Last Updated on July 21, 2023 by Nikole

Fall is a magical time to spend with friends and family, especially on vacation. Why not make your trip to Lake Lure a time to remember by doing some fall-time activities?

There are several things you can do around Lake Lure during the fall, and that includes:

• Taking a Leaf Tour
• Attending a Festival
• Picking Apples
• Corn Maze
• Attend a Haunted Maze
• Visit Biltmore
• Take a Hayride
• Enjoy fall-time foods and drinks
• Take a driving tour
• Hike a mountain

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Check out our 15 things to do at Lake Lure if you are traveling in the spring or summertime!

1. Leaf Tour

Out of all the things to do around Lake Lure during the fall, a leaf tour takes the cake! If your travel plans take you to Rumbling Bald, stop by some of the most scenic areas for leaf gazing. The best time to see the most colorful leaves is near the end of October.

Some of the best areas to view leaves near Lake Lure are Chimney Rock State Park and The Blue Ridge Park Way. 

2. Attend a Festival

Festivals are popular things to do near Lake Lure in the fall time. Classic cars, animal gazing, and fall festivals are just a few fairs you can attend during October and November. 

Check out Lake Lure’s festival calendar so you don’t miss out when you visit. 

3. Pick Apples

Apples are a common crop in this area- don’t be surprised if you come across several apple farms and festivals. Hendersonville, a nearby town to Lake Lure, is known for its apples. We loved visiting the different stands along the road for some fresh apples- I got 3 different bags full of apples, haha!

September 1-4th is the annual apple festival, where you can try different apple-baked goods, enjoy a parade, and listen to good music. 

You can visit some local farms and grab a bag of apples or make a day of it and pick your own. Apple picking makes for a great kid-friendly activity near Lake Lure during the fall time. 

There are several farms you can visit for apple picking, but two of the local favorites are Stepp Farm’s Hillcrest Orchard and Grandad’s Apples.

Stepp Farm’s Hillcrest Orchard

The most family-friendly farm is the Stepp Farm’s Hillcrest Orchard. It’s easy to spend a day here shooting apples out of cannons and enjoying apple doughnuts.

Bring the kids on the weekends to have fun at the splash pad, or if you come during the week, take a hay ride. If you get hungry, pack your lunch and make use of the free picnic area. 

Other Activities: Hay and tractor rides, splash pads, apple picking, desserts, picnic area, apple cannon, sunflower and pumpkin picking, hiking, corn maze.

Grandad’s Apples 

Grandad’s Apples is the perfect apple-picking farm located a little over 25 minutes from Lake Lure. There is plenty more to do at this farm than just apple picking- try perusing the pumpkin patches or taste their famous apple doughnuts or apple cider slushies. 

Other Activities: Gift shop, pumpkin patch, desserts at the bakery, good food.

Schedule: Opens August 11 for freshly picked apples or you can pick them yourself.

4. Corn Maze

Some local farms and attractions near Lake Lure include a corn maze, a popular thing to do during the fall months. Get lost and find your way out during your adventures through a maze made of corn. There are a few places that offer corn maze activities, including the apple farms I mentioned in the previous section.

Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard

Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard not only has apple picking but a 5-acre corn maze too!

This farm is in Hendersonville, 25 minutes from Lake Lure, and opens for the fall season in mid-August.

Eliada Corn Maze

The Eliada Corn Maze is located near Asheville and may be quite the drive from Lake Lure, about 45 minutes to be exact. If you find yourself near Asheville for the day, make sure you purchase your maze tickets for only $12 a person.

5. Attend a Haunted Maze

Are regular corn mazes not enough action for you? Try a haunted corn maze at Shelby Corn Maze. You can visit the maze between September 17- October 30. 

Hours of Operation: Fridays 4 – 10 pm | Saturdays 10 am-10-pm | Sundays 2-8 pm

Unfortunately, the Shelby Corn Maze is 43 minutes from Lake Lure, but I promise it’s worth the long drive. 

Admission to the haunted corn maze is $15, and farm admission is $13.

You will gain entrance to the farm if you choose to do the haunted corn maze, but you will not have access to the other activities. The regular farm admission includes a corn maze, jumping pillow, a hay ride, and other activities. 

6. Visit Biltmore

Biltmore is a gorgeous mansion-type house built in 1895 that sits on approximately 8,000 acres of rolling hills and gardens. There is so much to see here including a garden, a vineyard and winery, a tour of the entire house, a cafe, and gift shops. 

Biltmore is an especially beautiful place to tour near Lake Lure in the fall and winter because of the beautiful color changes and holidays. 

Admission starts at $109 per person, and you will need at least a full day to tour the entire house- Let’s just say you don’t want to rush through it and miss something. 

7. Hayrides

Hayrides are sure to get your family smiling together this fall season at Lake Lure. Take a hayride with the Shelby Corn Maze, or try something closer, like Canopy Ridge Farms.

Canopy Ridge Farms, Grandad’s Apples, and Stepp’s Farm are close by farms that offer hay rides. Hay rides present a unique opportunity to give your kids a fun time and a relaxing tour of the farm. 

8. Taste Some Fall-time Foods

Lake Lure has several options when it comes to fall-time foods especially if you visit local farms or walk around some of the festivals.

Some popular fall-time treats you may find near Lake Lure are fresh apples, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, and apple cider slushies.

9. Make Your Own Fall-Time Foods

There are many cool places to stay near Lake Lure, and you can make your trip even more homey by whipping up some holiday foods.

Create memories with the family by baking pumpkin pie or heating some apple cider. 

Whatever you decide to make in the kitchen during your stay, it is sure to taste magical. 

10. Enjoy Some Seasonal Drinks

I know, I know, I keep mentioning foods and desserts- one more I promise. The River Walk across from Chimney Rock has several areas you can stop and enjoy a peppermint mocha or a pumpkin spice latte.

The best part about enjoying fall-time drinks near Lake Lure is enjoying the seasonal tastes by the riverside. 

Coffee on the Rocks has some of THE best coffee around! They are open from 8 AM-5 PM, and every day except for Wednesday. Whenever we visit this coffee shop, we head out to the river and sip our coffee while listening to the river. 

11. Take A Driving Tour

Take your own personal driving tour and enjoy the colorful yellow and orange foliage near Lake Lure. Rumbling Bald is considered the foothills of the Blue Ridge Parkway, meaning you can find some great overlooks.

A few Overlook points include Chimney Rock state park, the River Walk, and Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. 

If you want to view Lake Lure and the surrounding area, go to Chimney Rock State Park. Admission is $17 per person, but it’s so worth it. You have several points within the state park where you can see the Lake and fall foliage. After you are done hiking, enjoy some soup at the restaurant within the state park. 

The River Walk presents a river below the small town of Chimney Rock. You can drive right up to it and walk down to the river and enjoy the scenery. 

The Flowering Bridge is more of a summer thing to do, but you can still catch glimpses of Lake Lure while walking on this short paved trail.

12. Hike a Mountain

There is never a bad time to hike, especially when it’s fall time at Lake Lure. You can find several hikes that lead you to an amazing view of the surrounding area. 

World’s Edge is a short hike before you get to a fantastic view that makes you feel like your at the world’s edge. This hike is a fantastic destination for those who want a clear view of fall foliage.

Eagle Rock and Rumbling Bald are also great places to visit if you are looking for a hike or bouldering. 

In Conclusion

Lake Lure is one of the best places to visit around the Asheville area in the fall. Pumpkin patches, fall foods, and amazing hikes will get you excited to jump into autumn!