Day Tripper: Places to eat, things to do in small mountain town of Saluda
SALUDA - Nestled in between North Carolina and the South Carolina state line, the small town of Saluda is just a short drive from Hendersonville off of Interstate 26, and according to the latest census reports, it has a population of just 613.
"Historic downtown Saluda is a beautiful, rustic stroll down memory lane with its tree-lined streets and historic buildings that house numerous shops with local flair and several cafes and restaurants, each with their own distinct flavor and atmosphere," Saluda Mayor Tangie Morgan said in a 2023 Saluda visitors welcome packet.
The town is actually in two counties, Henderson and Polk, and sits atop the Norfolk Southern Railway's Saluda Grade with an elevation of just over 2,000 feet.
Listed below are some of the top places to eat and top places to see in Saluda:
Places to eat
The Purple Onion, 16 E. Main St.: Open since 1998, this local favorite has Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and live music on Thursday and Saturday nights.
Wildflour Bakery, 173 E. Main St.: Breakfast is served all day at the bakery, which also offers plenty of baked goods, including its popular scones and sticky buns.
Wakey Monkey, 18 Church St.: This coffee shop is located just around the corner from Main Street behind City Hall. It features an assortment of baked goods, breakfast and brunch items and a selection of classic sandwiches for lunch.
More: Saluda Whistle Stop Pizza & Wings closes after 7 years in business
Ward's Grill, 24 Main St.: Since 1960, the grill, which is inside of Thompson's Grocery Market (opened in 1890, it's touted as the oldest grocery store in the state), serves breakfast and lunch items including eggs, biscuits and gravy, burgers, sandwiches, milkshakes and its signature Charlie’s Sage Sausage.
Green River Eddy’s Tap Room & Grill, 435 Main St.: This bar and grill offers a sports bar atmosphere, craft beers on tap, wine and cocktails with live music on an large deck overlooking Main Street and Ozone Road.
Saluda Sweet Shoppe, 32 W. Main St.: Located at the Historic Train Depot, this dessert shop offers ice cream, old-fashioned hard candy, taffy, home-made fudge and several other varieties of candy.
Things to do
Historic Saluda Train Depot, 32 W. Main St.: The museum, which will reopen for the season in March, has exhibits showing how the depot has been preserved and also the history behind it. Admission is always free but donations are appreciated.
The Gorge Zipline, 166 Honey Bee Drive: This zipline canopy tour goes over the Green River Gorge and descends more than 1,100 feet. The zipline overlooks 18,000 acres of protected Green River Gamelands.
More: Saluda Grade Trail gets big boost from newly-passed N.C. budget
Green River Adventures, 111 E. Main St.: What started as kayak instruction has now evolved into guided whitewater trips, stand-up paddleboarding and a waterfall rappelling program.
Pearson's Falls and Glen, 2748 Pearson Falls Road: One of the top natural attractions in Polk County, according to Saluda's website, the falls has more than 20,000 visitors every year. The trail is short, just 1/4 mile, and leads to the 90-foot waterfall.
Editor's note: This is the first of a 12-part series called "Day Tripper," where the Times-News will feature small towns in Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties and list top places to go and things to do while visiting them.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Day Tripper: Small mountain town of Saluda takes you back in time
