Autumn in Mount Airy, North Carolina: We Love Fall!

Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Mount Airy, with the splendor of the beautiful leaf colors, local apples and produce, weather that's warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, but also cool enough to enjoy sitting around campfires and fire pits. From campgrounds to hotels, from cabins to vacation rental homes, we have a wide variety of accommodations available - you can even stay in Andy Griffith's home place (available through Hampton Inn). This is the first of three "Autumn in Mount Airy, NC: We Love Fall" blogs! While planning your vacation, consider the following activities and excursions:

Local Produce and Apple Orchards

Be sure to visit our local stores for produce and other locally-grown and produced products. It's the perfect time of year to enjoy a picnic in one of our beautiful parks, complete with local produce.  Be sure to buy a bushel of apples to share with family and friends!

Mike Jones Produce

Located across Highway 52 from Mayberry Mall, at 804 Merita Street in Mount Airy, Mike Jones Produce is well-known across the region for providing excellent produce and wonderful customer service. "From Apples to Zucchini, we have it all" is their slogan and they are open six days per week, with prices that will make your jaw drop! They also carry local honey, apple butter, cheese, country hams, and much more! They are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The apple prices are unbelievable - check out the photos below! They even have old-fashioned pie pumpkins, grown locally! Perfect for Thanksgiving!

A Walk in the Woods - Enjoy the outdoors during all four seasons in Mount Airy, NC!

Mount Airy, NC is lucky to have multiple parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy the beauty of all four seasons. We have two Greenway Trails in town - the Emily B. Taylor Greenway at Lovill's Creek and the Ararat River Greenway Trail, which runs along the river between Riverside Park on Riverside Drive and Tharrington School Park on Bluff Street. They Greenway Trails are flat and perfect for walking, jogging, riding bikes, kayaking, and/or just enjoying the day. There are plenty of spots along the way to picnic, fish, or just sit by the river and watch the water roll by! The Ararat River is stocked with trout every year, so it's a great spot for fishing! Riverside Park is also a favorite spot for locals and visitors, with two picnic shelters, a huge playground, basketball court, outdoor skateboard park, and public restrooms. Riverside Park is located very close to Downtown Mount Airy!

Scenes from Riverside Park:

Don't forget about our list of accommodations at www.visitmayberry.com as well as our section for special, seasonal travel packages: www.visitmayberry.com/travel-packages/

LOCAL ORCHARDS

We have many local orchards, within a 30 minute drive of Mount Airy, and some offer pick-your-own apples! Check out the list below: Ayers Orchards 72 McAyers Road Cana, VA 24317 Carroll County Phone: (276) 755-4126 www.ayersorchards.com Open: May 30 - November 1; 8 am - 5 pm Monday - Friday, Saturday hours vary. Call for times Directions: -- From Mount Airy - Take Renfro Street and go straight. This will turn into Wards Gap Road in Virginia. Turn left on Timber Road, then turn left on McAyers Road. From Wytheville Virginia: Interstate 77 to Exit #2 - Fancy Gap. At the stop sign turn left. Take Highway 52 South for 8 miles. Turn left on State Road 686, Epworth Road. Go to stop sign, turn left on State Road 679, Wards Gap Road. Continue on Wards Gap Rd. Description: The orchards are located at the foot of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Hiking and picnicking are encouraged. All ages are welcome. Restroom at the checkout station. Call for availability of fruit. Pick-your-own, fresh picked, or picked to order. For your convenience, we will pick your order for you if you call ahead of time and place your order. Cherry trees are small this makes them easier to reach. Call mid-May for Cherry picking season starting dates. Early picking is the easiest ground picking. Call mid-June for Apple and Peach harvesting dates. Apples: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Lodi, Ginger Gold, Summer Rambo, Summer Champion, Wolf River, Gala, McIntosh, Cortland, Jonathan, Ozark Gold, Staymen Winsap, Red Winesap, York, Arkansas Black, King Lush, Ms. Boyd's Special (Staymen type), Limber Twig, Albermarle Pippin, Rome Beauty, Blushing Gold, Mutsu, Lowery, Summer Molly Red, Virginia Beauty, Rome, Stayman, Fuji, Magna Bonum, Granny Smith. Other Fruit: Peaches: Jersey Land, Topaz, Bellaire, Majestic, Lorring, Red Globe, Contender, Sun Bright, White Hale, Yellow Hale, Red Haven, Red Skins, J.H. Hale, Indian Cling, Monroe, Jersey Queen, Flaming Prince, Legend, Big Red, Belles of Georgia. Cherries: Lapins, Bing, Blackheart, Queen Anne, Sams, Black Giant, Emperor Francis, Hale Finger, Kristin Berrier Farms, Inc. 230 Valentine Leonard Road Cana, VA 24317 Carroll County Phone: (276) 755-4959 Open: 8:00 am until Monday thru Saturday in season Directions: From Mount Airy – Take Highway 52 N into Virginia and turn left on Flower Gap Road. Then turn right on Rt. 919/Valentine Leonard Road. Pass 3 houses on the right and continue to the end of the road. Packhouse is at the end. From I77 - Take I-77 to exit 1 (Virginia). Take a right off the ramp. Go 1/2 mile and take a left on Flower Gap Road. Go 1 mile and take a left on Rt. 919 (Valentine Leonard Road). Pass 3 houses on the right and continue to the end of the road. Packhouse is at the end. Description: We are located 1 mile off of I-77. We have been a continuous family operation since 1853. We have apples picked fresh daily from June until November, peaches from July 15 until Labor Day, blackberries from June 15 until August 15, cherries from late May until the middle of June, and various garden vegetables. We are open Monday-Saturday. Check us out on Facebook; just look for Berrier Farms, Inc. Apples: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith, Jonagold, McIntosh, Stayman, Ginger Gold, Lodi, Summer Rambo, Virginia Beauty, Pink Lady, Limbertwig, Magnum Bonum, Rome Other Fruit: Sweet Cherries, Peaches (Flamin' Fury, Stellar, and many old favorites), White Peaches, Yellow and White Nectarines, Blackberries Windy Hill Orchards 176 Windy Hill Lane Ararat, Va. 24053 Phone: (276) 692-8156 Family-owned and operated century farm. Open year-round, but call ahead for fruit availability. Do not try to find with GPS – either call or use directions below. Pick-your-own from May through mid-October. Bring a picnic if you want! Products available: ALWAYS CALL AHEAD to guarantee availability - Cherries during the first of June, Peaches the third week of June, and apples starting in July. Also, blackberries and grapes. Fresh cider made every Thursday starting in September; jams and butters year-round; dried apples during apple season; apple cider vinegar all year. Apples – Galas, Early Auvil Fugi, Braburn, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Mutsu, early Stayman, Empire, WHO’s Finest, and Swiss Gourmet. Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Jay at 276-692-8156 and Debbie at 276-692-8157. Email is [email protected] or [email protected]. Also, the home phone is 276-251-5222. Directions from Hwy 52 in NC: Go 52N (towards Mt. Airy) to 52 Bus N; go to E. Pine St. (light at Hwy 103); turn right; go to stoplight and turn left (Riverside Dr.); Turn left on Willis Gap Rd; follow 5 or 6 mi into Va; turn right onto Friends Mission Rd (Rte 675); follow to bottom of hill & to the top of the next hill; turn right onto Farmers Rd (Rte 674); 1/8 mi to Windy Hill Lane; turn right & go past son's home on right to shed. Levering Orchard 163 Levring Lane Ararat, VA 24053 Directions – From Mount Airy – Take Renfro Street North and go straight and cross Virginia line. Look for Levering Orchard signs. (276) 755-3593 – Packhouse number - Call for more information about available apple varieties – Fruit hotline number is 336-786-4316. Fall Apple Season hours – Monday through Saturday 8:30 – 5:30 No pick-your-own apples. www.leveringorchard.com   ***Don't forget about our list of accommodations at www.visitmayberry.com as well as our section for special, seasonal travel packages: www.visitmayberry.com/travel-packages/ STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO OF OUR "WE LOVE FALL" blog!