Located in Rutherford County, NC…read more Great experience climbing to the best vantage point I have been in years. Breathtaking scenery sold to the State by the Morse family in 2007 The background of course is the icing on the cake the famous Lake Lure Great Park, you spend hours admiring the beauty of the forever 35 miles or more horizon

Chimney Rock State Park is a beautiful nature park featuring a massive rock formation that you can…read morewalk up to and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding area. You don't have to hike to the top--the park has a tunnel that leads to an extremely fast elevator that takes you right up to the top of the rock. It's a great experience for families and anyone who wants to enjoy incredible scenery without a strenuous hike. We really enjoyed our visit and would definitely recommend stopping at Chimney Rock State Park. The views are absolutely worth it!

If you like the outdoors and some big rocks and cliffs, come check out this State Park. The park…read moreis one of the cooler State parks in North Carolina that I have had the pleasure of experiencing. I am a mountain type of person and I am really glad that public access has been provided to these cliffs and this Area. Rumbling Bald park host several great hiking trails through massive boulder fields and spectacular hardwood forests. The main draw for the park has to be for Bouldering and Rock Climbing. While hiking or walking through the woods in the winter/spring it is certain you'll see lots of people climbing up and down rocks. Thanks to the park staff for creating a viable parking lot for the park too. When you come here make sure to try and park as closely together as you can. It can get packed on the weekends. Also, don't double park or block anyone, or else you'll get a ticket. I really hope they access can be opened to the other cliff areas around the lake, like Ghost Town and the Darkside, which are currently closed.. 1 suggestion is to avoid this place in the summer, as it turns into a oven with the south-facing rocks, and there is poison ivy all over the place. Go enjoy the outdoor wander around some rocks.

This park is perfect for climbers and bouldering. The hike during the summer months does not…read moreprovide views unless you're willing to do a little climbing to escape the canopy. However, it's a beautiful trail, and I would bet full of views in the winter.

This is beautiful roadside overlook that provides you easy access to the waters of the Rocky Broad,…read morethere are a few parking spaces that runs perpendicular to the road. There are signs posted designating the space as well as a trash barrel - the split rail fence offers you a great view but you'll definitely want to get closer to the water's edge, this requires you to dip under the top railing and maneuver down a rocky bank that has an elevation change of no more than ten feet (the mid-railing is missing in this one spot only that's next to the trash dispenser) I didn't see any signage that would prevent you from accessing the lower level however it's definitely not an improved trail so proceed with caution the terrain is uneven and if wet could be very slippery. Once you transverse the hazards it's all giant boulders and sand, the rocks provide an obstacle course of adventure and some element of danger so good footwear is a must flip flops and bare-feet may add to the risk. The water is beautiful and well worth the effort. This place is often referred to as a beach, it's not like any I've experienced but I liked it. I was definitely interested in finding out something about the namesake and the following information is some of what I've found after doing a short search: Paul Matthews was born Dec 25, 1866 and died January 17, 1954. He was the Episcopal Bishop of New Jersey from 1915 to 1937. He married his wife Elsie Proctor (from the family of Proctor & Gamble) - it seems Paul had respiratory issues and the clean mountain air provided him some relief so he purchased some property and the rest is history. There no doubt Paul and Elsie Matthews had a positive financial impact on the area and this overlook was one way to acknowledge their contribution. It's worth a few minutes of your time and is a great spot to take a break or enjoy a cool drink and a snack in the shade...

As far as lake beaches go, it is nice. But let's remember, this is NOT A REAL beach! $52 for a…read morefamily of five which includes a splash pad, shelter house, and...um... a lake. If your 8 year old sees the "water park" (of which the big slide from the pictures no longer exists), extra $10/person. Nice kayaks! Sorry not included. Lifeguards on their phones. I could go on. Want the beach, go to a real one. Should be $3-5 a person

Yes, the scenery is beautiful, but you can get that in Chimney Rock, Black Mountain, etc…read more The water and beach are just gross. There are ducks (and maybe geese) that live at the beach. They crap all over the place. The first 10 feet of sand is basically raked kitty litter, with duck poo instead of cat poo. The water and beach smell like poo. The beach (above the poo line) would be fine without the smell, as the sand is pretty clean and fine. Maybe the rest of the lake is clean, but it's hard to tell from the beach. Eww. The staff is friendly but not assertive enough. We went during COVID restrictions and half the people refused masks inside and none of the staff enforced anything.

Wow, the lake has been cleaned out and filled with regular daily tours and rentals. We met Sonya at…read morethe Lake Lure Inn and had a great time with her telling us about the beach and lake activities she is involved in. The following rainy morning we boarded a tour boat for a wet and wonderful spin and guided tour around the lake. The boat seating area is covered but that doesn't prevent rain from blowing in or being blown in when the boat is moving forward. Good idea to bring an extra layer of clothing and or rain gear if you want to be comfortable during a wet tour. They will not go out with thunder or lightning but with rain the boats will run as long as they have a minimum number of passengers. The tour really helps one get a perspective of the lake both geographically and historically. Lots of little pearls and gems spoken along the way. Funny thing is this rainy wet tour feels like it will be more memorable than a tour on a sunny day so don't let the weather scare you off.

We had a wonderful time on the Lake Lure Boat Tour. Mike was kind and entertaining throughout our…read moreexperience. It was so neat seeing all the beautiful homes and the different areas where Dirty Dancing was filmed!

We took the brewery bus tour for a bachelor party and it was the best experience of our 5 day trip…read more Dave was our guide and we left every stop up to his decision. He didn't miss. Each brewery we went to was full of fun and different enough from the last that we were constantly entertained. Cannot recommend Dave enough, seriously. This tour is an amazing experience for any group looking to try some good beer and explore Asheville!

We took the morning Jeep Tour through the Blue Ridge mountains. The stops and the information was…read moregreat, and our guide had a great energy. The Jeep ride itself is kind of rough - we both left with small headaches.

Live in Lake Lure postal zone but not the actual town limits. Have been here 4 years and have…read moreenjoyed each year less and less. The town of lake lure seems to be on a vendetta against non residents. They change their rules Every year by increasing fees and changing rules against non residents. All fees for non residents are now at least double or more. I think lake lure should consider where all their revenue comes from.....tourism and the local non residents. I hear more and more complaints about the fees and even the local police are very rude.

I've never heard of this place before. We rented a cabin here that was a good distance from…read moreAsheville and not too far from the Smokey Mountains. We were very pleased to hear about Chimney Rock State Park. The town with all of its shops was beautiful and a total tourist spot. The views of the mountain, the beautiful sounds of the river, and the cool weather was a win win win! I cant wait to go back!!

This was one of the most fun experiences I've had. John was the absolute Best and most…read moreknowledgeable person and we were so lucky to get stuck with him haha. Definitely recommend booking here with them, they took really good care of us haha!

Talk about a fun rafting experience!! My husband and I brought our 10 year old sons and my parents…read moreon the whitewater rafting adventure yesterday. It was mine and the kids first time. The class II and III rapids were the perfect size for us. It was slightly challenging in a few places but nothing terribly difficult. It was absolutely exhilarating! Our guide Eric was incredible! He was super knowledgeable and really seemed to know the river very well. We all felt really lucky to have him as a guide. After watching a few other color rafts/companies get stuck continuously, we knew we chose the right people for this adventure. 10/10 will definitely be back again. Things we were glad to have... glasses chords.

Blue Ridge Barks. Excellent choice! Kaya is the owner. She…read morewas friendly, professional, responsive and prompt. Kaya has experienced handling animals, so we felt comfortable having her care for and exercise our fur baby for a few hours. Our dog got to go for a hike and a swim to burn off some energy while we spent sometime in the downtown Asheville. Kaya provided door to door service and was very willing to accommodate our needs. She even took some great photos of our pup on her adventure to share with us. We have already decided that we will use her services again when we are heading back to Asheville. We are so happy we found Blue Ridge Barks!

From the owner: At Blue Ridge Barks we strive to give your dog the best day on the trails when you aren't able to…read more They will come home happy, tired, and ready for cuddles!!