Looking for a Drive-In Movie Theater? Here are the Ones Still Operating in the U.S.
©Galvanized Film Group/Courtesy Everett Collection
For decades, drive-in movie theaters were considered the best way to relax and have fun, whether you were out on a date or having a night out with your family. If you were a kid, the feeling of getting into your pajamas and heading to get popcorn and watch the latest flick past your bedtime was unmatched. If you ever went to a drive-in on a date, you probably remember those nerves of excitement.
First drive-in theater in Camden, New Jersey, 1933
The first drive-in movie theater opened in the United States in New Jersey in 1933. By the ’50s, there were over 4,000 drive-ins all across the country. Yet, by the late ’70s, indoor movie theaters were taking over and many drive-ins began closing their doors, so to speak. They received a slight resurgence in 2020 when indoor movie theaters were closed and drive-ins were considered a way to have fun and social distance. Even with a boost in recent years, there are now only about 177 left in about 25 states. Let’s find out where they are in case you’d like to travel for a nostalgic evening of watching a movie under the stars for Drive-In Day (June 6th). If you’re interested in attending any of these theaters, just give the name a quick Google to find out where exactly it is located, the hours, and which movies are currently playing.
Alabama
- King Drive-in, Russellville (one of the longest continuously running theaters in the country!)
Arizona
- West Wind Glendale 9 Drive-In, Glendale
California
- There are several West Wind Drive-ins in Concord, Sacramento, and San Jose
- South Bay Drive-In Theatre, San Diego
- Santee Drive-In Movie Theatre, Santee
- Paramount Drive-In Theatres, Paramount
- Electric Dusk Drive-In, Glendale
- Vineland Drive-In, City of Industry
- Van Buren Drive-In Theatre, Riverside
- Rubidoux Drive-In Theater, Riverside
- Skyline Drive-In Theater, Barstow
- Sunset Drive-In, San Luis Obispo
- Madera 2 Drive-In, Madera
- Lakeport Auto Movies Drive-In, Lakeport
Colorado
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- 88 Drive-In Theatre in Denver
- Holiday Twin Drive-In of Fort Collins
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver occasionally turns into an outdoor movie theater
Florida
- Silver Moon in Lakeland
- Ocala Drive-in in Ocala
- Ruskin Family Drive-in Theater in Ruskin
- Joy-Lan Drive-in Dade City
- Nite Owl Drive-in in Miami
Georgia
- Starlight Drive-in Theatre
- Swan Drive-in Theater in Blue Ridge
- Tiger Drive-In Theater in Tiger
- Jesup Drive-in in Jesup
Idaho
- Motor Vu Drive-In
- Terrace Drive-In Theatre
- Sunset Auto Vue Drive-In Movie Theater
- Teton Vu Drive In
- Parma Motor-Vu Drive-In Theatre
- Spud Drive In Theatre
- Idan-Ha Drive In Theater
Illinois
Going Attractions/Everett Collection
- McHenry Outdoor Theater
- DRIVE N THEATRE aka Fairview Drive In Theater
- Skyview Drive-In
- route 34 Drive In Theatre
- Midway Drive-In
- Harvest Moon Drive-In Theatre
- ChiTown Movies
- Rt 66 Skyview Drive-In
- MOO-V-Night
- Route 66 Drive In Theater
Indiana
- Tibbs Drive-In
- MELS at the Starlite Drive-In Theatre
- Starlite Drive-In Theatre
- 49’er Drive-in
- CenterBrook Drive-In Theater
- 13-24 Drive-In
- Hummel Drive-in Theatre
- Holiday Drive-In Theatre
- Georgetown Drive-In
- Cinema 67 Drive-in
- The Skyline Drive-In
- Holiday Drive-IN Theater
- Auburn Garrett Drive In
- Melody Drive In Theater
- Lake Shore Theatre
- Moon Lite Drive-In Theater
- Bel-Air Drive-In Theater
- GQT Huntington Drive In
Kansas
- Boulevard Drive-In Theatre
- The Drive-In at MidWay
- Starlite Drive-In
- Kanopolis Drive In Theatre
- South Drive-In Theatre
- Lakeside Drive-in
Kentucky
- Sauerbeck Family Drive In
- SKYLINE DRIVE IN
- Bourbon Drive-In Theatre
- Mountain View Drive-In
- Judy Drive In
- Stanford Drive In
Las Vegas
- West Wind Drive-In Movie Theater, Las Vegas
- Yonder Escalante
- Clark County Drive-In Movie Theatre
- Downtown Container Park Family Movie Night
- Snappy Burger
- Hidden Cinemas
- Clark County Drive-In Movie Series
Maine
- The Saco Drive-In
- Prides Corner Drive-In
- Skowhegan Drive-In Theater
- Bridgton Twin Drive-In
- Skylite Drive-In
Maryland
Going Attractions/Everett Collection
- Bengies Drive-In Theatre
Massachusetts
The Mendon Drive In in Mendon
Michigan
- Cherry Bowl Drive-in Theatre in Honor
- Ford-Wyoming Drive-In in Dearborn
- US 23 Drive-In Theater in Flint
- Summer Drive-In at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth
Minnesota
- Long Drive-In Theater in Long Prairie (also allows camping)
- Verne Drive-In Theater in Luverne
- Sky-Vu Drive-In Theatre in Warren
Missouri
- Sunset Drive-In Theater in Aurora
- Rock ‘N’ Roll Drive-In of Blomeyer
Nebraska
The Quasar Drive-In in Valley
New Jersey
- Delsea Drive-in Theatre in Vineland
- Warwick Drive-in Theatre
New York
- Unadilla Drive-In
- Black River Drive In Theater
- East Avon Vintage Drive-In Theatre
- Greenville Drive-In
- Finger Lakes Drive-In
- Malta Drive-In Theater
- Transit Drive-In Theatre
- Hollywood Drive-in Theatre
- Midway Drive-In Theater
- Overlook Drive-In Theatre
- Glen Drive-In Theatre
- Charcoal Corral & Silver Lake Drive-In Theater
- Skyline Drive-In
Ohio
- Midway Drive-In Theatre
- Starlite Drive-In Theatre
- Tiffin Drive-In Theater & Moonlite Diner
- Springmill Drive-In Theater
- Aut-O-Rama Twin Drive-In Theatre
- Magic City Drive-In Theater
- Mayfield Road Drive-In Theatre
- Star View Drive-In
- South Drive-in Theater
- Elm Road Triple Drive-In Theatre
- Dixie Twin Drive-In
- Sundance Drive-In
- Skyview Drive-In Theatre
- Holiday Auto Theatre
- Lynn Auto Drive-In Theatre
- Blue Sky Drive-In Theater
- Skyway Twin Drive-In Theatre
- Hi-Road Drive In
- Van-Del Drive-In
- Auto Vue Drive-In Theatre
- Field of Dreams Drive In Theater
- Chakeres Theatres – Melody 49 Drive-In
Oklahoma
- Chief Drive In in Chickasha
- Beacon Drive In in Guthrie
- Tower Drive In in Poteau
- Winchester Drive-In Theatre in Oklahoma City
- TeePee Drive In in Sapulpa
- Elco Drive In in Shattuck
- Admiral Twin Drive-In in Tulsa
Pennslyvania
- Becky’s Drive-In
- Pike Drive In Theatre
- The Mahoning Drive-in Theater
- Sky-Vu Drive-In Theater
- Reynolds Drive In
- Haar’s Drive In
- Brownsville Drive-in
- Super 322 Drive-In Theatre
- Evergreen Drive-In Theater
- Circle Drive-In
- Dependable Drive In Theater
- Garden Drive In
- Sunset Drive In
- Cumberland Drive-In Theatre
- Point Drive-In
- Comet Drive In
- Palace Gardens Drive-In
- Riverside Drive In Theatre
- Midway Drive-In Theater
- Starlight Drive-In
- Shankweiler’s Drive-In in Orefield
Remind Tennessee
- Parkway Drive-In Theatre
- Swingin’ Midway Drive In
- LoCo Drive-In
- Twin City Drive-In Theatre
- Stateline Drive-In Theatre
- Montana Drive-In
- Sparta Drive-In
- Pink Cadillac Drive In
- Birdsong Drive-In Theater
- Hi-way 50 Drive in
- Stardust Drive In Theatre
- The Moonlite Drive-In
- Macon Drive-In
- Banilla Moon Movies
- Tennessee Safari Drive In Theater
- Malco Summer Drive-In
- Open Seasons Cinema
- UOE – Ultimate Outdoor Entertainment Nashville
Texas
- Big Sky Drive-In Theatre in Midland
- Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In in Austin
- Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theatre in Comal County
- Showboat Drive-In
- Galaxy Drive-In Movie Theatre
- Coyote Drive-In
- WesMer Drive-In
- Brazos Drive-In
- Doc’s Drive In Theatre
- Town & Country Drive-In Theatre
- MoonStruck Drive-In
- The Last Drive-In Picture Show
- Sandell Drive-In
- Tascosa Drive In
Vermont
- Sunset Drive-In
- Bethel Drive-In
- Fairlee Drive-In
Virginia
- The Family Drive-in Theatre in Stephens City
- Goochland Drive-in Theater is in Sandy Hook
- Starlite Drive-in Theater in Christiansburg
- Park Place Drive-In of Marion
Utah
- Redwood Drive in Theatre
- Basin Drive In in Mount Pleasant, Utah
Washington
- Auto-Vue Drive-in Theatre, Colville
- Blue Fox Drive-In, Whidbey Island
- Rodeo Drive-In Theater, Bremerton
- Skyline Drive-In Movie Theater, Shelton
- Wheel-In Motor Movie, Port Townsend
Wisconsin
- The Skyway Drive-In Theatre
- Big Sky Drive-In Theatre in Wisconsin Dells
- Field of Scenes Outdoor Theater
- Highway 18 Outdoor Theater
- Sky Vu Drive-In Movie Theater
- Moonlight Outdoor Theater
- Stardust Twin Drive-In Movie Theater
- Starlite 14 Drive-In Theater
- The Milky Way Drive-In in Franklin
Have you ever been to any of these locations? Did we miss any? Are some actually closed that should be removed? Let us know in the comments!
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July 2022
Take a look back to the summer nights when you were young, so full of adventure and possibility.
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