Mobile Entertainment: 9 Amazing Drive-In Movie Theaters Still Standing

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• Two-for-one for Everyone — West Wind Solano Twin Drive-In, Concord, Calif.
  This family-friendly attraction with several spots across the U.S. (including California, Nevada and Arizona) prides itself on offering first-run double features (save for premiere events) on the cheap — which is quite the deal, considering their 65-foot screens are among the biggest in the biz. And if you have great car speakers, even better: squawk boxes of old have been replaced with Dolby quality audio piped through your car’s FM stereo.
  

  Image credit: J.D.S. via Shutterstock
  westwinddriveins.com
• For the Four-legged Friendly — Warwick Drive-In, Warwick, N.Y.
  Northeast city slickers looking for a place to watch their favorite movie stars under the stars need only veer six miles east of Vernon, N.J. What began as a family affair in 1950 has since become a seasonal institution offering rural and urban (and pet!) audiences two movies for the price of one on any of its three giant screens.
  

  Image credit: Getty
  warwickdrivein.com
• See Stars Collide — Ford-Wyoming Drive-In, Dearborn, Mich.
  Open year-round (unlike many of its surviving contemporaries), this five-screen staple of the Midwest known as the “largest drive-in in the world” plays host for up to 3,000 cars on any given night. And if the double-feature doesn’t hold your attention, relax; you’ve got the best (car)seat in the house for the occasional overhead meteor shower.
  

  Image credit: waymarking.com
  waymarking.com
• A Hole (Lot of Fun) in One — Wellfleet Drive-In, Wellfleet, Mass.
  Built in 1957 and still offering original mono sound boxes for those looking for an authentic experience (or not, as FM stereo is available as well), the summer-exclusive theater hosts double features of first-runs on its giant 100’ x 44’ screen. Come for the movies, stay for the mini-golf and flea market (on select days).
  

  Image credit: Getty
  wellfleetcinemas.com
• Go Big or Drive Home — Bengies Drive-In, Baltimore, Md.
  The only thing bigger than Bengies’ prolific history (57 years and going) is its main attraction — boasting the biggest theater screen in the U.S. at 6,240 square feet. That’s 52’ x 120’ of pure anamorphic presentation. Complementing its time capsule of a snack bar (unchanged since ’56), previews old and new occupy the venue’s old-timey intermissions between features.
  

  Image credit: Getty
  bengies.com
• Proof That Film is Forever — Shankweilers, Orefield, Pa.
  While we’re on superlative street, consider stopping at this roadside treasure: America’s oldest drive-in. Operating since 1934, it may not have the frills and pony rides of nearby Becky’s Drive-In, but it’s defied hurricanes and the wear and tear of time. Worth the one-hour drive from Philly.
  

  Image credit: Getty
  shankweilers.com

  
  
• The Gritty Hollywood Reboot — Corral Drive-In, Guymon, Okla.
  Like a slasher movie menace that died (several times) in the ’80s only to be rebooted years after, the long-vacant Corral Drive-In was resurrected and restored in 2009, providing big entertainment at a nominal fee. And if the $6 adult admission doesn’t make you feel like a kid again, the venue’s inflatable bouncers most definitely will.
  

  Image credit: Getty
  corraldrivein.com
• Hop the Healthy Highway — Delsea Drive-In, Vineland, N.J.
  Less than an hour’s trip from Atlantic City, New Jersey’s only drive-in offers the best of both worlds — old school aesthetic outfitted with modern tech and healthier food choices to boot. Open seasonally, with first features beginning around dusk.
  

  Image credit: Getty
  delseadrive-in.com
• Bring Your Backyard to the Big Screen — Starlight Six Drive-In, Atlanta, Ga.
  As much a backdoor barbecue as it is a night out at the movies, this six-screen Atlanta drive-in encourages what most in the theater biz forbid: bringing your own food and grilling it. Those looking to add a hip twist of the theatrical to their Labor Day getaway need only stock the cooler and pack some brats or burgers for the Starlight’s annual “Drive-Invasion,” which features a hot-rod show, live music, and B-movies galore.
  

  Image credit: yelp/ivan.s.
  starlightdrivein.com
• And really, what better way is there to cruise the nostalgia highway of old Hollywood than in a MINI Roadster? Allowing all the headroom one needs to see the stars on the screen and those directly above, the 2013 convertible goes the distance where it counts — on the road (obviously), not to mention the discerning driver’s wallet. Never mind that its fun-size frame also makes motoring in and out of tight traffic all the more enjoyable (or parking in even tighter spots for cozy romantics all the more convenient).
  

  Image credit: miniusa.com

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