Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson Co: My family and…read moreI decided to embark on a weekend getaway to one of our favorite counties, Hendersonville North Carolina. Instead of hiking and enjoying outdoor activities. We decided to explore Hendersonville, a quaint little town. While walking along the streets, close to the courthouse, we stumbled upon the Mineral lapidary Museum of Henderson Co. The museum is non-profit-volunteer based, with no admission but donations are appreciative. From the outside the museum looked interesting so my family decided to go inside. I was not disappointed and can't believe there is no admission fee. The museum is located on the second floor, so you will have to go up some stairs, not sure if there was an elevator for those unable to climb the stairs. We were greeted with friendly staff members, who were eager to answer our questions. I have never been in a mineral and lapidary museum before. The museum had a wide range of minerals and artifacts, as far as I could remember there was: raw and faceted specimens, Fluorescent minerals, North Carolina minerals, diamonds (they were so pretty), geode, and fossils. My favorite fossil is the giant dinosaur. I would say the museum is an average size, not too big or small. There is enough space to walk around without feeling claustrophobic. If you are spending the day with your family or friends, I would check out the museum-all ages will enjoy it. Just to make a note of, there are limited parking spaces, since you are in the town, but you should be able to find a spot within a short walking distance. In addition, as of what I saw, there is no restroom inside the museum, but I might have missed it though. If you are in the Hendersonville area, I would recommend spending a day in the town, because there are so many things to do, shopping, museums, and cafes. Make sure to stop by the Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson Co and will definitely be back with the family.

The Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County is located in Downtown Hendersonville. Admission…read moreis free but they accept donations. Paid parking is available on the street. The museum is located in the basement so stairs are required to access the museum. The museum is on the smaller side but I was quite impressed with the collection and variety. The fluorescent exhibit is near the entrance, so make sure you check that out as it is a great educational demonstration. There are gems and minerals from the area and the world. There is a gift shop as well. It is a great place to visit and explore.

Across the street from the "current" post office, this is the OLD post office and it has since been…read moreturned into a museum and cultural center for the town of Flat Rock. Limited hours but the museum has all sorts of materials to view including old newspapers, clothing, pictures, furniture and the like. An interesting look back at the history of this adorable mountain town. [Review 20011 overall - 3452 in North Carolina - 986 of 2023.]

The Historic Hendersonville Depot is where the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club showcases their…read moremodel trains. Western North Carolina is the background behind the trains. There are trains to see both inside and outside the depot and the volunteers will answer questions. You can tell that they enjoy showing these wonderful trains. The detail in the displays is very impressive. The Farmers' Market is nearby so you can visit both if near downtown Hendersonville.

Great for both kids and adults! It is free (donations are appreciated) and there are several rooms…read morein which to watch the trains operate.

We go to this theater a lot. The shows are very diverse. Something for everyone. It's a super small…read moretheater so even the back row is able to see and hear everything. I also like to support the town. These actors are not paid, they do it because they enjoy it. Yes, there is a "bucket" for tips to split between the actors. We are going to see Much Ado About Nothing tomorrow. I'm going to look into buying a season pass. Lots of good shows coming up!

Their play, "Lend me a Soprano" is a pure zero. I truly regret going to this theatre. I have twice…read morebeen to the outdoor play in Bardstown, Kentucky "My Old Kentucky Home" where tickets costs less, the size of the cast is at least five times as large, the talent so much better, and the plot great. The bitter experience of Hendersonville Theatre is such I never plan to return there.

The variety of displays is amazing in many genres. Prices in all ranges. Handmade by local artists…read moreand craftspeople. Well worth the visit! Support local small business.

I think it will show off the Main Street businesses plus alot of vendors. You can buy crafts eat…read morein one of the local restaurants or grab something from food vendors. You find fresh apples , apple pies , apple ice cream and apple drinks . On Monday will be parade. Alot to look at plus an area to buy tickets for kids to ride on kiddie rides bounce houses around Wells Fargo Bank . Mostly likely you need to pay to park I say look up First Church of Nazerene or Facebook Hendersonville First Nazarene. They offer free bottle water and allow you to use their church clean restrooms. It fund raising for church children. They are on Washington Street behind curb market and only 2 blocks from Historic Courthouse where they hold music at .

We arrived at the 2024 Festival on Saturday around noon and there was plenty of parking lots and it…read moreseemed like they were prepared for the crowds. We stopped at HenDough (which was only a few minutes from the actual festival) to grab doughnuts before getting started. Since the Apple festival was the main reason for our trip to Hendersonville we were prepared to try all types of Apple products. There were farm stands selling fresh apples, Apple Cider and a few stands with Apple Slushies; BUT HONESTLY THIS COULD'VE JUST BEEN CALLED [The Hendersonville Festival]. On one end there was festival type foods (corndogs, funnel cakes, turkey legs) and a few carnival rides for kids age 7-12. Not really for toddlers. The other end is plenty of arts & crafts, t-shirts and other vendors to spend money on. The Apple product stands were far few in between: one stand selling fried apple pies/baked apple frittata but they only accepted cash. Overall, this was a good way to spend time as a family but I expected way more apples goodness.

If you have a young train enthusiast (or if you are one yourself) the Apple Valley Railroad Club is…read morea must-see! FREE admission, but I encourage you to leave a donation to support this wonderful location! Located in a 100-year-old train station, come see model trains in action! There's a G track outside and an HO track inside that spans 3 rooms!! My 6-year-old future train engineer was in railway heaven!! All the volunteers were so friendly and knowledgeable. There's a counter piled up with a variety of old railroad and model train magazines that are free to take and enjoy. Such a nice place to visit!

What a wonderful space! And they are growing!!! Want to purchase handmade ceramics, got it. Want…read moreartisan crafts? Got it. Want to learn how to make your own??? Wheel throwing on one side & they just expanded and have hands building ceramics in the space next door! Affordable shopping or learning! I was thrilled to trade & buy from the locals. I bought first, then traded!