| Attraction |
Location |
Description |
Telephone |
| | | |
| | | |
| Andys Burgers Shakes and Fries | Marion | Nostalgic themed restaurant offering a variety of burgers, sandwiches, shakes and other specialties. | 828-559-2009 |
| Apple Hill Orchard & Cider Mill | Morganton | Five generations of apple growers offering: U-Pick, wagon tours, cider mill, country store & bakery. Call for hours. | 828-437-1224 |
| Artisan Gourmet Market | Black Mountain | Featuring specialty coffees, wines, sandwiches, locally grown products, meats, cheeses, chocolates,and more. | 828-357-5500 |
| Beanstalk Journey | Morganton | Zipline Tours - travel throughout the tree tops using a series of sky bridges & zip lines. Call for reservations & times. | 828-430-3440 |
| Bear Creek Marina | Nebo | Located on beautiful Lake James offering a full service bar & grill with live music on the weekends. Call for hours. | 828-655-1400 |
| Biltmore Estate & Winery | Asheville | Located within 8,000 acres, Biltmore Estate is Americas largest privately owned home. Open 365 days a year. Less than an hours drive away. Call ahead for tickets. | 828-225-1333 |
| Blue Ridge Parkway | Spruce Pine | Closest access is 226 North to Spruce Pine. Be sure to stop at visitor center to pick up a Visitor Guide & Map. | 828-298-0398 |
| Brown Mountain Lights | Morganton | See the mysterious & unexplained moving lights in the distant hills. Make your own deductions as to what is causing them. See website for best viewing times. | |
| Bruces Fabulous Foods | Marion | Home of over 100 cheesecake flavors. Casual, affordable & always something different. Lunch: M-F 11-3, Dinner: Th-Sat 5-8 | 828-659-8023 |
| Catawba Meadows Park | Morganton | 3.8 mile Greenway along river for walking/biking, 18-hole disc golf course, sand volleyball courts, playground, canoe/kayak/tube rentals | 828-433-1968 |
| Chimney Rock State Park | Chimney Rock | See the 535 million year old monolith with its panoramic views of Lake Lure & Hickory Nut Gorge, 404ft waterfall, and hiking trails for all levels. Check the site for events & specials. Admission charged. | 800-277-9611 |
| Countryside BBQ Restaurant | Marion | Relaxed family-style dining, offering Southern fare. Check site for hours. | 828-652-4885 |
| Crooked Door Coffee House | Marion | Local coffee house on the 2nd floor offering coffees, teas, and smoothies. Open M-Thur 8-5:30 Fri-Sat 8am-9pm. | 828-652-6216 |
| Davidsons Fort Historic Park | Óld Fort | Originally constructed in 1776, todays replica serves to teach about the poineer era in Old Fort. Call for hours. | 828-668-4831 |
| Emerald Village & Gem Mine | Little Switzerland | Located just off the Parkway, and home to 7 real mines. Unique black light & underground tours available. Closed Nov thru March. | 828-765-6463 |
| Fatz Cafe | Marion | Extensive menu featuring appetizers, salads, burgers, lunch & dinner entrees, desserts, a full bar and more! | 828-659-1364 |
| Friday Friends Restaurant | Morganton | Casual dining along the banks of the Catawba River. Menu features a variety of items. Open daily 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-10. | 828-430-3024 |
| Grandfather Mountain | Linville | Check out the mile-high suspension bridge, wildlife habitats, nature museum, hiking trails, and more! Admission charged. Call for schedule. | 800-468-7325 |
| Historic Carson House | Marion | Built in 1793 and on the NC Civil War Trail, today the home is open for viewing. Check website for hours. | 828-724-4948 |
| Judges Riverside BBQ Restaurant | Morganton | Located on the Catawba River, Judges features a variety of hickory smoked meats & other sweets, with indoor & outdoor dining. Check site for hours. | 828-433-5798 |
| Kozy Kritters Doggie Daycare | Marion | Since we are unable to accept pets at our rentals, this may be an option for you during your stay. | 828-317-1424 |
| Lake James Cellars & Winery | Glen Alpine | Located in a restored 1915 textile mill, the winery features a tasting room and gift shop. Closed Mondays. | 828-584-4551 |
| Lake James State Park | Nebo | Huge 6,510 acre lake with over 150 miles of shoreline. New swimming area and beach at Paddys Creek-fee required. Boating, fishing, hiking trails. | 828-584-7728 |
| Linville Caverns | Linville | Offering 30 min. tours "inside the mountain". Check website for hours. Admission charged. | 828-756-4171 |
| Lucky Strike Gold & Gem Mine | Vein Mountain | Recreational gold and gem mining year-round, including panning & river dredging. Open 8:00am-7:00pm daily. | 828-738-4893 |
| Main Street Pub & Deli | Marion | Offering sandwiches, drinks, and live music on the weekends. | 828-925-5008 |
| Marion Lake Golf Club | Marion | Built in 1923, and designed by architect Russell Breeden. This semi-private course is a Par 70 with Bermuda greens. Call for tee times. | 828-652-6232 |
| Marquee Cinema Mimosa 7 | Morganton | Movie Theater - First run movies. Call or check site for times & prices. | 828-437-4640 |
| McDowell Chamber of Commerce | Marion | Listing of area businesses | 828-652-4240 |
| McDowell County Tourism | Old Fort | Information on local events, sightseeing, and what to see and do in the area. | 828-668-4282 |
| McDowell Quilt Trail | Marion | Beautiful quilt blocks located throughout McDowell County. Pick up a trail map at the Visitor Center to see these beautiful works of art, while touring the area. | 828-652-8610 |
| McDowell Trails Assoc. | Marion | Check out McDowell Countys Greenways, Trails & Hiking Routes | 828-724-4036 |
| McGalliard Falls & Grist Mill | Valdese | 40 foot high waterfall and old grist mill. Nice photo opportunities. | 828-879-2132 |
| Moondoggys Classic Diner | Marion | 50s style classic nostalgia diner featuring burgers, patty melts, fries, shakes and more from the soda fountain. | 828-655-1557 |
| Mountain Harbour Marina | Nebo | Pontoon boat rentals available, but they go fast. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time. | 828-584-0666 |
| Mountain View Restaurant | Little Switzerland | Casual dining indoors & out with big mountain views! All ABC permits. Open year-round. | 828-766-9670 |
| Mt Mitchell Golf Course | Burnsville | Ranked in the Top Ten in NC by Golf Digest, this course offers views from every hole. A Par 72, open from Apr-Nov. Call for tee times. | 828-675-5454 |
| Mt Mitchell State Park | Burnsville | Standing at an elevation of 6,684 it is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Observation deck, trails, seasonal restaurant. Park admission is free. | 828-675-4611 |
| My Local Bakery | Morganton | Located at 109 N.Sterling Street, this is a super cute bakery with all kinds of yummy cakes, pastries, biscotti, gourmet cupcakes, breads, etc. | 828-432-7343 |
| Orchard at Altapass | Altapass | Working apple orchard, hayrides, bluegrass music, crafts & more! Call for times. Milepost 328.3 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. | 828-765-9531 |
| Paddys Creek Beach Area | Nebo | New million dollar expansion at Lake James! Paddys Creek offers a beautiful & scenic swim beach with concessions, bath house facilities, picnic areas, over 6 miles of hiking trails, boat rentals, etc. Open 10-6 daily May 1st-Sept 30. Fee required. | 828-584-7728 |
| Quaker Meadows Golf | Morganton | Russell Breeden designed 18-hole course with Bermuda fairways, and bent grass greens. Par 70. Call for tee times. | 828-437-2677 |
| Riverside Riding Stables | Lake Lure | Looking to enjoy some horseback riding? Guided trail, and riverside rides for all ages. Call for reservations. | 828-288-1302 |
| Silver Fork Winery | Morganton | Local vineyard and winery opening April 6th. Tour, taste and purchase - all nearby! | 828-391-8783 |
| South Creek Winery & Vineyards | Nebo | Locally owned boutique winery offering tastings & tours. Music on the weekends in-season. Call for more info. | 828-652-5729 |
| South Mountains State Park | Connelly Springs | More then 40 miles of hiking trails, an 80ft waterfall, and 17-mile mountain bike loop. | 828-433-4772 |
| Swamp Fox Tavern | Marion | Local bar featuring live acts, bands, wrestling, kickboxing, etc. Call ahead for event schedule. | 828-559-1441 |
| Waldensian Winery | Valdese | Opened in 1930, the winery uses a mostly-manual process in making their wines. Open Thur-Sun 1-6pm. | 828-879-2126 |
| Wilson Creek Outfitters | Morganton | Guided fly fishing trips along the Catawba River. Full retail store open M-F 10-4. | 828-430-3556 |
| Wisemans View Overlook | Morganton | Located 1500ft above the Linville River, the overlook offers views of Linville Gorge, Hawksbill Mtn. & Table Rock. | |
| Yogi Bear Jellystone Park | Marion | Daily admission of $10 p/p or child for access to their waterslide and pool. $15 for waterslide, pool, mini golf & boats. Great place to bring the kids! | 828-652-7208 |
