Two mountain cities earn top votes in regional magazine readers poll

Dean Hensley, Hendersonville Times-News
Updated ·2 min read
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The North Carolina Apple Festival earned top marks in a readers poll conducted by Blue Ridge Country magazine recently.
The North Carolina Apple Festival earned top marks in a readers poll conducted by Blue Ridge Country magazine recently.

The 35th anniversary edition of Blue Ridge Country magazine, a publication out of Roanoke, Virginia, includes the Best of the Mountains reader poll, where readers voted in 48 categories of their favorites in the seven states the magazine covers.

Tulips and other flowers are in full bloom along Main Street in downtown Hendersonville on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.
Tulips and other flowers are in full bloom along Main Street in downtown Hendersonville on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

In those polls, Hendersonville earned two first-place spots, while its neighbor to the North, Asheville, ended up with 11. Hendersonville earned No. 1 for Best Retirement Town, with Brevard at No. 2, and Hendersonville also was No. 1 in Best Revitalized Downtown.

“Hendersonville’s achievement as the top-ranked Best Retirement Town and Best Revitalized Downtown is quite an honor," said Hendersonville Mayor Pro Tem Lyndsey Simpson. "The community's success is a testament to our residents’ vitality and our dedication to creating an exceptional place to live, work, and thrive.”

The City of Hendersonville honored the Blue Ridge Honor Flight program started by Jeff Miller in 2005 on April 27 with a new sign at the south end of Main Street. The flights take veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the war memorials.
The City of Hendersonville honored the Blue Ridge Honor Flight program started by Jeff Miller in 2005 on April 27 with a new sign at the south end of Main Street. The flights take veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the war memorials.

Hendersonville also had two runner-up showings for Friendliest Town and Best Fall Festival for the North Carolina Apple Festival.

Asheville finished No. 1 in the readers polls in the following categories: Best Arts Town, Town on My Bucket List, Best Foodie Town, Best River Town, Best Historic Attraction (Biltmore Estate), Best Spa (the space at Omni Grove Park Inn), Best Place for the Holidays (Biltmore Estate), Best Antiquing (Antique Tobacco Barn), Best Crafts Venue (Southern Highland Craft Guild), Best Farmers Market (WNC Farmers Market) and Best Luxury Resort (Omni Grove Park Inn).

Biltmore is popular for its gardens, including its displays of wisteria and azaleas.
Biltmore is popular for its gardens, including its displays of wisteria and azaleas.

The bimonthly magazine conducts reader polls every five years, and its latest edition for July/August 2023 will have the complete results. According to a news release, the 35th anniversary magazine will hit newsstands in mid-June. More information is also available at blueridgecountry.com.

“Our readers know the Southern Appalachian region better than anyone,” said Blue Ridge Country Editor-in-Chief Kurt Rheinheimer in a news release. “We are so pleased to present their knowledgeable picks in our 35th anniversary issue.”

Readers submitted their votes online over the course of two months, resulting in more than 130 first-, second- and third-place awards for the best cities, towns, attractions and activities from the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.

“We wouldn’t be celebrating our 35th without our cherished readers and our loyal advertisers,” said Associate Publisher Cynthia Bruggeman in the release. “Every issue highlights amazing destinations and the people, history and stories that make them unique. Our ‘Best of’ feature in the summer mag is a snapshot of winners sure to provide year-long travel ideas and inspiration.”

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: Two cities in WNC earned No. 1 spots in magazine's readers poll