Things to do & places to visit in Hickory, North Carolina, United States

Hickory city in North Carolina, United States. Timezone: America/New_York, current date and time: Friday, May 03, 2024, 2:00.

Top things to do (33)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Hickory Aviation Museum (64 reviews)
- HIDDEN GEM & INTERESTING
Friday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Military Museums • History Museums

The Hickory Aviation Museum located at the Hickory Regional Airport(HKY) in Hickory North Carolina. We are a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Tax Exempt Organization. We are dedicated to maintaining the facts and artifacts of the Golden Age of Aviation. The Museum provides a unique opportunity for all generations to learn and appreciate aviation history. Free to the Public. Open Tuesday - Sunday. See more..
5.0 Harper House/ Hickory History Center (37 reviews)
- Highly recommended for those interested in historic homes.
Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

My wife and I visited the museum on a week day after reading a review in Trip Advisor. We really enjoyed the tour. The house is in fantastic shape, fully furnished with period pieces, and our tour guide did a great job. She was well versed on the house and it’s history, which is closely tied to the history of Hickory. Highly recommend for those interested in these historic mansions. See more..
5.0 Nocturne Adventures (23 reviews)
- Horror Escape Room with lots of Twists and Turns
Friday: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM Escape Games • Scavenger Hunts • Game & Entertainment Centers

Nocturne Adventures offers thrilling immersive escape games in Hickory, NC. See more..
5.0 Lowes Foods City Park (11 reviews)
- A well executed Hickory kid fun park/play ground
Spent 1-2 hours Parks • Playgrounds

I have been taking my grand-daughter here for several years (she is now 6). She loves the park/play ground. I love that it is well maintained, safe (as any playground can be), and located right downtown. During the summer months, the park has a water feature that the kids seem to really love. This coupled with ample seating for the adults to relax and keep an eye on the kids make this a win win for both of us. I also, need to mention that there are a few picnic tables and we often go to the park with a smaller cooler filled with water, juice, a sandwich, some fruit and other goodies. See more..
5.0 Ichurch (8 reviews)
- Definitely Visit to Experience the Service
Friday: 1:30 PM - 8:45 PM Churches & Cathedrals

Holy Spirit filled modern growing church. Multicultural and multigenerational. English and Spanish See more..
5.0 Kiwanis Park (6 reviews)
- Splash pad and lots of fun activities for kids
Parks • Playgrounds

This is a family friendly park in Hickory NC. Lot's of variety of fun things for kids of all abilities to do. See more..
5.0 Shuford House & Gardens (4 reviews)
- Awesome!
Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings • Scenic Walking Areas • Fountains
Shuford House & Gardens is a charming community house in the Oakwood district, built in 1904, now adjacent to other historic structures and a small public park with gardens, tranquil walking paths, peaceful fountain, white pergola. The park is free to visit; tours of the house are available by appointment. Both can be rented for weddings, birthdays, showers, meetings & other special occasions. See more..
5.0 Fairbrook Optimist Dog Park (3 reviews)
- A hidden gem of a dog park in Hickory.
Parks

What an amazing little dog park to stumble upon! Clean, open, and well maintained. This park is a premier location for pet play and local conversation. As a visitor to Hickory, this is the ideal location with caring owners. The human restroom was also clean, well stocked, and well taken care of. See more..
5.0 Trade Alley Art (1 review)
- A Gallery of Artful Finds
Friday: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Art Galleries

A contemporary art gallery located in historic downtown Hickory, North Carolina. See more..
4.5 Hickory Crawdads / L.P. Frans Stadium (166 reviews)
- Well designed stadium
Sports Complexes

Few things better than baseball on a summer evening. LP Frans Stadium is a fine minor league park; there's not a bad seat there. Extra netting to protect fans is a great addition. Many nights there are long lines at the concessions, especially when only one (typically on the 3rd base side) is open. See more..
4.5 Catawba Science Center (135 reviews)
- Amazing
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Aquariums • Children's Museums

Catawba Science Center is a 35,000 sq. ft. non-profit science & technology museum offering rotating hands-on exhibits, salt & freshwater aquarium galleries, & a state-of-the-art digital planetarium. Our mission is to change lives and inspire learning through science and wonder! We are dedicated to providing a fun learning environment through relevant science experiences in our many exhibitions & habitats. Visitors learn about animals, plants, astronomy, physics, weather, technology & so much more. Programs offered include interactive & educational school field trips, engaging summer camps for youth Pre-K through rising ninth, birthday parties, preschool science programs, homeschool classes, & even adult science programing. See more..
4.5 Hickory Museum of Art (109 reviews)
- Sweet spot for art lovers
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Art Museums

This museum is housed in a beautiful old high school. The space is open and inviting with a curved staircase that leads you upstairs to an amazing Folk Art Collection. Many of the artists are from North Carolina and share several similar themes that displayed together as you walk through the gallery. The downstairs exhibitions rotate so you can easily see something new and different each time you visit. This museum is definitely worth the drive to Hickory. Oh, and the museum shop is full of fun treasures! See more..
4.5 Bakers Mountain Park (66 reviews)
- A Hidden Gem in Catawba County
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Mountains • Parks

I feel like this park is a hidden gem. Rarely crowded so it's pretty peaceful. The trails are rugged - lots of roots and a couple of steep inclines. But there are benches in the areas with the elevation gains and the views at the top are well worth it. I am an overweight 50-year-old and I hike it regularly. I recommend bringing a good walking stick. See more..
4.5 Henry River Mill Village (65 reviews)
- Wonderful place to visit and photograph the vintage village!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas • Mysterious Sites

For decades, the Henry River Mill Village has sat dormant. On the surface, the once vibrant village appears abandoned, lost, and well beyond repair. Since being built in 1905, there has been a lot of history made in the village, including it's most recent appearance as District 12 in the Hunger Games movies. Join us for one of our many tours available for all ages and all interests. See more..
4.5 Downtown Hickory Farmers Market (63 reviews)
- Year round food and friends
Farmers Markets

Third year staying open year round. Even fresh local vegetables in February. Lots of variety of meats, baked goods and goat cheese. If I didn't work here I would visit every week for the quality and friendly to atmosphere. See you Under The Sails! See more..
4.5 Glenn C Hilton Jr Memorial Park (34 reviews)
- A Spot to Spot some Nature
Spent 1-2 hours Parks

The walk along the river on the boardwalk was very shaded and relaxing. We even saw a deer wade into the water for a drink. The small shelter where we had our lunch was clean and well maintained. Parking near the boardwalk is very limited...we drove to that small lot and unloaded our picnic supplies and then moved the car back to the parking lot at the park entrance. See more..
4.5 Hickory Community Theatre (18 reviews)
- Good plays for the family
Friday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Theaters

Went to the theater with my family and had a good time. The building was clean and spacious. The play was good. See more..
4.5 Geitner-Rotary Park (17 reviews)
- Trees, water....relaxing
Spent 2-3 hours Parks

Stopped here for a picnic during a day trip to Hickory. First this park is in a nice residential neighborhood situated next to woods and a lake. An terrific place to take a break and relax, The picnic tables are wooden and graffiti free. A table cloth would be a good idea due to the debris and pollen on them. The shade from the trees was great from the heat. The park is clean and tidy but the parking lot is small and limited. A paved walking track and biking track is also accessible from the park. See more..
4.5 Carolina Theater (12 reviews)
- Great Theater!
Spent 2-3 hours Movie Theaters

I came here for the very first time today to watch "Where the Crawdads Sing" and I was very pleased with this gem of a theater. The prices are cheap, friendly staff, clean restrooms, and clean and comfortable theater. Will definitely return. See more..
4.5 Blowing Rock Draft House (10 reviews)
- Great Food. Great Atmosphere
Breweries

I've been eating here semi frequently over the past 3 years and it gets better. They've really focused on quality menu items that mash up ingredients. There are some traditional menu items for those, and they have some fun menu items to be creative. The bison burger was off the charts. It was ground (I like medium or slightly less) and it was executed perfectly. The grilled onion had that nice charred taste with the sweet/savory bbq sauce and topped with thick slices of bacon. Just look at the spinach artichoke dip. Thick, chunky peices with creamy sauce. The pita chips where slightly crispy and soft and fluffy on the inside. And the bison pizza. Are you kidding me? Incredible. Pretzel sticks were eaten in a flash. Service was excellent. We look forward to going back. See more..
4.5 Maple Grove (9 reviews)
- Free
Historic Sites

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4.0 Hickory Furniture Mart (221 reviews)
- Better product and service for 1/2 the price!
Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Speciality & Gift Shops

Hickory Furniture Mart is the ultimate furniture destination. Choose from countless styles and collections at affordable North Carolina prices. You’ll find some of the most reputable manufacturers, designers and expert craftsmen within the furniture industry. Open to the public six days a week, Monday – Saturday from 9am-6pm. Discounted Shop & Stay packages are available at our pet friendly partner hotels. Find out why people travel from all over the world to visit Hickory Furniture Mart. See more..
4.0 Union Square (26 reviews)
- Great evening vibe
Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas • Monuments & Statues • Scenic Walking Areas

We were visiting Hickory for a day. Already ate dinner somewhere else before we discovered this fun area to hangout. Lots of activity. A fun place to grab a beer or eat outdoors. Or just walk around. See more..
3.5 Hickory Antiques Mall (16 reviews)
- Good stop for treasure hunters
Spent < 1 hour Antique Shops

Nice store with a variety of merchandise. Prices vary by dealer, so some deals are better than others. Nice for an hour or 2 of browsing See more..
3.5 Valley Hills Mall (15 reviews)
- Half Decent
Spent 2-3 hours Shopping Malls

Look, malls are a dying business. This mall does a great job keeping some trendy retailers in place and keeping the property fairly clean and safe. A big food court but lacks variety. Overall, better than other malls See more..
3.0 River's Edge Marina (7 reviews)
- Great Place to Rent a Pontoon Boat on Lake Hickory
Spent 1-2 hours Marinas

We had our family visiting us for a weekend recently. We decided to rent a pontoon boat and explore the river/lake while they were here. This marina afforded us the opportunity to do just that. We rented a clean, well operating pontoon boat for a half day rental. We traveled both direction on this body of water and had a very nice time. The kids enjoyed it as did their parents. They have plenty of life jacket options as well. Overall we had an easy and pleasant experience dealing with this marina. We will likely rent from them again. It was a bit pricey but for our overall experience we are happy we invested time with our family. See more..
2.5 Acme Antique Market (5 reviews)
- Best Antique Shop
Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Antique Shops

Acme Antique Market is located in Downtown Hickory, North Carolina. It is home to over 5,000 square feet of antiques. Featured antiques hail from the early 1700s to 2000. Open 7 days a week. Come see us! See more..
Vintage Blue (0 review)
Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM Antique Shops

Mid Century Modern and eclectic home furnishings. See more..
Harris Arcade Specialty Shops (0 review)
Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks

The Harris Arcade was constructed in 1938 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Today,the Harris Arcade is home to a variety of boutique shops,art gallery,and spa services. Walk through the tunnel and run your hands along the rich stone work that adorns the structure. A sitting area exist on the first level Enjoy the history of learning about the arcade's history. See more..
Lake Hickory Trails (0 review)
Biking Trails • Hiking Trails

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