Chimney Rock
My Boyfriend and I decided to take a trip to the sleepy little town of Chimney Rock and Lake Lure for well deserved summer vacation.
Yes he’s real - no I did not kidnap him.
The Village of Chimney Rock is about 40 minutes South East from Asheville and has some *very* amazing hiking & swimming, as well as adorable little shops and restaurants.
We took a long weekend and headed down on Friday so we could start the trip off right by hiking at Chimney Rock State Park.
The entry point for the park is in the heart of the Village itself and is $17 for adults to get in.
Unbeknownst to me, the views once you hike up are not only amazing (you can see for miles), but also extremely terrifying if you’re afraid of heights. While other people were having their Instagram boyfriends snap pictures of them standing on top of boulders looking out over the vast terrain - I was clutching a small rock and sobbing in the fetal position.
On that note - although there are some caves you can walk through and small watering holes near the waterfall to cool off at - i’d definitely suggest bringing a few water bottles filled with ice to keep cool and stay hydrated.
Oh - and even if you decide to not take the elevator up to the top; make sure to check out the tunnel that leads to the elevator - it’s (another) great place to cool off and there’s a lot of fun history facts.
Post hike, we headed to our hotel to check in and shower before dinner. We stayed at the “Hickory Falls Guesthouse”, which is just a stones throw from downtown CR. I found it on hotels.com (my fave app to use because when you book 10 nights you get the 11th for free).
Anyway - the room was super clean & cozy.
They even provided complimentary binoculars to use during your visit so you can watch your neighbors.
Kidding - don’t do that. But you *can* do bird watching and look out at the amazing view of the waterfall from the Adirondack chairs that line the porch.
Our first night in town, we parked in the heart of the Village and did some exploring, therefore stumbling upon "Medina’s Village Bistro". Medina’s had a pretty cool selection of local Asheville brews, and a broad menu - so we drank and noshed there for a bit before enjoying a pleasant evening stroll over to the cocktail lounge at the "Broad River Inn".
The lounge at the Inn is open until 9pm and is the ideal spot to enjoy a refreshing ‘Lavender Gin Fizz’ or ‘Moscow Mule’ out on their patio for a midsummer night cap.
The ambiance of the Inn is superb - to say the least.
For breakfast on Saturday morning the bf & I headed back down to the ‘Broad River Inn’. Our hotel had this cool little program where we filled out a paper with our breakfast selections the day before and they relayed it to the Broad River Inn via telegraph or email or something; so we didn’t have to be all indecisive and annoy the waitstaff when we arrived to eat.
The meal consisted of fresh fruit, toast, French toast, juice, coffee, and way more. It was omg super delish.
Before heading to Lake Lure Beach for a fun filled afternoon of splashing around in the fresh water, we stopped by “Bubba O’Learys General Store” so I could pick up a few gifts for my friends, family and co-workers and rub it in their faces that I went on vacation and they didn’t.
The beach at Lake Lure is just a short drive from Chimney Rock Village - and a *must do* during any visit to the area. I suggest parking at the marina where the spots are ample, and enjoying a nice stroll along the boardwalk to the sandy beach.
Entry for the beach is $15 for adults.
So the lake itself is charming AF. The water is the perfect temperature, and you can see the mountain landscape while swimming alongside ducks and geese!
The only downside to the beach is that the lifeguards will blow their whistles and yell and you when you attempt to reenact the iconic water scene dance lift from the 1987 classic film ‘Dirty Dancing’ that was shot in that exact same lake.
Anyway... for Saturday night dinner, we headed back into Chimney Rock Village and found a suuuper cute little Christian themed diner on the river, “Genny’s”. The food was down home cooking - and very tasty. Just what we needed after a day at the lake. Bonus; I didn’t burst into flames while dining next to a portrait of Jesus - so it reaffirmed the fact that God still loves me.
Dinner was followed by a stop at the Ice Cream Shop a few doors down where we sat outside on a bench and enjoyed some dog spotting while devouring a waffle cone.
Before heading back to the hotel for the night - we took a slight detour down to the “Rocky Broad Riverwalk”. It’s a great place to enjoy an evening walk and take in the beauty of the rushing river. The entrance is right off the Main Street in the Village.
On Sunday morning, our last day of vacation - after checking out of our accommodations, we stopped by the “Lake Lure Inn” to check out their brunch.
I’d been dying to see the hotel after reading online that it was haunted - it was OMG so beautiful, but after taking one step into the lobby and realizing that my short shorts and low cut top were probably a tad bit too causal attire for the occasion I slowly walked out backwards out and played the “don’t look and they won’t see you” trick, and we decided to head back to the coffee shop at the Broad River Inn for a laid back breakfast on their patio followed by a round of mini golf at their riverside put put course.
The last stop of the trip was the “Flowering Bridge” - the perfect place for a couples selfie.
Unfortunately we were both sweating profusely and very sunburned from spending four hours in the scorching hot sun playing mini golf, so we didn’t get one. But - I did get a picture of a group of some extremely adorable garden gnomes.
Chimney Rock is the perfect place for a weekend getaway, not only was there endless things to do - everyone in the Village was uber friendly.
Rutherford county is filled to the brim with Southern Charm and laid back summer vibes. So what are you waiting for? Go - swim - hike - dine and explore! Just don’t channel your inner Jennifer Grey and attempt an un-choreographed ballerina lift in the lake.
Update 6.1.24: Medina's Village Bistro, Broad Street Inn, and Genny's have all closed. Hickory Falls Guesthouse is still open (and pet-friendly)!
