Upcountry Attractions

Plan your getaway to George Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre estate. Mr. Vanderbilt created Biltmore as an escape from everyday life.

Location: Asheville, North Carolina

Phone: (800) 624-1575

Carl Sandburg Home NHS is located on 264 acres in Western North Carolina. In addition to tours of the Sandburg Home, visitors can enjoy over five miles of trails, stroll through gardens and greet the descendents of Mrs. Sandburg's dairy goat herd. A typical visit lasts 2 hours.

Location: Flat Rock, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 693-4178

Come taste a little piece of Europe with a traditional wine tasting of our European Vinifera wines, sure to be enjoyed by any wine drinker from a novice to the connoisseur - no appointment needed! At Victoria Valley Vineyards we offer tours of the winery on the top of every hour (until 5 p.m.), a gift shop and wine accessories.

Location: Cleveland, South Carolina

Phone: (877) 612-9463

Outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most visited sections of the National Park System. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads, mountain meadows and scenic overlooks with endless vistas make the Blue Ridge Parkway a popular attraction.

Location: Asheville, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 298-0398

Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is located in Chimney Rock Village near Lake Lure in the NC mountains. Just 25 miles southeast of Asheville, NC, the Park is nestled in Hickory Nut Gorge adjacent to the towns of Lake Lure and Bat Cave.

Location: Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Phone: (800) 277-9611

With 53 miles of track, 2 tunnels and 25 bridges, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad offers a variety of excursions that explore the amazing landscape of Western North Carolina. With the romance and mystique of an era gone by, guests on-board the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad will enjoy scenic train journeys across fertile valleys and through river gorges in a spectacular region near The Great Smoky Mountains.

Location: Bryson City, North Carolina

Phone: (800) 872-4681

Coming down Gilbert Road from Landrum Road in the township of Green Creek, you'll see a fresh face. Green Creek Winery opened in 2005 and promises to become a new destination for wine lovers. We believe wine is an essential part of gracious living and Green Creek wine will enhance the experience of every meal and social gathering.

Location: Columbus, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 863-2182

Come and enjoy the loud and rambunctious, peaceful and majestic, massive and colorful, creatures that call Hollywild home. Enjoy your interaction with many of our residents. Animal Food is available for purchase at several locations throughout the park. Feeding the animals is a favorite activity for all ages.

Location: Wellford, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 472-2038

Wild trout, including the rare, native brookie. Several thousand different plant and animal species. The unforgettable peace and repose of a deep mountain cove. It’s all at Jones Gap State Park.

Location: Marietta, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 836-3647

With its stunning view of the Blue Ridge and woods full of rhododendrons, mountain laurel and wildflowers, Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area is truly one of South Carolina’s pretty places.

Location: Sunset, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 868-2605

The Rockhouse philosophy of winemaking is to produce small quantities of naturally crafted wines. Winemaking starts in the vineyard with low yields of concentrated fruit. Constant experimentation with oak barrels and native yeast fermentation techniques will continue to enhance our wines.

Location: Tryon, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 863-2784

Visit Santa's House and receive your Good Conduct Diploma and a special treat! Have your picture made with Santa for only $5.00!

Location: Cherokee, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 497-9191

We provide the equipment, no admission fee! Find beautiful emeralds, rubies, sapphires, amethysts, garnets, topaz and more, at Cherokee's first, finest & largest gem mine! Then come on in for FREE gemstone identification from one of our assay professionals & visit our fine gift, jewelry & rock shop. We will cut & polish your stones & set them in one or more of our fine jewelry settings. Same day service available! Open daily March - November. Buses & groups welcome. Call for hours & special group rates.

Location: Cherokee, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 497-6574

Table Rock Mountain provides a towering backdrop for an upcountry retreat at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Table Rock State Park features two lakes, a campground, mountain cabins, meeting facilities and its historic, renovated lodge.

Location: Pickens, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 878-9813

The South Carolina National Heritage Corridor extends 240 miles across South Carolina, stretching from the mountains of Oconee County, along the Savannah River, to the port city of Charleston.

Location: South Carolina

Phone: N/A

Stepping across the threshold of this pioneer mountain home, the visitor has an immediate sense that here, history is tangible.

Location: Pisgah Forest, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 884-5137

Birchwood Center for Arts and Folklife was founded in the year 2000 by four writers and educators nearing retirement age.

Location: Pickens, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 898-1418

This unique educational museum was opened on September 8th 2001 in response to local citizen’s desire to instill respect and etiquette for the flag of the United States of America. As the flag collection grew to over 300 different flags the history education role of the Museum also grew.

Location: Columbus, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 859-2151

KidSenses may be your destination, but your imagination will take you away! At KidSenses Children's InterACTIVE Museum, our exhibits and special workshops stimulate the imagination and educate the mind. Children and adults experience hands-on fun as they play, learn and create together in this exciting environment.

Location: Rutherfordton, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 286-2120

The Mineral Museum is located in the basement of the Henderson County Genealogical and Historical Society building. This building was the historic State Trust Company. It was used by Henderson County until leased by the Henderson County Genealogical and Historical Society.

Location: Hendersonville, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 698-1977

Come see the flowers in bloom! Hatcher Garden is a great place for a picnic or to take a stroll! Come join the volunteers on Thursday mornings from 9am to noon.

Location: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 574-7724

Beginning from the parking area for the Stumphouse Tunnel, this 15-minute hike to Issaqueena Falls is an easy excursion for even the beginning hiker, and it’s rich in lore and history. That’s why it is no stretch to lump this 100-foot cascade among the most popular in Oconee County, and among the most beautiful.

Location: Walhalla, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 638-4343

Although once voted Oconee County’s most scenic waterfall, this 75-foot high falls has no official trail, but hikers have been making the difficult, 1.5-hour trip here for 170 years, surely making it easier to follow over time. Lee Falls lies deep within a hardwood hollow that shelters a wealth of botanical rarities such as Oconee bells, bulblet fern, and others. A spray cliff also buttresses the waterfall, allowing a quasi-aquatic habitat of amphibians, mosses, and ferns to thrive in moist coolness.

Location: Oconee, South Carolina

Phone: (864) 638-9568

This botanical preserve is comprised of 268 acres of native forest, granite, spring-fed streams and a moderate 1/4 mile trail to a 90 ft. Waterfall. There are over 200 species of rare wildflowers, and plants. Mosses, lichens and trees in this glen which is classified as a deciduous climax forest.

Location: Saluda, North Carolina

Phone: (828) 749-3031