11 Fantastically Fun Things To Do In Hendersonville, NC
Uncover the best things to do in Hendersonville, NC. Explore museums, hiking, breweries, wineries, and a historic downtown area.
What can you do in Hendersonville, NC – a fantastic day trip from Asheville (AVL)?
Before moving to AVL, we spent a long weekend enjoying the wineries, hiking, and touring the areas around Western North Carolina.
After trekking the gorgeous The Hunger Games waterfalls at DuPont, we grabbed lunch in Historic Downtown Hendersonville followed by wine tasting at St. Paul Mountain Vineyards.
We instantly fell in love with the city, its chill vibes, and its friendly community. We almost bought a house here.
Today, this area remains one of our favorite places to visit for drinks, apple orchards, and festivals – especially since Hendersonville is only about a 40-minute drive from Downtown Asheville.
Hendersonville is filled with delicious and unique restaurants, competing with its Foodtopia neighbor. Think BBQ, gyros, famous hot dogs, pizza, sushi, and Thai cuisine.
Play vintage pinball or shop for your pooch. Grab a flight of sour beer and a steaming cup of local coffee. Immerse yourself in literature and history.
Craving homemade fudge or a 50s-style soda fountain? How about a bee or Coca-Cola mural?
Did we mention quaint B&Bs? A rock museum with a dinosaur? The Hendersonville attractions are endless.
So, what are the best things to do in Hendersonville, North Carolina? And, where can you stay?
As Asheville locals, enjoy our top Hendersonville things to do for couples, families, friends, and solo travelers.
Then, explore a few fun things to do near Hendersonville in case you have time to road trip around the Blue Ridge Mountains – lakes and the Blue Ridge Parkway included. Let’s get started!
*Please always double-check websites and hours for each establishment. Know that Hendersonville grows much busier on the weekends.
Uncover the best day trips around Asheville.
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11 Best Things To Do In Hendersonville, NC
1. Walk Downtown Hendersonville
Wondering what to do in Hendersonville, NC first? Why not shop – and eat and drink?!
We just love walkable Downtown Hendersonville, which is filled with shops, cafes, bookstores, breweries, and restaurants.
Encounter quaint streets filled with al-fresco dining. Find parking along Main Street’s side roads and in pay lots.
A few notable Hendersonville shops and landmarks to check out:
- Kilwins Hendersonville (506 N Main St) – A delicious and small chocolate factory selling confections and ice cream.
- Hendersonville City Hall – Constructed in 1928 and designed by North Carolina architect, Erle G. Stilwell, uncover historic artifacts.
- Wag (231 N Main St A) – A fun and extensive pet boutique filled with specialty items for your dogs and cats. Shop for toys, natural treats and pet food, and essential gear like harnesses and leashes. Our cats adore their catnip stuffed avocado plushes.
- Wine Sage & Gourmet (416 N Main St) – One of our favorite things to do in Hendersonville, taste all of the wine. Wine Sage is a fabulous HVL wine bar and shop. Head downstairs to find highly curated and unique wines – local and international. They also sell olive oil, local coffee beans, olives, and fun wine gifts. Attend an event. Tell Merit that Christine and Tom say “hi!” She’s a wonderful friend and a caring community member.
- Mast General Store (527 North Main St) – No WNC town is complete without a general store. Shop for everything from vintage candy to outdoor apparel and gag gifts. You probably didn’t need it, but you’ll definitely buy it. These stores always feel a tad touristy, but they are hard to resist.
- A Walk In The Woods (423 N Main St) – One of the best shops in Downtown Hendersonville, this is our go-to place for whimsical local arts and crafts. Find home decor – especially gorgeous paintings and framed sculptures – along with stickers, magnets, pottery, macrame plant hangers, scarves, and more. Their prices are incredibly fair too!
- Joy of Books (242 N Main St) – No book lover can resist a great indie bookstore. Head to Main Street’s Joy of Books for a few new and mostly used books. We love their local author and region section. Find newer fiction and a kids’ area too. It’s narrow but fantastic inside.
Find more information about Downtown Hendersonville from Visit Hendersonville.
2. Grab A Bite To Eat
Hendersonville attractions include its stellar local restaurant scene. Grab a bite to eat before winery hopping or after a great DuPont waterfall hike.
Be sure to check out our complete guide to Hendersonville’s delicious restaurants – we eat in HVL frequently.
A few not-to-miss Hendersonville restaurants:
- Postero (401 N Main St) – Devour posh New American cuisine in Downtown Hendersonville. While lunch is more casual, enjoy a fine dining dinner.
- Umi Sushi (633 N Main St) – One of our all-time favorite sushi restaurants near Asheville, if we are staying in Hendersonville, we always eat here. Choose from lunch specials and larger dinner specialty rolls and entrees.
- Pita Express (1034 Greenville Hwy) – Dining in Hendersonville doesn’t get any more local than this. If you crave Middle Eastern cuisine such as gyros, hummus, falafels, and grape leaves, this small restaurant is a must. Even better, find gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free options, including desserts.
- Mike’s On Main Street (303 N Main St) – Flashback to the past while munching on an egg salad sandwich. This 1950s-style restaurant offers breakfast, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and hot dogs. Don’t miss the historic soda fountain or Coca-Cola mural. This is a great family-friendly restaurant too.
- Moe’s Original BBQ (114 N Main St) – Although a small franchise, for delicious barbeque and local brews in Downtown Hendersonville, Moe’s is sure to hit the spot.
- Arabella (536 N Main St) – An Uncorked Asheville readers’ pick, Arabella is best known for its American & Latin breakfast and brunch. We personally enjoy their specialty coffee, and they have vegan pancakes and “sausages.” The service is excellent with the friendliest staff.
- Hot Dog World (226 Kanuga Rd) – Looking for the most budget-friendly eats in Hendersonville? Hot Dog World is it – and definitely an establishment you will crave. True to their namesake, order hot dogs, sandwiches, and burgers. Hendersonville attractions don’t get any more mouthwatering and local than this.
- Mezzaluna (226 N Main St) – Enjoy a popular Downtown Hendersonville Italian eatery featuring wood-fired pizza.
- Shine (202 N Main St) – If you are looking for a cozy taproom, Shine is it. The food is simple yet delicious with a huge draft and cocktail list. That French Dip sings to us. Shine also has a rooftop bar.
- Haus Heidelberg German Restaurant (630 Greenville Hwy) – On the outskirts of Downtown Hendersonville, find absolutely delicious German cuisine. Haus Heidelberg is another one of our personal favorites. Think brauts, Wiener Schnitzel, and German beer.
- Boon Choo Thai Express (576 Upward Rd) – Although located in nearby Flat Rock on the border of Hendersonville, many of the Hendersonville locals will tell you that Boon Choo is one of the best Thai restaurants around. Grab a half-portioned lunch and local cider.
- Carolina Ace BBQ – Carolina Ace is a delicious rotating BBQ food truck that you might just catch at Guidon Brewing or Dry Falls Brewing. Keep reading to learn more about Hendersonville’s breweries…
3. Wine Taste At The Hendersonville Wineries
Wondering what to do in Hendersonville after lunch? Why not wine taste?
Hendersonville is becoming renowned for its growing vineyards. A few of the best Hendersonville wineries include:
- Stone Ashe Vineyards (736 Green Mountain Rd) – One of the newer wineries in Hendersonville, Stone Ashe is also our personal favorite. The inside tasting room offers gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows. Or, bring your chairs and blanket for an outdoor picnic overlooking the vineyards.
- Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards (588 Chestnut Gap Rd) – Wine taste by the gorgeous fireplace or on their outdoor back patio. St. Paul was also one of the first wineries we ever visited in North Carolina. We love the live music and food trucks on weekends.
- Point Lookout Vineyards (408 Appleola Rd) – With amazing views, don’t miss sitting high up over the mountains while sipping delicious wine and munching on bites at Point Lookout Vineyards. They also offer mead tastings.
- Sawyer Springs Vineyard (124 Sandy Hill Ln) – A quieter, off-the-radar Hendersonville winery, the staff is personable as well as extremely family and customer-oriented, which we love. The tasting room is in a barn-like structure, and there is plenty of outdoor picnic table seating.
- Souther Williams Vineyard (655 Hoopers Creek Rd, Fletcher) – Right across the way from Stone Ashe Vineyards on the border of Fletcher and Hendersonville, Souther Williams recently opened their tasting room in 2022. The grounds are gorgeous, and this family-owned winery offers sip and hike tours.
Marked Tree Vineyard – For things to do near Hendersonville, head to Marked Tree. Technically Marked Tree sits in Flat Rock, but it’s a must. Enjoy gorgeous vineyard views (even in the fog), small plates, and delicious wine in a modern and trendy building.
These Asheville wineries are nearby too.
4. Enjoy A Craft Brew
What are the best Hendersonville things to do for beer lovers? Brewery hop, of course!
Everyone always thinks of Asheville for breweries, which is true. But, Hendersonville has quite a few local craft breweries.
Plus, the Hendersonville brewery scene has grown immensely over the past few years, stays more local, and is less crowded than AVL.
We are in love with Hendersonville’s pristine and dare we say sexy new breweries. A few have large outdoor patios and event spaces.
We frequent Oklawaha Brewing (formerly Sanctuary Brewing) for their gluten-reduced beers. Tom has Celiac Disease and finds that he can personally drink the beers here (not all Celiacs can, though).
Or, order flights full of Scottish Ales, Ambers, IPAs, and Blondes at Hendersonville breweries like Southern Appalachian Brewery, Guidon Brewing, and D9 Brewing Company.
D9 is noteworthy if you enjoy sour beers. They also have gluten-free options like local ciders and hard seltzers.
Be sure to grab our full Hendersonville brewery list to see where the best BBQ food trucks sit, which brewery has the coolest murals, and where you can drink lots and lots of German beer.
And, let’s be real: drinking beer is one of our favorite things to do in Hendersonville. This is Uncorked (and untapped) Asheville, after all.
5. Apple Pick & Gorge On Cider Donuts In The Fall
Hendersonville, also known as “Apple Alley” is home to amazing apple orchards in Western North Carolina.
If you are looking for the best fall things to do in Hendersonville, don’t miss bamboo forests, cider donuts, corn mazes, and slushies.
People always ask us which apple orchard we love the most.
If you are running short on time, we’d pick one of these orchards:
- Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard – At Stepp’s Hillcrest, find huge sunflowers, apple picking, and a large corn maze. They make delicious donuts and cider too.
- Grandad’s Apples – Explore a country store, get lost in their corn maze, and pick apples surrounded by those gorgeous mountains.
- Sky Top Orchard (Flat Rock) – Sky Top Orchard makes piping hot donuts on the spot, and they serve them fresh. Sky Top also has a bamboo forest, apple picking, tractor rides, and a barnyard with frisky goats. Don’t miss our complete guide to visiting Sky Top Orchard.
We also enjoy Coston Farm for low-key apple picking without the crowds. Our readers frequent Jeter Mountain Farm on the weekends, and they have a hard cider taproom.
Explore even more kid-friendly activities in and around Hendersonville and Asheville.
6. Stay At A Quaint B&B
For romantic things to do in Hendersonville, NC we recommend an overnight getaway for couples. The Bed & Breakfasts are quaint and incredibly sweet.
While you might wish to pick a cabin stay or Hendersonville Airbnb, we suggest the 1898 Waverly Inn. They have a delicious happy hour with local wine and beer along with cozy rooms.
Mike is a wonderful host with endless Hendersonville suggestions (we found Umi Sushi because of him), and you can walk to Downtown Hendersonville.
Plus, there is a reading room with a library, and they serve a scrumptious breakfast. We stayed here while house hunting.
If the 1898 Waverly Inn is booked, right next door, The Charleston Inn looks charming, too. We haven’t stayed at this B&B yet, but we did take a peek.
For Asheville and Hendersonville attractions, visiting all of the historic homes, neighborhoods, and sites is a must – even if you are just window shopping.
7. Hike Nearby At DuPont State Forest To See The Hunger Games Waterfalls
If you are looking for fun things to do near Hendersonville, NC, don’t skip waterfall chasing at nearby DuPont State Forest. We couldn’t recommend this state park anymore.
DuPont is located between Hendersonville and Brevard, which makes this free park a great morning stop before heading into Downtown Hendersonville.
DuPont is pretty famous, too, as a filming location for both The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans.
We always recommend the 3-waterfall hike – Hooker, Triple, and High Falls – and/or the trek to Bridal Veil Falls.
If you hike all 4 waterfalls, it’s about 7-miles total. The first three waterfalls are only about 3 miles. Just Bridal Veil Falls is 4.4 miles.
If you are hiking with younger children, Hooker Falls is about .25-miles from Hooker Falls Access Area parking. You may wade here, but exert caution as there are no active lifeguards.
Please pay attention to all posted signs for your own safety. You’ll find well-labeled maps and a visitor center close to High Falls.
If DuPont seems like it is going to be busy, you could also hike the easy Bearwallow Mountain Trail or the more moderate Trombatore Trail.
Read more about all of the terrific Asheville hiking trails and the variety of waterfall hikes across WNC.
8. Visit A Museum
For fun things to do in Hendersonville for the entire family, the city has quite a few museums and historic buildings to visit.
A few notable Hendersonville attractions include:
- Western North Carolina Air Museum (1340 E Gilbert St) – North Carolina is known for being the “first in flight.” Check out their restored and replica vintage airplanes.
- Appalachian Pinball Museum (538 N Main St) – Play vintage and contemporary pinball machines and video games. We love their sister pinball museum in Asheville too.
- Carl Sandburg Home (Flat Rock) (1800 Little River Rd, Flat Rock) – Filled with hiking trails, pay homage to poet, NC author, and historian Carl Sandburg. Parking and hiking here are free.
- Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO (511 N Main St) – Find a small public aquarium housing eels, stingrays, sea horses, and sharks.
- Mineral & Lapidary Museum (400 N Main St) – This free museum is fantastic for dinosaur lovers and geologists. Volunteer-run, encounter gorgeous gems, the Hendersonville meteorite, a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, a mastodon tusk and teeth, and a wooly mammoth leg bone. Purchase a geode that they will crack open in the spot.
- Hands On! Children’s Museum (318 N Main St) – Connected to the People’s Museum, head in with your littles for fun and interactive exhibitions like a giant light bright.
You may also enjoy these museums and historic sites in and around Asheville.
9. Attend A Tea Party
Located about 7 minutes from Downtown Hendersonville, enter a literary gem, The Book And Bee Cafe. This tearoom and cafe opened in 2021 and serves, breakfast, lunch, and tea.
You’ll know you’ve arrived when you spot the red British phone booth and book spine-labeled stairs.
Breakfast and lunch (with cream tea) are first-come, first-serve. Or, make reservations for afternoon tea complete with finger sandwiches, jam and scones, and sweet desserts.
We enjoy lunch with soups, salads, and sandwiches – gluten-free and dairy-free options included.
While here, be sure to visit all of the themed rooms; we dare you not to fall in love with the literary decor and quaint, sparkling rooms.
Plus, Victoria and her mom run this cafe – and they’ll treat you like one of the locals.
The Book & Bee Cafe is by far one of the best things to do in Hendersonville, NC for book lovers.
The Book & Bee Cafe and Tea | 795 Mountain Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791
10. Perk Up With Coffee
Asheville isn’t the only city filled with stellar coffee shops. After touring all of the Hendersonville attractions, you might need a little pick-me-up.
Located in Downtown Hendersonville, Black Bear Coffee Co. (318 N Main St) is a city oasis. Choose from gourmet coffee and light bites.
Be sure to look up at the ceiling as it is lined with international coffee bags. Sit outside on the patio and people watch or head to the back to get some work done.
Along with Black Bear and situated outside of Downtown Hendersonville, Appalachian Coffee Company (*now moving to a new location as of Feb. 2023) is another delicious coffee spot.
With gorgeous windows and wooden walls, select from coffee, smoothies, and beer. Sit outside on the patio or inside by the sprawling windows.
Relaxing over coffee and tea is one of our top things to do in Hendersonville after a day of museum hopping, hiking, and winery touring, especially before driving back to AVL. *Yawns*
Grab our complete guide to the best Hendersonville coffee shops to see which places are pet-friendly, serve vegan and gf treats, and are great spots for digital nomads.
11. Day Trip Around WNC
If Hendersonville is your base for your Western North Carolina travels, we highly recommend day-tripping to other great mountain towns, starting with its Flat Rock neighbor (mentioned quite a few times above).
Flat Rock, North Carolina boasts a gorgeous strolling park, the Carl Sandburg Home, the Flat Rock Playhouse, ShareWell Coffee, Sky Top Orchard, and Marked Tree Vineyard.
And, of course, one of the best things to do near Hendersonville includes touring Asheville.
Asheville is a haven for breweries, artist studios, museums, street art, concerts, rooftop bars, and hiking.
The restaurants in Asheville are famous, including Chai Pani and Curate. AVL is only about a 40-minute drive from Hendersonville.
Weaverville is right next door too – complete with a dog park bar and quirky restaurants.
Similar to Hendersonville, we frequent Black Mountain, which is about 45 minutes away.
Black Mountain is known for its art culture and is a more local spot for food and beer, housing our favorite distillery, Oak & Grist.
Lake Lure and Chimney Rock promise hiking trails and waterfalls. This is cabin life at its best.
Lake Lure features a Flowering Bridge and shimmering lake that you may recognize from the movie Dirty Dancing.
About an hour away, explore Maggie Valley, stopping for beer by the river, visiting Soco Falls, and touring Wheels Through Time.
Of course, WNC is filled with gorgeous lakes, including Lake Junaluska and AVL’s Beaver Lake.
Or, head out onto the scenic two-lane Blue Ridge Parkway for breathtaking mountain overlooks, some of the best fall hiking, and even more cascading waterfalls.
Lastly, hike along the Appalachian Trail around Hot Springs – about one hour and ten minutes by car from Hendersonville.
Where To Park In Hendersonville, NC
Parking in Hendersonville can get a little tricky, especially if you are attending an event or visiting on a busy weekend.
We always try to find street parking along the side roads running perpendicular to Main Street. Newer, these spots are no longer free (under a specific time limit), and you will have to pay via the ParkMobile App.
There are also a few smaller pay lots around Downtown Hendersonville, including the Dogwood, Azalea, and Maple Lots. You’ll want to follow public parking signs for these lots.
There is also the Hendersonville Parking Deck where you take your ticket with you and pay at the station.
Please note that many of these changes started in March 2023.
More Places To Stay Around Hendersonville
Along with the aforementioned Bed and Breakfasts, check out some of these top-rated Hendersonville hotels and inns:
The Melange Inn – Built in 1920, stay in a historic Southern and Victorian-style mansion, especially if you are traveling with a group.
Echo Mountain Inn – Enjoy a traditional American breakfast, stone fireplaces, and a swimming pool at this pretty Bed & Breakfast.
Kanuga Inn – An outdoor retreat, grab a room with a balcony or check out their larger cottages perfect for families and groups.
Skylaranna Hotel & Resort – This boutique mountain hotel boasts of over 50+ acres of riverfront property.
Find even more Hendersonville accommodations, or check out Asheville’s hotels.
Save These Hendersonville Things To Do For Later:
What are your favorite Hendersonville attractions?
We just love Hendersonville, and we hope you do too. What are some of your favorite things to do in Hendersonville, NC?
Where have you stayed and eaten that you enjoyed?
How about the best things to do near Hendersonville? Hikes? Waterfalls? Other WNC towns? Let us know in the comments!
More Hendersonville Activities:
Hendersonville, NC’s Best Restaurants
Top Breweries In Hendersonville
Waterfall Chasing At DuPont State Forest
Not-To-Miss Wineries In Hendersonville
Best Hendersonville Apple Orchards
Christine
Christine (pronouns: she/her) is the owner of Uncorked Asheville. After falling in love with those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, Christine and her husband Tom decided to call Asheville, North Carolina home. When her pointy Italian nose isn’t stuck in a book, Christine is adopting all of the kitties, getting lost in the forest, and drinking an ESB. She has a BA in English and History from Smith College, her MLIS from USF-Tampa, and is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar - Indonesia. Christine also owns The Uncorked Librarian LLC with books and movies to inspire travel.
Can someone make us a great itinerary for Hendersonville? 😆 Everything sounds so amazing to me, but we have two older people, 4 adults, and 3 kids (4,6,7) and I’m trying to figure out what in the heck to plan that everyone will enjoy! We’ll be there end of July during the week so unfortunately no orchards open yet. Suggestions are appreciated!!!!!
Haha. I feel you. I love Hendersonville. With that group, I’d personally 1. Hike DuPont’s waterfalls – they are kid-friendly hikes too. 2. Head to Downtown Hendersonville and dip in and out of restaurants, free museums (and then also drive over to the airplane museum when it’s open), toy stores, etc. Mikes on Main is family-friendly for food – and super sweet/fun. 3. Head to the Park at Flat Rock (the little village over) for a picnic in the shade and play on the playground. I’d also venture out to Chimney Rock/Lake Lure as a day trip, if you haven’t been yet (you have to pay to enter Chimney Rock). I saw your other question on our winery post – for kid-friendly wineries with space, Sawyer Springs looks like a farm – it’s very chill out of all of the wineries and Paul, the owner is really a wonderful person. Marked Tree is smaller but really nice on a hill. Lastly, Bearwallow Mountain is a great nearby family-friendly hike with cows. I hope that gets you started, and have a wonderful trip. You can also drop me, Christine, an email: hello @ the URL of this website.
The Henderson is Hendersonville’s only downtown accommodation with an Al Fresco dining experience. At Harvey’s, we serve gourmet small-plate meals with fresh ingredients and innovative takes on classic dishes.
Our guests regularly share with us the convenience of an easy one block walk to main street where they enjoy dining in over 20 restaurants and shopping in over 70 specialty shops.
The view from Jump Off Rock in the early morning or evening.
Yes! Thank you for sharing!
I live there! For 22years.
We almost bought a house in Hendersonville. What do you love the most?
Downtown Hendersonville has a couple more restaurants you missed. For a romantic dinner in a dimly lit setting, with live piano music in the background, Brandy’s is a great spot for steak, seafood and more. Cozy booths in the back offer an intimate setting. Shine, also downtown also has great food, perfectly cooked steak and seafood, a rooftop cocktail setting and interior woodworking that is a work of art. For lunch al fresco Day in the Country off of 4 Seasons Blvd has great salads and after be sure to prowl their shop which features a shoppers delight of merchandise from costume jewelry and clothing items to wonderful home accessories and a Christmas shop upstairs.
Hi Mimi, Thank you so much for sharing the Hendersonville restaurants that you love with our readers. I appreciate the extra and thoughtful tips, too. A Day In The Country was not on my radar; I will have to check it out. Thanks! Have a great week.
I feel like you’re always bringing us the most amazing-sounding-cafe’s EVERRR. I just wish I could actually go to them, instead of longing for some far away day in the future :’) The Book & Bee, after a night at a b&b, sounds HEAVENLY!!!
Right?! I always get SUPER excited when it’s a literary cafe. The B&B travel life is great. I miss it!