Mount Airy Vineyards - Yadkin Valley's Finest

Mount Airy in Surry County, NC is within the Yadkin Valley, commonly referred to as the heart of North Carolina Wine Country. Yadkin Valley holds the distinction of being the very first American Viticultural Area (AVA). Brothers Charlie and Ed Shelton of Shelton Vineyards spearheaded the process to obtain that first AVA. The creation of the AVA was the beginning of growth for the valley, Surry county and NC Wine.

The Surry County Wine Trail has 18 different wineries, and 16 of those are within Surry County and nearby to Mount Airy NC.

During our visit to Mount Airy NC in the summer of 2024, we visited several Mount Airy NC Vineyards on the wine trail. While we still have several others yet to visit, the vineyards below are our current personal favorites.

This selection is based on the wine itself, the vineyard, service, and amenities. As our mountain adventures take us to new Mount Airy Vineyards, we'll update this guide.

Christian Paul Vineyards

Opening in November 2023, Christian Paul Vineyards is one of the newest Yadkin Valley AVA vineyards and is in Elkin, NC. The vineyard is 25-acres with 5.5 of those under vine.  

The vineyard is owned and operated by Christian Paul Ercolani and Andrew Weyl. The Ercolani family has a wine making legacy in Tuscany and Umbria, Italy dating back many generations. Christian and Andrew continue that heritage today at Christian Paul Vineyards.  

We visited on our way to explore downtown Elkin NC and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful property and tasting room. We immediately noticed the bright yellow tasting room building and rolling hills that surrounded it, full of young vines.

Given the vineyard is so young, the vines are still a few years from producing grapes. Christian said that he hopes 2026 is the year. In the meantime, grapes from other Yadkin Valley vineyards are currently used to make their wines, but under the careful supervision of Christian and Andrew.

The beautiful and open tasting room, built by Andrew, not only provides a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, it also celebrates the Ercolani wine heritage, featuring the family crest and Christian's great-grandfather's wine press. 

We visited the vineyard with the intention of both learning about it and sampling their wines. Tastings take place at the bar. Christian himself hosted our wine tasting, so we got the full scoop on the wines. We could see and hear the pride and passion Christian has for the wines they create.   

The wines we sampled were absolutely wonderful. We sipped a mix of whites and reds, all with history to various areas in Europe and, in particular, Italy. Christian's family runs a vineyard today in Montepulciano Italy. In fact, when Christian poured us a glass of their 2022 Montepulciano, he used a specially designed aerator from that family vineyard! The Montepulciano was our favorite!

We enjoyed the wine so much; we grabbed a couple of glasses and sat outside enjoying the views and wine after our tasting and tour.

Round Peak Vineyards

Located in the country, just a short drive from I-77 near Mount Airy, NC is Round Peak Vineyards, named after nearby Round Peak Mountain. The vineyard has 12 acres of vines, growing mainly French and Italian varieties. They grow and make all of their wines on site.

We visited Round Peak Vineyards during our recent visit to Mount Airy, NC, and really enjoyed this casual and beautiful vineyard.

As we approached the vineyard, beautiful green rolling hills and the Blue Ridge Mountains providing a stunning backdrop greeted us and surrounded the vineyard itself.

We entered the casual and rustic tasting room, and selected our wines for our tasting, then headed out onto the back patio to sit and enjoy the wines. All the wines we tasted were excellent, but our favorites were the Montepulciano aged in Bourbon Barrel and the Vidal Blanc. I can't resist an excellent red wine aged in Bourbon Barrels.

The back patio offers stunning views of the vineyard and distant mountains. The vineyard delivers one of the best mountain views we've experienced. We really enjoyed the different red and white wines they offered while enjoying the stunning scenery.   

Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or simply looking for a beautiful place to relax and unwind, Round Peak Vineyards offers an excellent wine tasting experience. With its stunning scenery and excellent wines, it's no wonder that Round Peak is one of the best vineyards in Mount Airy, NC.

Shelton Vineyards

Shelton Vineyards, one of the largest and most prestigious family-owned vineyards in North Carolina, offers visitors a blend of friendly service, exceptional wines, stunning landscapes, and beautiful landscaping.

Brothers Ed and Charlie Shelton founded Shelton Vineyards in 1999 with a vision to produce world-class wines in the fertile soils of the Yadkin Valley. Today, Shelton Vineyards spans over 400 acres, with 200 acres dedicated to grape cultivation.

Shelton Vineyards is located just a short drive from Mount Airy, and should be on your short list when exploring the different Mount Airy NC vineyards.

As we pulled in, gorgeous rolling hills of green vines surrounded the main entry road. The grounds are full of beautiful landscaping as well, including a creek, pond, flowering trees, bridges and more. The vineyard property is really something to see.

The large and elegant tasting room offers a large bar for tasting, comfortable seating areas, and merchandise for sale. They even have a full-service restaurant, the Harvest Grill, which is on the Surry County Sonker Trail.

Before our wine tasting, the vineyard staff took us on a tour, allowing us to see behind the scenes and witness how this large operation produces such excellent wines. We even saw the large pressing machine where the grapes are placed after harvesting, the first step in producing their wines. This was a first for us.

They grow several varieties of grapes, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng, Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Tannat.

Walking out of the back of the wine production facility and up the hill into the vineyards, we could really appreciate the sheer size of this vineyard. The views from there were stunning as well.

Shelton Vineyards is a stunning vineyard that produces some of the best wines in North Carolina, and a visit to this large and friendly vineyard is a must for North Carolina wine lovers. Be sure to taste their reserve wines. They are exceptional!

Old North State Winery - Closed

UPDATE: As of 10/15/204 the restaurant and winery located in downtown Mount Airy is closed.  

Housed in a historic hardware store building on the north side of Main Street in Mount Airy, Ben Webb found Old North State Winery in 2002. As a native of Mount Airy, Ben aimed not only to produce outstanding North Carolina wine, but also to bolster the local economy.

Ben chose downtown Mount Airy for his winery to provide a vibrant spot for both locals and visitors to enjoy fine wine and the town's ambiance.

Today, Old North State Winery is a premier destination in Mount Airy and the Yadkin Valley, drawing tourists with its charming setting and quality wines. The main building serves guests and produces a variety of red and white wines.

The historic building is stunning, and the wine is exceptional. North Carolina residents might recognize their well-known brand, Fish Hippie.

During our visit, we savored a charcuterie plate and a wine tasting at the main bar. Our server was knowledgeable, guiding us through the different wines and helping us select those best suited to our tastes.

The charcuterie board was superb, and we thoroughly enjoyed all the wines. In fact, if you live in North Carolina, you may recognize their "Fish Hippie" brand, as it's featured in many NC grocery stores and wineries.

Overall, Old North State Winery offers a blend of excellent wines, delicious food, and historical charm, making it a must-visit destination in downtown Mount Airy, NC.

What really sealed the deal for us was when we pulled in behind a 1960s Ford Galaxy squad car sitting at a stoplight. We literally expected Barney to jump out of the car, all in a frenzy about something, and tell us to "nip it!"

While Mount Airy certainly embraces its roots and fame as the real life Mayberry, we were on a quest to go a little deeper. We wanted to discover if Mount Airy was more than just Mayberry. We wanted to explore all the other wonderful things this town and Surry County offered beyond Mayberry.

We weren't disappointed. Mount Airy nails Mayberry, but also offers Sonker, Ground Steak (a distant cousin to the hamburger), art, music, vineyards, parks, moonshine ice cream, and an incredibly interesting history about the original Siamese Twins.

Join us as we explore Mount Airy NC - Mayberry and more.

Our Video

Here is the YouTube video for our visit to Mount Airy in June 2024 - We had SO much fun in this amazing small town and learned that Mount Airy, NC, is far more than just Mayberry.

Where is Mount Airy NC?

Mount Airy, North Carolina is located in Surry County in the northern part of North Carolina just inside the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and next to Interstate 77 (I-77). Mount Airy is about 40 miles northwest of Winston-Salem, and about 2 hours from Charlotte.

Mount Airy, NC, is located in Surry County in the northern part of North Carolina, near the Virginia border. It is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, approximately 40 miles northwest of Winston-Salem. Known as the hometown of actor Andy Griffith, Mount Airy is often associated with the fictional town of Mayberry from "The Andy Griffith Show."

Its charming downtown area, scenic surroundings, and rich history make it a popular destination for visitors exploring the Blue Ridge region. It's also home to Pilot Mountain, which many are familiar with.

Is Mount Airy Mayberry?

While Mount Airy definitely embraces its Mayberry heritage from the popular Andy Griffith TV Show, Mount Airy is not Mayberry. Mayberry was a fictitious town created especially for the TV show and was based on Mount Airy where Andy Griffith was born and raised.

Mayberry was a Hollywood set at Desilu Studios. The set was unfortunately demolished many years ago. Although many of the artifacts from the set were saved and can be seen at the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy.

Sherriff Andy Taylor, and other characters from the Andy Griffith show often mention Mount Airy as the nearest "big city" to Mayberry. Because of this and it being Andy's hometown, Mount Airy calls itself the "real life Mayberry", and downtown Mount Airy is themed around the Andy Griffith Show. 

You'll find shops like Opie's Candy Store, Wally's Service Stations, Barney's Cafe, and Floyd's Barbershop. You can even take a tour of Mount Airy in a replica 1960s Mayberry squad car.

Our Mount Airy NC Guides

During our visit to Mount Airy NC in the summer of 2024, we experienced many of the great things to see and do, including restaurants, vineyards, and more! You can learn more about Mount Airy and our visit by diving into our Mount Airy guides!

Where to stay

There are several options for where to stay when visiting Mount Airy, including hotels, inns, bed & breakfasts, Airbnbs and cabin rentals.

During our visit to Mount Airy in 2024, we stayed in an old historic home near downtown that was an Airbnb. The home was split, so the upstairs is one Airbnb and the downstairs, where we stayed in, was another.

Learn more about Mount Airy Hotels and get discounted rates at Booking.com

Things to do

There are plenty of things to in Mount Airy, North Carolina, including lots of downtown shops and attractions that are themed to the Andy Griffith Show. But Mount Airy offers so much more than just Mayberry to see and do when visiting, including: Vineyards, shops, public parks, museums, art, music, and even a ghost tour!

Learn more about things to see and do in Mount Airy NC in our Things to do in Mount Airy NC guide and our downtown Mount Airy Guide

Where to eat

Like many Blue Ridge Mountain small towns, Mount Airy is full of locally owned restaurants where you can find delicious and unique foods to enjoy. For example, Ground Steak is a Surry County original and enjoyed by many. So much so that there is a Ground Steak Trail with lots of different restaurants.

Sonker is also another Surry County original. Sonker is a lot like a cobbler, but a little different and absolutely delicious. There is also a Sonker Trail you can follow to try out the different Surry County sonker recipes.

You can learn more about our favorite restaurants from our visit in our Mount Airy NC Restaurants guide.

Our Favorite Restaurants in Mt Airy NC

While all the restaurants below are our top picks for where to eat in Mount Airy, if we had to pick just one, it would be Southern on Main in nearby Elkin NC.

To be fair though, all of them offer delicious food at very reasonable prices and provide good service as well.  We based our picks on our own individual experience at each restaurant using criteria of service, cleanliness, food quality, portions and price.

Our favorite restaurants in Mount Airy North Carolina, are listed below in alphabetical order.

Barney's Cafe

We felt like we really couldn't visit Mount Airy NC and not eat at Barney's Cafe. They are open for breakfast and lunch. They serve traditional southern comfort food, including delicious mouth watering burgers, and some incredible looking desserts!

We visited for breakfast one morning, shortly after they opened.  

Barney's Cafe is exactly what you expect, an old-fashioned cafe style restaurant themed to Mayberry and Barney Fife in particular. In fact, you'll find lots of Barney photos on the walls, along with other Mayberry items and photos as well.

For breakfast they offer lots of choose from, including breakfast favorites, Mayberry's Big Country breakfast, omelets, and biscuit sandwiches. We went with the Sweet Taste of Mayberry and Breakfast Favorite #1, and ordered coffee with both.

Jenn ordered The Sweet Taste of Mayberry with 2 scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast (Jenn is a French Toast connoisseur). I went with favorite #1 with scrambled eggs, sausage patties, and hash browns.

I'm a stickler for good coffee and honestly, awful coffee can ruin a breakfast experience for me. The coffee at Barney's was hot and flavorful.

Overall, the breakfast was very good, certainly not the best breakfast we've had on our adventures, but definitely good, especially for the reasonable cost and portions. We really enjoyed it and would visit again for breakfast.

For lunch they offer salads, multiple Barney Burgers (the southern pimento sounded delicious), hot and cold sandwiches and ice cream. While we didn't get to try them for lunch, the menu certainly sounded good, and if lunch was as good as breakfast, it would be hard to go wrong grabbing lunch at Barney's.

Barney's Cafe is a convenient place to grab a simple but delicious breakfast or lunch at a very reasonable price.   

Rusty Rooster Southern Breakfast

We visited the Rusty Rooster for breakfast one morning during our visit to Mount Airy, and liked it so much, we ate there again the next morning. While the name says "Breakfast," they do serve lunch as well.   

They offer a large and family friendly dining area, and our experience deliver excellent service, large portions and a great breakfast. Their breakfast menu is huge, from breakfast tacos to eggs benedict. The prices are very reasonable, especially given the large portion sizes.

We arrived around 8am on a weekend, and it wasn't too busy. The hostess, who brought us to our table, warmly greeted us. We reviewed the large menus while waiting on our server, who arrived shortly after and was very friendly and helpful.

I'm a big eggs benedict fan. I ordered their standard eggs benedict with hash browns. Jenn ordered the French toast. Our food arrived quickly, hot, and as we had ordered it.

Both meals were excellent, not fancy, but just plain tasty. As you can see in the photos, the portions are large, but not over the top either. 

Our server was attentive and friendly and kept our coffee mugs full.

Overall, we had an excellent breakfast experience at the Rusty Rooster, again, so much so we ate there again the next morning. We highly recommend them, based on our experience, and they were our favorite breakfast spot in Mount Airy during our visit.

2000 Woodland Dr, Mt Airy, NC 27030 - (336) 415-5395

Snappy Lunch

Snappy Lunch is the oldest operating business in Mount Airy, NC, opening in 1923. They have been serving up affordable good food for over 100 years. 

For you Mayberry fans, Snappy Lunch is also the only real Mount Airy business mentioned in the Andy Griffith show. You may recall in the "Andy the Matchmaker" episode Andy is talking to Barney about going on a double date, and mentions going to Snappy Lunch.

Today, Snappy lunch servers burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and their world famous pork chop sandwich. The restaurant is so popular that there is often a line out the door and up Main Street to get in. Fortunately, the line moves fast.

We arrived in Mount Airy around lunchtime and headed straight to Snappy Lunch. As expected, there was a line, but we didn't have to wait long. The interior is what you would expect of a simple historic diner serving great food. Simple and effective, with a red and white interior. We sat in the room on the other side of Floyd's Barbershop.

While the different menu items sounded really good, we couldn't resist ordering the world famous porkchop sandwich with some chips and a soda.

The food came out quickly, and our sandwich was wrapped in paper. Opening it up, revealed a pressed sandwich that smelled wonderful. The porkchop sandwich is a thin porkchop, batter dipped, fried, topped with chili and slaw and placed on bun and pressed. The secret is in the batter, which reminded us of pancake batter.  

While simple, the sandwich is delicious, and messy in the good kind of way.

We really enjoyed our visit, the reminder that a fancy "ambience" isn't required for great food. Snappy Lunch delivers just that, simple, great food.

Southern on Main in nearby Elkin

We're cheating a little on this one, as Southern on Main isn't in Mount Airy, but it's only a short drive away and honestly, well worth the drive.  

Southern on Main was our favorite dining experience during our visit to Mount Airy and should definitely be at the top of your list. They deliver excellent food with a casual yet upscale dining experience.   

We arrived in Elkin well before our dinner reservations, just to explore a little. It's a cool and historic town. Southern on Main is located directly in the heart of downtown Elkin at East Main Street and South Bridge Street. The restaurant is in a historic Elkin building, with a beautiful vineyard mural on the side.

Southern on Main server lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch. We arrived for our 7pm dinner reservations, and were greeted and seated by the friendly hostess. We began looking over the menu, which was full of mouth watering items like shrimp and grits, mountain trout, friend green tomatoes and southern popcorn (fried okra).

We decided to start with an appetizer of the pastry wrapped baked brie, with caramel drizzle and sliced apples.  We also ordered some drinks, including their "butter my ... old fashioned" with smoked brown butter syrup.

The baked brie was fantastic, especially with the caramel drizzle.  We really enjoyed it, and it was the great start to what would become a fantastic meal.

After agonizing over the many delicious sounding choices, we ordered our entrees. Jenn went with the Pan Grilled Pork Medallions with port wine and dried cranberry sauce, with asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes. I went with a filet topped with gorgonzola cream and crispy onions, with a lump crab cake and French green beans.

Both meals were absolutely fantastic, and full of lots of complex and complimenting flavors. Both the steak and pork chops were perfectly cooked, as requested as well.

The dessert menu was just too tempting, and we shared the apple sonker (Southern and Main is on The Sonker Trail) and the pecan pie with ice cream. As expected, both delicious and the ice cream on both was exceptional.

Southern on Main was a pleasant surprise for us. While we love exploring new restaurants in small Blue Ridge Mountain towns, we don't generally experience food this good, and Southern on Main is one of our top favorite restaurants in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Thirsty Souls Community Brewing

We visited Thirsty Souls Community Brewing during a Juneteenth festival on Market Street (aka the hip side of Mayberry). While primarily a craft brewery with a selection of 12 different locally crafted beers, they also have a nice selection of wines, ciders and food.  

The food menu contains salads, different finger foods (including meat and cheese trays), and their speciality, artisan pizza. They even have a cauliflower crust available on request.

We found a table indoors, ordered a beer flight, some wine, and a Margherita Pizza. The place was really busy, but still seemed very open, casual and inviting, with a mixture of tables and comfortable couch seating areas near the windows. We definitely got a very strong local and friendly vibe.

They also offer outdoor seating, but it was a hot day during our visit and most guests were staying indoors.

Our Margherita pizza was served quickly, and the chef cooked it to perfection with fresh ingredients (which honestly surprised us). It tasted delicious. The mini-brick ovens cook the pizzas quickly as the chefs make and cook them to order.

The wine selection was fantastic, as were the wines. The beer flights are a selection of four locally crafted beers from their list of 12 available. My favorites were the Arseways Irish Ale, and the White Ghost Hefe.  I'm not an IPA drinker, so passed on their IPA selections. 

We loved our visit to Thirsty Souls Community Brewing. The beers, wine and atmosphere were wonderful. While the selection of food is small, it's all very good, and if you love pizza like we do, you'll be thrilled with the offerings and fresh flavors. Definitely stop by!
  

Attractions and Things to do in Mount Airy North Carolina

Mount Airy had been on our bucket list of visit for years because of its popularity and its history with Andy Griffith and the famous Andy Griffith Show. Earlier this year (2024), we finally visited, meet some wonderful folks, and experienced many of the very best things to do in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Of course, we had to hit all the Mayberry themed attractions, but we also ventured out and explored several other unique and fun things to see and do in and around Mount Airy as well.  

The Andy Griffith Museum

A visit to Mount Airy just wouldn't seem complete without a tour of the Andy Griffith Museum. I mean, how would you explain yourself? Heck, Barney might throw you in jail and give you the key!

The Andy Griffith Museum is located just a short walk from downtown Mount Airy at the Surry Arts Council center and next to the Andy Griffith Playhouse, where Andy performed as a young boy and his acting career began.

The museum houses the largest collection of Andy Griffith-related artifacts and memorabilia, including several original items from the Andy Griffith Show and Matlock. Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, and other cast members donated many of the items featured. Andy's lifetime friend Emmett Forrest donated many others.

At the main entrance, you purchase tickets to the museum and receive a Mayberry Sheriff's badge to wear. You then take the self-guided tour through the main museum floor, which features photos, items, and historic information on the life of Andy Griffith. 

The museum contains a number of "mock" buildings, including Snappy Lunch (more on this historic restaurant below), The Earle Theater, and Mayberry. At the Earle Theater section, you get to see clips from some of Andy's famous movies. They really highlight his talent as an actor, comedian, and singer.

There is also a recreation of the Mayberry Sheriff and Justice of the Peace office, featuring real memorabilia from the TV show. The two signs on the entry doors come from the actual studio set where The Andy Griffith Show was filmed.

A quick walk outside and downstairs takes you to the Betty Lynn Addition. Betty Lynn played Thelma Lou (Barney Fife's girlfriend) in the Andy Griffith show. Locals knew and liked Betty Lynn, who lived and died in Mount Airy.

The Betty Lynn addition of the museum contains additional items from the Andy Griffith Show, including items from her, Jim Nabors, and others. Until her death, Betty Lynn would often appear at the museum to meet visitors and sign autographs.

We were also able to tour the Andy Griffith Playhouse, where we listened to Andy's famous "What it was, was football" monologue that really catapulted his career. After listening to the hilarious monologue, we toured the theater itself, along with the dressing rooms. All along the walls and in the various rooms are Andy memorabilia.  

We really enjoyed our visit and seeing all the historical items featured there. It really made us realize the impact Andy had during his time, and the impact the show itself had on America. We really didn't fully understand the depth of his career and the impact he had on American TV and movies until completing our tour.

Siamese Twins Museum

The Siamese Twins Museum is across the street from the Andy Griffith Museum and also in the Surry County Arts Council building. The museum recently opened to the public on July 1, 2024, after our visit to Mount Airy.

BUT, we were able to get a sneak peek inside with the executive director of Surry County Art Council, Tanya Jones.

Please note, our photos are from our "sneak peek" of the exhibit, which was still under construction when we visited. The actual museum, now that it's open, is more polished and complete.

The story behind the Siamese Twins Museum is both fascinating and encouraging. Long story short (you can learn far more by visiting the museum), the museum highlights the lives of Eng and Chang, two conjoined twins from the country of Siam (now Thailand and yes Siam ... as in Siamese). They married and settled in rural North Carolina, first in Wilkes County, then moved to Mount Airy later.  

There is far more to their incredible story and journey from Siam to the United States, and they had a pretty profound impact on Mount Airy and Surry county as well. In fact, Tanya, the executive director, is the great-great-granddaughter of Eng, one twin.

We began our tour by stepping over the construction tape. We kind of felt like young kids sneaking in and the air was ripe with fresh paint and stain, as artists painstakingly worked on the various exhibits to meet the looming opening date.

Our tour began in Eng and Chang's Siam village as children where we watched a movie about the twins' history. We then moved to an exhibit about their home with an original bed, double chair, and Chang's flute. There is even a replica facade of Chang's home in Mount Airy.

A focal and moving exhibit is the life-size statue of Eng and Chang, which was sculpted by artist Chip Holten of North Carolina artist Frank “Chip” Holton and completed by Carolina Bronze Sculpture in Seagrove.

The different exhibits take you through their lives, and show many artifacts loaned by descendents, including medical records, personal items, and more.

Jones told us that "the museum's overall mission is to tell the story of the Siamese Twins, accurately and with the dignity they sought for both themselves and their families".  

We felt it did that incredibly well.

Admission is $10 and $6 for those ages 12 and younger. Combined admission to the
Siamese Twins Museum and the Andy Griffith Museum are $16 and $10. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, visit www.SurryArts.org/siamesetwins

Summer Concerts at the Blackmon Amphitheater

Located directly next to the Surry County Arts building is the Blackmon Amphitheater. Beginning at 7:30 on various evenings during the summer, you can experience Summer Concerts at the Amphitheater.  

For 2024, the organizers have scheduled 58 concerts starting in May, including 3 big shows during Mayberry Days in September and free concerts throughout October. These are the real deal too, with CBMA Award winning groups like The Embers, Jim Quick, and Band of Oz, which was the feature act of the night during our visit.

You can also grab some great food and beverages as well. Selected events offer beer and wine from Thirsty Souls Community Brewing, as well as hot dogs, chips, and candy from the Dairy Center. You cannot bring coolers.

Also important to note is that the Ampitheater does not have seating, you'll need to bring your own chair or blanket.

We arrived about 30 minutes before the show began, and sat up near the Siamese Twins Museum at the granite checker tables, which provided a superb view. Soon the Band of Oz came on, and really put on a fantastic show. Within minutes of them starting, people were hitting the dance floor and really enjoying themselves.

There were elderly folks dancing in walkers to young kids barely able to stand "booging down". A few folks on the dance floor were line dancing as well, which was fun to watch.

The music was excellent, and we enjoyed watching everyone have a great time. Based on a recommendation, we grabbed a couple of Sangria's from the Thirsty Soul's tent, and enjoyed those while watching the show. It was really a nice evening and a great way for the community to come together and have a good time.   

Be sure to hit up a Summer Concert at the Blackmon Ampitheater. You will thank us later! For more information, visit the Summer Concerts page.

Grab a World-Famous Pork Chop Sandwich at Snappy Lunch

If you are an Andy Griffith Show fan, you'll likely recall Andy mentioning grabbing lunch at Snappy Lunch during several episodes. In fact, Snappy Lunch is not only an actual business in Mount Airy, but the only actual business mentioned in the entire run of the Andy Griffith show.

Snappy Lunch opened in 1923 and is the oldest operating business in Mount Airy and well known for their "world-famous pork chop sandwich". Snappy Lunch was a popular lunch hangout for locals and students, since it was operational before schools had cafeterias. This included Andy Griffith eating there as a young boy as well.

While lunch is the name, Snappy Lunch serves both breakfast and lunch, and is one of the most popular spots in downtown Mount Airy for both. There is often a line to get in, but it moves fast.

We enjoyed lunch there when we first arrived for our visit to Mount Airy and we loved it. We ordered the world famous pork chop sandwich, which was delicious. The pork chop is cut thin, battered with a unique and almost sweet batter (reminds us of pancake batter), and then topped with a bun and pressed. Delicious and something that you won't find anywhere else.

While there, we also stopped by Floyd's Barbershop, which has an entrance from inside Snappy Lunch.

Snappy Lunch provides the true flavor and culture of Mount Airy, and like Andy Griffith was one of our favorite lunch spots in Mount Airy.

Mayberry Squad Car Tour and Courthouse Visit

If you really want to pretend that you're Sheriff Andy Taylor or Deputy Barney Fife in the Andy Griffith TV Show, head south on main street from downtown just a few blocks. You can't miss Wally's Service Station.

Wally's Service Station is a recreation of the famous service station from the TV show and also has a recreation of the Mayberry Courthouse, complete with a jail, Otis' cell and Andy's famous desk.

You can take photos next to the life-sized Barney Fife cutout, see Gomer and Goober's tow truck, the Mayberry Hotel, the Darling's truck and cabin, and more! Go inside Wally's Service Station for souvenirs and good'ol fashioned snacks and cold sodas as well.

You can get as close as possible to the real Mayberry TV show set at Wally's Service station, since they tore down the original set in Hollywood's Desilu studios many years ago. Wally's is pure Mayberry nostalgia at it's best!

Even better?  

When visiting, you may notice a few old Ford Galaxy Squad cars parked out front. You can even ride in one with Mayberry Squad Car Tours.  

Not only do you get to ride in a replica Mayberry squad car, but you get to take a really interesting tour of Mount Airy, where your tour guide and driver will show and tell you about lots of interesting things around Mayberry, including Andy Griffith's childhood home.

Our squad car tour began with some fast acceleration up Main Street, with full lights and siren. We wanted to yell in our best Barney Fife voice: "I’m the law around here!". Fortunately for our tour guide, we didn't ... but it was tempting!

We drove around town, listening to our tour guide share information about the cars, the town, Andy Griffith, the show and more. We saw the world's largest granite quarry, which is in Mount Airy. Andy Griffith's childhood home, Andy's church, many historic buildings, and much more.

We far too soon arrived back at Wally's and our tour was over. Be sure to tip your guides, they deserve it.

Wally's Service Station and the Squad Car Tour was the highlight of our visit, especially since I'm an old car fanatic and Andy Griffith Show fan.

Our tour guide was friendly, entertaining and full of fun information about Mount Airy, Andy Griffith, and their shared history. This should absolutely be on your short list of things to do when visiting Mount Airy!

Shopping and exploring in downtown Mount Airy

During our visit to Mount Airy NC, we really enjoyed walking around downtown and exploring all the great things to see and do, including shopping in the many Mayberry themed stores. Besides shops, you'll also find many restaurants, a museum, sitting areas, murals, gardens, and even historic sites of interest, such as the Whittling Wall.

Be sure to check out ourguide on our favorite things to do in downtown Mount Airy!

Travel the Sonker Trail a Surry County favorite

If you're like us, when we heard about Sonker, we had no idea what it was. To be honest, it kind of sounded like a card game.

Well, turns out that Sonker (also referred to as Zonker) is a Surry County sweet treat that goes way back in Surry County history. Sonker is like a cobbler, but different.  

How different? Well, traditional cobbler has batter spooned onto the uncooked fruit filling in dollops. Sonker is a thick, almost pancake like batter, poured over the hot, baked fruit base.

Both are cooked in the oven, but Sonker batter is cooked from the bottom by the hot fruit and from the top by the oven. The result is a cobbler like dessert that is kind of a mix of hot fruit with a cake or biscuit.

Bakers from Surry County created these deep-dish fruit based desserts to feed working farmhands. Sonkers are easier to make than cobblers and pies and were easy to scale up to large batches to serve large crowds.

Now with that all said, the differences are subtle, and most would have a difficult time distinguishing a Sonker from a Cobbler to be honest. But they are so delicious, you most likely won't take the time to notice!

Surry County and Mount Airy have a Sonker trail that features several bakeries and restaurants that serve Sonker. We tried two different Sonkers on The Sonker Trail, one at Southern on Main in Elkin NC and at Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies.

Miss Angel's is going to be the most convenient and best place to taste Sonker during your visit to Mount Airy. Much of the fruit is farm fresh from Miss Angel's local farm, and she has tons of different Sonker flavors, made daily.

You can read more about Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies in our Best things to do in Downtown Mount Airy NC Guide.

We really enjoyed the Blackberry and Peach Sonkers from Miss Angel's, and it was even more fantastic coupled with her house made moonshine ice cream!   

Miss Angel's is one of 6 destinations on the Surry County Sonker Trail, and we highly recommend trying as many as you can:

• Anchored Bakery - Mount Airy
• Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies - Mount Airy
• The Tilted Ladder - Pilot Mountain
• Rockford General Store - Dobson
• Southern on Main - Elkin
• Harvest Grill at Shelton Vineyard - Dobson

Visit Mayberry's "hipside" on Market Street

Located a block over from Main Street, you'll find Market Street, or more commonly called Mayberry's Hipside.

Market Street closes to vehicle traffic on weekends, and hosts live music, local vendors, food trucks and more.

On Market Street, you'll also find Thirsty Souls Community Brewing, White Elephant Beer Company, and Kate's Cocktails as well.

During our visit, there was a Juneteenth celebration with multiple delicious looking food trucks, and lots of different vendors selling crafts, cakes, art and more.

We really enjoyed browsing the different booths and talking with the folks running them. One in particular we really liked was Demo's Art Loft run by Geoffrey Walker, where we bought a really nice train drawing. We love supporting local artists.

There was an excellent live band playing that was energetic, fun and very entertaining. We grabbed some beer at White Elephant Beer Company, and enjoyed the music before heading over to Thirsty Souls Community Brewing for some dinner.  

After dinner and some cold brews, we had heard one vendor outside had some amazing cakes for sale. We grabbed a slice of chocolate and strawberry, and they were huge and delicious!

Many people were dancing and having a great time, and it was nice to see different races in the community coming together to share a love for black history, music, dancing, food, and art.

Be sure to stop by Market Street to see what's going on during your visit to Mount Airy. It's definitely "hip".

Enjoy a Ghost Tour with Mount Airy Museum of Regional History - If you dare!

There are more ghosts in Mount Airy than in the Haunted House episode of the Andy Griffith show. At least that's the claim by the tour guides of the Mount Airy Museum of Reginal History' Ghost Tours. If you're into spooky stories and hearing about creepy events, this tour is right up your dark haunted alley!

Your demise ... er, tour, begins in the evening at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, located right in downtown Mount Airy. The tour begins in the museum building itself, which has a haunted interesting story, and was once the W.E. Merrit Hardware Store.

Our not so ghostly guide walked us through the closed and dark museum, telling us about the various "odd" events that have occurred over the years as reported by visitors of the museum and employees. Mr. Merrit himself is said to haunt the building, and there have been multiple accounts of unusual noises coming from his old office, which you can see during the tour.

the tour then moves out into the streets of Mount Airy, where multiple old buildings have some spooky, interesting and possibly supernatural history, including the old police station and a building once inhabited by the Mafia (yes, THE mafia).

The building that houses the Old North State Winery was also once and old hardware store. While it's not normally part of the tour, the staff invited us in to see the basement where the barrel room and wine making facilities are located. The employees shared some pretty creepy stories with us about noises and strange happenings there that were difficult to explain.  

While we didn't see any ghosts or any strange happenings during our tour (thankfully), we had fun and enjoyed learning about the history of the various buildings and Mount Airy itself.

If you're looking for something a little different and fun to do in the evening, take a Mount Airy Ghost Tour - If you see any ghosts, let us know!

Get outdoors on the Granite City Greenway

The Granite City Greenway in Mount Airy NC is a great place to get outdoors and be active, yet still be right in town as well.  

The greenway is 8 miles long and divided into 3 sections. When we visited, we did not know it was as large as it is. We visited the Tharrington Park section, which was a little more remote and wooded. 

This well maintained greenway offers lots to do, including bike trails, walking trails, canoe launches, restrooms, picnic tables, playgrounds, and more.  

We really enjoyed walking along the greenway and we saw several others enjoying it as well. There were people out biking, running, and walking, including some families letting their kids ride bikes and run around.

The greenway is a great way to get the kids outside to burn off some energy, or in our case, burn off some of that amazing food we were enjoying during our visit.  

We always appreciate a town or city with a nice greenway to enjoy, as we enjoy being outdoors and getting some exercise.

Visit a Surry County Vineyard for some fantastic wine

Mount Airy is home to several very nice vineyards and wineries on the Surry County Wine Trail, including the largest vineyard in North Carolina, Shelton Vineyards. We visited four different vineyards on the wine trail during our visit:

• Christian Paul Vineyards
• Old North State Vineyards
• Round Peak Vineyards
• Shelton Vineyards

Be sure to check out our experience at this various vineyards in our Best Mount Airy Vineyards Guide - Coming Soon!

Visit Miss Angel's Farm and Orchard

While exploring downtown Mount Airy NC, we smelled ... I mean ... discovered Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies.

After trying some of her amazing hot sonker and a few other delicious treats, including moonshine ice cream, we spent some time talking with Miss Angel and learning more about her bakery and history in Mount Airy.   

Miss Angel invited us to visit her farm if we had time. Fortunately, the next day, we had time, so we drove about 20 minutes out of town to visit the farm where Miss Angel and her husband grow much of the delicious fresh fruit used in her baked goods.

When we arrived at the farm store, Miss Angel's husband, Randy, came to meet us. He showed us around the farm store, where there were fresh peaches, ciders, baked goods, souvenir items, ice cream, drinks and more.

We then headed out into the fields where we met the farm cats and saw the many acres of peach trees, apple trees, berries, pumpkins. On the way there was a large farm themed playground area, some live animals including ducks and peacocks.

The farm is beautiful, including their large Victorian themed home. The highlight of our visit was being able to taste the fresh peaches right off the trees. 

Miss Angel's Farm and Orchard is available for field trips and events, and they hold annual events such as A Hippie Revival, Peach Festival, Oktoberfest, and The Haunting with a haunted trail and corn maze.

Be sure to visit the farm for some fresh fruit, outdoor time, and tons of farm fun. We had a great time.

Travel the Ground Steak Trail

If you're looking for something unique and food related to do, you'll definitely want to experience the Surry County Ground Steak Trail. Ground steak is something you'll only find in Surry County, and trust us, it's different from anything you've ever tried.

Is it good? Well, the jury is still out between Jenn and me (Larry). Jenn didn't care for it at all, where I kind of liked it. To be honest, I would need to try some additional places along the Ground Steak Trail to really make a final decision.

We tried our first Ground Steak sandwich at Central Cafe in Dobson, NC, which is located just a few minutes from Mount Airy. Travis Frye, a Surry county native who grew up eating Ground Steak and is the mastermind behind the Surry County Ground Steak Trail and Festival, joined us. Travis is an expert on Ground Steak, and has tried about every version available, and then some.

You're probably wondering what the heck is Ground Steak exactly? Travis told us all about it.

Ground Steak wasn't what we expected, even with Travis telling us all about it before our plates arrived. Ground Steak history goes back to the great depression of the 1930s, where families needed to stretch out the number of servings from a pound of ground beef.

Travis told us that cooks would brown the ground beef (or ground chuck), add flour, and either water or milk. Then season it with salt and pepper. Then, cooks would loosely press this mixture into a meat patty and place it in a bun. Mayo, fresh tomatoes, slaw, and a side were often used to top it.

Some say it reminds them of a sloppy joe, without the sauce. That was not our experience.

We found it to be more like a loose and less densely packed burger with a soft texture. Travis told us that whether the cook uses water or milk really drives the consistency as well. Milk makes it more solid and dense, with a distinct flavor. Some restaurants on the Ground Steak Trail even have their own secret recipes they refuse to share.

We definitely recommend you try it. Not only will you taste something that you really won't find anywhere else, but you're taking a bite of history as well. You can try the different variations of Ground Steak along the Surry County Ground Steak Trail, which includes:

• Aunt Bea's BBQ of Mount Airy
• Dairy Center - Mount Airy
• Snappy Lunch - Mount Airy
• Speedy Chef of Mount Airy
• Martha Sue's - Mount Airy
• All Sauced Up BBQ - Pilot Mountain
• Aunt Bea's BBQ of Pilot Mountain
• Central Cafe - Dobson
• Rockford General Store - Dobson
• Speedy Chef of Elkin

Visit Nearby Elkin NC

About 20 minutes from Mount Airy, NC, and well worth the drive, is the small mountain town of Elkin, NC. We could only spend about a half day exploring Elkin, but really enjoyed our short visit on a quiet and warm Sunday afternoon.

On the way to see downtown Elkin, we stopped off at Christian Paul Vineyards for a wonderful wine tasting. This fairly new winery has a gorgeous tasting room, built by the owners, that offers indoor and outdoor seating. We really enjoyed their wines and the beautiful views.

After our wine tasting, we drove over to downtown Elkin where we enjoyed walking along the historic streets, which are full of shops, restaurants and small business. You can also see the restored historic Reeves movie theater, which has its original paint blue paint theme. Most of the shops and the Reeve's theater were closed the day we visited.

We walked over behind the theater and found The Rail Yard, a really nice outdoor beer garden. We grabbed some waters and some cold local brews and sat down below the tree canopy in the shade and enjoyed the beautiful day. Many others were doing the same.   

The Rail Yard offers food and drinks, and has several seating options from picnic tables to lawn chairs. The beer garden is really well done and makes for a great place to relax and hang out with friends.

The name comes from the fact it's next to the Yadkin Valley Railroad. Being a railroad fan, I enjoyed exploring the tracks a little and taking photos of the engine and the old girder bridge.

We hung out at The Rail Yard until it was time for our dinner at Southern on Main, which was absolutely fantastic and highly recommended.

Today, the town embraces that heritage, with lots of themed attractions, stores and restaurants. This is particularly true of the historic downtown area of Mount Airy. In fact, Mount Airy often refers to itself as the "real life Mayberry".

During our visit to the real-life Mayberry, we really enjoyed exploring downtown Mount Airy. We visited many of the stores, shops, even restaurants.  

We found many things to do in downtown Mount Airy. Our guide covers many of the fun things we experienced exploring downtown Mount Airy NC during our visit in the summer of 2024.

Enjoy fresh baked goods at Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies

We don't like to be partial, but being truthful, Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies was our favorite place in Mount Airy.

Not only is Miss Angel a wonderful person who is as passionate about her community as she is about her pies, she also runs a farm with her husband AND makes some incredible moonshine ice cream!

We had never heard of moonshine ice cream, and this was our first trying it. It's delicious!

Miss Angel's Heavenly Pies is easy to find and trust us, you'll smell the fresh pies before you see the shop.

As you enter, you'll notice two things: lots of pink and lots of pies. The shop brims with displays full of pies, sonker, fried pies, rolls, cinnamon buns, and many other flavors of mouth-watering baked goodness.

We spend some time talking to Miss Angel and fell in love with her and her pies. Miss Angel bakes all the pies fresh daily, with no preservatives. Anything left over the next day goes on a discount table in the shop. If it doesn't sell there, it's donated to local charities to help feed those less fortunate.

One reason the pies and baked goods are so delicious is that many of the fruits used in the pies are fresh from Miss Angel's Farm and Orchard, where she and her husband grow apples, peaches, berries, pumpkins and more.

Next door, you'll find Hillbilly Creamery, which sells ice cream, moonshine ice cream, gluten-free baked products and other treats.

Opie's Candy Store

A trip to Mayberry (um, Mount Airy) wouldn't be complete without a stop at Opie's Candy Store.

Opie's Candy Store is an old-fashioned candy store with tons of candy options straight from the barrel. You'll also find ice cream, fudge, snacks, shakes, bottled soda and more! You can even get an Opie's snack pack, which is an RC Cola and Moon pie (picture below).

Most of the candy is sold by weight, so you can mix and match to your heart's desire.

We really enjoyed browsing the different candies and even picked up some red hots (Jenn) and orange slices (Larry). The Opie's snack pack was tempting, though. It's hard to resist a real southern RC and moon pie.

We found the two young ladies working the front of the store to be fun and pleasant as well, adding to the enjoyment of the store. You'll even find episodes of the Andy Griffith Show running on the TV in the back.

Like much of downtown Mount Airy, a visit to Opie's Candy Store will take you back in time and revise some of those childhood memories from old candy and general stores gone by.

Grab Lunch at Snappy Lunch

If you're an Andy Griffith Show fan, you'll probably remember Sheriff Andy Taylor mentioning going to Snappy Lunch in a few episodes. Turns out, Snappy Lunch is an actual restaurant and the oldest operating business in Mount Airy. Andy Griffith actually ate there as a young boy, often stopping by to grab a hot dog.

They are open for breakfast and lunch, and well known for their "World famous pork chop sandwich". They also have breaded burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and other classic lunch meals.  

They've been serving great food in Mount Airy for nearly 100 years. Snappy Lunch is a Mount Airy icon and a must visit place to eat when visiting.

Be prepared. The lines to get in are often long and extend out onto main street and up the sidewalk.

Visit Floyd's Barbershop

Another real Mount Airy business with ties to the Andy Griffith Show is Floyd's Barbership. Opened by Russel Haitt in the late 1940s, Haitt was the inspiration for Floyd the Barber in the show. In 1989, they renamed the shop to Floyd's Barbershop as downtown Mount Airy themed itself for the Andy Griffith Show.

The barbershop is also famous for its "Wall of fame" where you'll find over 35,000 photos of people who have visited, thumb tacked carefully on the wall. You'll find Lou Ferrigno of the Incredible Hulk, Oprah Winfrey and many others if you look close.

Floyd's is located right next to Snappy Lunch, and is visible from inside Snappy Lunch as well. Floyd's is a real old-fashioned city barbershop offering haircuts and shaves even today. The shop welcomes visitors and photos and if you need a haircut, even better!

Enjoy great food and a wine at Old North State Winery

Located in a historic hardware store building on the north side of Main Street in Mount Airy is Old North State Winery. Ben Webb founded old North State Winery in 2002. A native of Mount Airy, Ben wanted to not only make great North Carolina wine, but wanted to help the Mount Airy economy as well.

Ben located his winery in downtown Mount Airy to help the economy and give locals and visitors a nice place to hang out in town and enjoy wine.

Today, Old North State Winery is a leading Mount Airy and Yadkin Valley tourism destination. The main building is used to serve guests and produce their different red and white wines.

The historic building is beautiful, and the wine is excellent. In fact, if you're from North Carolina, you may recognize the vineyard's brand, Fish Hippie.

During our visit, we enjoyed sitting down at the main bar area for a Charcuterie plate and a wine tasting. Our server told us about the various wines and helped us make selections on what to taste based on our personal preferences. 

The charcuterie board was excellent, and we enjoyed all the different wines as well. While enjoying our food and wine, we learned that the large table to our left was the Chef's table where you can make reservations to enjoy a 5 course dining experience using local and seasonal ingredients.  

We heard from locals that the Chef's Table food was delicious, so we've added a Chef's Table dining experience to our future bucket list.

Overall, Old North State Winery offers a mix of excellent wines, great food, and historical ambiance, making it a must-visit destination when in downtown Mount Airy NC.

Visit the Andy Griffith Mural

Whether or not you're an Andy Griffith fan, you'll want to visit and see the large downtown mural of Andy Griffith. Located on the wall of Surrey Bank and Trust on Moore Avenue, this beautiful mural features Andy in his early days, to his role on the Andy Griffith show, and later as Matlock.

But the various faces throughout Andy's career aren't the only feature on this mural by artist Brian Lewis of Greensboro (known as "JEKS"). Superimposed over the face images is Pilot Mountain, another icon of Surrey County. 

The mural is one of 20 different murals in downtown Mount Airy, where they are passionate about arts and telling the story of the history of Mount Airy and Surrey County.

Be sure to put seeing this amazing mural and work of art on your short list! If you take a Mayberry squad car tour, they'll take you to see it!

Visit the locally owned shops

We really enjoyed visiting many of the downtown shops during the day, including:

Bear Creek Candy Kitchen - One our favorite general gift shops, and the perfect place to find Mayberry and Mount Airy souvenirs. You can't miss the shop as there is a Mayberry squad car parked right out front.

Mayberry Trading Post - This home goods and accent shop is full of seasonal and fun items to decorate your home, including decorative flags, silk flower arrangements and even a Christmas Dept.! 

Main Street Market - Wonderful antique shop full of vintage furniture, unusual and unique antiques and even old farm tools. You'll also find crafts and art from local Surrey County artists.

Unusual antiques, vintage furniture and old tobacco & farm tools, along with crafts of local artists

Mayberry Market & Souvenirs - Looking for Mayberry items and souvenirs? This is the place. Shirts, hoodies, license plates, mugs, crafts, local art, and much more.  

Fancy Gap Outfitters - Being avid outdoor people, this outfitter shop contained lots of outdoor and hiking gear, including shirts, pants, shorts, hiking boots, water shoes and more. They have all the popular and recommended brand names as well. Not into hiking or the outdoors, you'll find some great casual and comfortable clothing items as well.

Mark & Meow Pet Spa - Pet store, spa, bakery, and dog and cat hotel. They sell pet merchandise, have lots of baked dog and cat products, grooming facilities, and even provide overnight boarding.

Keswick Candle Company - Keswick Candle is one of the most beautiful stores we've ever seen, and as photographers, we had a hard time leaving. The shop makes their own candles, soaps, lotions, and more. They all smelled wonderful, and we brought some soaps and lotions home with us.  

Mount Airy Tractor Company - We enjoyed browsing this collectibles toy store full of die-cast tractors, trucks, cars and more. The store brought make memories for us of our boys when they were young. Super nice and friendly owners as well.

There are many more stores as well. We just didn't have enough time to visit them all. We surprised at how vibrant and busy Downtown Mount Airy was, and how many shops there were. You could literally spend all day long browsing and exploring the various shops.

Watch a movie at the historic Earle Theater

Built in 1938, the Earle was the only Mount Airy theater and cinema for many years. The theater also became one of the premiere locations for Gone with the Wind. Over the years, the theater received many updates and upgrades, and is still operational today.

While the Earle shows movies, it's also used for live music as well as part of the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall.

Andy Griffith attended the theater as a young boy, and later his movies premiered and were shown here as well. In the Andy Griffith Show, Sheriff Andy Taylor often mentions seeing movies in Mount Airy. The Earle is the theater he is referring to.

When visiting the theater, you can see movies, live music performances, and take tours of the old historic theater.

See the Donna Fargo Mural

While you may not recognize her name, but we're confident you'll recognize her biggest hit, "The happiest girl in the whole USA".  

Donna Fargo (real name Yvonne Vaughn) was born and raised in Mount Airy, NC. She attended college and became an English teacher in California. While there, she pursued a musical career.  

Her career peaked with the release of "The happiest girl in the whole USA", which she wrote and composed. The song made it to the #1 position on country music charts in 1972. She also received the Best Female Country Vocal Performance award from the Grammy Awards, and was also named Top Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music Awards.

While she released more albums and country hits, she never again broke the top 40. She had her own TV show in 1978 and was the first female country singer to do so.

Mount Airy is proud of Donna's success, and you'll find a beautiful color mural of her in downtown Mount Airy. The mural was painted by artist JEKS (Brian Lewis), the same artist that did the Andy Griffith mural.