This is a fine aviation museum with a fantastic brand new air conditioned building. Great…read morecollection of aircraft. Very knowledgeable and friendly museum personnel to answer questions and give tours.

What a fantastic new facility! We've enjoyed the museum for many years and are so glad to see it…read moremoved into this incredible new space where these gorgeous birds can truly shine! This is an extraordinary museum for all ages, with beautifully restored and displayed aircraft, artifcats, and hands-on activities! A must-visit!

The Hiddenite Arts & Heritage Center is where the Lucus Mansion is located. It is on the National…read moreRegister of Historic Places because of its unique history. The house was built in 1900 as a two story Queen Anne styled home as a wedding gift. The wedding was called off three days before the ceremony because of different political views. At some point, the house was cut in half, the second floor was raised to add an additional floor in between and it became a three story house. (there are photos of this) The second and third floors are free to visit but there was a small charge to have a guided tour of the Lucas Mansion. My tour was $6 and they do take donations for the other floors. The first story of the Lucus Mansion has period furnishings. The second story is an art gallery and an exhibit about cane and some history and photos of the Lucus Mansion and Diamond Jim. Diamond Jim was a diamond and gem trader. He was well traveled and eccentric. The third story has about 550 dolls on display. It is impressive. The museum has plenty to see and read about. There is a gift shop and an elevator was added when the Heritage Center was added on to the property. The fire hoses on each floor were unique as I had not seen anything like that before. The wood finishings were also explained how the patterns were put onto the boards. There was a bell system where someone could push the button and it would ring on the first floor. The staff is very friendly here and will answer all of your questions. If you visit this museum, you will learn something new.

This hidden gem (pun intended) in the heart of Hiddenite is extremely rich in history, not simply…read morehistory of this little town or even the state but also, history connected to other states, such as South Carolina and New York! The small town of Hiddenite and staff working at the Arts & Heritage Center have done an excellent job preserving this beautiful 3 story victorian style home and the history attached to it. Everyone is knowledgeable and they are all very gracious hosts. After all, it is a former home owned by one of the wealthiest men in the state of North Carolina and therefore, the staff ensures that you feel welcome as you tour the facility. The experience here brings to life the old sayings, "everyone has a story to tell" and "if these walls could talk". By the way, it is listed on the national registry of historical places! Annually, the center hosts a Christmas Tour where the center gifts guests with a themed decor and story. The center, also, offers an art gallery on the top floor displaying pieces from local artists and often hosts educational and musical events which are open to the community. These events are held at the Educational Complex just down the street. To help support the future of the center, guests can join via an annual membership to the center. This membership gives discounts on the community events and offers other annual treats. It is a privilege to know and share this local historical treasure! After all, the more you know...

The Mitford Museum opened in October of 2021. When I recently saw an article for the museum in Our…read moreState Magazine, I decided I wanted to check out this gem of a museum. I'd never been to Hudson, NC so another adventure awaited me as I explored the small foothills town of Hudson. The Mitford Museum is inside the Hub Station in Hudson, NC. There is plenty of parking available. The museum showcases, Jan Karon, a New York Times, best selling novelist, who wrote fourteen Mitford Novels. You will also learn about Karon's life growing up and where she got her inspiration for the ordinary people she wrote about. You will feel as if you are in the fictional town of Mitford. As the sign said when I entered "Midford is now home in Hudson". The Hub Center is the town's Art Center. It used to be a grade school building where Jan Karon attended school. This seemed like the fitting place as the museum highly values education and educators as besides being a museum it is a non profit as well that promotes literacy education. The museum is in the room that was Karon's first grade classroom. When you enter the building, you can buy your admission ticket in the gift shop. The museum gift shop called Happy Endings has a books signed by Karon as well. If you cannot make it in person, I believe there is an online gift shop or will be soon. I enjoyed my time in the museum and the staff was so friendly. The museum is self guided as there are a lot of artifacts to see and information to read. But a staff member is available to answer any questions you might have. I highly recommend a visit to Hudson as this museum is well worth a stop.

So far this is my favorite fair grounds in all the Carolinas. Parking adjacent to the fair is…read morereasonable at $2.00. Main gate is a short walk across the field where you surrender another $5.00 to actually enter the grounds where you are greeted first the the Teen Queen and then by some new orange tractors and other wheeled agricultural machinery. Inside the first exhibit hall are booths of the county extension office, the farm bureau, beef council, dairy heirs, news papers, insurance agents, roof and siding shills, and some hack pushing his "new testaments" who was unable to satisfactorily explain omitting the "old testament". Further along is a cattle barn with a few milkers being tended and then the poultry barn with more chickens then I've seen in a long time: all manner of leghorns, rhode island reds, asils, comets, bantams... and two turkeys. Kinda bummed about the absence of horses, goats, and bunnies but maybe they'll arrive later in the week... Way out back is a red clay short track where crazy fast go carts were making time in a perpetual left-hand drift. Think there's going to be a demolition derby there end of the week, not for sure though. The midway is the midway; a variety of fair foods (customary and odd renditions of gyros, dogs, burgers, pizza, funnel cake, sausage, cobbed corn, ices, ice cream, and more funnel cake) scattered among modestly interesting rides (rotor, swings, cages, whirly-whirl) the usual assortment of games of chance with hucksters oing their level best to separate fools from moneys, and attractions (chainsaw carving, EMTs, rappers on parade, illusionists, and Iowa ninjas!) All things considered it was a pretty nice way to spend an evening. A little walking around with my best girl, sharing near-lethal doses of sugar and fat in the cool crisp late summer air. Tractor pulls would have been great, and bunnies.

A true apple festival people! Well worth the drive here. Apple cider fried donuts, several several…read morecraft vendors, 3 music stages, and food vendors galore. We were pleasantly surprised by the vendor options and very impressed by this organized and fun festival.

Since moving to North Carolina we have gone to a number of fairs and festivals. I think the people…read moreof Taylorsville know how to do it because a Apple festival should be surrounding Apples....and it did. If you have the chance to go to this in the coming years, take the time and go. There is a lot of great food and craft items there for sure.

One of the best haunted houses around, price is good too. I certainly did not expect how great this…read moreplace was gonna be. This place one upped lake hickory haunts for sure. Warning: they can and will touch you if you aren't wearing the glowstick. They will kidnap members of your group and you windup back with them later in the walk. If you don't like really freaky stuff do not go here. Wonderful for a good scare.

Very good haunted attraction, not exactly what I expected when I heard about it though. I won't…read morespoil it but trust me it is worth the money! My absolute favorite part was the clowns but the hellbillies were definitely quite creepy.. I'm pretty easily scared and got jumpscared many, many times and it was great. Highly recommend.

I can't believe I'm the first person to write about the museum. The museum is free, although…read moredonations are accepted. It's a small but informative museum about the local Waldensians, the founders of Valdese. Here, you can see traditional dress, old documents and photos, and items used in daily life. There is also a very nice gift shop with books on Waldensians and gift items such as Vietri Italian ceramic.

Avajean is a very kind and helpful lady. As I've never…read morevisited the Depot, I have made a few purchases from their donated collection and have received quality items. One day I'm going to visit there.

I love railroads and decided to check out the Southeastern Narrow Gauge & Shortline Museum in…read moreNewton, NC. The museum is inside the former Newton Depot. Admission is free but donations are accepted. The museum is just open on Fridays and Saturdays. A narrow gauge railway is typically used in mountainous terrain and less populated communities as they are cheaper to build. They were used for mining, logging, quarrying, and moving agriculture products. Inside the museum you will see all of the artifacts and there are a lot of them. So much history in a small place. If you are passing through this area I highly recommend a stop at the museum.