It didn’t take long after arriving at Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia, to realize that despite the resort’s name, it has no lake. What it does offer guests is a long and varied list of activities and appeals that can fill many a day. Then there’s that not-so-secret reason why many people go there: Most of the popular 1987 motion picture “Dirty Dancing,” which supposedly took place at a vacation retreat in New York’s Catskill Mountains, was filmed at the Virginia property.
Taking advantage of the almost cultlike following the motion picture spawned, Mountain Lake Lodge stages a series of special weekends focused on the film. During our recent visit, my wife, Fyllis, and I combined an immersion in the movie’s mystique with a sampling of other things to do and see on the resort’s 2,600-acre spread.
Its history alone is enticing. In the early 1800s, a wooden hotel was built to serve as a stagecoach stop. Following several incarnations, a businessman purchased the property and, in 1936, erected the sprawling lodge that still stands, using native stones from the surrounding hills. Today, it’s owned by a foundation that preserves its role as a place where people can forge a close connection with nature.
The resort clings proudly to its past. Hallways are lined with historic photographs and memorabilia, and cottages built during the early 1900s have been refurbished to serve as accommodations. Stone benches from that time are scattered about the campus to provide rest and respite.
Those seats come in handy for guests seeking a bit of R&R after taking advantage of the resort’s eclectic A-to-Z choice of recreational alternatives, from art classes to zip-lining.
There are 24 miles of hiking trails in varying degrees of challenge. Birdwatchers can explore the tranquil hemlock forest and marsh bog nearby. Tours reveal hidden areas of the property, and guides share little-known stories about its past.
Escape rooms challenge the ingenuity of those who venture into them, and a ropes course tests bravery and balance. An onsite shooting range, Clays at the Overlook, offers rifle-shooting at moving targets, and lessons are available for a fee to help beginners score a bullseye. Other opportunities close to the resort include fishing, kayaking and canoeing, river-rafting and golfing.
Not long ago, an onsite lake offered a choice of water-related opportunities. Geologists explain that Mountain Lake was formed about 6,000 years ago by rock-slide dams. They say it’s the only body of water in the world that goes through natural periodic cycles of draining through leak holes and then refilling as those openings are plugged by sediment.
While the lake bed was empty when Fyllis and I were there, it’s famous for another reason. During the making of “Dirty Dancing,” Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey practiced “the lift” there, the most famous part of a dance routine portrayed in the movie. The location is identified by one of a number of signs that mark spots where scenes were filmed.
The resort’s special “Dirty Dancing” weekends, which are held throughout the year, attract both first-time participants and fans who, I learned, have watched the motion picture as many as 50 times.
At a costume contest, Hollywood wannabes dress up like various actors. Dance lessons introduce some of the moves that gave the movie its name, and games like a scavenger hunt and trivia quiz separate die-hard groupies from less dedicated devotees.
Not a resort to be satisfied with its film fame, Mountain Lake Lodge also offers other themed events: Independence and Mother’s Day celebrations, football weekends, craft-beer tastings and Thanksgiving and Christmas fetes.
Accommodations at Mountain Lake Lodge include the historic lodge building and cottages located around the property. Meals are in the Harvest Dining Room, where some “Dirty Dancing” scenes were filmed, and offer a farm-to-table experience using locally sourced ingredients. A meat and cheese charcuterie board, listed as a “small plate,” provided a bountiful meal for Fyllis and me to share. Entree alternatives include cast-iron chicken and sesame seed-crusted salmon. Nightly rates begin at $199, and prices for the all-inclusive “Dirty Dancing” weekends start at $499 a night per person.
