Morganton, N.C. – 20 minutes from Lake James

• Recipient of the National Main Street Award for the preservation and revitalization of its historic downtown
• Tree-lined streets and more than 100 shops and restaurants highlight downtown. Morganton also has dry cleaners, a post office and convenience stores
• Home to Grace Hospital, part of Carolina Healthcare’s network of healthcare services
• Home to Western Piedmont Community College
• Catawba River Greenway and four community golf courses
• Host to community events such as TGIF (Friday night concerts on the lawn of the historic Burke County Courthouse), the Historic Morganton Festival, the Burke Arts Council’s October Oyster Outing and more

Marion, N.C. – 10 minutes from Lake James

• Main street shops and restaurants are ideal for a relaxing afternoon
• Three public parks offer opportunities for picnics and leisurely strolls
• Nearby Old Fort, known as the gateway to the Appalachian Mountains, features a museum and Friday night music and hoedown series
• The annual Mountain Glory Festival celebrates the beauty of fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains
• The birthplace of the North Carolina Gold Festival, highlighting the region’s gold history