Attractions & Family Fun

Henderson County offers attractions for all ages and a variety of interests and a good place to start exploring them is the Visitor Center.

Henderson County Tourism Development Authority

201 S Main Street, Hendersonville

828-693-9708

VisitHendersonvilleNC.org

The Welcome Center helps people discover all that Henderson County has to offer including outdoor recreation, craft beverages, boutique shopping, agritourism, accommodations, restaurants, family activities, attractions, events and more. Stop by for maps, brochures, a complimentary Visitor Guide and to learn more about the area. The Welcome Center also offers parking for cars and buses, public restrooms and is the home to the Henderson County Tourism office. In 2023-2024, come see us in our temporary Welcome Center, located at the same address, while the permanent building is being remodeled.

BY TeamECCO

511 N Main Street, Hendersonville

1-4 PM Wed-Sat

Free for children under 1, $4.75 for ages 1-4 $6.75 for ages 5-65, $5.75 for ages 66 and older Special pricing for military, firefighters, EMT personnel, current teachers 828-692-8386

TeamECCO.org

The Aquarium & Shark Lab is a marine education site that brings the ocean to the mountain. The exhibits house 300+ fish, invertebrates and reptiles. Visitors can engage with student interns and docents gaining knowledge and sharing a passion for this watery world. The Aquarium & Shark Lab’s immersive presentations include raising baby sharks, behavioral training and animal imprinting and research projects with facilities in Chicago, Australia and the Bahamas. The Aquarium & Shark Lab features the only 2,000-gallon saltwater aquarium in Western North Carolina where small sharks and rays live. Visitors can observe tank feedings of them at 1:30pm, Wednesday through Saturday.

95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville 9AM -4 PM , Mon-Sat year-round 828-698-6104

BullingtonGardens.org

Bullington Gardens is a 12-acre public nonprofit garden and horticultural education center with a number of themed gardens featuring perennials, pollinator plants, herbs, native azaleas and some unusual specimen plants. It includes a distinctive collection of Japanese maples, a fairy garden (open June through August) and an extensive dahlia garden. The property also features a therapy garden for those with physical limitations and a nature trail with native woodland plants. Classes and workshops are offered year-round. Programs for school children and horticultural therapy for special-needs high school students are conducted during the school year. Operated as a partnership with Henderson County Public Schools and NC Cooperative Extension, Bullington Gardens was bequeathed by Bob Bullington, a New York City policeman who established a nursery on the site. Visitors are welcome in all seasons. There is no charge for admission but donations are encouraged. Tours and programs for groups can be arranged.

Administered by the National Park Service Little River Road, Flat Rock

Parking lots and grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset

Visit website or call for tours and farm area hours, which vary by season

No charge for visiting the grounds, hiking or picnicking

House tours: $10 adults, $6 seniors, children under 15 free 828-693-4178

NPS.gov/Carl

This picturesque home and 264acre farm called Connemara was the residence of Carl Sandburg –Pulitzer-prize winning poet and author, biographer of Abraham Lincoln, journalist and social activist – and his family from 1945 to 1967. Against the backdrop of Glassy Mountain, the home’s peaceful setting and interior remains as it was when the Sandburg family lived there. On the grounds, the park maintains a small goat herd descended from Mrs. Sandburg’s world-renowned herd of dairy goats. There also are more than five miles of trails that lead to wonderful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Throughout the year, special festivals and ranger programs are offered. Carl Sandburg Home NHS is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

318 N Main Street, Hendersonville

Check website for hours

$4 for children under 1, $10 for everyone else

828-697-8333

HandsOnWNC.org

Hands On! Children’s Museum is the place where learning comes into play. Catering to children ages one to 12 and their caregivers, this children’s museum provides educational exhibits and programs that stimulate the imagination and motivate learning. Traveling programs, space rental for events and birthday parties and memberships are also available. The People’s Museum & Walk of Fame is a celebration of the history and culture of Black, Indigenous and People of Color. This exhibition is FREE to the community and is designed for both youth and adult learners.

1 Historic Courthouse Square, Suite 4

Inside the 1905 Historic Courthouse on Main Street, Hendersonville

10AM-5PM , Wed-Sat; 1-5PM , Sun

828-694-1619

HendersonCountyMuseum.com continued on next page

From the Revolutionary War to the coming of the train to the area’s Golden Age (1879-1929) to modern day, this museum celebrates the rich history of Henderson County. Its six exhibit rooms contain artifacts and multimedia presentations that inform visitors about the milestone events that shaped this area.