horne Creek Farm
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While you’re at the base of Pilot Mountain, check out Horne Creek Farm. This NC Historic Site is a great example of a homestead family in North Carolina’s Piedmont during the 1900s.
The original farmhouse, tobacco curing barn, corn crib, and apple orchard still stand, allowing visitors to glimpse life.
Horne Creek has educational programs introducing rural life, like an annual corn shucking and old-fashioned ice cream social. Admission is free, and the site is open Tuesday through Saturday.
The Farm at Dobson
The Farm in Dobson is a beautiful, family-friendly thing to do near Mount Airy. While we usually visit during their Christmas lights season, they are also open during the Spring and Fall to provide endless entertainment for the young at heart.
The weekends in May are reserved for strawberry picking, and the Fall is full of pumpkin patches, a 4-acre corn maze, and sunflowers!
Elkin
Elkin is an adorable small town along the southwestern edge of Surry County. It’s a great complement to Mount Airy and pairable for a weekend.
When in Elkin, walk around its lovely downtown, which is home to amazing murals, wonderful shops, tasty restaurants, and the iconic Reeves Theater. You can enjoy restaurants like Southern on Main and sample wine flights at The Wisdom Table, a fantastic bottle shop.
Elkin-area wineries that we love include Grassy Creek Vineyard and Elkin Creek Vineyard.
Elkin is also known as “Trail Town,” with the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail running through Elkin and the Elkin and Allegheny Rail Trail an excellent place for walking or jogging near downtown.
Carter Falls is a beautiful waterfall that is reachable via an easy 1-mile loop. Elkin’s awesome trail network allows you to extend your hike from other trailheads, including Grassy Creek Vineyard.
You can also go paddling or floating down the Yadkin River with a rental from Rocky Forest River Run.
NC Trail Days in Elkin is an awesome annual event, usually held at the end of May or the beginning of June, depending on the calendar. This event showcases the area and its wonderful trail system.
Hanging Rock State Park
Pilot Mountain is one of many beautiful Mount Airy attractions, as you’ll see when visiting Hanging Rock State Park. The Hanging Rock Trail (2.6 miles roundtrip) is usually our first choice, thanks to the epic views that await.
The state park has other fun hikes, including Moore’s Wall Loop Trail (4.7 miles) and the Indian Creek Trail (7.2 miles round trip).
The park also has five named waterfalls, with Lower Cascades the easiest to access and one of our favorites in NC!
Stone Mountain State Park
Last but not least is Stone Mountain State Park, one of our favorite NC state parks for various reasons. It’s home to 18 miles of trails, a massive granite dome (hence the name!), and gorgeous waterfalls.
Hiking the 4.5-mile Stone Mountain Loop will lead to both Stone Mountain Falls and the dome’s base. We also recommend you drive further down and cool off at Widow’s Creek Falls.
More Things to Do in Mount Airy NC And Nearby
While Mount Airy is best-known for being the hometown of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show, we think you’ll be able to enjoy it even if you’ve never seen the show!
