A replica of "The Andy Griffith Show's" courthouse. [CR Rae]

Some of us grew up watching Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee and Opie on CBS. They were a part of the popular “The Andy Griffith Show,” a sitcom that aired from October 1960 to April 1968.

Andy was the sheriff of Mayberry, North Carolina, Barney (Don Knotts) was his deputy, and Aunt Bee (Francis Bavier) lived with the widowed Andy to help take care of his son Opie (Ron Howard).

Today, North Carolina visitors have an opportunity to visit “Mayberry,” which was patterned after the town Griffith grew up in, Mount Airy. It continues today to be “Mayberry” in a variety of ways.

To get the lay of the land, a must-do in Mount Airy is a squad car tour. Knowledgeable guides take sightseers around town in a vintage police cruiser like the ones used on the show. Passengers learn more about Andy and the places he grew up, and see a replica of the jail and courthouse where Andy and Barney spent most of their time, Wally’s Fillin’ Station, Floyd’s Barber Shop and more. Visit tourmayberry.com for the 411 on the tour, or call 336-789-OPIE.

Floyd’s Barber Shop in the show was where Andy and the guys hung out to play checkers and talk about the goings-on in town. As a child Griffith got his hair cut at Mount Airy’s Floyd’s City Barber Shop. The shop’s walls are lined with pictures of those who sat in owner Russell Hiatt’s barber chair over the last 60-plus years, before he died in 2016. Those snapshots include Oprah Winfrey, Lou Ferrigno (the “Incredible Hulk”) and Goober from the show, George Lindsey. Visitors would come to meet the “real Floyd,” as they referred to Hiatt. Travelers still come to see the shop. The best time is before lunch as hours vary.

The Andy Griffith Museum is filled with memorabilia and is next door to the Andy Griffith Playhouse. The items in the museum have been collected by Griffith’s childhood friend Emmett Forrest and includes the show’s courthouse doors and plenty of other mementos from the stars of the show.

Strolling along the sidewalks takes fans to a Main Street much like that of Mayberry. Mount Airy is a friendly city, and its residents enjoy the fact they are a “sister city,” so to speak, to Mayberry.

Visitors will pass by Snappy Lunch (much like the diner in the show), Walker’s Soda Fountain and Opie’s Candy Store, just to name a few shops along the main street.

It is fun to eat at Snappy Lunch, a very popular place with tourists and home to a famous pork chop sandwich. The chef cooks on a grill in the front window of the restaurant. It opened in 1923 and served local workers and students who enjoyed bologna sandwiches (fried ones are still a hit today).

A stop into Opie’s Candy Store will feed the sweet tooth of any visitor. The store specializes in nostalgic goodies like Mary Janes, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Big Hunk candy bars, fudge and hand-dipped ice cream. Grab a little brown sack and fill it with your favorite items — root beer barrels, suckers, gummy bears or another one of the more than 500 sweets. Get a bottle of soda pop out of the old Coke cooler.

Walker’s Soda Fountain, an old-fashioned shop with glass bowls and all, is known for its banana split that, under most circumstances, takes two to eat. It is a blast from the past, with ice cream sodas, malts, milkshakes, sandwiches and 1950s and ’60s music.

Those who would like to have a Mayberry fan experience like no other can stay in the Mount Airy childhood home of Griffith, where he lived through his high school graduation. It is decorated with antiques and in the 1930s and 1940s style with plenty of memorabilia. The house is available for nightly rentals and is within walking distance of downtown and the sites listed above. Reservations can be made through the Mount Airy Hampton Inn.

The friendly residents of Mount Airy don’t seem to mind when you slip and call their town Mayberry. Go to visitmayberry.com for more information on places to stay and things to do in the surrounding area.

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2020-01-02T07:01:00Z

Mount Airy NC

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