LAKE LURE, N.C. — If you’re looking for the time of your life, you don’t have to travel too far in North Carolina.

Hidden in the state's mountains, the Town of Lake Lure became part of the now-famous backdrop in the movie "Dirty Dancing."

While many of the original sites used in the movie, such as the boys' camp and gymnasium, are no longer standing, you can take a boat tour on Lake Lure to see many of the iconic spots like the stone staircase that was used in filming.

 
What You Need to Know
  • The movie was filmed in Lake Lure in 1986
  • Die-hard fans can rent the suites Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray stayed in 
  • The town hosts a "Dirty Dancing" themed festival each year to celebrate the film but have had to postpone it the last two years due to COVID-19 

 

Enjoy Golf? You can even play a round at Rumbling Blad Resort to see hole 16, used in the movie where Baby asks her father for help.

For die-hard fans, you can even rent the suites that Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray stayed in during the filming of the movie at the Lake Lure Inn — just a few iconic spots that make the town so unique today.

“It’s a generational film, it’s not just something that’s just a blip on the screen,” Lake Lure Inn Hotel Ambassador Patrick Bryant said.  “It’s become a lifetime movie. And that’s what makes it so fun to live and work here.”

Many of the original locations that were used in the film are now privately owned. However, Lake Lure Boat Tours can take you by many of the spots used in the movie.

Or if you want a little more privacy, you can rent Johnny and Baby’s cabins as well.

The Hickory Nut Chamber of Commerce also hosts a "Dirty Dancing" themed festival every year. They are hoping to bring the festival back in 2022 to once again celebrate the movie.