Famous fruit stands and easy highway access in Cana
Resting along the Virginia and North Carolina border is Cana, a rural mountain town in Carroll County known for its generational family farms and collection of fruit stands along U.S. Route 52. “Cana is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains,” says Josh Pickett, an experienced Realtor at Rogers Realty & Auction Co., Inc., who has sold homes in Virginia and North Carolina. “What happens is, people look to move to Mount Airy, but they don’t find what they want. So, they cross the state line and find Cana. It’s even more of a small town than Mount Airy, more rural, more scenic and minutes away from big box stores in Mount Airy.”
Pickett says the town of Mayberry in “The Andy Griffith Show” was based on Mount Airy, which is often busy with tourists and festivals. When homebuyers want to live in an area that feels more like the show’s version of Mayberry, they settle in Cana. “Most everyone knows everyone,” Pickett says. “If you move in from a different state, it won’t take you long to get to know everyone. We’re welcoming, and everyone tries to help each other.”
Supporting local farmers along Produce Alley
Cana is home to Produce Alley, a 6-mile stretch of Route 52 where family-owned farms sell items like peaches, apples, melons and peas. “Local families, for years, have sold fresh fruit and flowers,” Pickett says. “There are farm stands and little country stores. People even come up from North Carolina to get fruit.” Some of the busiest stands are B&B Produce and Virginia-Carolina Enterprises. “People go to Mount Airy for meat, but they definitely buy fruit and vegetables in Cana.” Mount Airy’s downtown is about 15 minutes from Cana, with a Food Lion grocery store and restaurants like Rusty Rooster Southern Breakfast and Barney’s Cafe. The Cana Copper Pot opened in 2024 and serves southern comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hungry locals can also visit The Fancy Gap Country Store for barbecue and homemade ice cream, served to the tune of live bluegrass music in the evenings.
Primary residences and potential vacation cabins
Cana features a mix of farmhouses, manufactured homes and ranch-style homes on sprawling lots, though there are also cabins that might be second homes or rental properties. The average home value is almost $200,000. Manufactured homes have listed for $130,000 to $200,000, while farmhouses and cabins have had listing prices of $315,000 to $500,000. Farmland or open lots with over 50 acres have hit the market for $500,000 to $975,000. Because Cana is rural, homes run on septic tanks and well water systems.
Living close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and outdoor destinations
“There are national parks within 45 minutes of us,” Pickett says. “There’s the New River Trail, a state park with miles of trails along the New River.” Picket also highlights hiking trails at Stone Mountain State Park and Pilot Mountain in North Carolina. Anyone who wants to take a scenic drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains can access the Blue Ridge Parkway in Fancy Gap. Closer to home, Lovill’s Creek Lake is a popular spot to fish or launch a kayak or boat out onto the water. The weather in Cana often allows for plenty of time outdoors. “Where we sit, we’re right at the bottom of the mountain,” Pickett says. “We’re about 10 degrees warmer than Hillsville. Our climate is similar to North Carolina.”
Kids start at St. Paul School
St. Paul School’s campus is in Cana, where kids attend prekindergarten through seventh grade. Niche gives the school a B and ranks it as the third-best public elementary school in the county. Students move on to the B-rated Carroll County Middle School in Hillsville and later attend Carroll County High School, rated B-minus.
Route 52 leads directly to Mount Airy
With Route 52 cutting through Cana, commuters have a short 8-mile drive into Mount Airy, North Carolina, depending on where residents live. Nearly as many churches as produce stands line the highway. Anyone who works in Galax has a 22-mile drive northwest along State Route 620. The Tri-Area Community Health at Cana offers prescription delivery services and routine health care for children and adults. The nearest hospital and emergency room is Northern Regional Hospital in Mount Airy.
