Top 10 Reasons Life is Good in Burke County
![Burke County Nature](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/nature.max-1000x800.jpg)
Natural Beauty and a Pristine Environment
Clean air and water complement mountains up to 4,000 feet in elevation; waterfalls; trails for hiking, camping, cycling and horseback riding; minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC’s largest state park (South Mountain State Park), Lake James State Park (as seen in the movie Last of the Mohicans), Linville Gorge- (the "Grand Canyon of the East"), Pisgah National Forest, Catawba River, Linville River, and Wilson Creek.
![zipline](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/zipline.max-1000x800.jpg)
Sports and Recreation
Walking paths, hiking, cycling, kayaking/canoeing, trophy-sized trout fishing, snow skiing, snow tubing, zip lines, Catawba River Greenway.
![Red White Bluegrass Festival](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/Redwhitebluegrassfestival.max-1000x800.jpg)
Entertainment
Free summer weekend concerts on the courthouse square; state-of-the-art cinema complex in Morganton; Year-round schedule of shows, concerts and more at the City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium (COMMA) and the Old Rock School in Valdese; coffee shop and intimate pub concerts, annual festivals (Morganton, Valdese, Hildebran, Glen Alpine) and week-end special events year-round.
![Gallery](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/Gallery-photo.max-1000x800.jpg)
The Arts
Lively and growing arts community (painters, sculptors, ironwork, glasswork and more) with shows at the Burke Arts Gallery, Old Rock School and private artists’ galleries.
![Rood and Vine](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/Rood-and-Vine.max-1000x800.jpg)
Dining
Fresh foods from area farms to national restaurant and fast food chains; Boutique wineries, micro-breweries, and distilleries gaining regional and national reputations.
![Libbas](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/Libbas4.max-1000x800.jpg)
Shopping
Quaint downtown stores and specialty shops to Morganton Heights.
![Lake James in the Fall](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/LakeJamesFall2Glenn.max-1000x800.jpg)
Four-Season Climate
Distinct seasons, each one special in its own way, and generally without the extremes found in many other areas.
![Manufacturing](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/manufacturing-photo.max-1000x800.jpg)
Advanced Manufacturing Jobs
High-tech, environmentally-sensitive companies making products for growing global customers offer career opportunities in multiple industries.
![Western Piedmont Community College](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/wpcc-campus.max-1000x800.jpg)
Quality Education
Future-Focused Burke County public school system and community college are dedicated to preparing students to be successful in the new global economy. Other education options include independent private schools, faith-based schools, a charter school, and home schooling networks.
![medical care](https://www.discoverburkecounty.com/media/images/medical-stock.max-1000x800.jpg)
Excellent Medical Care
Community-based healthcare system partnered with national leader Carolinas HealthCare System and some 300 physicians practicing in nearly 40 specialties across the county.