Honoring Andy Griffith, Small Towns and Simple Living

Today, Andy Griffith died. If you have never seen an episode of the Andy Griffith show, you are unfortunately missing out. Foxnews.com said "Griffith's career spanned more than a half-century on stage, film and television, but he would always be best known as Sheriff Andy Taylor in the television show set in a North Carolina town not too different from Griffith's own hometown of Mount Airy, N.C."

A few weeks ago, my parents, husband and I visited Mt. Airy, which is also my father's hometown. I had planned to write a post sometime soon about what small towns can offer in the way of a less expensive family vacations. In light of Mr. Griffith's death, I will let  the pictures speak for themselves and you can piece together the fun that a small town might offer your family. Here's just one example of a small town in hopes that it might inspire you to consider this inexpensive choice, if  a full blown vacation feels like too much. Making memories doesn't require a lot of money spent.


Mt. Airy has had this barber shop for decades and was the inspiration for Floyd's Barber Shop on the Andy Griffith Show. Russell is the actual name of the man who has been cutting hair for years and years--even my dad's hair when he was a young man. Today, haircuts there cost $8.

This is actually the cash register that they use everyday!



http://www.visitmayberry.com/Snappy_Lunch_.aspx

Literally, busloads of people stop to have lunch at this famous lunch spot mentioned on the Andy Griffith Show.



Long before there was Sonic, there was O'Dell's Sandwich shop, where my parents met.



And then there is Opie's Candy Store. Enough said.

 

There was something very simple and sweet about our time in Mt. Airy that day.  If only I could find a haircut for $8.00.