‘Dirty Dancing’ in Lake Lure (and Virginia, too)

When the end of summer comes, we can’t help but think of one of the all-time summertime classics — ‘Dirty Dancing.’

 

 

 

In ‘Dirty Dancing’, all the drama takes place in New York’s famous Catskill Borscht Belt, but in real life, it was all shot in the South. In Lake Lure, North Carolina, near Chimney Rock, you can still stay at campsite featured in the film — including the famous ballroom. To reach the quaint resort of the Four Seasons Cottages and Cabins, take Boys Camp Road to Chapel Point Road, and you’ll end up right where the naïve New Yorker Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and suave dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) had the time of their lives You can even stay in You can even stay in room 323, the place where Swayze’s Johnny slept. Filming for the movie also took place in Virginia at the Mountain Lake Resort in Pembroke, not far from Roanoke. The resort stood in for several major locations in the film, including the Houseman family cabin (interior and exterior), the resort grounds, gazebo and lake. 

 

 

 

 

During production, conditions were not ideal, and frankly downright uncomfortable for the cast and crew. Shooting in the South in the height of summer, the temperature reached well over 105 degrees. Not only that, but the young actors — mostly unknown names about to make it big with the film — were forbidden from acting upon any of the (abundant) built up sexual tension during the shoot. By the time they were filming the end-of-summer scenes, though, it was October and changing autumn leaves had to be painted green. In fact, that famous lake scene where Baby and Johnny practice their lift was filmed in 40-degree weather.