I had never been to a drive-in movie before, but I don’t think that’s entirely uncommon. There’s a drive in about 35 minutes from my house that I believe has been there for several decades, but other than that, I don’t actually think there are that many of them still scattered around the country. Today’s post is going to be all about my experience at the Parkway Drive-In, in case you have been wanting to go to it specifically or any drive-in, anywhere. I really think now is the best time to try this activity out because it can be easily made social distant! I also want to quickly mention that you know I had a good time because I stayed up until almost 2:30 for this event- I am usually in bed at 10 p.m., haha.
The drive-in was showing Twilight and New Moon, my ultimate guilty pleasure movie franchise. I was so, so excited because I knew the vibe of the movie would be perfect for screening in the dark outdoors. We prepped just a tiny amount before setting out to the movies, and I think that helped make it extra fun. Before leaving, I made sure we both ate dinner so we could save a little bit of money by not eating out/going to the concession stand- we weren’t sure what the prices would be like, plus my friend Skylar is vegan so she has limited options at places like this usually! I baked some of Elisabeth and Butter’s s’mores cookies I had stored in the freezer, filled up a few water bottles, and packed some candy we had. I also brought a big bag full of some blankets and pillows. We created a playlist with the soundtrack of the two movies and a little bit of folklore (Taylor Swift’s new album) to listen to on our way.
My friend Katie let us borrow the portable radio she had bought for the drive-in on another occasion (Parkway used to rent them out for $2 but they are no longer doing so during COVID-19). My dad asked if we could just use our car radios, and that might have worked. There was an intermission between the two movies, and we could have turned the car on then to let the battery charge, but my dad did warn me that some cars have a time limit when the radio will automatically go off after 10 mins, 30 mins, etc. I could tell this was the case for a couple cars around us, as they would turn their cars on periodically through the movie and then turn them off again. That would have been really annoying, so I am glad we had the radio. Also, if you’re confused why I am talking about a radio at a movie, I don’t blame you! The way the sound works is through radio broadcast, so you watch the movie on the screen but tune your radio to a certain pre-provided channel to listen to the audio.
We arrived at the drive in around 7:15 p.m.- the Facebook post had said the gates wouldn’t open until 8, but I think the social media response for this particular night was so strong they had to let people in early. We expected we were going to have to wait in a line of cars to be let in the property before the gates were supposed to open, but I think they had to open it early because so many cars were already lined up it would have backed out into the road. I am so glad we got there early because we were able to pick our spot with the best view, but I really do think there probably wasn’t a truly “bad” view on the property.
Because the movie didn’t start until 9:15, and it only took us five minutes to lay out the blankets and pillows, we had a LOT of extra time. I am so, so glad we thought ahead and brought one of our favorite games, catch phrase, to pass the time. We also brought the books we were both currently reading, but we love playing Catch Phrase so much we didn’t need them. I would highly recommend this during the time of social distancing! Other people had brought frizbees or more physical type games, but I think this created a lot more opportunity for getting too close to people.
Random tips I have + a roundup of previously mentioned tips in this post
Open all your windows and sun roof, the air flow really made the muggy night more pleasant. Toward midnight I actually got a little cool, which is novel for August in Tennessee.
Also, make sure not to forget bug spray. We brought it, but we saw other people who forgot theirs going from car to car asking for some. I would have been eaten alive if I hadn’t brought mine!
Bring cash. The Parkway Drive-In ticket booth only takes cash. The concession stand did take card though.
Bring some kind of two player, easy set up game such as Catch Phrase.
Read your drive-in’s FAQ page to help answer any questions you have before your first time going.
Wear something comfortable for lounging- I wore a skort and short sleeve t-shirt, but in the fall I would probably wear joggers and a sweatshirt.
Bring your mask. The bathrooms and concession stand lines are easier this way.
If you don’t think you will be comfortable laying in your trunk or you don’t have an SUV/truck, bring bag chairs! Lots of people did this.
I hope this post answered some questions for you or sparked your interest in the drive-in! I really hope there is one near you so you all get to experience the magic that is watching a spooky movie on a starry night!
