welcome to hendersonville with Michelle Owens

My initial trip to Hendersonville had a lot in common with many first-time visitors. It took place in summer. It lasted exactly six days. It involved outdoor activities and sleeping in cabins. And it began a lifelong love affair with these Blue Ridge Mountains.

This was summer camp in the 1980s, and I was a youngster seeking new adventures and discovering mountain moments. For as long as people can remember, Hendersonville has drawn visitors from near and far, and during that week, I learned why. It’s that simple feeling of being at home, even in a place you’ve never visited before.

Eventually, my title went from camper to camp counselor. Then came life’s next phases: college, family and career. Right now, I’m particularly excited about that last part because you’re reading my first visitors guide as executive director of the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority. In this role, I’m privileged to share my passion for visiting Hendersonville, Flat Rock, Mills River, Etowah, Fletcher and the many friendly communities of Henderson County – it's a passion all of us share.

I guess you could say my unofficial title is CIO: Chief Invitation Officer. I love inviting people to seek new adventures, to create mountain moments — those memories I’ve been fortunate to make here over the years: hiking mountain trails; sleeping in cozy cabins; picking sweet, crisp apples in autumn; enjoying favorite meals in restaurants; shopping for handmade treasures; and just listening: to poetry at the Carl Sandburg Home, to cool water rushing over river rocks, to the famous talking trees at Holmes Educational State Forest, to my children laughing on rides at the North Carolina Apple Festival, and to countless stories around the campfire.

As you take time to read through this visitors guide, I truly hope it inspires you to visit the Hendersonville area. You will notice a few themes popping up again and again: family fun, outdoor adventure, handcrafted treasures, amazing views, farm-to-table goodness and one of the best main streets in America.

No visit to the North Carolina mountains is complete without trails, and we have an abundance. Hiking trails, mountain biking trails, craft beverage trails, orchard trails and art trails. The Hendersonville Cheers! Trail showcases a collection of more than two dozen wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries located in Henderson County. We give a special shout-out to our vineyards for earning recognition as an American Viticultural Area (AVA). This federal designation is reserved for top wineproducing regions in the U.S., and the seven wineries (and growing) in our Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA consistently produce award-winning wines to be enjoyed amidst our spectacular scenery.

We look forward to seeing you!