New rides add to nostalgia at Mayberry Drive-In and Diner

When the sun goes down at Smith Mountain Lake, the projector is turned on at the Mayberry Drive-In and Diner in Moneta and large crowds watch double features from their cars.

The glow of the 1950s-style diner 520 feet from the outdoor movie screen beckons to nostalgic memories of baby boomers who grew up when drive-ins were in their heyday.

And first-timers who have never seen a drive-in often marvel at the sight of the only one of its kind in Central Virginia.

While the drive-in and diner has carved a niche for itself at the lake since it opened in October 2008, owners Bob Craig and Kathy Gentry still are adding to the attraction’s menu of features to bring in even more families.

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors in June voted to give Craig zoning clearance to bring in several amusement rides directly behind the diner on White House Road, about a mile from Virginia 122.

Craig already has run a few specials on the rides and plans to start offering them soon to customers, promoting them at the ticket booth when visitors drive up to the diner.

He said a drive-in in Colorado has found success in offering rides and he feels the added feature will give area families another reason to come by.

“There’s no real outdoor stuff for the grandkids to do around the lake,” Craig said of bringing in the small-scale rides. “This gives them some extra-fun things to do.”

Last July, Craig and Gentry added a concession stand just outside the diner for moviegoers to use and reduce overcrowding in the diner.

“It ruined the atmosphere for people who were trying to dine in,” Gentry said of the long lines from outside into the diner. “Every year, we’re learning something new. It was definitely a new venture for us, and we learned a lot along the way.

Each year, we hope to keep adding to it.”

Jordan Nance, of Roanoke, brought his two young sons for their first visit to the drive-in recently to eat dinner and watch “Cars 2,” a computer-animated action film.

“It’s one more thing to come out here and do,” Krista Nance, his wife, said of adding rides to the mix.

Larry and Julia Hipp, a couple in their 70s from North Carolina who vacation at the lake, also visited the diner for the first time this year and said they enjoyed it.

“We had everything from pancakes to chicken fried steak today,” Julia said.

Craig said people can bring dogs and lounge chairs, throw Frisbee and watch their kids play. “There’s more freedom than an indoor theater.”

The drive-in can hold more than 200 cars at a time; Craig said the largest crowd has been 265 cars.

The movies play four nights per week and large groups can reserve off- nights: screenings play from early spring to early winter.

‘‘ It was definitely a new venture for us, and we learned a lot along the way. Each year, we hope to keep adding to it.”

“We played in the snow one winter,” Craig said. “It was pretty neat.”

The diner is open all year and has only been closed three days since opening in late 2008, Craig said.

He personally has only taken about a week off since starting the operation, but has been in business his whole life and is used to it.

“I love the people,” he said.