Spring officially arrived this week on Tuesday, March 20, despite the unusually cold weather. The Western North Carolina mountains come alive with the reawaking of the spring blossoms popping out on the trees, shrubs and flowers.
Many of us get anxious to get outside and work in the yard by planting flowers, fertilizing the grass, pulling weeds, spreading mulch and the many other jobs that make our yards sing. Outdoor enthusiasts hit the trails, rivers, zip lines, campsites and all the amenities our forests have to offer.
With the days getting longer, we look forward to warmer weather and the many activities that start in the next a few months. The tried-and-true annual favorite events and some new and exciting events thrown in the mix for good measure are in the offing for 2018.
The Visitor Center is operated by the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority and is gearing up for the busy upcoming 2018 spring and summer seasons. According to a AAA survey, families are taking more trips per year. One in four (27 percent) of traveling families is planning to take three or more family vacations in the next 12 months, 12 percentage points more than in 2016.
The leads and phone calls the Visitor Center is receiving is a good indication that Hendersonville will be a popular destination for travelers seeking the many diverse experiences the area has to offer. Inquiries are pouring in requesting trip planning materials such as the HCTDA Visitor’s Guide, maps, and brochures.
Visit North Carolina, formerly the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, contracts with the research company TNS for data on North Carolina visitors. In 2016, approximately 48.6 million-person trips were taken in North Carolina and ranked No. 6 in the U.S. in terms of domestic visitation.
The summer (June -August) was the most popular season for travel to North Carolina, with nearly 36 percent of all 2016 visitors.
The Visitor Center stocks hundreds of local and regional brochures. Spring is a time for travelers to plan their summer activities and scope out their traveling options. The center is fielding requests from travelers and residents looking for literature to plan their summer activities.
The schedule for Hendersonville’s summer music scene has been condensed into one convenient piece, including Music On Main Street, Monday Night Live!, Street Dances, Main Street Car Shows, Rhythm Brews and Music by the Lake. It’s that time of year again.
The convenient schedule of all concert series (as well as the classic car shows) is available in the Visitor Center or online at visithendersonvillenc.org/summer-concerts.pdf.
The 25th annual Garden Jubilee will be held May 26 and 27, the rack card includes the topics for Southern Living garden expert Bill Slack. Other seasonal rack cards in stock include: Hendersonville Community Theatre, Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra, Antique Engine Tractor Show and many more. Some of the newer offerings are the new Cider, Wine and Dine Weekend coming up April 20-22.
The Street Dances, with old-timey mountain music and traditional square dancing, is celebrating 100 years in downtown Hendersonville from July 9-Aug. 13. The ArtScape and Flat Rock Playhouse brochures should arrive in the coming weeks.
Many grandparents come into the Visitor Center looking for suggestions for things to see and do when the grandchildren come to town. If you are puzzled by how to keep the grandchild or guests busy for a few days, the staff and volunteers can assist you with entertainment options for people of all ages.
The new Visitor Guide is a great place to start, it provides information for planning such as: restaurants, golf, attractions, family activities, camping, summer camps, and other outdoor recreation. The Guide is also available in a virtual form on the TDA web site at www.visithendersonvillenc.org/travel-guide-2018. The Guide is the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority’s No. 1 marketing tool.
The Planner is advertised in many national publications such as: Southern Living, Reader’s Digest, AARP and many others. We encourage all Henderson County innkeepers to provide a Visitor Guide to their guests, all the activities listed in the magazine may entice them to stay an additional night.
We invite you to drop by the Visitor Center, located at 201 S. Main St. in downtown Hendersonville, to pick up a complimentary copy of the Visitor Guide, area brochures and maps. The Visitor Center is open 9-5 Monday through Friday and 10-5 Saturday, Sundays and holidays.
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