If you love outdoor fun and beautiful settings, you’ll have plenty of things to do at Lake Lure, North Carolina. When you book a stay at one of many cozy Lake Lure vacation rentals, you can look forward to having easy access to swimming, water skiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. With its Blue Ridge Mountains backdrop and proximity to Chimney Rock State Park, Lake Lure is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with copious opportunities for incredible vacation photos and family memories.
1. Tour the Lake
Start your vacation with a relaxing boat ride from Lake Lure Tours to help you get the lay of the lake. During the ride, you get fabulous views of the mountainous backdrop, including a look at the famous Chimney Rock. You’ll also pass by some of the fabulous homes and estates that ring the lake.
2. Enjoy Incredible Gardens
The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge provides a relaxing stroll through the stunning gardens on the bridge itself and its adjoining bridges. The bridge was closed to pedestrian traffic in 2011, and the neighbors took over to create a hidden gem full of over 700 varieties of flowers. You can see down the river to the lake itself, or up the river for a great view of Chimney Rock.
3. Zip Through the Forest
Canopy Ridge Farm offers zip lines at several heights and offers advice as you work your way up. This is a great activity for the kids, as they not only enjoy the speed, you don’t have to worry about them braking for themselves a the end.
4. Try Wakeboarding
Head over to Lake Lure Adventure and fly over the water on a board pulled by staff members who know the lake well. You can also rent paddle boards from this shop and head out on the water on your own.
5. Catch Your Own Food
Let Lake Lure Fishing Excursions take you out on the water to catch fish to take back to your vacation rental grill. The guides from this company ask what types of fish you like, and take you to the parts of the lake where you are most likely to catch your favorites. They also offer tips for beginners, so this is a great choice for the entire family.
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6. Explore the Area on Horseback
Riders from beginner to experienced are welcome at Cedar Creek Riding Stables. The staff at the stables provide tips and point out the local plants and animals as they guide you through the woods and over streams on their 350 acres of trails.
7. Give Foot Golf a Try
The Lake Lure Golf Club offers foot golf, a great way for non-golfers to have a good time while other people on your vacation hit the links. The rules are similar to golf, but played with a soccer ball, making this course one of the top attractions for kids in the Lake Lure area.
8. Do More Than Swim
Of course, it’s great to jump into the lake for a swim, but there is also a Lake Lure Water Park with a water slide, soaking games, and a water wars area. Families flock to the water park because it’s equally fun for the kids and adults.
9. Take a Picnic Lunch to Morse Park
When you need a break from your vacation activities, pack your lunch and head for the picnic tables at Morse Park. The park is conveniently located between the beach and the Flowering Bridge, meaning you get fantastic views of the lake and the mountains. There’s a playground to help the kids burn off any extra energy.
10. Spend a Day at Chimney Rock State Park
The park has plenty of trails at difficulty levels suitable for children as well as experienced hikers. While hiking around the park, you’ll see a beautiful 404-foot waterfall and get a remarkable view of Lake Lure. The view of the foliage in the fall from atop Chimney Rock is breathtaking and makes people pull out their cameras to save vacation memories.
11. Enjoy Dinner With a View
Bring the family to the Old Rock Cafe and sit on the waterside deck for great views of the river and Chimney Rock. The menu offers a little something for everything, with a kid’s menu, vegetarian options, and family favorites like burgers and macaroni and cheese.
12. Hit the Links
People who consider golf an integral part of their vacations can choose from the Apple Valley Golf Course or Bald Mountain Golf Course at Lake Lure. Both offer challenging holes and stunning views, and they have clubhouses on site so everyone can kick back and relax for a bit.
13. Learn Some Toy History
When you need things to do on a rainy day, explore the Toy Train Museum to see classic and newer toy trains, and several track sets with working trains. Kids love that they can work the train themselves, and younger children can put on engineer outfits, push trains, and color in train-themed books in their own separate room.
14. Hunt For Treasure
The Chimney Rock Gemstone Mine guarantees a gem find at every visit, so it’s one of the most exciting attractions in the area for kids. Located in Chimney Rock Village, this gemstone mine is on the banks of the Rocky Broad River in the Hickory Nut Gorge, so you’re also guaranteed great views on the way back and forth from your vacation rental.
15. Be At One With Nature
When the kids need to burn off energy, but the adults want to take a quiet stroll through nature, pack up and head to Dittmer-Watts Nature Trail Park. There are easy and moderate trails with open fields so the kids can really let loose. The picnic pavilions in the park give you a great place to take a load off or stop for lunch.
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