Are you looking for things to do in Hendersonville, NC? Just over the border into North Carolina is the mountaintop town of Hendersonville, NC. There are lots of things to enjoy, but the thing Hendersonville, North Carolina is most famous for is their apple orchards! If you are planning a trip to Hendersonville, we’ve got all the info you’ll need to fill your day with fun, or enjoy a day trip or weekend getaway any time of year.

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We Love Adventures in Hendersonville, NC

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Check out our Guide to U-Pick Apple Orchards Near Greenville & Spartanburg for more apple options.

Apple Orchards in Hendersonville, NC 

Go apple picking! One of the first signs that cooler weather is on the horizon is people flocking north to Hendersonville and neighboring Flat Rock, to enjoy everything apple! Freshly picked apples, apple cider, apple cider donuts, and my favorite, frozen apple cider. We’ve been to most of them, and you can learn all about each orchard and what it has to offer, below. 

• Justus Apple Orchard
• Grandad’s Apples and Such
• Jeter Mountain
• Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard
• Coston Farm
• Mountain Fresh Orchards
• The Applehouse and Owensby Orchards
• Creasman Farms
• McConnell Farms
• Sky Top Orchard

Check out some less crowded farm and orchard options in Hendersonville, NC

Apple Cider Donut Trail

The Nix Pumpkin Patch

The huge pumpkin-shaped silo of this farm is hard to miss! You can grab pumpkins of all shapes and sizes here, as well as an apple cider slushie! There are tons of photo opportunities to be had, so bring that camera along!
Nix Pumpkin Patch Facebook Page

Free and Low-Cost Fun in Hendersonville

Apple Valley Model RR Club
Check out this totally FREE model train museum with indoor and outdoor model train displays. They are open on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Bearfootin’ Bear Hunt
May through October, custom-decorated bear statues line the street. In October they get auctioned off to benefit the downtown area and local non-profits.

Carl Sandburg Home
Located in Flat Rock, this poet’s home is open to the public and free to visit. It is not only a historic site but also a working goat farm. 
If you are heading to the Carl Sandburg Home, you should sign up for the Kids In Parks incentive program! It’s free and allows kids to earn prizes for spending time outdoors. 

Fairy Trail at Bullington Gardens
These free-to-visit gardens include a popular fairy-themed garden that is open seasonally.

Team Ecco Aquarium
This aquarium is home to aquatic life as well as reptiles. Plan your trip to be there for the Shark and Sting Ray feedings. Admission is under $10 per person. 

Mineral And Lapidary Museum
Admission is free, which is awesome because craking open your own geode is something everyone should get to do, and the free entry makes it more affordable. 

Western North Carolina Air Museum

See historic aircraft for free at this former hanger converted to a museum. There are opportunities to climb into aircraft and learn how they fly. Everything is free, and donations are accepted.

Great Parks and Playgrounds: Hendersonville, NC

Jackson Park: Inclusive Playground

The new inclusive playground at Jackson Park is open, and it is truly a place where all kids can play together!

The Park at Flat Rock
A beautiful park with restrooms, a playground hiking trails, and more. 

Jump Off Rock

Beautiful mountain views at the scenic overlook, short hiking trails, and a great place for a picnic.

Check out this local mom’s recommendations of where to eat and how they spend a day in Flat Rock, NC

Unique Experiences 

Appalachian Pinball Museum
Visitors to the museum can play all day for just $12 per person. 

Kanuga Bike Park
This mountain bike park has everything you need to enjoy a unique family outdoor adventure. 

Hands On! Children’s Museum
A “hands-on” children’s museum targeted at children ages 10 and under. 

Moonshine Mountain
If you’re looking for some wintertime fun, Moonshine Mountain has it. Tubing and other fun winter activities will keep your family entertained.

Black Bear Snow Tubing
Don’t let the name fool you–they have winter and summer tubing! Tubers must be at least 4 years old.

Where to Dine

Arabella’s Breakfast and Brunch
One of our family’s favorite breakfast spots in Hendersonville, you’ll enjoy some delicious and unique breakfast options with a little southwestern flare. They also have great coffee and coffee drinks.

HenDough
Go to where all the magic began, the original HenDough location! Did you know, that the nickname for Hendersonville is “Hendo”?  

McFarlan Bakery
Recommended by readers this nearly centuries-old bakery consistently wins local “best of” awards. 

Black Bear Coffee Shop
This great coffee shop offers coffee lovers and diners tons of options. They feature locally made baked goods, plus super fresh salads, soup, sandwiches, breakfast meals, and more. Of course, they also offer a wide array of coffee beverages and teas.

Mike’s Sandwich Shop
Right on Main Street, you’ll find this 1950s Soda Shop style restaurant. Here you can grab a great sandwich and enjoy indoors at a table on the sidewalk out front. Mike’s also has classic diner breakfast options, and all your favorite classic soda fountain desserts, malts, floats, shakes and more!

Southern Streams Coffee House

Just a couple minutes from downtown, you’ll find the adorable Southern Streams Coffee House. You’ll feel like you’re off somewhere on a mountain vacation as soon as you pull into the large gravel lot beside this coffee house. You’ve got your pick of indoor and outdoor seating options including a large sunny deck. They offer house-made pastries, breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads, and all the coffee and tea drinks you could want.

1628 5th Ave West, Hendersonville

Family-friendly Breweries: Hendersonville, NC

Trailside Brewing Company

Located in historic Lennox Station, Trailside Brewing Co. offers a wide variety of beer made in-house, as well as wine and non-alcoholic options. Food trucks are frequently on site beside the beautiful beer garden, and the brewery hosts live music and other events regularly.

Here’s our review of Trailside Brewing Co.

Blue Ridge Beer Garden

In the heart of Downtown Hendersonville lies a former gas station building converted into Hendersonville’s Blue Ridge Beer Garden. This gathering spot features a space for food trucks, open outdoor space with a variety of seating options, a fireplace, covered seating and indoor seating.

You’ll find a very large variety of local beer here at the beer garden, more than I’ve seen most places. And you’ll find extremely friendly service. This is a great spot to hang out, play a board game, and talk.

Cheers! Trail Passport: Hendersonville Vineyards and Breweries

Hendersonville also offers visitors a great selection of stops to enjoy locally produced wine, beer, and more. You can explore them with the passport program offered by the Hendersonville Visitors Information Center.

The Cheers! Trail Passport may be purchased for $10 at the Visitor Center. Visit at least 12 venues and get your passport stamped to redeem it for your choice of several trail souvenirs and swag.

Choose from a selection of 27 different tasting experiences along the trail. 

Tasting experiences include:

Breweries

• Blue Ghost
• Dry Falls
• Guidon
• Mills River
• Oklawaha
• Sideways Farm
• Sierra Nevada – Read our Sierra Nevada review of this family-friendly brewery
• Southern Appalachian
• Trailside Brewing Co.
• Triskelion

Vineyards

• Burntshirt Vineyard
• Marked Tree Vineyard
• Point Lookout Vineyard
• Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards 
• Sawyer Springs Vineyard
• Stone Ashe Vineyards

Hard cideries, and meadery 

• Appalachian Ridge Hard Cider 
• Bold Rock Hard Cider 
• World’s Edge at Point Lookout Vineyards

The Passport is available at the Visitor Center at 201 South  Main Street, online, and at the participating vendor locations. 

Where to Stay Near Hendersonville, NC

There are some super cute places to stay near Hendersonville, NC!

This map contains Stay22 affiliate links. Kidding Around earns when you book through these links.

Find all our WNC ideas in Kidding Around WNC, our guide to Western North Carolina.

Looking for more places to spend the day with your family? Here’s our list of Day Trip Towns, just a short drive from the Upstate.