Whether you like natural history, entertainment, games, or something else, there are a lot of great things to do in Hendersonville, NC.
What’s great is that there’s something to do in the city for everyone’s liking. The city is home to great museums and there are fun events. From doing a guided tour and learning new things to playing pinball machines to doing a candle class, there are many fun activities you can choose from.
Wondering what to do in Hendersonville? Then this guide got you covered! In this guide, I included the best activities, tours, events, museums, and much more!
Best Things To Do in Hendersonville
Learn About Natural History at the Mineral & Lapidary Museum
The Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County is a museum where the community can learn about geology, paleontology, and related subjects. You can visit the museum for free, but donations or purchases at the gift shop are appreciated.
At the museum, you can a variety of interesting exhibits with all kinds of objects. For example, you can see raw minerals as well as polished gemstones and finished materials at the museum.
You can see minerals that are found in Henderson County and other places in North Carolina at the museum.
One of the highlights of the museum is an exhibit on the Hendersonville meteorite.
There are also displays of fossils at the Mineral and Lapidary Museum. For example, there’s a cast of a tyrannosaur rex skull.
Address: 400 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Have Fun at the Appalachian Pinball Museum
The Appalachian Pinball Museum makes for a very fun activity in Hendersonville. This is a place where you can find around 80 different pinball machines.
The pinball machines that are at the museum vary in age. Some of them are very old.
You can play the pinball machines as many times and as long as you like for a single fee. You can have a few hours of fun at the Appalachian Pinball Museum for a small fee.
In addition to pinball machines, the museum also has a collection of classic arcade games.
You can also get a variety of drinks, including a variety of beers at the museum.
Address: 538 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Do a Tour at Burntshirt Vineyards
Burntshirt Vineyards is a winery that is based in Hendersonville. The winery has two different vineyards, and Burntshirt Vineyards has two locations in North Carolina.
At the Hendersonville location, you can find the vineyards and winery.
You can do a daily tour of the winery. These tours are free to the public and take place every day of the year. During a tour, you can learn about the wine production process.
You can also do a wine tasting at Burntshirt Vineyards’ Hendersonville location. You can try all kinds of wines for a low fee, and after a tasting, you can enjoy the wine you like best by the glass or by the bottle while overlooking the vineyards.
Address: 2695 Sugarloaf Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Visit the Western North Carolina Air Museum
The Western North Carolina Air Museum is a museum with a mission to preserve the flying heritage of the Carolinas. The museum is a nonprofit organization and you can visit the museum for free, but donations are appreciated.
At the museum, you can see all kinds of vintage aircraft, including aircraft from the year 1915. You can see the aircraft up close.
In addition to that, you can see all kinds of aircraft-related memorabilia at the museum.
Moreover, at the museum, there are volunteer pilots who can show you around and provide you with interesting information about the aircraft. Also, you can get all the questions you might have about the aircraft answered.
Address: 1340 E Gilbert St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Do a Guided Tour of the Carl Sandburg Home
The Carl Sandburg Home is the home of the poet and writer Carl Sandburg, who is a Pulitzer Prize winner. The house was built in 1945 and Carl Sandburg lived for 22 years at the house and wrote a large part of his works while he lived there.
One of the best things to do in Hendersonville is to do a guided tour of the furnished home to see it from the inside. If you want to do a guided tour of the Carl Sandburg Home, advance reservations are highly recommended as last-minute tickets may not be available.
Each tour takes about 30 minutes and they are available several times per day.
Address: 1800 Little River Rd, Flat Rock, NC 28731
Play an Escape Game at FOX-N-OTTER Adventure Escapes
FOX-N-OTTER Adventure Escapes is a facility with three locations where you can play an escape game. One of the locations is located in Hendersonville.
You can play an escape game at FOX-N-OTTER, which is a type of immersive and interactive game during which you have to “escape from a room” within 60 minutes by finding clues and solving puzzles.
There are two different escape rooms at the Hendersonville location. Each of these has a unique theme and unique clues and puzzles. One of the escape rooms is called “Bayou Boathouse”. You can play this game with 2 to 8 players and it is also suitable for families that want to have a fun time.
Address: 1800 Four Seasons Blvd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
See a Movie and Have Food at the Flat Rock Cinema
The Flat Rock Cinema is a small movie theater that is located at 2700 Greenville Hwy. The movie theater has a great and cozy atmosphere.
You can see some of the newest Hollywood movies at the movie theater, but the selection is limited. You can look at the movie theater’s website to see which movie is currently shown.
Flat Rock Cinema has great prices and you can get great food and drinks at the the movie theater. For example, you can get beer, wine, and other types of drinks.
Address: 2700 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC 28731
Do a Candle Class at the Willow Hill Soap Company
The Willow Hill Soap Company is a small family-owned soap company in Hendersonville.
You can go to the shop to get great small-batch soap products, such as body wash, whipped sugar scrub, lotion, and soy candles.
In addition to that, you can do a candle class at the Willow Hill Soap Company.
During a candle class, you get everything that you need to make your own custom candle. Each class takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.
After creating your custom candle it will be ready for pick up the next business day. You can also get your candle shipped to you if you are visiting Hendersonville and doing this class from out of town.
Address: 429 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Visit the Hands On! Children’s Museum
The Hands On! Children’s Museum is a children’s museum that is located in Hendersonville’s historic downtown. At this museum, there are all kinds of interactive exhibits through which children can learn new things in a fun way.
Each exhibit lets children learn about a specific real-life situation.
For example, there is a miniature grocery store exhibit, there’s a firetruck, there is a place where children can learn about dinosaurs, and there are many other exhibits.
Each exhibit is kid-powered and allows children to learn by doing.
Address: 318 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Visit the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO
Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO is a public aquarium that makes for one of the most fun activities in Hendersonville. It is the first inland aquarium in North Carolina and it is a training site for people who wish to learn about ocean-based sciences.
You can see all kinds of species of animals at the aquarium. For example, you can see tortoises at the aquarium.
There are also daily events such as feeding of the animals events.
When you are visiting the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO, you can also ask all the questions you might have to the staff.
Address: 511 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Learn About History at the Henderson County Heritage Museum
The Henderson County Heritage Museum is a museum that can be found within the Historic Henderson County Courthouse. The Historic Henderson County Historic Courthouse is a historic gold-domed courthouse building that has a Classical Revival style.
At the museum, you can find a collection of historical and cultural artifacts through which you can learn about the people and history of Henderson County.
There are many different exhibits at the museum that each focus on a specific part of the county’s history.
For example, one of the exhibits is about the Civil War and you can see all sorts of artifacts related to the war here.
Another one of the exhibits is about the Revolutionary War, and there are many other exhibits.
Address: 1 Historic Courthouse Square, Hendersonville, NC 28792
See a Show at the Hendersonville Theatre
The Hendersonville Theatre is a performing arts theater located on South Washington Street that dates back to the year 1966.
Hendersonville Theatre develops original works from the first idea to the production. There’s a monthly “New Works Series” that gives local playwrights the opportunity to have their scripts read by actors for feedback.
Some of the works from this series are chosen for workshops and for new productions on the main stage.
Each season, there’s a large variety of shows, and there’s a show for everyone’s liking.
You can buy an individual ticket for each show, but it is also possible to get a season ticket and be able to see many shows during the season.
Address: 229 S Washington St, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Go to an Event at the Bullington Gardens
The Bullington Gardens, which used to be the nursery of Bob Bullingon, is a public botanical garden. The botanical garden offers a hands-on experience for people to learn about horticulture.
The botanical garden hosts various types of events throughout the year that the public can attend.
There are many workshops during the year through which you can learn about many different gardening-related topics. From workshops about basic techniques to workshops about specific fruiting plants, the events vary a lot.
You can see if there’s an event that you would like to attend on the website of the Bullington Gardens.
If you enjoy the events of the botanical garden, you can become a friend of the Bullington Gardens and enjoy a discount.
Address: 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Have Breakfast at Mike’s On Main
Mike’s On Main is a restaurant that is located at 303 North Main Street in Hendersonville.
This is a sandwich shop that is open 6 days a week, from Monday through Saturday. The restaurant is located inside a historic building that was the former Justus Pharmacy, which dates back to the year 1890.
Mike’s On Main has a great breakfast menu with all kinds of delicious and classic dishes making going to the restaurant a great thing to do in Hendersonville in the morning.
For example, you can get incredible French toast at Mike’s On Main. This includes three slices of Texas-style French toast, served with seasonal fresh fruit garnish and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
You can also get great pancakes and lots of other breakfast dishes at the restaurant.
In addition to that, you can get milkshakes, malts, and ice cream floats at Mike’s On Main.
Address: 303 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Visit the Elijah Mountain Gem Mine And Crystal Store
The Elijah Mountain Gem Mine and Crystal Store is a fun family-friendly attraction in Hendersonville.
Children can enjoy a fun indoor and covered “mining” experience at this store. There are covered year-round rushing water flumes that are open 7 days a week where you can find all kinds of gemstones.
You can buy a bucket and find over 40 different types of semi-precious and precious gemstones. Every bucket has a guaranteed find.
It is also possible to choose the finds you like most and get them cut and polished by the staff. The costs for this are around 50 dollars per stone.
In addition to that, there is a shop where you can buy many different types of gemstones and fossils, that range in price from 1 to 10,000 dollar.
Address: 2120 Brevard Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791
Enjoy Drinks and Live Music at Oklawaha Brewing
The Oklawaha Brewing Company is a nano brewery and tap room that is located in historic downtown Hendersonville. The brewery has won several awards throughout the years.
You can visit the brewery and enjoy all sorts of brews, such as crisp lagers and locally fruited sours.
In addition to having a delicious and unique drink at the Oklawaha Brewing Company, you can also enjoy live entertainment every night of the week. Often, there are live music events and sometimes there are trivia nights.
The taproom also has a lot of indoor and outdoor seating, and there are board games that you can play while having a drink here.
Address: 147 1st Ave E, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Attend the North Carolina Apple Festival
The North Carolina Apple Festival is an annual festival that has been held in the city for more than 75 years and attending it is a very fun thing to do in Hendersonville. The festival is held over Labor Day Weekend and takes place on Main Street in downtown Hendersonville.
The festival takes 4 days in total and celebrates the apples in Henderson County. The reason for this is that the apple is the most important agricultural crop that is grown in Henderson County, and growing apples has been done in Henderson County since the middle of the 18th century. Henderson County grows bout 80% of all the apples that are grown in North Carolina.
At the festival, there are 14 local apple growers and you can buy locally grown apples at the festival.
In addition to that, there are a lot of other productions for sale at the market that include apples, such as apple pies and apple cakes.
There is also a parade with floats, and there are other festivities at the festival.
Go to Grandad’s Apples
Grandad’s Apples is an apple orchard that is a family-owned and operated farm that is located in Hendersonville and that was founded in 1994. The family that operates the farm has been growing apples for four generations.
You can go here to select pre-picked fresh apples from bins inside the stores. There are more than 30 different varieties of apples to choose from, and you can mix and match the varieties that you like. The farm sells the apples by the pound.
It can be great to try out the many varieties of apples of Grandad’s Apples. You can see which varieties are available on the farm’s website.
There’s also a bakery where you can get food that uses apples as an ingredient. For example, you can get great caramel apples, apple pie, and apple cider donuts at the bakery.
Furthermore, during some months of the year, there are several family activities that you can do on the weekends at Grandad’s Apples. For example, there’s a corn maze.
Address: 2951 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Go Axe Throwing at Timber Axe Throwing
Timber Axe Throwing is an axe-throwing venue in Hendersonville where you can experience the fun and increasingly popular activity of axe throwing.
Axe throwing is an activity that is similar to both darts and bowling. The facility is set up as a bowling alley, you throw axes on a lane and each lane is divided. You can then throw axes at a bullseye target at the end of the lane.
You can book a 1 or 1.5-hour axe-throwing session.
Keep in mind that, no one under 13 is allowed inside at Timber Axe Throwing.
Address: 218 Duncan Hill Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Enjoy Delicious Food at Never Blue
Never Blue is a New American restaurant that is located on South Main Street. You can get delicious dishes at the restaurant, and the restaurant offers cuisines from all over the world.
From flatbreads to tapas to nachos to burgers, there are many dishes to choose from.
You can also go to the restaurant and enjoy Sunday brunch.
The desserts of the restaurant are delicious as well. For example, you can get incredible brownies and tasty double dark chocolate cake at Never Blue.
Address: 119 S Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Go to a Performance at the Flat Rock Playhouse
The Flat Rock Playhouse is a non-profit theater with a history that dates back to the year 1937.
Every season, there are many different types of shows at the Flat Rock Playhouse that can be great to check out if you’re looking for things to do in Hendersonville.
There are fun Broadway musicals, concerts, and plays, and the quality of these shows is very high.
You can also see great shows during the holiday season at the Flat Rock Playhouse.
In addition to that, the theater offers great concession options.
Address: 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC 28731
Do a Guided Tour of the Historic Johnson Farm
The Historic Johnson Farm is a farm that dates back to the end of the 19th century. The farmhouse was made using bricks that were made on-site.
You can also find various other historic buildings on the farm. For example, the “Heritage Weavers and Fiber Artists” are housed in the 1920s boarding house of the farm. This is an organization that is dedicated to the preservation of Appalachian fiber crafts.
The only way to visit the 1876 farmhouse is by doing a guided tour of the farmhouse. You can do the tour for a low fee.
During a tour, you’ll also visit the studio and gallery of the Heritage Weavers and Fiber Artists.
Address: 3346 Haywood Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791
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What To Do in Hendersonville Tips
When doing the activities from this article, I recommend checking out the opening hours of the place that you plan on visiting in Hendersonville at the last moment. Sometimes opening hours change, and you want to be sure that the place you are going to isn’t closed.
If you’re going to decide what to do in Hendersonville, you should also keep in mind that you sometimes need to make an advanced reservation or buy tickets for the activities on this list. For example, if you want to play an escape game at FOX-N-OTTER you need to do so.
Hendersonville Things To Do Map
This was my guide to the best things to do in Hendersonville, NC. I hope I helped you decide what to do!