Your "how to" guide to drive-in movies.

Photo: Bobby Guy
Photo: Bobby Guy
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Never been to a drive in? It is a fun way to enjoy a movie in the Summer.

Reasons to go:

  • The Price. Cost is reasonable and it often includes 2 first-run movies. Some theaters even have 'car load' night where you pay one price for the vehicle, no matter how many people are in it.
  • The Snack Bar: Great movie food you won't find at most theaters. (Some places even let you bring in your own picnic basket.)
  • The Sound: Those clunky metal speakers that used to hang on the window are long gone; you hear the sound through your cars FM radio. Crank it up as loud as you like; or not- it's up to you.
  • The Experience: Most places still have the big grassy area in front of the screen for the kids to toss around a football before the show or play with others. The Capri Drive In for one, still plays our national anthem before the movie begins. You can sit outside under the stars on the hood of your car or in the bed of the truck and enjoy a movie.

Do's:

  • Get there early! We don't stand in lines much anymore with so many different movie options and start times, but there's (often) only one entrance and movies begin at dusk. Plan to wait in a long line of cars to get in.
  • Bring camp chairs in case you decide to sit outside your vehicle.Don't forget a blanket!
  • Bring bug spray.
  • Keep an eye on your kids.
  • Bring something to keep the kids (and you) occupied while waiting for the movie to start; sometimes that can be a while. Think frisbees and footballs, not tablets and laptops.
  • Park in only one spot. Don't sprawl.

Don'ts:

  • Don't park in the front if you have a big vehicle, it blocks the view of others.
  • Don't turn your headlights or interior lights on during the movie. This disturbs the other patrons around you.
  • Most theaters won't let you switch between screens.
  • Don't forget a flashlight (or an app) in case you need it to find your way to the restroom.
  • Don't throw your trash out the window or leave it lying around after the movie. There is no usher who will come mop the floor.

Bonus Video: Building the Capri in 1964

 

 

 

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