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City in North Carolina, United States
Photo: Netmogul, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Hickory is a city in the foothills of North Carolina. Hickory is something of a regional shopping hub and a significant center for furniture manufacturing. As a result, it's an excellent place for buying furniture.
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Although American art was almost unrecognized outside of New York and Philadelphia in 1943, the North Carolina city of Hickory set out to establish a museum of American art. Located on Hickory, NC’s SALT Block (Sciences, Art, Literature Together), Hickory took the lead in the Southeast as being the first city to establish a museum of American art. Among the artists represented in the HMA collection are names such as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, J. Fredrick Kensett, William Merritt Chase, Worthington Whittredge, F. Ballard Williams, Eanger Irving Couse, Elliot Daingerfield, Anna Hyatt Huntington, Hobart Nichols, Albert T. Bricher, Edward Potthast, and many others. Closed Mondays. Free admission.
Explore the Physical and Natural Sciences. Interesting traveling exhibits rotate throughout the year. It has a planetarium and aquaria with touch tanks where you can touch creatures such as live sharks and rays. Located on Hickory, NC’s SALT Block (Sciences, Art, Literature Together), in the Arts & Science Center of Catawba Valley, CSC also provides a variety of educational movies (in their digital planetarium and fun programming for school groups, children, families, adults, homeschoolers, preschoolers, scouts and other community groups. The Science Emporium gift shop stocks educational toys and gifts that enhance the museum experience.
NASCAR short track. It is the oldest professional sporting venue in Catawba County, and the oldest continually operating motor speedway in the country with over 53 seasons. Three fully equipped concession stands, a souvenir stand, six large restroom areas, and three enclosed air-conditioned hospitality suites. Also contains a game room, and kids' fenced-in play area with a climbing gym & swings, and RV parking is available.
As American as, well, baseball! Always good fun, and the Crawdads usually win, too! Try the Crawdad Red Ale at the Crawdad Cafe. (Take I-40 to exit 123 North (Hwy 321 Lenoir/Airport). Travel to fifth stoplight and turn left onto Clement Blv., NW. L.P. Frans Stadium is 1/2 mile up to the right). $6-12.
Two challenging golf courses, a spa, restaurants, and lodging.
First-run movies.
Downtown with two screens and daily $5 showings. A local favorite with ultra-affordable concessions and reclining seats with cupholders. Located in a seemingly ancient theater (built in 1934) downtown near the Wachovia building.
Excellent first-run theatre in downtown Morganton. Less hectic than Hickory's movie theaters with friendlier people and cheaper concessions.
Daily food and beer specials. Excellent array of interesting sandwiches. Booths offer excellent privacy in a relaxed atmosphere. Best onion rings in town and the home fries are to die for. The Fitzgerald sandwich is especially good. Stay away if you're truly pressed for time.
Eclectic sandwiches with a more casual and sophisticated air. Sandwiches, mostly. Try the Gouda Delite. Open for breakfast. Lattes and coffee drinks available.
On the backstreets of Hickory near Hickory High School and the Bank of Granite Building is Backstreets. A little pricey but has an excellent selection of beer and some great food options. Good lighting and a relaxed atmosphere. Daily specials.
The restaurant front for Olde Hickory Brewery offers seasonal ales and beers as well as the local favorites OHB is known for. The food and service here is "just" pretty good, but everyone keeps coming back for more. Must be the beer! Try the dessert special. A limited menu is offered late into the night.
Also owned by Olde Hickory Brewery. Food and service are on par with the Olde Hickory Taproom. Has giant beer barrels that you can eat in.
Best Thai in town and the least expensive. Looks a little run-down on the outside, but nice once you're inside. In a small shopping center on Springs Road.
Good Thai. Very easy to find.
Best pizza in town. Very easy to find.
Located in southeast corner of the Valley Hills Mall parking lot, off of Highway 70. Asian bistro with Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and sushi. Very good food with good service.
Shrimp specials on Wednesdays, and oyster specials on Thursdays. Seafood, steak, appetizers, and sandwiches.
Bar & grill in an old depot offering creative American dishes, beer, wine and a dog-friendly patio.
Huge.
Regional center for shopping. Dillard's, Belk, JC Penney, Sears. Gap, Limited, Lerner, Ambercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Aeropostale, Bath and Body Works, etc.
Target, Best Buy, Hallmark, Marshalls, Kohl's, Old Navy, AC Moore Crafts, Babies R Us, Pier 1 Imports.
By car
By bus
Greyhound buses offer direct service from several major North Carolina cities: Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Asheville; connections are available to numerous other destinations.
By train
Hickory no longer has passenger rail service. The nearest Amtrak stations are in Charlotte and Salisbury.
By bus
Greenway bus service is available in and around Hickory. Buses run Monday–Friday early morning to late afternoon and Saturday with a more limited schedule.25 per ride, with one free transfer.
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Charlotte · International · CLT
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