24 Hours in: Best Things to Do in Hendersonville NC Part II

Last week, I shared one of my recent adventures and most memorable culinary experiences of 2017 in Hendersonville, NC.  My morning included a tour of Underground Baking Company and Independent Beans Roasters with co-owners Matthew Hickman and Lisa Hoffman, a tour and beer tasting at Sanctuary Brewing Company and cocktails, dinner and dessert at Chef Jesse Roque’s restaurant, Never Blue.  To read Part I on 24 Hours in Hendersonville, click here.

After a sensational dinner at Never Blue, my gracious host, Nicole Livengood and I walked a couple blocks over to The Poe House in historic downtown Hendersonville.  Co-owner, Kimberlee Young, who is a history buff and an Edgar Allen Poe fan, named the bar in honor of the poet.  The Poe House has the feel of both a pub and a trendy wine bar and attracts both locals and visitors.  The cozy venue is filled with warm lighting, leather couches, a sexy bar and a few two and four top tables where patrons can enjoy live music or converse with friends while enjoying a craft beer, wine or cocktail.  On my first visit to The Poe House, I ordered The Pit & The Pendulum which is made with Corazon Blanc de Agave, Cointreu, blood orange juice, house-made jalapeño simple syrup, jalapeño slice and blood orange pendulum garnish.  I love the combination of sweet citrus, tequila and the heat of a jalapeño, so this cocktail was perfectly made to satiate my taste.  The Poe House also has a light menu consisting of snacks, sandwiches, meats & cheeses, just to name a few.  I did not sample the menu, but I hope to visit the bar again in the future and sample their charcuterie board along with more of their signature libations.  If you are in the neighborhood on a Tuesday, The Poe House hosts Champagne Tuesdays with a featured cocktail and a selection of sparkling offerings with a bar of fresh juices, fruits and bitters to create your own sparkling cocktail.  The bar is open until 10 pm on most weekdays and midnight on the weekends.  Live music acts perform every Wednesday through Saturday.  For more details on special events, live music or feature cocktails, checkout The Poe House Facebook page.

After an eventful day and evening in Hendersonville, I was exhausted and headed to my suite at the newly renamed and renovated Cascades Mountain Resort.  My King Suite featured a king sized bed and a sleeper sofa that could accommodate up to 4 guests.  Fortunately, I had the king bed to myself.  My room was furnished with a mini refrigerator to store my take home goodies from McFarlan Bakery and Never Blue.  Wi-Fi, an essential amenity for any blogger or influencer, is complementary at the resort.  The room is also equipped with a coffee maker, TV, hair dryer, iron, ironing board and toiletries.  Aside from a King Suite, the Cascades Mountain Resort also features Standard Rooms and Premium King Suites.  In the near future, the resort will also have extended stay suites as part of their offerings.

After a good night’s rest, I woke up to a winter wonderland in The City of Four Seasons.  Hendersonville is gorgeous on its own, but the snow adds an extra element that makes it look magical.  Before leaving the resort, I had the opportunity to meet with manager, Roy Dickerson, for a personal tour of the resort grounds.  Unlike many resorts, Cascade Mountain Resort is locally owned and operated and strives to cater to guests looking for a world-class experience in a family friendly atmosphere.  Aside from attracting families, the resort is perfect for couples looking for a mountain getaway or companies that need a place to host their next corporate event.

If you are coupled on a romantic weekend and not wanting to leave the resort or perhaps a business person that does not have time to leave the resort, the Old Orchard Tavern is an on site restaurant open to both hotel guests and locals.  The restaurant offers world-class dining and integrates locally sourced ingredients in addition to highlighting Hendersonville’s cuisine.  A full hot breakfast buffet complimentary with stay is also served at the Old Orchard Tavern.  Craving a snack or a quick bite?  The Cascades Cafe at the resort features local jellies, jams, candy, wine, ice cream and other snacks.  If you forget your swimsuit, like I did, you might be able to buy a swim suit here as well.

My favorite resort amenity at Cascades Mountain Resort is the 12,000 square feet of water play that includes an indoor swimming pool, slide, children’s water shelf and a three section hot tub that has a 30 person capacity and overlooks a charming indoor waterfall.  If you need to get your workout in during your vacation, the resort has a nice fitness facility equipped with treadmills, stationary bikes, mechanical weights and more.  The resort’s meeting facilities are also very popular for corporate events, birthday parties and more.  If you are having a child’s birthday party at the resort, a birthday celebration at the resort may include the use of the swimming pool and game room.  Contact the hotel for more information.  I may not be six, but I would love to host my next birthday party at the Cascades Mountain Resort hot tub and pool!  The Cascades Mountain Resort also has several packages available that cater to a romantic weekend, family fun, golf weekends and more.   For more information on the packages available, click here.

Aside from the cozy mountain charm and extensive amenities the hotel has to offer, it is conveniently located 10 minute from downtown Hendersonville.  The resort has ample parking and can accommodate large vehicles including motor coaches.  Although the snow had not stuck to the roads during my tour with Roy Dickerson, the local forecast called for more snow and made driving conditions more dangerous as the day progressed.  Had it not been for the snow, I would have made accommodations to stay another day and night to experience the swimming area & slide, hot tub and dine at the Old Orchard Tavern.

After my tour of the Cascades Mountain Resort, I headed to HenDough Chicken & Donuts  to meet owners Paul & Sarah.  The lovely young couple met while working as Chefs at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.  HenDough Chicken & Donuts is their first restaurant project serving two of America’s favorites : fried chicken & donuts!  Now tell me, what more could you ask for in a restaurant?

HenDough is situated in a residential community and is especially cozy on a snowy day.  I sampled an assortment of  donuts starting with a Maple Bacon, Crème Brûlée, White Chocolate Chai, Apple Fritter, Gingerbread & Traditional Glazed.   The donuts are fresh, dense and pack a lot of flavor, however, my favorites are the Maple Bacon and Traditional Glazed.

You cannot take a trip to HenDough without ordering their fried chicken, so I also sampled their Smothered Chicken Biscuit, Donut Breakfast Sandwich, Hashbrown Tots and Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese.  Yes, I know.  How does she manage to eat all that food!   Well, this is how we roll in Hendo!  I was not quite sure what I would think of the Donut Breakfast Sandwich, but it was my favorite bite.  The Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese was insane!   I thought I made a pretty mean Mac & Cheese, but HenDough has me beat.   The smothered Chicken biscuit, a play on biscuits and gravy, was also delicious.   I especially loved the sausage gravy, it was spicy, which I definitely appreciate.

I did not manage to eat all the goodies from HenDough, but I did take everything home in a to go box.  These delicious bites came in handy on my return trip.   My four-hour drive turned into a six-hour drive as a result of the inclement weather.

After my trip to HenDough, I had one more stop that I had to unfortunately cancel due to the snow.   I am a Texan with not much experience navigating in the snow, so I had to return to my home in Morrisville, NC.   The drive was nerve-wrecking, but fortunately I arrived home safely.  I am looking forward to a future trip to Hendersonville, NC soon, hopefully one that does not involve snow and one that involves a couple more days to explore the charming city.  Hendersonville, NC is quickly growing into a “travel destination” versus a city you just “pass through”.  I highly recommend this mountain city for your next getaway.   If you did not have a chance to ready Part I of 24 Hours in Hendersonville, click here.