The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO is the only public aquarium in Western North Carolina. It is recognized as the first inland aquarium in North Carolina.
The Aquarium houses 20+ displays of tropical fish, eels, stingrays, sea horses, turtles, a touch tank, a 2,000-gallon shark study tank with bamboo sharks and more!
Check web site for hours, they vary by season
Admission charged
Educational opportunities for schools are available
Biltmore is the largest privately-owned home in America situated on 8,000 acres. It was built by George Vanderbilt and was completed in 1895. Vanderbilt’s 250-room mansion is modeled after a French château. The Estate encompasses the house, landscaped gardens, walking trails, woodlands, restaurants, shops, inn, and an award-winning winery. Located 22 miles north of Hendersonville.
Reservations required to tour the house.
Reservations may be made online.
Check web site for admission charges and hours
Outdoor Adventure Center – hiking, biking carriage rides, horse back riding, fly-fishing, river floats, sporting clays and more. Call for details and reservations.
The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the mountain ridges from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The Parkway’s 469 toll-free miles combines natural beauty, mountain forests, wildlife, wildflowers and magnificent views. Located 15 miles north of Hendersonville.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is where Carl Sandburg, American poet, historian, author, and lecturer spent the final 22 years of his long and productive life at his estate, Connemara. The home, originally built in 1838, displays the Sandburg’s furnishing as they lived at Connemara from 1945-1968, including Carl Sandburg’s collection of 12,000 books. Tour the home for a small fee, and learn about Sandburg’s life as a writer, journalist, folk singer, social activist and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and biographer. Visit the barn and descendants of Mrs. Sandburg’s champion dairy goat herd and hike over five miles of trails. Access to trails, grounds, barns and public areas is free.
Open year-round. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day
Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park combines the best of the mountains with 75-mile panoramic views, unique biodiversity, six hiking trails ranging from kid-friendly to strenuous, and one of the tallest waterfalls on the East Coast.
A unique 26-story elevator inside the mountain is an easy way to access the observation deck.
The Park has been a filming location for many movies including “The Last of the Mohicans.”
The Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500-acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest, set aside by Congress to commemorate the beginning of forestry conservation in the United States. Outdoor activities include two guided trails, which lead back in time to seven historical buildings, including a 1915 Climax locomotive and an old sawmill.
The Forest Discovery Center features a fire fighting helicopter simulator, hands-on exhibits, a 26-minute movie ” First in Forest: Carl Schenck and the Biltmore Forest School,” children’s games and more.
DuPont State Recreational Forest encompasses 10,268 acres in Henderson and Transylvania counties that include waterfalls and 80 miles of roads and trails wandering through mountainous terrain. Open to the public for hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and horseback riding. Fishing is allowed with a valid NC fishing license. Hunting is by special permit only. Many scenes from the 2012 hit movie, The Hunger Games and the 1992 film, The Last of the Mohicans were shot in DuPont State Recreational Forest. The Hunger Games were filmed entirely in North Carolina. Download the Hunger Games film locations.
Hooker Falls on Little River has become a popular swimming hole, dropping off a 13-foot high natural ledge before flowing into Cascade Lake. Fawn Lake is another popular place to take a dip. Neither location has a lifeguard on duty, swim at your own risk.
Florence Nature Preserve offers a network of 5+ miles of hiking trails on 600 beautiful acres on the slopes of Little Pisgah Mountain. Find a Trail Map here.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park covers seven counties in North Carolina, with the northern fringe of the Smokies in Tennessee. The 520,000-acre park is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Eastern United States, covering more than 88 square miles. The park contains some of the highest peaks in the East, with elevations in excess of 6,000 feet. Activities include hiking, horseback riding, campgrounds, nature trails, trout fishing and several visitor centers.
Historic Johnson Farm is a fine example of a late 19th and early 20th-century farm & tourist retreat. The entire structure was handmade from bricks that were fired on-site from French Broad River mud. Over the years many outbuildings were constructed, including a tool shed/blacksmith shop, barn, boarding house, and a cottage. The property offers historic home tours, nature trails, picnic tables, animals, and 10 historic structures on 15 acres filled with trees in a natural setting. Guided tours of the historic house are available Monday-Friday, call for times.
The Heritage Weavers and Fiber Artists have transformed the boarding house into a fiber arts center, which includes weaving, rug hooking, bobbin lace, spinning, or knitting.
Holmes Educational State Forest offers a series of well-marked trails, firefighting equipment, accented by exhibits and displays depicting the ecology of a managed forest. Picnic sites with tables and a spacious picnic shelter (with grills) are also available. Located about 8 1/2 miles from downtown Hendersonville.
Jump Off Rock is a scenic overlook, which provides a panoramic view of rolling pastures, the Blue Ridge and Pisgah mountain ranges. Jump Off Rock also holds an Indian legend that has been passed down for many, many years. Over 300 years ago a young Cherokee Indian maiden received word that her young Indian Chief had been killed in battle, so she climbed to the edge of the rock and jumped off. Indian legend has it that on moonlit nights you can see the ghost of the maiden on Jump Off Rock. Jump Off is located about 5 miles from downtown at the end of Laurel Park Hwy. The park is open daily, sunrise to sunset. No admission charge.
There are three hiking trials at Jump Off Rock, varying in length and difficulty. Blue Trail – easy trail, takes about 8 minutes, Yellow Trail – moderate trail, takes around 15 minutes & Red Trail – is the most difficult and the longest. See the sign at the entrance to the walkway leading to Jump Off Rock.
The Lake Lure 27 miles of shoreline was selected by National Geographic as one of the Ten Most Spectacular man-made lakes in the World. The lake offers a marina, boat rentals & tours and a sandy beach. Located 14 miles east of Hendersonville
Lake Powhatan offers a sandy beach, swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnic area, campground, trails, and educational programs. Lake Powhatan is located just minutes from Asheville.
Mount Mitchell State Park is the highest point East of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet offering breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Northeast of Asheville off Blue Ridge Parkway on NC 128
The Oklawaha Greenway stretches 3.25 miles, connecting Jackson Park, Patton Park, Berkeley Park, Sullivan Park & William H. King Memorial Park. It is a relatively flat paved trail and is handicap accessible. The Greenway is a 10-foot-wide asphalt path for cyclists and pedestrians. Mileage signs have been installed every quarter of a mile along the trail to help trail users know how far they have traveled and how much farther it is to their destination. Benches, water fountains, and three bicycle FixIt Stations are available along the trail. Blue light phones have been installed along the greenway using grant money from the state Department of Transportation.
Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is located in Pisgah National Forest. The Center’s indoor and outdoor attractions include: aquariums, hands-on exhibits, garden display, special programs, viewing and feeding of the hatchery trout. Free admission.
Open year-round: December – March: Open Monday – Friday 8 am – 4:45 pm April – November: Open Monday – Saturday 8 am – 4:45 pm
The Pisgah National Forest’s 501,691 acres stretches across the eastern edge of Western North Carolina’s mountains. he closest section to Hendersonville is the Pisgah Ranger District, which includes attractions such as Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock, Pisgah Forest State Fish Hatchery, Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, The Cradle of Forestry and the North Mills River Recreational Area.
A 10-acre park in Laurel Park with almost a mile of walking paths, fitness stations, a catch-and-release fishing pond, picnic area with charcoal grill, and more.
Nature Trails
Fishing (catch-and-release for children under age 12)
Shining Rock Wilderness, consists of more than 18,000 acres with elevations varying from 3300 to over 6,000 feet, and part of Pisgah National Forest. Shining Rock Wilderness is the North Carolina’s largest wilderness area.
Offers year-round birding tours and hikes, including local day trips, regional weekend trips and week-long international trips, all conducted by local bird experts and ornithologists
Some local day trips are free, all trips require reservations
The Western North Carolina Nature Center is comprised of 42 acres of plants and animals native to the region. Open 7 days per week, year-round with indoor and outdoor exhibits, and many educational and events throughout the year. Located approximately 25 miles north of Hendersonville.
Wolf Ridge Ski Resort offers skiing, snowboarding, lessons, tubing and lodging, and is located just 5 miles off I-26 and 50 minutes north of Hendersonville.
Check their website for info on pricing, mountain conditions and availability.
