Hendersonville is North Carolina apple country. Each Fall, families head to dozens of orchards to pick their own apples, enjoy hayrides, taste fresh cider and pose for photos. This small mountain town, just 30 minutes south of Asheville, has one of the most welcoming main streets in North Carolina. Wide, curvilinear sidewalks and flowering planters encourage window shopping and outdoor dining.
Photo by Sam Dean
Cultural treasures include Flat Rock Playhouse, the official state theater of North Carolina, and Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Take a waterfall hike at DuPont State Recreational Forest or a secluded nature hike at Holmes Educational State Forest.
Jump Off Rock, just 15 minutes from downtown, features a small park on a mountain top showcasing one of the most popular views in the NC mountains. Four states and spectacular sunsets are visible from this vantage point.
And toast your adventure with wine, beer, cider or mead along the Hendersonville Cheers! Trail. The trail features nearly two dozen tasting rooms in urban and rural locations. Six wineries offer classic European-style wines, along with a few sweet varietals, in the Crest of the Blue Ridge American Viticulture Area.
Choose to stay in a convenient hotel, charming bed-and-breakfast or cozy cabin.