Category: Blog

5 Can’t-Miss Sights & Experiences Around Mill Spring

Bright’s Creek, just outside of Mill Spring NC, offers a peaceful mountain oasis experience while being within reach of amazing local spots, charming towns, and convenient resources. Just minutes from our gates, you’ll discover everything you need — markets, shops, entertainment, and so much more. Whether you’re searching for farm-fresh seasonal produce, supplies for your next project, or an eatery with lots of local flair, you’ve come to the right place.

Here’s our local’s guide to the Mill Spring area, just outside of beautiful Bright’s Creek.

1. Shop for Local Meat, Fresh Produce, and Artisan Cheese

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: Less than 15 minutes

Open all year round, the local gem known as Mill Spring Farm Store features a great selection of dairy, produce, meat, breads, baked goods, cheese, jams and honey, snacks, and even frozen prepared foods. Conveniently located near local wineries and Lake Lure, it’s the perfect place to stock up on groceries. With almost a 5-star rating online, it’s truly a local favorite that can’t be missed.

2. Explore the Area’s Best Wineries and Breweries

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 7-40 minutes

Just about 7 minutes up the road sits Parker-Binns Vineyard, a stunning 40-acre winery located in the Tryon Foothills. This family-owned winery features amazing reds, whites, rosés, and more unique blends you won’t want to miss. With fun events, live music, food trucks, and more so close to Bright’s Creek, Parker-Binns is practically your own personal wine retreat.

About 11 minutes from Mill Spring, you’ll find another amazing winery — Overmountain Vineyards located in Tryon. Discover French-style wines made primarily from estate-grown fruit on their 70-acre family-run farm. Come enjoy a picnic lunch and discover their 5 varieties of local grapes planted right onsite. With stunning scenery and amazing wines, it’s the perfect adults-only adventure just minutes away from Bright’s Creek.

The area is also brimming with breweries! Just about a 20-minute drive from Bright’s Creek is Iron Key Brewing Co. in Columbus. Formerly a state prison from the 1930s, this unique space houses tons of history, in addition to amazing craft beers, wine, and food.

Some of the nation’s most beloved breweries are also in the area! Renowned Sierra Nevada has a taproom about 40 minutes from Bright’s Creek, with a back porch that offers food and 20 beers on tap. Enjoy live entertainment, food trucks, and so much more at this famed Mills River destination.

Finally, Highland Brewing, an Asheville favorite since 1994, sits just about an hour’s drive from Bright’s Creek. Take a taproom tour and enjoy an array of food and beer options in their unique and lively space.

3. Experience History & Community at the Mill Spring Ag Center

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: Less than 15 minutes

Built in 1921, this 41,000 sq. ft. former schoolhouse is now a multi–purpose space offering an array of unique amenities. Whether you’re looking to rent an auditorium space for an event, need a new office space equipped with WiFi, are in the market for an art studio space, want to connect with the community, or just want to explore a local landmark, the Mill Spring Ag Center is definitely worth a visit. It’s the perfect escape for artists, farmers, and entrepreneurs alike.

4. Bring Your Projects to Life with Help from the Local Hardware Store

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: Less than 20 minutes

Red Mountain Trading Post is a local gem stocked with everything you’ll need for both large DIY undertakings and small projects. This favorite “mom-and-pop” hardware store has a helpful community feel you just won’t find at big-box chains. Beyond tools and supplies, you’ll even find seasonal plants, local treats, decor, and more.

5. Enjoy Family-Friendly Equestrian Entertainment

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 20 minutes

Horse enthusiasts who appreciate our intimate on-site equestrian center can further indulge their love of all things equestrian at the popular Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort.

Located in the Blue Ridge Foothills of Mill Spring, this social hub features horse shows, live music, family-friendly events, competitions, shopping, and more. With on-site dining options from sushi and BBQ to Italian and Mexican food, there’s truly something for everyone to love.

If you thought mountain living was too remote or too far from life’s necessities, that’s certainly not the case at beautiful Bright’s Creek.

Ready to explore both our on-site amenities (our NEW amenity center will feature a grab-and-go market) and all of the local gems just outside of our gates? To learn more about available real estate and club memberships at Bright’s Creek, contact us today.

Our Favorite 5 Vineyards and Wineries Near Mill Spring, NC

There’s nothing like pairing a decadent glass of local wine with the majestic mountain views of Western North Carolina. And with so many quality vineyards and wineries near Mill Spring, NC, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the rich varietals of the region, from buttery chardonnays and crisp rosés to robust cabernets and peppery merlots—and more! Here’s our list of some of our favorite local wineries, just outside the Bright’s Creek gates.

1. Parker-Binns Vineyard

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 7 minutes

Located in the Tryon Foothills, this family-owned winery and vineyard boasts a wide selection of award-winning wines. If you’re feeling peckish, pair a glass with some delicious items from the Vineyard’s on-site restaurant, the Burger Barn. And it offers live music throughout the weekends, providing the perfect ambiance for a romantic date night or relaxing evening with friends.

2. Mountain Brook Vineyard

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 14 minutes

Featuring 75 acres of sprawling vines and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, Mountain Brook Vineyard offers the space and options to make each visit your own unique experience. The winery hosts regular events with live music and food trucks, and it just kicked off its first-ever JazzFest 2022 with musical performances by local, national, and international artists. AND it’s pet friendly, so you can bring your best fur friend with you (just remember to keep them leashed).

3. Russian Chapel Hills Winery

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 14 minutes

Formerly known as Green Creek Vineyards, the Russian Chapel Hills Winery has been upholding its place in local viticulture since 2004. Recently, the Vineyard constructed the beautiful St. Anna Chapel on its property, which is part of the eastern Diocese of the Russian Church Outside of Russia and a staple feature of the vineyard. Open Thursday through Sunday, it’s the perfect weekend spot to enjoy a glass of local wine!

4. Burntshirt Vineyards Tasting Room & Bistro

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 23 minutes

Located right outside the village of Chimney Rock, Burntshirt Vineyards Tasting Room & Bistro is a must-add spot on your next visit to the area. Enjoy some of the best views of Chimney Rock and Hickory Nut Falls from the covered patio, which also features live music most weekends. And if you’re craving more variety, you can also choose from a selection of domestic and craft beers in addition to the Burntshirt Vinyards’ local wine offerings. Or take a tour of the vineyards at the Burntshirt Vinyards Hendersonville location, which also includes a winery, tastings, private event space, and more!

5. Overmountain Vineyards

Drive time from Mill Spring, NC: 11 minutes

Providing an “adult-only experience” and available only by reservation, this 70-acre, family-owned farm is the perfect spot for an intimate, romantic evening – or you can make it a weekend getaway by staying in one of the Vineyard’s luxury villas. Specializing in handcrafted French-style wines and surrounded by the beauty of the Tryon Foothills, it’s the ideal year-round spot to share with your friends and loved ones.

As you can see, there’s a wide selection of vineyards and wineries near Mill Spring, North Carolina – some just minutes away from Bright’s Creek and others perfect for a day trip to one of our beautiful surrounding cities. Which one will you visit first?

New Amenity Center Underway at Bright’s Creek in Mill Spring, NC:
Exciting Destination Scheduled to Open Late 2022

When looking for the perfect home in the Western North Carolina mountains, finding a community with amenities that appeal to the whole family is an important part of the search. Bright’s Creek’s stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are enhanced by the many amenities we have to offer, including our new Amenity Center scheduled to open later this year.

And we’re making great strides in bringing new experiences for our members with luxury amenities for the entire family to enjoy. From making improvements to our one-of-a-kind Tom Fazio-designed golf course to adding an expansive outdoor deck to the Member Lodge with incredible panoramic views, exciting changes are happening, making Bright’s Creek a family-friendly community in Mill Spring, NC where you can relax, play, explore, and – simply put – live your best life.

One of the most exciting additions has been in the works for several months: the new Amenity Center. Slated to open in late 2022, the Amenity Center will be a beautiful facility in the heart of Bright’s Creek where members and their family and friends can gather for a fun or relaxing time.

The approximately 7,000 sq. ft. two-story facility will feature a chic rustic look to blend with the natural surroundings. It will overlook the 10th fairway with a backdrop of the entire valley. Inside the main building, guests will be welcomed with beautiful high ceilings, a stone fireplace, and ample windows to take in the scenery and let in the sunshine. There will be an inside bar serving up cocktails and snacks and a social gathering area with plush furniture to relax and enjoy time with friends and neighbors. There will also be a screened-in porch to take in the outdoors practically year-round.

For the kids and the kids at heart, the Amenity Center will have an indoor two-lane bowling alley – sure to provide hours of fun competition. It will also have a fitness center with high-end features and equipment, such as free weights, yoga mats, cardio machines, and more to provide a space to maintain your health and wellness.

And when you’re ready for some outdoor relaxation, the best place will be the resort-style saltwater heated swimming pool with tanning ledges for soaking up the sun and a large deck outfitted with lounge chairs and shaded tables. Families will enjoy a refreshing time by the pool on those hot summer days. When you’ve worked up an appetite from dipping in the pool or tanning in the sun, pop by the outside bar and poolside grille and order up some fresh menu offerings, like pizza, sandwiches, snacks, and frozen treats.

With so many frills, this enjoyable destination will be like paradise just minutes from your home in Bright’s Creek. We can’t wait for the new Amenity Center to open and for members to gather in this spectacular space. This new facility is just one more reason why Bright’s Creek is the best choice for your Western North Carolina resort community. For golf and equestrian enthusiasts as well as those that simply love the outdoors – whether to explore or relax, Bright’s Creek has it all.

To learn more about memberships or available properties at Bright’s Creek with spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, contact us today.