Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By Eric Morris

The mountains in western North Carolina are among the most beautiful in the entire United States. Three mountain ranges — the Great Smoky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains, and the Blue Ridge Mountains — converge in North Carolina, giving the area a charm unsurpassed in the rest of the country. These three mountain ranges provide the perfect backdrop for a fun and adventurous North Carolina mountain vacation.

There are a wide variety of attractions in the mountains of North Carolina. Visitors can go camping in the vast wilderness surrounding the mountains, stay in an historic cabin not unlike the dwellings of the area’s early settlers, or stay in a modern, state of the art resort. The Appalachian Trail, Nantahala National Forest, and the Western North Carolina Nature Center are just a few of the exciting places to visit in this region.

The Appalachian Trail is a footpath that stretches over 2000 miles from northern Georgia all the way to central Maine. This beautiful trail winds through some of the most stunning parts of the mountains in North Carolina. Clingmans Dome, the highest point on the trail, provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding area. On a clear day, visitors can see up to 100 miles away.

Nantahala National Forest encompasses many of the peaks and valleys of the western North Carolina mountains. It includes the Tusquitee River. Another attraction of the Nantahala area is the river rafting. There are difficult class II and III rapids along with calmer waters more agreeable to families.

The Western North Carolina Nature Center offers a number of features for visitors. The Center has a petting zoo, gardens, a predator habitat, a nocturnal hall, and other interesting and educational attractions to lure visitors. The Center also serves as a sanctuary for injured or orphaned animals that could not survive in the wild.

A North Carolina mountain vacation is a great idea for a family, or as a romantic getaway. The beautiful scenery and fascinating attractions will please anyone.

Mountain Vacations Info provides detailed information on vacations in the Rocky, Blue Ridge, and Great Smoky Mountains, as well as mountain biking vacations and mountain rental cabins in Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and other destinations. Mountain Vacations Info is the sister site of Dude Ranch Web.

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by ANDREW STRATTON

Downtown Hendersonville atmosphere, in a charming artist colony nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina. This town is known for its architecture as well as concerts, fairs, antique stores, art galleries, and landmarks.

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Hendersonville, North Carolina, is a historic town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This town is growing, although at 12,000 residents it is still a small town.

There are many different architectural styles represented here, and most of the town has been preserved as historic districts. Real Estate in Hendersonville NC is your chance to be a part of this community.

There are a few buildings that contribute to the downtown Henderson Atmosphere. You will want to see the Erle Stillwell House, which is a revival of the Tudor Style, west of downtown Henderson. There is also the unique Killarney, a stone Gothic revival.

The City Hall was also designed by Erle Stillwell and it is a red brick building with classical pillars out front. Henderson real estate agents can also show you many other local creations.

Special events take place in Hendersonville all the time and make this town a unique experience … Watermelon Day! This is a sweet event held down at the Farmer’s Market where you can get watermelon samples, door prizes, and take part in a watermelon eating contest. Yum!

There’s also the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, the Quilter’s Guild, and the Music on Main Street Concert Series. Since Hendersonville is a small town, a lot of the festivals and concerts take place downtown on Main Street and many opportunities for real estate in Hendersonville NC is located near even more events.

Attractions include Garden Jubilee, the North Carolina Apple Festival, the North Carolina Mountain State Fair, the Street Dances, Art on Main, Farm City Day, and the Scots Foothills Highland Games. So much to do!

Main Street has many interesting independent businesses run by artists and crafters. Hendersonville is famous for its antique stores. There are also many galleries for you to browse new works of art created by the local artisans. Slowly strolling down Main Street certainly has its appeal!

Henderson cultural groups include the Arts Center, the Opportunity House, Arts League, Flat Rock Playhouse, Little Theatre, Symphony Orchestra, Community Band, Chorale, and the Carolina Concert Choir.

Downtown Hendersonville has a lot of other attractions that you will find interesting. These include the Mineral Museum which specializes in Geode displays although it also holds gems and minerals found in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Cherokee crafts.

The local Genealogical Society has records of North and South Carolina and can trace many people’s ancestors back to the original travelers on the Mayflower. This building also has the antique McClintock Chime Clock attached. There is also a marble statue of an angel that inspired the writings of Thomas Wolfe located in the Oakdale Cemetery.

Hendersonville Railroad Depot has been restored and contains a model railroad that is a scale model of the local towns in Western North Carolina. The area is steeped in history and local culture; ask Henderson real estate agents about even more of the landmarks that give this town its character.

For an area devoted to history and culture take a look at Historic Hendersonville real estate. Ask a Hendersonville real estate agent at Preferred Real Estate Center about even more of the landmarks that give this town its character. Preferred Real Estate Center