Free Fun Ideas in the NC Mountains

Did you know that there's no admission fee to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? It's true, America's most popular park is free, but it is only one of many NC attractions and events that visitors can enjoy without spending a cent. VisitNC has provided a list of some fun free things to do in the North Carolina mountains. Find your favorite freebie:

Sliding Rock (near Brevard)

Heat getting to you? Come slip down this renowned 60-foot sloping slide into an eight-foot deep mountain pool near Brevard, NC. Lifeguards supervise the fun during the summer, so bring the family. Enjoy 11,000 gallons of water flowing down over the rock face each minute, and it’s just a few strokes to shore. Where else can you get that kind of thrill? Okay, it’s not quite free. Cost to enter the recreation area is $1.00 per person.



Dancin’ In The Streets – Lake Lure
Thanks to the Lake Lure Hot Summer Nights Street Dance Series, you can dirty dance where Johnny and Baby did… for free! The dances will be held right at spectacular Lake Lure, where much of Dirty Dancing was filmed. This is part of Lake Lure and The Blue Ridge Foothills’ Endless Summer Event Series. 828-625-2725

June 8 Beach Motown
July 13 Rock and Roll
August 10 Swinging Big Band
Sept 14 Country Bluegrass

The Create-Your-Own Art Tour
A D-I-Y art tour can turn into an adventure – it costs you nothing to look! Homegrown Handmade Art Roads and Farm Trails let you create your own free driving tour of authentic folk artisans, handicrafts, farmers and creative entrepreneurs rooted in our North Carolina’s rural countryside. Or how about looking into the artistry of traditional and not-so-traditional patterns on a Barn Quilt Tour? Free tours, each featuring between 30-100 quilts, can be found in three western North Carolina counties:
Avery
Watauga
Ashe

Shindig For The Price Of None –Asheville
Starting in July, Asheville’s Shindig On The Green goes into high gear as crowds with lawn chairs and blankets gather on summer Saturday evenings to enjoy Appalachian mountain music and dance traditions. (Saturday evenings July – September)

Are You The Stovepipe Type? – Valle Crucis
Midday rush? Not in Valle Crucis, thank you. The Mast General Store has music on the back porch each Saturday and Sunday from noon until 2 p.m. at the Original Store in Valle Crucis. Sometimes groups start a little earlier; sometimes they play a little later. Musical selections include bluegrass, old-time, Celtic and Appalachian performed by local talent. On occasion, cloggers, flat footers and shufflers come along to dance a bit, too.