Plan a stellar vacation at Lake Lure where rustic cabins, inviting homes, cozy cottages, luxury resorts, and five-star hotels await, all within driving distance of tons of fun family activities. Experience the variety of activities the Blue Ridge Mountains offer, including hiking to natural water falls, horseback riding, swimming, sailing, and more. As you plan your trip and find the perfect Lake Lure vacation rental, check out these Lake Lure family activities which will make your trip enjoyable and memorable.
1. Experience a Natural Water Slide
Got a hot summer day? Slip into something more comfortable at Sliding Rock, a 60-foot-long natural water slide near Brevard, North Carolina. The slide dumps ends with a cold pool that is about 7 feet deep. Lifeguards and staff watch visitors Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, so parents can relax a little, too. It’s about 40 miles from Lake Lure, but a vacation rental in the Hendersonville area situates you about halfway between the lake and Brevard.
2. Tube Down the Green River
Put a life jacket on your well-behaved pooch and take him, along with the other kids, for a peaceful inner tube trip down the Green River. Kids must be at least five years old or 42 inches tall. Green River Cove Tubing staff puts you in the water and retrieve you at the end of your two-hour or four-hour float.
3. Take the Family Horseback Riding
Pick a lovely day for horseback riding to put smiles on your kids’ faces. Cedar Creek and Riverside Riding Stables offer riding opportunities for all ages. Take the tots for pony rides at either location. For overnight pack trips or for riders who want to swim a horse through the river, check with Riverside.
4. Learn to Play FootGolf
In case you decided to leave the golf clubs at home, but you’re open to trying something new, take the kids over to Lake Lure FootGolf course. This is a great activity for kids, where you kick a soccer ball through nine holes. The rules are just like regular golf, but without the clubs.
5. Enjoy Swimming in Lake Lure
You can’t visit Lake Lure without going for a swim! The water is a perfect swimming temperature in the summertime — not too hot, and not too cold. Go to one of the public beaches around Lake Lure, or jump off the dock of your vacation rental. Just remember to keep reapplying sunscreen!
6. Take the Sailboat Out
Can you think of anything more relaxing than spending a day sailing? Lake Lure is the perfect place to take your family out on the water. Sailing is a fun activity where everyone is included. Alternatively, you can rent a motorboat and go tubing.
7. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway
Choose your section of the Blue Ridge Parkway for a relaxing drive through the majestic Appalachian Highlands. Experience stunning mountain vistas and landscapes, with many recreation areas and trails for you to explore. Visitors sometimes see bears and other native wildlife along the parkway– take lots of pictures, but make sure to watch them from a safe distance!
8. Visit Crabtree Falls
You’ll fall in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains around Lake Lure, and seeing the majestic waterfalls along the rivers is one of the best reasons for going. Make a point of visiting Crabtree Falls during your stay — you can access the recreation area at mile marker 339.5 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Make sure everyone in your group is up to a 3-mile hike to see the falls, and don’t forget to bring your camera!
9. Catch a Fish
It was this big, but your little one’s smile was bigger than his or her first fish. Make your child’s lake vacation complete with at least one fishing excursion on the lake shore, in a stream, or from a boat. Show him or her how to bait a hook, and if you are really brave, help him or her dig for fishing worms.
10. Go Bird Watching
Any time of year presents opportunities for birdwatching around Lake Lure and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wear comfortable walking shoes, carry binoculars, take camera equipment, and remember to bring snacks! If there’s an artist in the family, this is a great opportunity to make some sketches of birds, other wildlife, and surroundings during the outing.