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Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’

Take Your Family to Justus Orchard for Fun and Apple Picking

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Fall is just about here and you’re probably hunting the perfect activity to celebrate the season. Local mom Kristina loves Justus Orchard and is telling us why this is one fall road trip you’re going to make into your new family tradition. After all, Justus Orchard offers tons of fun activities for the kids and tasty treats too!

There are lots of great reasons to visit Justus Orchard in the gorgeous mountains of Hendersonville this fall: the apples are delicious, the scenery is peaceful and picturesque, the family who runs the business is very kind and have been running the orchard for four generations, and the apple cider donuts and slushies are delicious. I don’t even like donuts but put one of those in front of me and I’m not going to say no.

Justus Orchards is open every weekend for U-pick through mid-November. They have their delicious apple slushies, apple fritters, apple donuts, fried apple pies, and fruits and vegetables. They also have something new this year: an Apple Cider Float with Apple Crisp Crumbles on top! Yummy!

Their big playground is also open, plus all the farm activities like the cow train and a jumping pillow.

If you want to add on other activities in Hendersonville for your day trip, try the free train museum, the Carl Sandburg home, the Fairy Trail at Bullington Gardens, or the Team ECCO aquarium.

Apple orchards near Greenville, SC, U-Pick apples and apple farms near Upstate, SC

Looking for more apple orchards? Here are the best U-pick apple orchards near the Upstate.

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WNC Off-Season Offers Budget-Friendly Family Adventures

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If your family is looking for a quick fall or winter getaway that’s a little easier on the bank account and within a couple of hours of the Upstate, we’ve found a few options in the Western North Carolina mountains. From hiking to waterfalls to fly fishing to history, there is something the whole family will love.



Just north of the Upstate lies the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Land of the Waterfalls, an incredibly beautiful part of North Carolina that is within easy driving distance for Greenville families and full of opportunities to explore the outdoors and make wonderful memories together.

The window between late fall and the end of the winter is the off-season, or Shoulder Season in some places, for the area, when leaf-peeping crowds head home and the chillier weather sets in. This is the time for budget-minded families to hop in the car and escape for an off-season getaway because prices for almost everything are so much cheaper than other times of the year.

Free Things to Do

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited in the country, is just beyond Cherokee, NC or Bryson City. There is no admission costs and while the road to the Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the region, is often closed during the winter, there are free hikes to enjoy as well as the Junior Ranger Program at the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg.

If you love unexplained mysteries, your family needs to check out Judaculla Rock, a huge boulder with unexplained petroglyphs said to be carved by Indians possibly thousands of years ago. It’s located in Cullowhee, NC.

The kids will remember a trip to the Jackson County Green Energy Park where they will be able to see glass blowers, potters, and blacksmiths all at work harnessing otherwise harmful greenhouse gas from landfills into clean energy to create their art. Pretty cool. Tours are available and the park is located in Dillsboro, NC.

Outdoor Adventures

Waterfalls

Cashiers is located in the Land of the Waterfalls – we love this area and you can read more about our week-long trip to the area, also called Sapphire Valley – and there are truly beautiful waterfalls to see. During the wintertime, if it’s cold enough the water will turn to ice and the falls become a whole other kind of stunning. Silver Run Falls is essentially a no-hike waterfall, perfect for swimming in the summer but just as pretty in the winter and located right outside Cashiers.

Silver Fun Falls in wintertime. | Photo courtesy of Jackson County TDA.

Schoolhouse Falls is in Panthertown Valley and around a three-mile roundtrip hike. The falls empty into a huge pool of water that is popular for fly fishermen and you can also walk behind the falls if the water level is low enough.

Mingo Falls in Cherokee is another stunning waterfall. It’s only a quarter-mile hike to see the falls but you have to climb 161 stairs!

For a more challenging hike, head to Rainbow Falls in Gorges State Park, a huge 150-foot waterfall that is amazing. It’s a four-mile somewhat difficult hike, especially on the way back to the car, but totally worth it. I’ve taken my kids, ages 9 and 6, and they were able to do the hike in the hot summer weather, so it depends on your family’s abilities (and patience).

Fly Fishing

Even though I’ve never fly fished, although I’d love to, I enjoy watching the fishermen on the water whenever I see them during hikes. They look so relaxed. The Tuckaseegee River flows through a scenic mountain valley and several quaint communities up in Western NC. Jackson County is known as the North Carolina Trout Capital and home of the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail.

The river is very accessible for fishing and teeming with brown, rainbow, and brook trout – the river is stocked with almost 93,000 fish annually. Winter is actually prime fly-fishing time and because they are often feeding more during the day and since the state stocks the river in the fall, you have a really good chance of getting bites. You can bring your own equipment or rent from local outfitters. 

Fly fishing at Schoolhouse Falls in Panthertown Valley

Snow Tubing and Skiing

I’ve just started getting into snow tubing with my kids (partially because I’m terrible at skiing) and it’s so fun. All you need to do is get in a giant tube and slide down a mountain. Most places let even small kids do it so it’s perfect for the whole family. You can see our reviews of Moonshine Mountain near Hendersonville and Wolf Ridge in Mars Hill, NC, and learn about what to do when you go and how to prepare for all the fun you’ll have.

Moonshine Mountain snow tubing

Up near Cashiers is also the Sapphire Valley Resort, which has snow tubing and skiing. Before your visit, check the webcam to make sure the slopes are white. Those who prefer a tube will enjoy the 700-foot, multi-lane tubing run with steep walls on both sides to allow for more control at Frozen Falls Tube Park. Lift tickets are available for $70 for adults and $44 for children 12 and under. Those interested in partaking in the adventure that awaits at the Frozen Falls Tube Park can do so for $30 for a 1.75-hour session. Don’t miss the Outhouse Races in February.

Parades & Holiday Fun

Cashiers has a wonderful Christmas parade near the beginning of December, which is the perfect day trip. We love it so much we have a story about this cute Cashiers’s Christmas Parade.

Cashiers Christmas Parade. | Photo courtesy of Jackson County TDA.

Other holiday events in Western NC are the Lights and Luminaries in Dillsboro and Christmas in Sylva.

A reader-favorite holiday activity is the Polar Express at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Bryson City. They start rides in November.

It’s a holiday tradition for many families in the Upstate and something both kids and adults alike look forward to. The other fun Polar Express train runs out of the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC – our readers also love this one!

Where to Stay

Lodging options in this region include everything from cabins, hotels, bed & breakfasts, AirBnBs, motels, yurts, and even campgrounds.

I’ve stayed at homes at the Sapphire Valley Resort that was booked through Airbnb and VRBO.com. You can search for hotels and motels online – a quick search for Western NC hotels in early December came back with prices from around $89/night up through the $180s/night depending on lodging options. Almost everything will be far less expensive in summer and fall.

As a STAY22 Affiliate, Kidding Around earns when you book through some of these links.

Check out this Cashiers, NC 2 bedroom cottage, walking distance to downtown Cashiers.

VRBO Cashiers, NC cottage
VRBO Cashiers, NC, 2 bedroom cottage, Photo Credit: VRBO

Also in Cashiers is The Wells Hotel, which is connected to Whiteside Brewing Co., so bonus points for not having to go far to dine out.

Up in Dillsboro is the Best Western Plus River Escape Inn & Suites, which sits right on the river and where many of the rooms overlook the waterway. It’s also only 30 minutes from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has a free hot breakfast every morning, and an indoor heated swimming pool.

A favorite lodging option is Sky Ridge Yurts in Bryson City. Not only are the yurts plain cool and unique, but they are also comfortable, clean, and have amazing views of the mountains. They book up quickly during prime Polar Express weekends but may have some weekday availability, especially during the winter and into January/February.

The Hot Springs Resort is on our bucket list  – this is a place where you can soak in natural mineral water. Ahh, so relaxing.

Sky Ridge Yurts

Where to Eat

Slab Town Pizza in Cashiers is a favorite of mine. Their pizza is perfection and they also offer calzones, salads, and sandwiches. Buck’s Coffee in Cashiers is great if you need some hot chocolate or baked goods while enjoying the Christmas parade. Whiteside Brewing Co., also in Cashiers, has a family-friendly atmosphere with good food and drink.

And Papas & Beer near the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is fantastic. They serve affordable and tasty Mexican cuisine and are only about an hour from Greenville.

Go a bit further north and you’ll come to Guadalupe Café in Sylva and Haywood Smokehouse and Foragers Canteen in Dillsboro, which are all good options for family-friendly dining.

Ready to plan your Western NC off-season adventure?

Grab Those Ruby Slippers and Travel The Yellow Brick Road To The Land of Oz In Beech Mountain, NC

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Have you ever wanted to walk the Yellow Brick Road to the Land of Oz? Well, your chance to walk that Yellow Brick Road, meet Dorothy, and so much more about three hours from Upstate, SC. We have all the details on what to expect, where to eat, and where to stay when you head to the Land of Oz the last three weekends in September 2024.

This review is a combination of trips in 2019, 2022, and 2023. Thank you to the Land of Oz for providing media tickets so we could write this review.

A trip to the town of Beech Mountain, North Carolina, is still a great option, even if a trip to Oz isn’t in the plans for your family. You can Discover The Magic Of This Mountain Top Town Anytime Of Year.

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Pick Addictive Asian Pears at Pilot Mountain Pears: Hendersonville, NC

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Ever have an Asian Pear? They are incredibly delicious, juicy, and a must-try fruit. Pilot Mountain Pears has acres and acres of them available for u-pick this fall in Hendersonville, NC.

I have been obsessed with Asian pears for years and get ridiculously excited whenever I see them in grocery stores or farmers’ markets. They are generally light brown in color with the texture of an apple and a crunchy but juicy center- like the kind of juicy where you bite in and the juice runs down your arm – that kind of tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear. 

If you’re also a fan of Asian Pears, you might be wondering, “Is there any place with u-pick Asian Pears? Or any Asian Pear picking near me?”

Yep!

At Pilot Mountain Pears in Hendersonville, NC, and only an hour from Greenville, SC, not only can you buy these wonderful fruits but also pick them yourself. You’ll definitely want to add this orchard to your fall adventures!

About Pilot Mountain Pears

The orchard is owned and run by the Laughter (pronounced LAW-DER) family. I met Beth and her husband David and they showed me around the orchard, the little shop, and the packing barn. David really loves Asian pears and he planted about 1,000 of the trees more than a decade ago and just kept replacing the apple trees with Asian pear trees until that’s pretty much all they grow now. 

The couple are both locals and have been married for 27 years. They have two grown children who help out on the farm when they are home but mostly, it’s Beth and David who are the driving force behind the orchard. They’ve done a lot on the farm in terms of making a fun u-pick experience for guests since they first opened to the public three years ago and word has spread almost solely through word of mouth about how amazing their Asian pears are. 

Why Asian Pears Are So Amazing

I love apples just as much as the next person but Asian pears are on a whole other level.  The Asian pears come from a tree native to East Asia and were originally eaten by the rich, noble people of China. Around 1850, the exotic fruit was brought to America by Chinese laborers. There are hundreds of varieties and you may hear them called apple pears, sand pears, Japanese pears, or Korean pears. 

The pears aren’t like regular pears that are literally ripe for ten minutes and then turn to mush. Asian pears last a lot longer, especially if you refrigerate them. They are juicy and sweet and delicious and crunchy. They are usually ripe when they turn a little past light brown but can also be eaten when they have a green color to them or light brown. 

U-Pick at Pilot Mountain 

With 5,000 Asian pear trees at Pilot Mountain Pears, you’ll have plenty of fruit to choose from. The farm grows mostly Olympic Asian pears, which are huge.

When you arrive at the farm, you’ll see the orchard store. Park there and you can go get a wagon or bag and if you’re really brave, you can grab a pick stick (a very long stick with a metal cage at the top to pick the highest fruit on the trees – also known as long swords for kids). 

Asian pear picking at Pilot Mountain Pears
Asian pears ripen on the tree

You’ll be directed where to start your picking. Once you’re done, you go back to the store, where your amazing Asian pears will be weighed and you will pay for your goodies. 

They also sell fried apple pies like apple turnovers, apple slushies, and pear juice. I tried the Asian pear juice and whoa. Like, major whoa. This was the sweetest, but not too sweet, tangy, but not too tangy, most refreshing drink. You’ll want to drink it straight from the container. 

The store also has really cute tumblers, hats, pottery, shirts, and other fun stuff that you’ll probably want to take home to remember your awesome experience at Pilot Mountain Pears. 

Visiting Pilot Mountain Pears

The orchard opens to the public Friday, August 25th and will be open likely through the beginning of October. Hours are Fridays-Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm. Follow Pilot Mountain Pears on Facebook and check before you go to make sure they are sticking to their regular hours.

Prices for u-pick Asian pears are $1/pound. You can also purchase pre-picked pears.

Farm store at Pilot Mountain Pears, Asian pears
Farm store

No pets are allowed in the orchard. There are porta-potties on the property. 

And if you want to hang out and eat all your Asian pears, fried apple pies, or drink your slushies, there are picnic tables behind the farm store that overlook the orchard with mountains on the horizon. It’s gorgeous. 

Nearby Things to Do 

Making a day trip to Hendersonville is one of our most favorite activities, so we have plenty of options for a fun day trip there: 

Black Bear Fall Tubing 

Go tubing down a giant hill at Black Bear Snow Tubing – but without the snow (that’ll come in the winter). The tubing place is open starting September 2, 2023. Read our full review for all the details. 

Hike Bearwallow Mountain 

Bearwallow Mountain is easily one of our favorite family hikes because it’s not that hard and the views are unbeatable. It’s a 2-mile roundtrip hike and you get 360-degree views of the mountains. Bring up some Asian pears for a snack. 

Bearwallow Mountain in Hendersonville, NC
Bearwallow Mountain Summit

Play with Llamas

Ellaberry Llama Farm is super close to Pilot Mountain Pears and you can take a llama through an obstacle course or go on a hike with them. We love this farm!

Try a Free Activity

We have a whole story on free things to do in Hendersonville like the Air Museum, Mineral Museum, and Train Museum. 

Play with Some Goats

No story on Hendersonville is complete without me telling you that you can play with the goats at the Carl Sandburg Home for free. It’s a beautiful place for a hike as well. 

Eat at the Village Bakery

This small eatery in nearby Flat Rock has some pretty fantastic brick oven pizza and salads. They close at 5 pm so be sure to get there before closing. If they have any bread left over on their Day Old Bread shelf, grab it because it’s 50% off. 

Things to Do in Hendersonville, NC.

More ideas for things to do in Hendersonville are available at our Guide to Hendersonville, NC.

If you’re looking for more Asian pear orchards, there aren’t any! But if you’re looking for apple orchards in the area, see our big Guide to Apple Orchards in and near the Upstate.

Pilot Mountain Pears
Circle L Farm Dr, Hendersonville, North Carolina 28792
Pilot Mountain Facebook

Have you ever gone to an orchard for U-pick Asian Pears?

There’s So Much To Do at the North Carolina Arboretum

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Have you visited the NC Arboretum? If you’re looking for the perfect place to spend the day outdoors in Asheville, the arboretum might be just what you’re looking for!

The North Carolina Arboretum is much more than a beautiful garden. In addition to gorgeous flower beds bursting with color, you’ll also find hiking trails, an outdoor miniature train display, a cafe, a greenhouse, water features, and even rotating art exhibits. There’s something for everyone in the family at the arboretum and since it’s located in nearby Asheville, you’ve got a great day trip in the making.

NC Arboretum Greenhouse and gardens

Looking to make a day trip out of your trip to the North Carolina Arboretum? Check out our list of Western North Carolina Day Trip ideas to have a fun-filled day!

Visiting the North Carolina Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum is located just south of Asheville, NC. Their website provides directions, and they indicate that GPS should not be trusted. I have to admit not reading that little tidbit, and our GPS directions have always worked just fine. Do be aware however that the cell signal is not strong in this area.

When you arrive at the arboretum you’ll pay for parking. The parking fee is$20 per car. There is no further admission or per-person cost, which makes this a pretty affordable family day trip. Pack some snacks or a lunch and you won’t have to spend another dime.

But if you’d rather go out for lunch, there’s a cafe at the arboretum. Asheville is also just about 20 minutes away with virtually limitless dining options.

Baker Exhibit Center

The main parking lot for the North Carolina Arboretum is at the Baker Exhibit Center. This will be where you start the day. I recommend bringing any snacks, drinks, and necessary items like diaper bags with you. Depending on where you end up exploring, it can be a long walk back to the car to get a drink.

As you enter the building, you’ll find maps to the right of the door. Grab a map. They’ll show everything the arboretum offers and how to find it.

Inside this visitors center you’ll find clean restrooms and an information desk. To access the gardens you’ll climb the stairs and head to the back of the building. On your way, you’ll pass a fantastic gift shop, a greenhouse, and an art exhibit space. Often there are small plants for sale in the greenhouse and artwork on display in the exhibit space.

NC Arboretum Quilt Garden
Quilt Garden at North Carolina Arboretum

The Gardens at the NC Arboretum

Throughout the grounds of the arboretum, you’ll find beautiful flowers and leafy plants full of color. There are gorgeous arbors and gazebos to rest under, fountains to watch, and paved pathways to wander.

One of our favorite sections of the garden is a quilt garden, named because when you climb the stone stairs beside it and look down, it does indeed look like a quilt. The flowers in this quilt pattern change. Each time we have visited the quilt garden has been different.

NC Arboretum Bonsai Garden and Exhibits
Bonsai Garden

Bonsai Exhibit

Another section of the garden we love to explore is the Bonsai Garden. You might not think looking at Bonsai trees would be interesting to children, but my kids really like these. Each one looks different, some are themed and a lot of them have descriptive and sometimes humorous names.

The perfectly pruned miniature trees are truly works of art. The Bonsai section of the arboretum is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily, with additional hours for special guided tours with the Curator.

Rocky Cove Railroad

The Rocky Cove Railroad runs Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 4 pm. It’s a G-Scale model train that runs through this outdoor garden depicting Western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century when trains first arrived.

Two different trains run through the display. One of them is a Thomas train. If you have young children who love Thomas, you definitely don’t want to miss Thomas running through this little town display.

My favorite thing about this display is that all the trees throughout the display are perfectly pruned, live trees cut to fit the size of the display.

NC Arboretum Train, Rocky Cove
Rocky Cove Railroad

Trails to Hike

The Arboretum has many trails available for hiking and biking if you prefer your gardens to be a bit wilder. In the spring, don’t miss the hike down to the woodland garden that contains the National Native Azalea Collection where you’ll find almost every native azalea species in the United States blooming side by side.

The nature trail is another great trail any time of the year and this one doesn’t allow biking so you won’t have to watch out for riders on this trail. The nature trail is TRACK trail, part of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Kids in Parks program where kids earn prizes for completing different trails and activities. You can grab a TRACK Trail Guide at the Baker Exhibit Center.

NC Arboretum Flowers, Asheville, NC

Trails in the arboretum connect to the Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Pisgah National Forest. If you’re looking for hiking trails or bike trails in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest, such as Hard Times Road, there is a free parking area at Bent Creek.

Education Center

The second building at the Arboretum is the Education Center. You’ll find scheduled educational programming here as well as a few educational exhibits. This is also where the cafe is located.

There is a lovely porch with a plethora of rocking chairs that overlook the gardens. Purchase a snack or open up the lunch you packed, this is a great spot to sit for a while and relax.

Mom Review: NC Arboretum

The NC Arboretum is a great place for the family to spend some time. We’ve brought our children a few times, including when they were quite young. There is plenty of room for little kids to run off steam, but also a lot of interesting things to see for older kids.

The train has always been a highlight and I usually save that for the end of the trip, otherwise, we’d never see the rest of the garden.

The garden paths are paved, but if you plan to walk any of the woodland trails, know that they are dirt and gravel. You’ll probably appreciate wearing sneakers. Do bring lots to drink, especially if you’re going in the summer.

Special Events

The arboretum runs several special events and exhibits throughout the year. The biggest event is undoubtedly Winter Lights. The holiday light exhibit lights up the gardens into a winter light wonderland. We have a whole Winter Lights review for you.

To see all the special events, see the NC Arboretum calendar.

North Carolina Arboretum
Personal vehicles: $20 Parking – get $1 off if you have AAA
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville
Asheville, NC 28806

Hours: Daily 8 am – 7 pm (winter hours)
Hours: Daily 8 am – 9 pm (summer hours)

Sierra Nevada Brewery in Asheville, North Carolina.

Spending some time in Asheville?

Here’s our huge guide to things to do in Asheville, NC.

Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such: Apple Cannon, Corn Maze, Apples & More

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Have you visited Grandad’s Apples? Fall is just around the corner and your family might be hunting for the perfect apple orchard! We checked out Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such and had so much fun. You’ll find activities for kids at Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such, with beautiful views, and, of course, apples.

U-PICK: U-pick is TBD. Grandad’s asked that you follow their Facebook page for the latest updates.

Apple picking at Grandad's

For more places to pick apples this fall read our Guide to U-Pick Apple Orchards.

Hendersonville, North Carolina is known for its delicious apples and it’s easy to see why on the drive up to Grandad’s Apples ‘N Such. There are a handful of orchards within a few-mile radius and several farm stands all selling the delicious fruit. On my quest to find the perfect apple orchard experience, I headed on over to Grandad’s, which I heard was pretty awesome.

They didn’t disappoint.

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Float Down a Lazy River with Brevard Tubing in NC

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Want to float on down a cool, lazy river over the summer? Then Brevard Tubing in Brevard, NC, about 90 minutes from Greenville, SC is just the place to do it. Thank you to Brevard Tubing for inviting us out to try tubing with them!

River tubing is a true favorite activity for my family over the summer and we go to Brevard, North Carolina often since it’s less than 90 minutes away and has some incredible waterfalls and hiking trails. I was thrilled to learn of Brevard Tubing, a new tubing outfitter who opened the summer of 2023, and couldn’t wait to try out tubing with them in the French Broad River.

About Brevard Tubing

The tubing outfitter is brand new, only having opened in May 2023, but is already on their way to becoming a favorite of families and those looking for a fun time on the river during the summer due to its ideal location, all-access tubing pass, and family-friendliness.

Brevard Tubing was started by the same guy who founded Zion Tubing out in the national park in Utah. I had no idea this existed so now I’ve got a new goal whenever I can travel out to Zion National Park!

Tubes with Brevard Tubing
Tubes for your tubing run

Ideal Location

Brevard Tubing is located right along a calm section of the French Broad River not even a ten-minute drive from the entrance to Pisgah Forest. I really loved this because it’s not far from my favorite waterfalls, hiking trails, and brewery, which I’ll get to in a bit.

When you’re driving to Brevard Tubing, look for the big, pink tube at the gravel driveway and turn there. You’ll park in the small parking area, sign your waiver, get your life jacket if you want one (they are mandatory for kids ages 12 and under but adults can wear them if they want), and then get on the bus for the short drive to the put-in location on the river.

Also, I was impressed with how the owners of Brevard Tubing considered safety. The weather was pretty iffy the day we went with rain on and off but they checked the weather apps for lightening or any inclement weather right up until we got in the water. The weather held out for us but I appreciated how the owners took safety seriously.

Tubing the French Broad

I’ve tubed at a lot of places and this run was very calm. The rapids were really small and easy. There was only one larger one, which was more like some faster water over a few big rocks. If you’ve tubed the Green River, this was the complete opposite. This section of the French Broad is more like a lazy river. And the tubes all have bottoms so while you may get splashed, you won’t be in the water if you don’t want to be.

Both sides of the river during your tube run is on private property so you have to stay in the river except for the confluence of where the Davidson River pours into the French Broad. There’s a little rocky beach and swimming area that you can hang out at. You can also walk up the Davidson a little ways if you’re feeling extra adventurous.

The river, for the most part, was pretty shallow, about up to our waists. The initial drop in part was probably one of the deepest. Our kids fell in (or rather, intentionally tipped their tubes over) many times and were able to touch the bottom. Either way, kids have to wear a life jacket if they are 12 and under.

We didn’t see much wildlife except for a beautiful Blue Heron that checked us and then flew over the river behind us. There are probably turtles around and *gasp* snakes (because, well, it’s the outdoors) but we didn’t see any. The water is chilly but not freezing. It felt great when we were in the direct sun and heat.

The entire tubing trip took us a little over an hour. Depending on river conditions, it could be more or less. But Brevard Tubing allows you to tube as many times as you want the day you go!

Booking Your Tubing Trip

You don’t need to book your trip beforehand. You can just show up, sign your waiver, pay, and get on the river. If you have a bigger group, give Brevard Tubing a call (828.515.3556) so they can prep the tubes and life jackets.

Tubing on the French Broad River
Look at how relaxing this is

Kids need to be 4-years-old to get on the river and kids ages 12 and under need to have a life jacket. Sandals or sneakers – basically shoes that will stay on your feet – are also required.

Based on our tubing experiences, it’s best to bring a hat, sunscreen, water, and a change of clothes. As of now, there aren’t changing rooms on site but they do have a porta-potty.

Tickets are $30/person and includes unlimited shuttle and tube rides. If you’re tubing on July 4th weekend or Labor Day Weekend, tickets are $35/person. If you’re a NC local, your ticket is $25/person.

Hours are 9:30 am – 5 pm daily. The last tube drop is at 4 pm.

Things to do Nearby

There’s a lot to do nearby if you want to make it a day trip.

Looking Glass Falls

This roadside waterfall is a favorite of ours. Lots of people swim in the chilly waters so bring a towel and change of clothes if you’re feeling adventurous. There is no hiking to get here but there are lots of steps to go to the bottom.

Highway 276, Brevard, NC

Sliding Rock

This super popular natural waterslide gets packed over the summer. You slide down the slippery rockface into a pool below and then do it as many times as your cold body allows. They are open 10 am – 6 pm daily from May 25-September 4, 2023 and there are bathrooms, changing rooms, and lifeguards on site. During opening hours when staff is present, the cost is $5/person and kids under 3 are free.

Highway 276, Brevard, NC

The Cradle of Forestry

We love this cool spot in Pisgah Forest because you can learn all about the natural environment, history of the area, and explore hands-on activities. There is also a one-room schoolhouse and small village outdoors. Admission to the Cradle of Forestry is $6/ages 13+, $3/ages 4-12, $3/federal pass, and half price if you have the America the Beautiful Pass. For special events, sometimes there are extra fees and sometimes they are free. They are open Wednesday-Monday 10 am – 5 pm.

11250 Pisgah Highway, Pisgah Forest, NC

Sierra Nevada Brewery

The Biltmore of breweries, Sierra Nevada is very family-friendly with a small play area for kids outdoors, cornhole, lots of covered spaces to relax and enjoy music or the views, and delicious food and brews. It’s a little over 20 minutes from Brevard Tubing. Hours are Sunday – Thursday from 11 am – 9 pm, and Friday – Saturday from 11 am – 9 pm.

100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, NC

Downtown Brevard

You can shop, go gem mining, or explore the original O.P. Taylors in downtown Brevard. The town is downright adorable and is one of our favorites to wander around in.

Brevard Tubing
44-98 Everett Road, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768

Have you been tubing yet with Brevard Tubing?

Where to go tubing near Greenville, SC and find great "tubing near me".

For more places to go tubing, check out our Guide to Tubing in NC, SC, GA, and TN.

Day Trips! Plan a Day Trip Adventure in Western North Carolina

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Are you trying to fit a couple of day trips in? NC mountains, small towns, hiking trails, and waterfalls should definitely be on your to-do list when creating your itinerary for your upcoming day trips in WNC. Here is our list of popular year-round day-trip destinations in Hendersonville, Asheville, and Brevard for families. This list includes everything from museums for kids to outdoor activities and much more! Plus, it’s just a short drive to all of these destinations from Upstate, South Carolina.

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Enjoy Fall Color Change at these Incredible Vacation Rentals in WNC

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Looking for a mountain vacation rental to witness the colors of fall pour over the mountainside? It may seem early, but the time is NOW to book vacation rentals in the mountains for the fall season. The mountains of North Carolina are famous for their dramatic shows during fall when the leaves change. There’s no better way to enjoy it, than with a hot cup of coffee in your jammies at sunrise. Here’s a list of vacation rentals where you can enjoy the fall colors.

Vacations rentals to enjoy during the fall in Western North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
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