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How to Enjoy a Drive-in Theater

Once they were everywhere, but now their numbers are down to a few. The remaining drive-ins are a throwback to a time where people would drive to an open field under the stars to have a romantic movie night, rather than head to the mall.



If you haven't experienced a movie night outside, you're missing out. It's a whole new experience seeing a film outside in the summer breeze rather than in a cramped theater with a sticky floor.

Instructions

  1. How to Enjoy the Drive-in Experience

    • 1

      Find a drive in! DriveInMovie.com is a very useful directory of the remaining active drive-ins throughout the United States. For obvious reasons, many are open only in the summer months.

      Once you have found a drive-in, be sure to call ahead and make sure they are open for the season.

    • 2

      Pay your admission. While most drive-ins charge admission per customer, some offer nights where they charge one fee for the entire car, which can be a great deal for families. Call ahead and see if your nearby drive-in offers this.

    • 3
      Old fashioned speakers can be part of the experience.

      Turn on your radio. Almost all drive-ins broadcast the movie soundtrack on a low power radio frequency. There will be a sign at the box office telling you what frequency to tune your radio to.

      Theaters that have more than one screen will have more than one frequency. The sound for each film is separate, so make sure you have the right one.

      While most drive-ins transmit their sound via radio, some of the more retro ones still have the car speakers. Check your parking spot to see if there is a speaker on the post next to your car. If there is, you can usually hook it onto your car window. Turn it up and enjoy the show.

    • 4

      Get out of your car if you like. Just because it's a drive-in doesn't mean you have to stay in your seat. As long as you have a radio, you can put a blanket on the ground and lie down under the stars.

      And, if you have a convertible, feel free to put the top down. Just don't do it during the show, so you don't block the view of the cars behind you.

    • 5

      Bring a picnic. You can always get popcorn at the movies, but drive-ins are usually much less strict about bringing in outside food. Some even encourage it!

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