Hi everyone! Craig has graciously written a recap post of our stay at Lakeview at Fontana from the male perspective!! Yes the place is perfect for the relaxing spa getaway type of feel, but it also has so many great activities to get outside!! So if you and/or your significant other isn’t the type to just sit around all day long… Read Craig’s recap below 🙂
______________________________________________
I’ll start by saying if you haven’t read parts I and II about Lakeview at Fontana, go back and read those before reading this post. You will find the free night’s giveaway and promo code on those posts!! The purpose of this post is to provide a slightly different perspective of this boutique mountain inn and spa; one more tilted to the testosterone side of the spectrum. Don’t get me wrong. Is Lakeview at Fontana cute, clean and cozy? Yes. Is it romantic? Absolutely, it is. But I also found it to be much more than this. Lakeview is the PERFECT basecamp!
This mountain inn and spa is just outside of Bryson City and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and the Nantahala National Forest. In other words it is ideally nestled in a massive playground for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. The only difficult part of our stay was figuring out how to fit in everything I wanted to do! Obviously I couldn’t fit in my entire wish-list during our 2 night trip, but I tried. We ventured into the heart of the Smokey Mountains on Friday with a quick 3 mile hike to Andrews Bald, starting from the Clingmans Dome parking lot. The Appalachian Trail runs right through this area, and the parking lot was slammed, but the crowd quickly dispersed a quarter mile or so down the trail. Our hike concluded at Andrews Bald, a scenic outcropping below Clingmans Dome with great views of Fontana Lake directly below.
The adventures continued the following morning with a trek to one of the many streams that run down from the Smokey Mountains and empty into Fontana Lake. I couldn’t let the trip pass by without hooking a trout. Actually it turns out I could let the trip pass by with hooking a trout, and that’s exactly what I did. For those of you considering a fishing trip in the GSMNP, a guide might also be worth consideration! Although I didn’t hook a trout, the scenery was awesome nonetheless.
The last “must-do” on my list was getting my mountain bike out on the Tsali trails in Nantahala National Forest. There’s about 40 miles of trail winding around Lake Fontana. There are 4 loops to choose from, and on alternating days, 2 loops are open to bikes and 2 are open to horses. I rode the Left Loop and tallied up around 12 miles in total and took plenty of breaks to soak in the awesome views of the lake along the way.
Aside from the miles of trail and fishable rivers, the area also offers a multitude of other adventure opportunities including, whitewater rafting, flatwater kayaking and canoeing, paddle boarding, zip lining, tubing and more. Lakeview Fontana offered a perfect balance to all of this activity and adventure. I loved the fresh French press coffee, fruit and pastries to start each day, and the complimentary happy hour each evening was an ideal way to unwind. Best of all was the treetop cabana. I can’t imagine a better way to end the day, unwind and soothe aching muscles with a bath-salt soak.
Whether you’re looking for that perfect basecamp, a romantic getaway or simply a place to put your feet up and forget the day to day, the location, beauty and tranquility of Lakeview Fontana will be tough to beat!
-Craig
Leave a Reply