The Highlands Motoring Festival is always a standout road trip on the Metro Motorcar Club calendar—and 2025 was no different. While the weather had its own plans early in the day, it turned out to be an unforgettable automotive adventure packed with detours, stories, and classic machinery.
We arrived in Highlands, NC, just in time for the start of this year’s festival—dedicated to Ferrari’s Enzo era, a tribute to the years when Enzo Ferrari himself ran the legendary brand. This golden era produced icons like the 250 GTO, 288 GTO, and the Daytona. But as the first morning’s skies opened up and rain poured down over the Highlands Showfield, we made a quick decision: hit the road.
Rather than wait for the weather to clear, we turned it into a mountain road trip and headed an hour and a half northwest to Maggie Valley, NC, home of the Wheels Through Time Museum. Known as “The Museum That Runs,” it’s a one-of-a-kind place filled with vintage American motorcycles, unique prototypes, and rare memorabilia. It’s also where the History Channel show American Restoration was filmed, starring the late Dale Walksler, a true legend in the world of motorcycling and restoration.
For those of us who grew up watching Dale bring old machines back to life on TV, walking through the museum was like stepping onto the set. From Harley-Davidsons to board track racers, every piece has a story—and most of them still run. The staff and son Matt Walksler fired up a few engines just for our group, and the sound of vintage motors roaring in the museum was worth the drive alone.
After soaking in Maggie Valley’s charm (and grabbing a quick bite), we took the scenic route back—snaking through winding Appalachian roads, breathing in cool, crisp mountain air, and enjoying the reason we all joined Metro Motorcar Club in the first place: the drive.
We made it back just in time for Day 1’s Ferrari Parade through downtown Highlands. The rain had moved on, the roads had dried, and the streets were lined with spectators as a fleet of Ferraris from Enzo’s era cruised by. 275 GTBs, 308s, Dinos, and more—all rumbling through Main Street, reminding everyone that these machines were made to move.
From a detour to Dale’s legacy to the deep roar of V12 Ferraris echoing through the mountains, this road trip had it all—cars, camaraderie, curves, and a little bit of chaos. And that’s exactly what makes it a Metro Motorcar Club memory worth keeping. Here’s to day two!
