North Carolina Archives - Laughing Lindsay

A Look Back at 2023: Year in Review

December 27, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe, but another year is coming to a close! Just for fun, I thought I would do a little look back at 2023!

Look Back at 2023

Maybe it’s just me, but the last few months have flown by! I can’t believe 2023 is almost over! The end of a year always makes me reflect on what I accomplished or what happened. It also makes me happy to look ahead to the new year. So, here’s a brief look at my 2023!

Return to Solo Travel

Prior to the pandemic, I would travel a couple of times a year by myself. However, that all stopped during the pandemic. In May of this year, I finally resumed my solo adventures! I visited Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm by myself! This felt like quite the accomplishment as I had to fly across the country and navigate things all by myself. I also wrote a post Solo Disneyland: Tips for Going Alone in case anyone else is interested in doing the same thing!

I wasn’t initially planning to visit Universal Orlando this fall. However, I ended up taking a bit of a last minute trip to see the Stranger Things house! Attending Halloween Horror Nights by myself feels like another accomplishment since their slogan is literally “Never go alone.” I also wrote Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips for anyone considering taking the plunge to do HHN alone.

Visited Some New Places

I kicked off this year with my first visit to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. My mom and I visited the park for two days and enjoyed doing many of the Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours.

Then, in March my husband and I made a last minute trip to Colonial Williamsburg! It was his first time visiting and my second. Although, my first time was on a field trip in fourth grade and it’s a blur. I’m already discussing returning to Williamsburg for the food alone. You can read my Colonial Williamsburg Food Guide to see for yourself how good the food is!

In June I managed to book a weekend stay in Mt. Airy, North Carolina with my mom. You can read my Andy Griffith Homeplace Review to learn about our stay. I also wrote a Mt. Airy Food Guide for Mayberry North Carolina that has gotten several views.

Returned to Some Old Favorites

In February, I was happy to return to Universal Orlando for Mardi Gras! In fact, my mom and I did the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine and absolutely loved it! I was also tickled to visit my favorite festival at Epcot: Festival of the Arts! My Epcot Festival of the Arts 2023 Review details why I love it so much!

In September, my mom and I visited Disneyland for their Halloween festivities for the first time! You can read my Halloween 2023 at Disneyland Guide to see what I recommend. Suffice it to say that Oogie Boogie Bash is awesome!

Other Hobbies

In 2023, I also got into some other hobbies besides travel. I painted several door hangers and little home decor items. In addition to that, I also got better at baking. I made my first ganache for a chocolate peanut butter pie in September. In November, I made my first meringue for a pie for a family Thanksgiving get together. I realize these aren’t things most people would include in a post like this, but they are things I’m proud of.

Looking Ahead to 2024

You may have noticed a pattern in this year’s travels: I did several last minute trips. I prefer to have trips planned out in advance. However, that isn’t always possible. I’m not certain where I will end up next year, but I currently have one trip booked for 2024. I will be heading to UO for Mardi Gras and WDW for Festival of the Arts in February again! My mom and I are leaning towards canceling our UO passes and visiting some other places in 2024.

So, what was your 2023 like? Where did you go? Do you have trips planned for 2024?

Tips for Visiting Mayberry in Mt. Airy, NC

August 10, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

As you may recall, I recently took a trip to Mt. Airy, North Carolina to indulge in everything about “The Andy Griffith Show”. So, I thought I would share some tips for visiting Mayberry to help other folks plan their trips.

Visiting Mayberry

For those who don’t know, Mayberry is the fictional town setting of “The Andy Griffith Show.” However, it’s based in part on Andy Griffith’s hometown of Mt. Airy, North Carolina. The town has leaned into this association and has branded itself a travel destination for Andy fans. It’s a great, relaxing place to spend a day or two. However, I think there’s a few things people should know.

Tips for Visiting Mt. Airy

Get an early start. I mentioned this in my Mt. Airy Food Guide. Nonetheless, lots of stuff closes early in Mayberry/Mt. Airy. In fact, Snappy Lunch closes before 2 PM. So, it’s best to get an early start here.
Skip Sundays. Several places are simply closed on Sundays here. Sunday is fine for a departure day, but I wouldn’t plan on doing much on Sunday here.

Take a squad car tour. This is a really unique experience that I’ve never seen anywhere else. You can actually ride around town in an old squad car (like the one on the show) for a tour of the town. It was neat because the drive doesn’t focus solely on the Mayberry aspect. In fact, they also drive over to the world’s largest granite quarry! It costs $50/car with up to 4 passengers and is well-worth the cost to see everything. It also helps you get a feel for the layout of the town.

Visit the Mayberry re-creation. Before or after your squad car tour, you should wander around the immediate area to see all of the amazing Mayberry re-creation details. You can even walk into the Mayberry Courthouse!

Spend time on Main Street. Mt. Airy has a lovely Main Street with lots of bustling stores and restaurants. I recommend taking some time to wander around and buy a souvenir or baked good.
Visit the Andy Griffith Museum. It costs $8/adult and is a must-see for any fan of the man or show. They have some original artifacts from Andy’s life and the show itself. It’s a pretty small museum, but gives a nice overview of the man’s life.

Having Fun in Mayberry

Visiting Mayberry or Mt. Airy, North Carolina is a pretty relaxing trip to be honest. It’s a fun, informative thing to do filled with nostalgia. You can even stay in Andy Griffith’s homeplace for the ultimate Mayberry experience. However, I think my biggest tip is just to enjoy it. So, have you ever visited Mayberry or Mt. Airy?

Mt. Airy Food Guide for Mayberry North Carolina

July 27, 2023 By Lindsay 2 Comments

I have to admit, one of my favorite things about traveling is the eating! Having returned from my trip in which I stayed in Andy Griffith’s Homeplace, I thought I would create a little Mt. Airy Food Guide!

Mt. Airy Food Guide

Before I get into this guide, I think it’s important to point out a few facts. For starters, this will lean into the Mayberry experience in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. As in, I will recommend the restaurants on Main Street whenever possible. However, the area tends to keep limited hours. For instance, I do not recommend visiting on a Sunday as most places are closed on Sundays. Due to the limited hours of operation, I will be breaking this guide down based on meals.

Mt. Airy Breakfast

Breakfast can be a bit of a hassle to find in Mt. Airy, particularly on Sundays. My first recommendation is for a restaurant a little removed from Main Street. Rusty Rooster is open for breakfast and lunch everyday of the week! In fact, we had breakfast here on Sunday before heading home. My mom and I split an order of biscuits and gravy as well as a croissant French toast! The biscuits and gravy were tasty! It was definitely better than the theme park food we’ve been eating. The croissant French toast was a fun spin on a classic as well. Overall, it was a good meal at a neat restaurant.

Snappy Lunch and Barney’s Cafe are on Main Street and technically offer breakfast as well. However, they do not serve breakfast on Sundays. Fun fact: Snappy Lunch is the only real Mt. Airy business mentioned on “The Andy Griffith Show”! Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to sample either of their breakfast offerings this trip. However, they seem like great places to grab some!

Mayberry Lunch

If you really want the Mayberry experience, then you have to eat lunch at Snappy Lunch! Andy Griffith used to eat lunch here as a kid! In fact, the restaurant is celebrating 100 years in 2023! We were lucky enough to eat lunch here on a Saturday with no wait. We had to sample their famous pork chop sandwiches! I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but man was I surprised! It actually made me like pork chop! The addition of chili and coleslaw added moisture and depth of flavor to a typically boring meat! Plus, it was only about $5! My mom and I were both very impressed with Snappy Lunch. I feel like I must point out the limited hours of Snappy Lunch. They close at 1:45 PM on weekdays and 1:15 PM on Saturday. I recommend eating here early.

I’m sad that I didn’t have time to also try Barney’s Cafe on this trip. It seems like a quaint little spot with tasty dishes. However, it closes at 4 PM and we didn’t have stomach space by that time yet. If I ever go back and eat here, I will update this post to include pictures.

Dinner

Dinner can be another difficult meal to find in Mt. Airy. We ended up eating over by the mall for both of our dinners due to the timing. Our first night in Mt. Airy, we ate at Aunt Bea’s BBQ. I know it’s not the same Aunt Bee as from the show, but it was a nice start to the trip anyways. Once again, we were pleased with the affordable prices and tasty meal. The BBQ really hit the spot. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy macaroni and cheese or a biscuit! They are also open for breakfast and lunch, if you are looking for something to eat during those meals.

I don’t have pictures of it, but on Saturday night we ate at Libby Hill for dinner. Granted, this is a small local chain restaurant not related to Mayberry. However, it is a restaurant that my mom used to eat at with my grandma and dad. It features very affordable fish meals. I got baked shrimp skewers here and was pleased.

October 2023 Update: My husband and I visited the highly recommended restaurant 13 Bones for dinner and were pleased. They serve ribs, steak, and seafood.

Snacks and Desserts

Anyone who knows me knows that I can’t visit a location without knowing about their baked goods! This trip was no different. In fact, I had to restrain myself from trying or purchasing additional baked goods in Mt. Airy. My favorite place for sweet treats here had to be Prudence McCabe Confections! The owner is a lovely human being and we had a nice chat on my visit.

I should point out that technically, this is two businesses at one location. The Prudence McCabe Confections is mainly the chocolate goodies. The baked goods come from Twilight Farm Shoppe. Her cupcakes and bars were really good! My husband and I loved her lime bar, strawberry lemonade bar, and blueberry lemonade bar. I highly recommend stopping here if you visit Mt. Airy. In fact, maybe take something home or for the road from here.

If candy is more your thing, you can stop by Opie’s Candy Store. It’s a cute little old time candy shop with a nod to the show with the name.

Tasty and Affordable

While you will need to check store hours to enjoy a trip here, you can find lots of good and affordable food here. So, what do you think of my Mt. Airy food guide? Did I leave out your favorite place?

Andy Griffith Homeplace Review

June 21, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

During the pandemic I learned that you could spend the night at the Andy Griffith homeplace or his childhood home in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Being from an Andy-loving family and seeing as how it’s not that far from southwestern Virginia, I knew I had to stay there. Thankfully, I was able to snag a two night stay there recently and I thought I would provide a review for anyone considering staying here.

Andy Griffith Homeplace

I’m not sure if “The Andy Griffith Show” is as popular nationwide as it is in the Appalachian Mountains or not. However, both my husband and I grew up watching the show with our parents/grandparents. If you happen to be unaware of this show, I highly recommend checking it out. You can currently stream episodes for free on PlutoTV. I think my favorite episode is “Mountain Wedding”, in case you were wondering.

People in Appalachia love the show and Andy for depicting small town life in a positive way. Lots of people like the show for the nostalgia of a simpler world, that never really existed. Nonetheless, it is awesome that you can book a stay in this man’s childhood home!

The House

My mom and I stayed here for two nights earlier this month. She slept in the bigger main bedroom and I was in the smaller back bedroom. We enjoyed the older styling of the home that displayed how it may have felt to live here years ago. It was also great to see some of the memorabilia displayed in the house. I loved watching an episode of the show in the living room!

My mom was surprised by how small the entire house was. In fact, the bathroom is downright tiny and might be difficult for some larger folks to use. However, it was sufficient for a two night stay.

One thing I have to comment on is the disturbing state of the floors. I’m not an expert, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were foundation issues with the house. There’s a soft spot in the floor between the bed and wall in the front bedroom. While the floor in the bathroom is newer, it’s already gotten some water damage from the shower and is loose/unstable. Also, different rooms are at different heights. Some are intentional and easy to spot. Some are less so. My advice is to watch where you step.

I appreciate the nostalgia of the house. However, I definitely think it could use some upgrades or maintenance work.

Tips

The house tends to stay booked up. Even with a two night minimum stay during peak times of the year, it can be difficult to book the house. Since I live relatively close, I had been checking the site periodically for months now. I finally spotted a free Friday and Saturday night about two weeks out. The house has a one week cancellation policy. So, if you can’t get it on a date further out, keep checking to see if something opens up!

Also, the house is owned by the local Hampton Inn and staying here gives you access to their amenities, including their free breakfast! I enjoyed strawberry waffles one morning from their buffet! Also, it was a nice touch that someone called me beforehand to confirm our reservation. The only other place I’ve received a phone call from prior to a stay was at The Inn at Christmas Place. So, that was a neat surprise.

This house is a very popular sightseeing destination. So, be prepared for people to be parked outside constantly during the day. I know I’m in some strangers photos!

Final Thoughts

While staying at Andy Griffith’s homeplace was a fun thing to do, I don’t know that I would stay here again without some updates. It’s a neat thing to do once as an Andy fan. I’ll probably visit Mt. Airy again, but it will probably be a daytrip for this Virginia girl.