A Day Trip to Saluda NC
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Saluda NC is one of our favorite towns to visit for an afternoon getaway. Often we’ll take off last minute and scoot up for lunch or just for a change of scenery. Just the drive to Saluda is enough to clear the cobwebs.
Saluda has history, scenery and more than its share of quaintness. Situated at 2100 feet elevation, Saluda is located on top of a sharp elevation change. In fact, a section of the Norfolk Southern railway just south of downtown is the steepest standard-gauge mainline railway grade in the United States. That steep stretch of railway is called the Saluda Grade.
The railway was completed in 1879. Back in the day it served passengers coming up from Charleston, SC to escape the heat and bugs of a low-country summer. The advent of air conditioning and bug spray have not dampened Saluda’s appeal however. Today cyclists flock to the scenic roads in the area.
Outdoor types can fly fish, hike, or hunt to their hearts content around here. Music lovers can take in Saluda’s vibrant live music scene. Or you can just stroll down main street and enjoy some of the interesting shops.
Ward’s Market & Grill displayed this colorful bounty.
Aren’t they pretty?
A variety of shops line Main Street for your perusing pleasure.
Hank honey, I don’t think they do Crocs.
For a tasty bite, The Purple Onion offers a variety of menu items that are sure to please.
Check out the pizza combinations. Pesto…yum.
They even have local artwork on display and most are for purchase.
And look at this pie. Oh my word…I wonder if they would’ve noticed if I snagged it and ran real fast?
Saluda even offers a playground for the little ones and not so little ones.
Our two had a ball goofing off for a while.
Convenient to I-26 and Hwy. 25 between Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC, Saluda is sure to win your heart as a quick quaint town to frequent. For more information on Saluda, NC visit https://www.saluda.com/ where you’ll find local calendars and other attractions close by.
Near or far, I’d love to hear your favorite places to visit for a day trip. Where do you go and what do you do when you get there?
Love the pictures! I remember several fun quick girl get aways for a yummy lunch at The Purple Onion. Fun shops to explore also!
We always enjoy going to Black Mountain, NC. Great shops, eateries (My Father’s Pizza), beautiful scenery and, of course, having family living there makes it extra special, too.
I live near Boston and I love day trips to Maine. It’s only a little over an hour’s drive. My favorite things to do are see lighthouses, eat lobster rolls, and antiquing. It’s always a fun time!
I haven’t done a daytrip in a loooong time, but when I was younger we always went to a place called Volunt in Autumn. We’d shop, but mainly go to see all the gorgeous leaves and changing Fall colors. Thanks for reminding me of this memory. 🙂
I can hear the train chugging up the grade and its brakes scaping as it goes down the grade. The pictures make you feel youre there.
My favorite one-day or any-day get away is going to the beach no matter the season. Just give me a chair and a book or bucket to put shells in and I’m there. I call it “charging my batteries”. Even when it is cold and windy I have been known to sit in the sunwarmed car in the parking lot overlooking the ocean with the windows rolling down enough to hear the waves crashing. Year round it’s my favorite get away.
Our favorite family day trip also includes the sweet little town of Saluda. We like to get up early on a Saturday morning and drive up Hwy 25 and then cut off to Saluda. The ride up is always gorgeous whatever the season or weather… it doesn’t matter. We love the trees with their leaves on or off, brown, green or some brilliant shade of fall color. We pass through the town of Saluda and head on down to Tryon to The Trade Street Cafe for a most scrumptious breakfast. We usually take a peak at the used bookstore and walk around for a bit. A few miles into Tryon is Lake Lanier which is very quaint with its old lake front homes. Often we’ll drive around it and then head on back to Saluda. Once in a while we’ll make a stop at Pearson’s Falls. The garden club there keeps it up and the hike is beautiful. Young to old will enjoy it… not too strenuous but just enough of a hike to feel like you’re doin’ something out of the ordinary. We then continue back to Saluda to window shop and eat lunch at the Purple Onion. Yummy! Not often but when we have something special to celebrate we will drive up on a week night for dinner. They have live music on the weekend and that’s always fun. We used to take a week of vacation in October in the Saluda/Tryon area for several years when our children were younger. They spent many good hours on the Saluda playground there by the railroad. As you can tell, that area holds a very special place in the heart of our family! Thanks for taking the time to share your pictures… they brought back wonderful memories!
is the wild flour bakery still there? yum!
Hey Tina!
I don’t remember seeing it last weekend. ~ Amy
I remember a fun day in Saluda year ago. How long ago was that? What age were our children. That was a fun day and I have a card displayed in my house from our visit that day. Good memories. The older I get the more special my memories are to me. Yes let’s get together over the holidays.
Hey Tyla!
That was a fun day. A quick scoot up the road was all we needed to refresh our minds. Let’s try to put something on the calendar.
:-] ~ Amy J.
Funny, this is my first visit to your website which I noticed on Tasty Kitchen. I say funny because my daughter moved to Saluda last year and then to Asheville. She says it is a lovely town and wants us to come for a visit, but it is an 8 hour drive…ugh. We will, someday soon. I love your pictures! Sounds inviting!
I love going on trips via your blog!! Its picture perfect.
Those pizza descriptions were making my mouth water and then you had to go and show that pie.
Wild Flour moved across the street and was there for a while, but I think they may have closed down now….
i live in saluda and im pretty sure its still open. i think its still in the same spot it just combined with toshs whistle stop ice cream store.