an itinerary for family-friendly fun

FRIDAY NIGHT

Kick off your weekend with dinner at Campfire Grill in the quaint Village of Flat Rock. The restaurant recreates the summer camp experience in its dining room. Hendersonville is the camp capital of the Southeast, with approximately 20 youth summer camps. Standout menu items include the towering counselor burger and s’mores skillet served with graham crackers for dipping.

Walk to an evening show at Flat Rock Playhouse. The State Theatre of North Carolina specializes in musicals, comedies and shows for young audiences. The professional theater merges top talent with an approachable, laid-back vibe for a bit of Broadway in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Allow everyone in the family to unplug at Kanuga Conference and Retreat Center. Located on 1,400 acres, the resort encourages outdoor exploration and quality time with loved ones. Book a hotel-style room in the main inn, or choose from multi-bedroom historic cottages and guest houses with various amenities, such as fireplaces, screened porches and kitchens.

Saturday Morning

If you’re in Hendersonville from late August through October, spend Saturday morning at an apple orchard. Hendersonville leads North Carolina in apple production, and many orchards invite customers to pick their own fruit. Other farm adventures include hayrides, apple cannons, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and bakeries with fresh apple treats.

If apples aren’t in season, head to Elijah Mountain Gem Mine and search for gemstones and gold. Covered outdoor flumes are open seven days a week yearround. In addition to mining, visitors can pet and feed the goats and admire colorful peacocks and pheasants in the aviary.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Spend the afternoon in the Seventh Avenue Historic District. Apple Valley Model Railroad Club is located in the former train depot. The museum has a working HO-scale model train that depicts Western North Carolina circa the 1950s. A larger, all-weather G-scale display runs outside with plants and water features.

SATURDAY EVENING

White Duck Taco Shop makes taco night an easy dinner choice. Adults will like the variety with everything from jerk chicken, lump crab, Korean beef bulgogi and lamb gyro filling tortillas. And kids will like the familiarity of chicken or cheese quesadillas.

End the night with ice cream at nearby Celtic Creamery. The shop uses an Irish recipe and local ingredients to create an exceptionally creamy ice cream that is made, churned and frozen daily in-house.

SUNDAY MORNING

After checking out on Sunday, make a final jaunt to Holmes Educational State Forest for a hike around the Talking Trees Trail. Along the half-mile loop, different species of trees share a bit about themselves, including their distinct characteristics and helpful uses.

As you navigate downtown, participate in the Apple Quest scavenger hunt. Designed by a local Girl Scout troop, the search involves a dozen brass apples hidden at landmark locations. A brochure with clues is available for download online, or you can pick up a printed copy at the Welcome Center on Main Street.