Visit Hickory in Western North Carolina
Hickory has a climate that can appeal to the most finicky person. Due to the location of the city and also the location of North Carolina, people here can expect to encounter 4 distinct seasons. There is a varied range of temperatures from 0 to close to 100 degrees. The fall is picturesque due to the change of the leaves and the spring is beautiful with the many different native flowering plants and trees. The winter is mild, with very little snow, yet low temperatures. And the summer, is hot and humid, but lasts only about 3 months.
Hickory has a diverse population of approximately 40,000 residents from all walks of life.
The main industry of the area at one time was furniture and Hickory boasted to be the “furniture capital of the world.” However, do to turns in the economy over the past 5 years, much of the furniture business has left the area, however, that does not mean, that quality furniture can’t be purchased here for wholesale prices. One just needs to look around for a deal.
Hickory has a renovated downtown area where interesting shops abound. The downtown area offers a bricked square where bands perform throughout the summer at 5:00pm for anyone wishing to stop by and lend an ear. Bands performing over the summer range from bluegrass to rock and roll
There are several wonderful restaurants to visit while on the square in Hickory. One all time favorite and a place worth visiting is the Tap Room. This bar and grill offers more than 30 beers and the nice caveat is that many of them are produced locally. So, you literally get local flavor when you visit this bar and grill.
Around the corner from the square, the local theater company performs different shows from fall to late spring. This wonderful treasure is called the Hickory Community Theater, one of the oldest community theaters in North Carolina. The Hickory Community Theater is divided into two stages, the large auditorium and the quaint “Fireman’s Kitchen” where drinks and hors d’ouvers are served during the production. Information on this landmark along with performance times and dates can be found on their website at http://www.hct.org.
Moving away from downtown, one can find Hickory’s 1A baseball team, the Hickory Crawdads at their local field. The Hickory Crawdads are a farm team for the Pittsburgh Pirates and can be seen in action from April to September each year and if you are lucky, you can watch some of tomorrow’s major league players on the field. This team allows fans to be up close and personal with the players and is a great way to spend an evening.
Another sporting event in the Hickory area can be found at the Hickory Motor Speedway. This little speedway has been the career maker for many big named NASCAR racers. Hickory Motor Speedway was the beginning for names such as Ned and Dale Jarrett thus bringing about the name “The World’s Most Famous Short Track.”
Hickory has many different stores, restaurants and unique attractions that would interest most visitors to the area. The attractions, along with the beautiful weather makes Hickory a must see when traveling to Western North Carolina.
