Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture
  3. Evergreens

Travel Back In Time with the Coolest Drive-In Movie Theaters in the U.S.

By

Nothing lets you relive the old days quite like reclining back in your own car or hanging off a tailgate with a box of popcorn and a giant soda in hand while watching a summer classic at a drive-in movie theater.

The nation’s first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey, on June 6, 1933. By the 1950s, the number of outdoor big screens eclipsed 4,000. As technology in the digital evolution and home entertainment climbed in popularity, the decline of the classic American drive-in began.

Recommended Videos

Because many Hollywood films started using digital projection as their main medium, it limited the movies drive-in theatres could play, as it was an expensive transition for a screen of such size.

However, this great American pastime is still present in some parts of the country, kept alive by theaters that could afford the conversion to digital projection and by offering unique concessions. Besides, catering to nostalgia will always bring business. Here are some of the best drive-in movie theaters in the U.S. you can still visit, so you and your Grandpa can share dating stories.

Lakeport Auto Movies

Lakeport, California

Lakeport Auto Movies - Lakeport, California
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you ever find yourself in the Lake County area of Northern California, Lakeport’s Drive-In movie theater should certainly be one of your visiting destinations. Be treated to buttery popcorn, family-friendly feature films, and beautiful sunsets. You could also purchase a $5 food and beverage permit to allow you to bring in your own goodies to the big screen.

Ford Wyoming Drive-In

Dearborn, Michigan

Ford Wyoming Drive-In - Dearborn, Michigan
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Ford Wyoming Drive-In takes the cake for the largest theater in the world and certainly one of the best drive-in movie theaters in the U.S. Hosting five screens and up to 3,000 cars on any given night, the showings are always double features, and the grounds are open all weekend nights as long as weather permits. They also have great concession offerings, such as a chicken or Philly steak, a steaming shrimp dinner, and good ole pretzel bites.

Midway Drive-In Theatre

Minetto, New York

Midway Drive-In Theatre - Minetto, New York
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Midway Drive-In Theatre in Minetto, N.Y. opened for business in 1948, making it the oldest operating drive-in in New York State, and Central New York’s last standing theater. The single screen theater is known for its triple features nearly every weekend and was the first of its kind to screen open-captioned movies for the deaf community.

It closed down shortly for a remodel but reopened in April 2017, showing movies rain or shine, with an open field for kids to run around and play, and an overall welcoming atmosphere. So much in fact, Midway sells out of space quite often.

Bengies Drive-In Theatre

Middle River, Maryland

Bengies Drive-In Theatre
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Boasting the largest movie screen in the country – measuring 52′ x 120′, with a 460′ throw – the Bengies drive-in is an easy pick when weighing out the best drive-in movie theaters in the U.S. Not only does it offer a massive screen, Bengies offers a third length film for the late night crowd at a reduced price on Fridays and Saturdays – for only $10.

They also offer a massive concession selection to match, providing everything from pulled pork and a meatball submarine sandwich to jalapeno poppers and caramel candy apples.

99W Drive-In

Newberg, Oregon

99W Drive-In - Newberg
Image used with permission by copyright holder

During the late 1950’s, Oregon was home to as many as 70 drive-in theaters. Now, there are only three. Of those three, the Francis family-owned, solo-screen 99W Drive-in is by far your best bet. The closest drive-in to the city of Portland, 99W screens double features seasonally between late April and October, and on the weekends.

66 Drive-In

Carthage, Missouri

66 Drive-In - Carthage
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Located along Historic Route 66 in Carthage, Missouri., the 66 Drive-In is one of the few remaining historically intact drive-ins operating on the famous route. The theater plays double features each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and they have a bevy of concession options, from savory BBQ sandwiches, mouthwatering chili dogs, and delectable nachos.

Admiral Twin Drive-In

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Admiral Twin Drive-In
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another pit stop along Historic Route 66, also known as The Daily Double in The Outsiders, the screens at Admiral Twin actually burned down in 2010, but the theatre has persisted. The drive-in is still open and they advise you to arrive early since they still experience long lines which start to form closer to showtime. You might want to make this one a date night, as they only show movies on the weekends.

Bryan Holt
Bryan Holt
Former Former Digital Trends Contributor, The Manual
Bryan Holt is a writer, editor, designer, and multimedia storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate from the… Read Full Bio
Culture
The Manual Library: 10 action franchises to pass the cold weekends
Cross

Guys need to read more. Every time I start doomscrolling on TikTok or Instagram, the BookTok world is almost exclusively curated for women. That is why we need to start pushing our love for the bang-bang shoot-’em-ups. The debonair spy. The man on his own, cut off from all help, with only his skills and his wits to help him overcome the obstacles between him and his mission. As men, we love these escapes from the mundane lives and diving into the hero fantasy we all have. When women talk about the mental load they carry every day, men are usually creating our own mental load with safety and security: “What would I do if someone attacked from here? Or there?” Really, what we’re asking is, “What would Jason Bourne do?”

I tend to live in this place in my head when I need to escape from the world, but it is more fun to read about it. As the weather begins to turn and our evenings and weekends are colder and darker, we need something to occupy our time to get us from now until we can escape to the great outdoors in the spring. Here are some action and adventure book recommendations to get your heart going and quench that hero fantasy without doing anything dangerous.

Read more
Culture
5 lessons the military teaches you that you don’t learn in school
Saving Private Ryan

This is not a knock on public school. I went to public school. I liked public school. There is a system of life training built into the social fabric of school where we learn a lot about ourselves and the lives we are about to live. But the truth is we don’t learn a lot about life from the actual curriculum in the classroom. We learn that Paul Revere rode through the streets to alarm everyone that the British were coming. We learned that A squared plus B squared equals C squared. We even learned what an electron is. But there are precious little practical life lessons you can take with you. For me, I picked a lot of those through movies (a lot of parents are shaking their heads right now, but don’t knock it completely; there is a lot you can learn from movie perspectives) and my time in the United States Army.

The military teaches you a ton of practical life skills that will elevate your life when applied to your day-to-day. Here are five of them with a couple bonuses at the end.

Read more
Culture
Coffee is for closers: How Blake from Glengarry Glen Ross’s iconic scene teaches you more than sales
Alec Baldwin

There are moments in movies that stand the test of time. They are the first thing we think of when someone uses a turn of phrase or references something that sends your brain down the rabbit hole of movie quotes. These become cultural stalwarts and embed themselves into the very collective consciousness of our society. Some become known for certain industries. Wanna know what law enforcement is like? Check out Training Day or End of Watch. Wanna know what being a firefighter is like? Press play on Backdraft. How about military life? Full Metal Jacket, Jarhead, or Officer and a Gentleman. Want realism? Don’t watch any of them. But what about sales? There are a dozen movies that can teach you how to sell. Boiler Room. The Wolf of Wall Street. But none of them are as iconic as Glengarry Glen Ross. In fact, one scene in that movie every salesman should watch. Blake’s 8-minute tongue-lashing at the office underachievers.

Alec Baldwin took less than ten minutes to cement himself in the lexicon of sales mentors. Walking into the office, he looks at Ed Harris, Jack Lemmon, and Alan Alda and rips them to shreds when one pours himself some coffee.

Read more