Overview
Hendersonville is a small town just south of Asheville, North Carolina.
Established in 1847, downtown Hendersonville is full of 19th and early 20th century architecture and has a friendly "Small Town, USA" feeling. You'll find a thriving Main Street complete with fine restaurants, homemade ice cream shops, antique stores, and lots of artists and art galleries. Downtown Hendersonville is a fantastic place to spend a day shopping with beautiful landscaping, wide sidewalks, comfortable benches, outdoor water fountains and plenty of parking, not to mention all of the wonderful and unique shops.
8 sights · 1 things to do · 2 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Hendersonville
Historic Downtown
Full of quaint shops, historic buildings, and art galleries.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
In Flat Rock. Daily 9AM-5PM. The famed poet and biographer spent his later years on this 263-acre estate called Connemara with his wife, who raised prize-winning goats.
Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County
A geology and paleontology museum, including the opportunity to crack open and take home a geode.
Henderson County Heritage Museum
Located inside the Henderson County Courthouse, this museum features a gallery on North Carolina history.
Western North Carolina Air Museum
Great if you're into classic Cessnas and Pipers, crop dusters and things.
Historic Johnson Farm
Tobacco farm circa 1878 open for tours.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 29°F. Wettest: Aug and Jun. (climate data from nearby Asheville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- AVL Asheville Regional Airport, Asheville — 9 mi away. Directions
- GSP Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Greenville/Greer/Spartanburg — 32 mi away. Directions
- CLT Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte — 86 mi away (major hub). Directions
Hendersonville lies 40 miles north of Spartanburg, South Carolina and 22 miles south of Asheville, North Carolina at the southern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hendersonville can be accessed from three exits from Interstate 26.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $129–$129 a night (typical $129), from 2 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$170, mid-range ~$200, comfortable ~$300.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Western North Carolina Air Museum, Jump Off Rock, Historic Downtown
- Lunch West First Wood-Fired
- Afternoon Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County, Lutheridge
- Dinner Joey's Bagels
- Evening Hannah Flanagan's Irish Pub
Day 2
- Morning Historic Johnson Farm, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
- Afternoon Henderson County Heritage Museum, Flat Rock Playhouse
- Evening The Black Rose
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The population estimate for 2020 is 15,137 and it is 2,200 feet above sea level.
Get in
Hendersonville lies 40 miles north of Spartanburg, South Carolina and 22 miles south of Asheville, North Carolina at the southern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hendersonville can be accessed from three exits from Interstate 26.
The nearest airport served by commercial airlines is Asheville Regional Airport. For more options, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a major airport in Charlotte, is less than a two-hour drive away.
Hendersonville is also served by a privately owned, public use airport. The Hendersonville Airport has been in operation since 1932, and is located 2.5 miles southeast of the town.
Apple Country Public Transit Route 3 offers bus service to and from Asheville Regional Airport, where you can connect to buses to Asheville.
Get around
- Apple Country Public Transit - 526 Seventh Avenue East. +1 828 698-8571.
- Checker Cab Co. - 525 S Grove St. +1 828 692-2424.
See
See Historic Downtown (Main Street Historic District)
Full of quaint shops, historic buildings, and art galleries.
Do
- Apple Festival, Labor Day weekend
Do Lutheridge
Faith-based outdoor camp and conference center located between Asheville and Hendersonville. Lutheridge offers a variety of summer programs for elementary to high school aged youth and hosts retreats and conferences from fall to spring. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
- Play golf.
- Art and Craft Community
Buy
- Main Street shopping district.
Eat
Eat Joey's Bagels
New York-Style Bagels. There is a second location at 5829 Asheville Hwy in Fletcher.
Drink
Drink Hannah Flanagan's Irish Pub
Drink The Black Rose
With billiard tables.
Sleep
Stay Elizabeth Leigh Inn
Go next
- Blue Ridge Parkway, nearest access is Asheville
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, nearest gateway is Cherokee.
- Pisgah National Forest
- Chimney Rock State Park 18 miles from downtown Hendersonville on Hwy. 64 East.
Nearby
Brevard
City / town · 10 listings · 16 mi away
Asheville
City / town · 195 listings · 19 mi away
Black Mountain
City / town · 11 listings · 22 mi away
Weaverville
City / town · 21 listings · 27 mi away
Greer
City / town · 7 listings · 29 mi away
Waynesville
City / town · 14 listings · 32 mi away
Greenville
City / town · 81 listings · 32 mi away
Marshall
City / town · 16 listings · 35 mi away
My experience
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