Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to
Friday This scenic foothills town on U.S. Highway 52 has a downtown so charming you could say it’s straight out of central casting. (Mayberry fans certainly would.) There are at
Friday This scenic foothills town on U.S. Highway 52 has a downtown so charming you could say it’s straight out of central casting. (Mayberry fans certainly would.) There are at
This scenic foothills town on U.S. Highway 52 has a downtown so charming you could say it’s straight out of central casting. (Mayberry fans certainly would.) There are at least half a dozen B&Bs and small inns to choose from in the area, but Heart & Soul Bed and Breakfast is right on Main Street. The gracious century-old home has five guest rooms, each decorated differently: One is inspired by a luxury Pullman sleeping car; another features the colors of the Crystal Coast. Breakfast is a highlight.
618 North Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 789-0126, heartnsoulbb.com
From here, stroll down Main Street, past historic homes, until you come to Page’s Books and Coffee, an independent bookshop that hosts readings by North Carolina authors. Browse and sip before setting off to see the sights.
192 North Main Street, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 789-3363
There’s no better way to tour Mount Airy than in the back seat of a 1960s police cruiser driven by a local Andy Griffith Show expert. Mayberry Squad Car Toursleave from Wally’s Service Station. Reservations required.
625 South Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030 (336) 789-6743, tourmayberry.com
For dinner, pop into the family-owned Thai Café, a downtown mainstay for 13 years serving sesame chicken, golden noodles, pad Thai, and many vegetarian dishes. The Thai Tea takes sweet tea up a notch with whipped cream.
647 West Independence Boulevard, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 786-8480
Saturday
Snappy Lunch, the only local joint mentioned by name on The Andy Griffith Show, has been around for nearly 100 years, and one menu item probably deserves most of the credit: the pork chop sandwich. Try it with chili, slaw, mustard, onion, and many, many napkins.
125 North Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 786-4931
You’ll have a chance to separate fact from TV fiction at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional Historyon Main Street. Each of the museum’s four floors showcases a different aspect of Surry County history, including early settlers, old-time music, and granite mining.
See the area’s notable music heritage in action at the historic Earle Theatre. This beautiful 1938 theater shows movies five days a week and hosts musical performances and drop-in jam sessions. The Old-Time Music Heritage Hall is open for self-guided tours between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
142 Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 786-7998, surryarts.org
Surry County is home to 13 wineries and a wine trail. But you don’t need to drive out to Ben Webb’s vineyard to get a taste of Old North State Winery. The winery’s farm-to-table restaurant and tasting room on Main Street serve wines made from Webb’s Cabernet Franc, Chamoucin, Riesling, and muscadine grapes.
To prepare for a day of outdoor adventure, fuel up atDairy Center, a vintage joint with fewer than 30 seats. (Pro tip: Get there early.) Open since 1954, the restaurant was called Chicken in the Rough before it briefly transformed into Dairy Queen. Now, it’s simply Dairy Center — still a classic diner with a menu to match: chopped-steak sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and homemade ice cream. Locals know to stop in for a hearty breakfast, too.
407 West Lebanon Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 786-2349
Hop back on U.S. Highway 52 for the 20-minute drive to Pilot Mountain State Park, where you can pick from 13 trails of varying difficulty, or call ahead to reserve a guided hike with a ranger. The popular Jomeokee Hike, named for the mountain’s original Native American moniker, is about a mile long and takes you around the base of Big Pinnacle. Spring hours at the park are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
1792 Pilot Knob Park Road, Pinnacle, NC 27043,
(336) 325-2355, ncparks.gov
A wood-fired pizza at Thirsty Souls Community Brewing is a perfect post-hike lunch. Housed in a former funeral parlor, the brewery makes small-batch, European-style beers to accompany their creative pizzas.
Flaky buttermilk drop biscuits, creamy potato and sausage casserole, and soul-warming chicken and cabbage soup were among your favorite recipes in January. Find out what else made the list.
When demand for tobacco and cotton diminished, this one-square-mile Halifax County town followed suit. Now, one couple is revitalizing Littleton into a lively location once more.
Each year, Our State celebrates the very best in North Carolina craftsmanship with the Made in NC Awards. Meet the talented artisans who won top honors in 2022 — and watch them at work.