If you’re up for a ride in the country, hop on Route 70 heading west from Salisbury, and you might find yourself in the tiny hamlet of Barber, North Carolina. With fewer than 900 residents, Barber is about as rural as it gets. The area is a lush green expanse of fields, forest, and farmlands, and an oasis of simplicity in Rowan County punctuated by quaint shops, older-than-old southern architecture, and nostalgic attractions that hint at a way of life city dwellers wouldn’t understand.

As you approach Barber, you might want to stop for a bite to eat at Mario’s Family Style Restaurant. Although they specialize in Italian fare, their menu is huge, just like their portions, and everything is delicious. Nobody leaves hungry, and you’ll miss out if you don’t try their amazing homemade fries.

Just a stone’s throw away from Mario’s is West Rowan Restaurant. It was once an old gas station, but don’t let the building’s outward appearance fool you. Inside, you are transported to the 1950s. Old tin signs and vinyl records adorn the walls, and some of the best grub in the county most assuredly adorns your plate. Put on your poodle skirt and join them for karaoke night.

Another great place to stop is the North Carolina Transportation Museum. This historic site was once home to Southern Railway’s largest steam locomotive repair facility, but now it’s a museum dedicated to different types of transportation. It won’t transport you to the 1950s, but you can take an awesome train ride and learn about the past, and none other than the original Barber Junction Depot serves as its Visitor Center.

Rowan County offers many other wonderful places to visit and explore. Less than 30 minutes from Barber, you’ll find Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, one of the best places to spend an afternoon with the kids, yours, and the baby goats too. It’s part zoo, part drive-through safari, and part animal rescue. It’s also tons of fun for the whole family.

You won’t have to go far for some great shows, either. Salisbury has two phenomenal theaters, the Piedmont Players Theatre and the Lee Street Theatre. You may be far off-Broadway, but their performances are always spot on.

For shoppers and antique lovers, pay a visit to Salisbury Square Antique & Collectibles, a shop with a wide variety of vendors and a trove of treasures waiting to be found.

And for recreational fun, you can’t go wrong with Dan Nicholas Park in Salisbury. This charming park is loaded with fun activities. You’ll find a nature center, a beautiful lake, a campground, a merry-go-round, a gem mine, an aquarium, and so much more.

There is something else we have a lot of in the country, too, and that’s pest problems. Barber has many invasive insects that often pay an unwelcome visit to homes. If you need some help, you can’t go wrong with At Ease Pest Solutions. We’re the area’s top-rated local pest control specialists, ready to take care of your pest control issues.