Surry Business

Benny L. East’s Mayberry Campground no sooner opened for business just outside Mount Airy off Interstate 74 in Surry County than it picked up a glowing recommendation on RV Park Reviews.

“We were one of their first campers,” said an experienced motor-home traveler whose other campground reviews span the nation from California to Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to Arizona. “All sites have 50/30/20-amp electrical, water, sewer and cable coming soon. WiFi is also promised in the near future. Campground is set on a rolling, golf-course like setting. There are two ponds and lots of grass. There are no trees yet, but they are installing shelters to keep you out of the weather. The streets are even paved with granite. It is located just outside the nice tourist town of Mount Airy where Andy Griffith grew up and based the TV town of ‘Mayberry.'”

Mayberry Campground earned 10 stars out of 10 on the review posted Oct. 28.

Benny East developed Mayberry Campground specifically for recreational-vehicle travelers attracted to northwest North Carolina and Surry County’s many attractions, including the Mayberry connection, but also the Yadkin Valley Viticultural Area’s vineyards and wineries, old-time and bluegrass music (country singer Donna Fargo also is a native), Pilot Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway, the sprawling N.C. Granite Corp. quarry and the home of The Original Siamese Twins, Eng and Chang Bunker (campground visitors can walk to the White Plains Church and see the Twins’ gravesite).

Fourteen RV sites already are open with full hookups. More are planned. The campground also has sites for tent campers. Rates are $25 per night for RVs and $15 for tenters.

Additional services and facilities are coming.

“We are very excited about our future plans,” East writes on the campground’s web site. “We are planning on building picnic shelters, playgrounds for the children, a horseshoe game area, volleyball, campfire pits. Our campground is going to be somewhere you can come camp with us and never leave the grounds; everything you need will be right here! We will have a general store with all the basic necessities, propane, firewood, etc. We also will be offering wireless internet and cable TV. We are also planning on building a swimming pool with a Jacuzzi. If you want to sit back and relax, then you need to come to Mayberry Campground to visit.”

To reach Mayberry Campground from the Interstate 74-U.S. 601 intersection, turn onto South McKinney Road, go approximately 1/8 mile and take the first left onto Rustic Village Trail.

The campground’s address is 114 Byron Bunker Lane (at Bunker Road), Mount Airy, NC 27030. Its telephone number is (336) 789-6199. E-mail: mayberrycamp@embarqmail.com.