Enjoy the hospitality of Hendersonville, traditionally known for its gentle climate, beautiful scenery, richness in culture and history, ample recreational facilities and friendly people. Hendersonville is located in Western North Carolina, 22 miles south of Asheville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains on a plateau with an altitude of 2200 feet above level.
Hendersonville is ideally located for exploring town and country with varied attractions, festivals, cultural and recreational activities, historical sites, golf courses, family activities, a historic downtown with unique shops, excellent restaurants, and quality antique stores. Henderson County offers many diverse attractions, all within an easy walk or quick drive from downtown, including the Henderson County Farmers Curb Market, Jump Off Rock scenic overlook, Historic Johnson Farm, Holmes Educational State Forest, the waterfalls in DuPont State Recreational Forest, the Western North Carolina Air Museum and the Historic Hendersonville Train Depot.
The nearby village of Flat Rock began when families from South Carolina’s Low Country came to Flat Rock to escape the sweltering heat and the epidemic of yellow fever and malaria. South Carolina’s Low Country gentry affectionately called Flat Rock “The Little Charleston of the Mountains.” The entire district of Flat Rock is included in the National Register of Historic Places. Flat Rock is built around a tremendous outcrop of granite, which is said to have been the site of Cherokee gatherings. Their trails met at the “great flat rock,” which can be found on the grounds of the Flat Rock Playhouse. Historic Flat Rock is home to several attractions such as: The Flat Rock Playhouse, State Theatre of North Carolina; the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site; and St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church. Spend your leisure time enjoying quaint Little Rainbow Row, studios, galleries, inns and restaurants.
Summer evening concerts showcase traditional mountain music, square dancing, folk, blues and country Monday nights and oldies rock and dancing Friday nights. The three concerts are held under the stars at the Visitor Center, located on Main Street in Downtown Hendersonville. Music On Main Street showcases musical talents from rock to beach music. Monday Night Live features a diverse line-up of folk, country and blues. The sounds of fiddles and banjos playing at the Street Dance have been a part of Henderson County’s heritage for 99 years. The concerts are held early-June through mid-August.
The Visitor Center carries a Trail Series to make sightseeing in Hendersonville a breeze. The brochures include: Heritage Trail, a tour of Henderson County’s most popular historic sites; the Art Gallery Trail, travels through Hendersonville and Flat Rock to 15 galleries and studios; the Cheers! Trail directs you to Henderson County wineries, cideries and breweries. They provide tours and tasting rooms, to sample mountain grown selections. Henderson County is home to Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s east coast brewing operation.
The Quilt Block Trail is a self-guided tour of our area focusing on the quilt blocks displayed on buildings and barns, each a piece reflecting Hendersonville’s heritage through art. Henderson County grows the most apples in North Carolina and has the seventh largest growing in America. A Crest of the Blue Ridge Orchard Trail is available to assist visitors from early August to mid-November in finding the many orchards offering a variety of experiences like pick-your-own apples. The Trail Guides may be downloaded online at visithendersonvillenc.org
Hendersonville is small town America at its classic best. Experience this charming historic mountain city.