Hendersonville, NC

1. Elijah Mountain Gem Mine (and Goat Farm)

Consistently rated as one of the best places to take the family for a fun day out in North Carolina, Elijah Mountain Gem Mine offers all-day fun for visitors of all ages. It all starts with the gem mining, which takes place outdoors in a covered area suitable for year-round mining.

There are 7 rushing water flumes where you can try your hand at mining rubies, emeralds, quartz crystals and many other precious/semi-precious stones. After your prospecting, you can visit the goat farm and aviary to meet some of the animals and birds before trying out the ropes course and visiting the Base Camp Brewery and the Rock Shop.

Elijah Mountain Gem Mine, 2120 Brevard Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791, 828 692 6560

2. Justus Orchard

The Justus Orchard is owned and operated by the Justus family in Hendersonville, North Carolina, who have been growing apples in the area for more than one hundred years. The apple orchard set in the scenic mountains offers a great escape into the countryside for people of all ages. Visitors can pick their own apples from the orchard’s dwarf-size apple trees, have a picnic lunch in the picnic area, and take in the gorgeous views surrounding the apple orchard.

187 Garren Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-974-1232

3. Mineral & Lapidary Museum

Henderson County’s Mineral & Lapidary Museum was established with the purpose of offering a place for people to learn about and discover the diversity and beauty of the underground world. The goal of the museum is to be a community resource for information and education on earth sciences related to paleontology and geology, and features an assortment of exhibits ranging from polished gemstones and finished materials to raw mineral specimens in their natural states. The Mineral and Lapidary Museum also hosts several special exhibits showcasing collections on loan. The museum is open Monday to Saturday and there is no fee for admission.

400 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-698-1977

4. Burntshirt Vineyards

The two vineyards located on the “Crest of the Blue Ridge” on either side of the country’s Eastern Continental Divide are the heart of North Carolina’s Burntshirt Vineyards. The Hendersonville location of Burntshirt consists of the winery and the vineyards and offers daily wine tastings and tours of the winery, as well as on-site accommodations and a venue for private events.

2695 Sugarloaf Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-685-2402

5. Apple Valley Model Railroad Club

The Apple Valley Model Railroad Club is one of Western North Carolina’s popular tourist destinations. Its HO layout is housed inside of the historic Hendersonville Railroad Depot that dates back to the year 1902, occupying a space of 22 feet by 100 feet and featuring a quintessential western North Carolina mountain setting. The historic train depot today is also home to a Southern Railway caboose, a variety of railroad related artifacts, and a children’s exhibit in which they can play with Thomas the Tank Engine within a scenic layout. The Apple Valley Model Railroad Club is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

650 Maple St, Hendersonville, NC 28792

6. Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard

The Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard is a seventy-acre apple orchard and working farm just outside of historic Hendersonville, situated on the crest of western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The orchard itself is nearly forty acres in size and features more than twenty varieties of apples. The Hillcrest Orchard was the first “pick-your-own” apple orchard in Henderson County and provides visitors with an opportunity to pick their own fresh apples on the fourth-generation farm and orchard. The grounds also include a five-acre corn maze, pick-your-own pumpkins, and an apple cannon during the weekends for shooting targets with apples.

170 Stepp Orchard Dr, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-685-9083

7. The Western North Carolina Air Museum

Located less than three miles away from downtown Hendersonville, North Carolina, The Western North Carolina Air Museum celebrates aviation and is home to an interesting collection. Along with its impressive historic airplane collection, the Western NC Air Museum also displays models, photographs of historic pilots and airplanes, engines, and flight manuals. Situated within two airport hangers, passionate volunteer pilots are available to answer questions from visitors and share their stories. The Western North Carolina Air Museum hosts a few special events during the year.

1340 E Gilbert St, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-698-2482

8. Team ECCO Aquarium & Shark Lab

Team ECCO Aquarium & Shark Lab is the only existing public aquarium within western North Carolina. Housing more than twenty different displays, the aquarium showcases dozens of various tropical fish, sting rays, eels, turtles, and seahorses. The Team ECCO Aquarium and Shark Lab is also home to a shark study tank featuring bamboo sharks and measuring two thousand gallons in size, as well as a touch tank where visitors can get up close and personal with an array of sea creatures. Other highlights of the aquarium include reptile feedings, sting ray feedings, and shark feedings that take place every day.

511 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-692-8386

9. Jackson Park

Jackson Park in Hendersonville, North Carolina is located near the southeast city limits. Jackson park is home to facilities and activities for people of all ages. Along with sports programs, the park also hosts a number of special events throughout the year, such as the Cross Country Jamboree, Farm City Day, Movies in the Park, and the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Park facilities include a nature trail that’s a little more than one mile in length, modern restrooms, a woodland picnic area that overlooks the playing fields, three playground, and much more.

708 Glover St, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-697-4884

10. Bullington Gardens, Inc.

Formerly a nursery owned by Bob Bullington, the Bullington Gardens, Inc. are now a public botanical garden facility set on approximately twelve rolling acres that provide hands-one horticulture education, as well as other sciences, to adults, students, youth clubs, and the general public. The gardens incorporate several unusual mature trees that were collected by Bob Bullington. Today, the Bullington Gardens offer tours of the gardens, workshops, activities, and educational programs. These gardens include an herb garden, butterfly garden, a native woodland garden, perennial borders, therapy garden, and more. There is also a wooded nature trail open to visitors.

95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville, NC 28792, Phone: 828-698-6104