If you think the Blue Ridge Parkway is all overlooks and bumper-to-bumper leaf-peepers, think again. Along this iconic stretch of highway, you’ll find a Gilded Age estate built by a denim baron, hippies banging their hearts out, and vintage pinball games.

“The 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway lead travelers to so much mountain beauty, fascinating history, rich culture, and charming communities,” said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “The variety of experiences is just one reason people visit the national park again and again.”

To take your parkway road trip to the next level, check out some of the roadway’s most quirky experiences.

(From time to time, parkway sections close, so it’s always good to glance at the road closure map before heading out.)

Skirting the edge of Roanoke, Virginia (milepost 120), the parkway all but leads you to the Roanoke Pinball Museum, where you can rock out with Kiss and swim with the Creature from the Black Lagoon — or at least bounce fast metal balls around them. Games from the 1930s can be found alongside modern classics like Pac-Man and newer favorites like Mario Kart on a Nintendo Switch.

When you’re all gamed out, head upstairs in the same building to the rooftop restaurant Six and Sky for stunning views of downtown Roanoke’s architectural gems like the modern Taubman Museum and the Tudor grand dame, The Hotel Roanoke, all framed by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. 

If you snoozed through Astronomy 101 in college and don’t know Ursa Minor from Uranus, here’s your chance at redemption. Peaks of Otter Lodge in Bedford, Virginia (milepost 86), regularly offers community presentations on the cosmos.

During these seminars, astronomer Greg Redfern dives into celestial curiosities, answering questions about everything from dark matter to exoplanets. If the night sky is clear, he also takes groups outside for stargazing sessions. (For the record, no one has spotted a UFO…yet.)

Friday nights are a banger in Asheville, North Carolina (milepost 382), when drummers, tambourinists, djembefolas, and percussionists of all kinds gather in the heart of downtown for a tradition that’s now a quarter-century old — the weekly drum circle.

Even if you don’t play, it’s the perfect place to dawn a flowing skirt or fringe vest, feel the vibes, and wave your hands in the air like you’re at Woodstock, circa 1969.

While in town, you might also check out local eats like Good Hot Fish, which riffs on traditional North Carolina fish camps, or Potential New Boyfriend, a vinyl listening lounge famed for its small plates and desserts.

For over 75 years, Native American performers have dawned traditional regalia and performed a comparatively new ritual, thrilling audiences with a sweeping stage play that recounts life before contact with Europeans through the tragic Trail of Tears to the formation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee.

Performed nightly, May through August, in a 2,100-seat amphitheater in Cherokee, North Carolina (milepost 469), “Unto these Hills” is a story of resilience from some of Appalachia’s original inhabitants. It makes for an inspiring and magical evening under the stars.

Plus, the town offers countless other diversions, from the massive Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort to the Oconaluftee Indian Village, which recreates life in an 18th century Cherokee village.

Listen, we don’t doubt that your Honda Odyssey is the perfect family vehicle. But if you’re looking for a ride with more horsepower (literally), book a carriage ride at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, North Carolina (milepost 294).

During this two-hour experience, gallant steeds will cart you around the 3,500-acre estate of the late Moses H. Cone, an early-1900s textile mogul who built his 23-room summer manor near Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Along the way, you’ll glimpse some of Mr. Cone’s favorite hangout spots, including grassy meadows offering magnificent mountain views.  

The Orchard at Altapass in Spruce Pine, North Carolina (milepost 328.3), is less of an orchard and more of an apple museum. Stroll the 277-acre property, and you’ll find heirloom cultivars dating back hundreds of years.

Varieties range from the Crow’s Egg, a squatty little snack discovered in the 1700s, to the Grimes Golden, a sweet and tangy fruit supposedly first planted by Johnny Appleseed. There’s also the nobly-named King Luscious, a Depression-era apple quite distinguished in taste.

Sure, you could nosh stale peanuts and sticky raisins during your parkway pilgrimage, or, you could eat a slice of Big Fat Chocolate Cake while 5,000 feet high at the Pisgah Inn in Canton, North Carolina (milepost 408).

Established in 1919 and rebuilt in 1964, this midcentury motel has views like none other from its perch atop the soaring Mount Pisgah. Even if you don’t stay the night, it’s the perfect place to scan for some of the Blue Ridge’s most notable destinations, like Cold Mountain and Asheville, while lingering over a delicious meal. From omelet classics in the mornings to walnut-crusted mountain trout with blueberry butter in the evenings, comfort food abounds, and there’s no shame in following your entree with the inn’s signature Big Fat Chocolate Cake. It’s delicious any time of the day.