Looking for a little romantic nostalgia under the stars with someone special?  Relive the good old days of popcorn and soda on the dashboard with a trip to Abingdon’s Moonlite Drive-In Theatre, located just a short drive from I-81 Exit 14 along Lee Hwy.

Owned and operated by William Booker, who once tried to sneak into the theater in the trunk of a car when he was a boy, the Moonlite is one of just roughly 500 left in America today, and recently became the third drive-in theatre to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Opened in 1949, the Moonlite has been put into song and celebrated as a classic slice of Americana.  While it features today’s films, it does so in yesterday’s fashion, allowing couples to enjoy the now rare experience of parking on a gravel field and killing the engine to the hum of crickets and the soothing sounds of Elvis before the movie begins.

The drive-in experience is quite different from a conventional movie theatre.  You can bring pets, supervise children in a less confined space, and even leave your mobile phone on.  Shows begin much later in the evening during summer because it needs to be totally dark to show the film. 

Moonlite fits just about every audience and every budget.  College students and large families will enjoy the modest ticket prices, roughly $5 for adults and free for children younger than 11.  Concessions are less expensive than large theatres, too.  You’d find a large soda for about the same price at a fast-food restaurant, and the large tub of popcorn costs half of what most multiplex theatres charge.

Then again, any family could easily bring in food from elsewhere, like Alison’s Restaurant or Ma & Pa’s just up the road.

However you choose to spend your night at the movies, it’s guaranteed to be a fun and feasible family outing that may bring back fond memories while creating many more new ones.