Visiting Mountain Lake, VA – Home of Dirty Dancing
When I was a student at Virginia Tech, my friends and I often drove to Mountain Lake in Pembroke, VA to look around the resort and to hike.
My mom, aunt, cousin, and I recently visited Mountain Lake and we had so much fun!
Visiting Mountain Lake, VA – Home of Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is one of my very favorite movies and as I watched the movie for the first time in a Christiansburg movie theater with my college boyfriend, it thrilled me that I was familiar with where scenes from the movie were shot.
Touring the Lodge
The lodge was built from native sandstone in 1936.
The resort is gorgeous and would be a wonderful place to vacation.
Dirty Dancing fans will be very familiar with the arch that Johnny drove through.
The entryway is a great place to relax with a view. The concierge desk is here to help to plan activities.
Wouldn’t it be great to relax in this room in winter in front of a roaring fire?
Behind the sofa is a display with Dirty Dancing memorabilia.
I know I would enjoy spending time in the bar room.
The dining room has a few signs that show exactly where scenes from Dirty Dancing were shot.
We so much enjoyed eating lunch in the lodge and the food was great.
Touring the Grounds
After we ate lunch, we toured the grounds.
Mountain Lake is one of two natural lakes in Virginia. The lake level dropped in 2002 as part of a natural cycle.
Here my crazy Mama is pretending that she is in the lake.
I always thought that the lift scene was filmed at Lake Lure but I was wrong.
Here is the gazebo where many scenes were filmed.
Seeing the lake drained is so sad!
Beside the gazebo is a memorial for Patrick Swayze.
I wonder when this cycle will be over and when the lake will again be at full pond?
Sinking Creek Covered Bridge
At the base of the mountain is the Sinking Creek covered bridge. This was my first time seeing this.
Between 1912 and 1919, four covered bridges were built across Sinking Creek in Giles County.
Remarkably, three of them are still standing over a century later, though two are now on private land.
My Grandparents’ House
We then headed to Pearisburg to see my grandparents’ house. My grandparents were avid gardeners and when they lived in this house it sure didn’t look like this.
Visiting Caroline at Virginia Tech
Our last stop was Virginia Tech to visit my friend’s daughter Caroline. Unfortunately, Kennedy, her roommate, was in class.
This was a super fun day and I look forward to another field trip with Mama, my aunt, and my cousin.
Paula!! This is gorgeous!! I feel like need to go back and watch that movie again!! So good!!!
Thank you so much, Aliya! I can’t even guess how many times I have watched Dirty Dancing.
Looks like you had a very nice time! I didn’t know that area was so close to me or I know we would have visited before. I’m about 2 1/2 hours from there. It looks gorgeous and I’d love to see that. It also looks like you all had a great time! What a beautiful memory! I just loved that movie! Patrick Swayze was an absolute gorgeous man! I think I’ll talk hubby into a quick trip! Lol
I forgot to ask which one is your mom? I’m guessing the one in the white top?
Mama is in the floral top. My aunt is in the white top.
I’m also 2 1/2 hours from Mountain Lake. You definitely should take a trip there, perhaps in fall to enjoy the folliage.
I really enjoyed this post, Paula! I watched Dirty Dancing again recently, and still love it! I had no idea where it was filmed, nor that you could actually still stay there! Gorgeous pictures!
Thank you so much, Amy! I would love to spend a weekend there.
You had me a Kellermans! I visited it years ago and thought it was so beautiful! Your post took me right back. Beautiful!
I would love to spend a weekend at Mountain Lake. I need to find out if they are dog friendly because if Sherman can’t go, we don’t go.
Thanks for sharing as I have seen this movie at least 100 times and even went to see 2 stage plays of Dirty Dancing!!
Have a great weekend!!
hugs,
Debbie
I think we are both Dirty Dancing super fans!
Very cool trip and one of my all time favorite movies! My brother in law worked on Dirty Dancing as a production assistant for Vestron Studios. I was in college at the time and he gave me a giant official movie poster for my room. He and my sister even went to the Golden Globes that year. Great memories and great post!! Thanks for sharing!!
It is so neat that your brother was a part of making Dirty Dancing!
You have taken us on some of the most interesting trips!! Loved the pics and the whole post, especially that beautiful covered bride!!
Have a great weekend!
Thank you so much, June! You have a great weekend as well.
What a fun trip, I did not know that you could still tour that location.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, Juliet!
What a fun post! This is a beautiful lodge and I too, loved the movie. Thanks for sharing this fun movie memory.
I wonder how many times I have seen Dirty Dancing? Quite a few!!
Your field trips are interesting and beautiful. I have seen Dirty Dancing more than once. I will have a different understanding because of your pictures. I think I need to see it again.
Thanks so much for sharing your outing with us.
Enjoy your weekend,
Suzanne
Thank you so much, Suzanne!
It sounds like you had an amazing time! That is so interesting about the lake being low. Does that happen natually or some other way? Thanks for sharing!
The lake level lowering is cyclic. My aunt remembers a neighbor telling her that it was low when she was a little girl.
What a fun post, thank you for sharing your outing. I had no idea that you could visit the resort. Definitely one of my favorite films. The chemistry between Johnny and Baby! Oh my! Lovely memorial to Patrick Swayze, it’s a shame he passed so young.
It is a terrible shame that Patrick Swayze died so young. We had so much fun at Mountain Lake. I would love to spend a weekend there.
Super cool, Paula ! My mom loved that movie. It looks like you all had a great time. Can we visit it next time I visit VA?You are looking beautiful. Love, Sue
We definitely can visit Mountain Lake the next time you visit!
What a fun trip! I’ve never been there, but Pearisburg was where many West VIrginians used to drive to have a fast wedding. 😉 Love your recent top purchase you’re wearing! Thanks for sharing all the movie trivia.
It is so funny that Pearisburg was a fast wedding destination.
What an awesome trip! I always loved the movie Dirty Dancing. We have a few covered bridges near here and many of them are quite old as well.
I can’t imagine how many times I have watched Dirty Dancing! Virginia only has seven covered bridges so it was a treat to see this one.
What a cool trip! Dirty Dancing is one of my favorite movies so I will have to add this to my bucket list. It is very interesting about the lake and sad that it is dry right now,
I also am a hug Dirty Dancing fan. We had such a good time at Mountain Lake.
Thanks so much for the tour of this lovely resort. I have watched that movie so many times. We live in Virginia and I have always wanted to visit but haven’t made it yet.. Are the cabins where the kids stayed, Baby’s family stayed and Baby and Johnny shared time alone still there? Or were they just built for the movie?
Johnny’s cabin and the staff cabins were a set. Wouldn’t it be fun to stay in the cabin where Baby’s family stayed?