The town of Mayberry is based on Andy Griffith's hometown Mount Airy, North Carolina. This has allowed for tourism and tourist attractions to take over Mount Airy; specifically the Autumn Leaves Festival and Mayberry Days, which allows for tourist to gain memorabilia and an insight into Mayberry.

Mayberry is the heart of Mount Airy and has buildings that represent some of the key places within "The Andy Griffith Show." With a simple walk down Main Street, an individual can hear bluegrass music that would transport them back to when Andy Griffith was growing up. These experiences are what brings individuals back to town to gain a flash of the old days when life was simpler.

Although tourism consumes the majority of the town, there was a time when Mount Airy flourished with tobacco production and textiles. In 1885, Mount Airy was one of the largest producers of tobacco and textiles in North Carolina. Since then the town of Mount Airy has had a decrease of jobs and an increase of factory closings. When the factories began to close, the majority of individuals within the town lost their income, resulting in the youth moving to nearby, economically stable towns so they could get employment and start families. Nevertheless, the past few years have seen an increase of wine production within the region, allowing for the Yadkin Valley wine region to grow over 40 wineries and bring income back to the town. Mount Airy celebrates with a new festival based on the production of wine and its contribution the growth of the town.