Anniversary Surprise

Ever take a trip and not know where you are going? Thanks to my wonderful wife, that's exactly what happened to me this past week. Robin kept the trip a secret for two months telling me only to take off from work June 16-17. This is what I found when we arrived at our destination, pilotknobinn.com.

Pilot Knob Inn & Cabins

Start with some deserted Tobacco Barns. Relocate to a beautiful setting. Then refit for luxury accomodations. What do you get? Pilot Knob Inn & Cabins. What a great idea for any time of the year. Secluded for privacy, or conveniently located near polular attractions, there is something here for everyone. Plus, the hospitality is unmatched.




Cozy, spacious cabins with porch,
upstairs bedroom and balcony, downstairs
living room with stone fireplace, and large bathroom with whirlpool.





View of the upstairs bedroom(yes, there is a TV if needed).

Here's Robin near the living room
fireplace,







and a picture of the bath whirlpool:

Pilot Mountain State Park

Pilot Knob Inn is located in North Carolina's Pilot Mountain State Park. The Pinnacle is just minutes from the Inn with views available from each Cabin.

This view from the Little Pinnacle overlooks the Yadkin Valley in north central North Carolina, while the view below is looking at the Pinnacle from the Little Pinnacle.

Mayberry (Mt. Airy, NC)

Not far from Pilot Knob Inn, 14 miles, to be exact, is Mt. Airy, NC. Famous for being Andy Griffith's homeplace, Mt. Airy was the model for the very popular Mayberry showcased in the Andy Griffith Show. A visit to "Mayberry" is a walk back in time.




Many of the popular spots from the show are still operating today; Floyds Barber Shop, Snappys Diner, Blue Bird Diner, the Old Jail, and others.














Famous for their Pork Chop Sandwich,
Snappys was a shoein for lunch.














And then, of course, some of the must see
spots in town, Andy's Homeplace where he
lived until finished high school,



and the Andy Griffith Theater and Museum, a must see,
and what visit to Mayberry would be complete without a ride to the Old Jail in the 62 Ford squad car.

Pilot Knob Inn - Extras

Pilot Knob Inn has exactly what you need to relax, enjoy the outdoors, and just unwind. Here are some things we found during our two-day stay.

Breakfast Dining Room where full breakfast was served each morning. Fantastic start for the day!

Looking through the Breakfast Room
window you have this view of
Pilot Knob Mountain:

The scenery was beautiful, and wildlife to see on every walk:

Pilot Knob Inn - Restaurants

Dinner is of your own choosing. Grills are available, and each cabin has a microwave and small dining area with table and chairs. Mt. Pilot, 3 miles, and Mt. Airy, 14 miles, each have a good selection of restaurants.

Our choice for the two nights, based on local recommendations, were Goobers, and Scuppernogs-both were terrific!

When in a new place, you chose restaurants by the number of cars in the parking lots. Goobers was packed, but no waiting since we were early. The menu looked great, and the food was really good. The dining was lively, but not loud-good family atmostphere.

Our second night started early as a wine tasting in Mt. Airy's "Old North State Winery". This is a definite "must do" when visiting Mt. Airy. Located on Main Street, a few blocks from the Mayberry spots, Old North State Winery also houses the Scuppernog Restaurant. We enjoyed the wine sampling, then decided to order takeout so we could get back and enjoy our cabin.