The 15 Best Drive-In Movie Theaters in America

A non-profit, community-owned theater run by a volunteer organization charmingly dubbed the Hull’s Angels, Hull’s Drive-In has been in operation since 1950. The theater is charmingly old-timey and quaint, with the classic metal speaker boxes that hang from your rolled-down car window as well as frequent community events and repertory screenings of recent classics, like the Harry Potter movies or The Addams Family.

Another mid-century classic, the Sunset Drive-In is an institution on California’s central coast. The theater hosts a great swap meet on Saturdays and screens movies seven nights a week. Tickets are relatively affordable, too, costing just $12 for an adult admission and $5 for a kid. It’s cash only, though, so be sure to stop at an ATM on your way to the show.

The oldest operating drive-in theater in the country, Shankweiler’s opened in 1934 and operates all year round—even in those cold Pennsylvania winters. The theater shows double features on weekends, has a fairly standard snack bar, and even offers visitors two drive-up party rental spaces, each of which holds about 15 people.  

A central Illinois fixture since 1954, the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In has the unique distinction of being the country’s only wind-powered drive-in. It uses turbines to power its screens, speakers, projector, and snack bar, taking pains to be environmentally friendly elsewhere as well, using LED lighting and encouraging patrons to recycle. The theater also hosts frequent community events, like themed movie screenings and Easter egg hunts, sometimes even going so far as to theme its snack bar food around whatever movie is showing that weekend.

A combination drive-in and motel, the Fairlee lets you watch a show and then stay overnight. The theater and the roadside motel have both been open since 1950 and while they haven’t been redone with any sort of mid-century flair, they’re charming all the same. Make sure to visit the drive-in’s snack bar, which serves burgers made with beef raised on the property owners’ farm.

New Jersey’s only drive-in, the Delsea is within driving distance from Atlantic City, Philadelphia, and Delaware. The theater shows first-run movies, but its big selling point is its snack bar, which serves both classic movie treats and healthier fare, like edamame, sliced apples, and even chicken noodle soup.

The Mesa Drive-In’s website says the theater has been proudly “serving central Colorado since 1951,” and it’s clear that this family-owned and operated business takes pride in its product. They welcome families, singles, and even pets to watch their movies, and their snack bar has unique and vegan-friendly options, like whole dill pickles and cut-up watermelon.

The Park Place Drive-In is a one-stop shop for family entertainment, offering not just a night out at the movies, but also access to an ice cream shop and a mini-golf course. Play 18 holes of putt-putt, grab a scoop or two of Hershey’s Ice Cream, and then pop over to the theater for a flick.

Though it opened in 1948 with a single, Art Deco-inspired screen, the Rubidoux Drive-In has grown to hold two more screens, each of which plays double features on weekends. Though the Rubidoux space has closed some of its more outlandish past attractions, including a petting zoo and miniature railroad, there’s still plenty for families to enjoy, including a weekend swap meet held on site.

Bengies Drive-In has operated in Maryland since the mid-’60s and purports to have the largest drive-in screen in the country, measuring about 52 feet by 120 feet. That’s significant not just because it sounds cool: It also means that movies can be shown at their full, theatrical size, meaning you’ll get to see all the details in the corner of the screen, just like the filmmakers intended. Bengies is charmingly kitschy, too: Every screening starts with the national anthem, and the theater keeps a photographic record of its marquee on its website, meaning you can go back and see what’s been playing at any given time for about the past decade.

A staple in the St. Louis suburbs since 1949, the Skyview Drive-In not only hosts first-run movies, but also community events, like retro film festivals, concerts, and themed cinematic hangs like the recent “Weekend With The Witch,” which featured an amazing double feature showing The Wiz and The Witches Of Eastwick. It’s mid-century kitsch at its finest, and it’s incredibly fun.

Another one-stop-shop, the Wellfleet boasts not just a drive-in, but also a miniature golf course, a “dairy bar” ice cream shop, and a daytime flea market. There’s even a traditional movie theater on the grounds if sitting in your car for a flick isn’t for you, but where’s the fun in that?