The Drive In - A Family PastTime - of the Past

I grew up in a town with a Drive-in, and although we did not go that much, it was something different and fun.  Our Drive-In had big Speakers that hung on the car door window. The sound was awful and crackled and sometimes cut in and out, but that was part of the magic. I saw the original Star Wars at a our drive in and I fell asleep in the back of our family station wagon many times at the Drive-In. Drive-Ins are an iconic part of American Family history, and sadly a dying American past-time.

Shortly after I relocated to the Northwest, Jeff and I were on a drive to the coast and I noticed a Drive-In, Still open and functioning in  of Hwy 99 in Newberg, Oregon.  I was giddy at the idea of reliving a moment from childhood and the possibility of sharing it with my children.

It took us nearly 5 years to finally make it happen but we finally did and luckily the Drive-In was still operating. Keep in mind they are closed in the fall and winter and only open for spring and summer shows.

Making the Drive to Newberg, though only 35 miles, takes nearly an hour each way. When we arrived, I was both surprised and not surprised at the same time at how popular it was.  By the time the movie started, the lot was completely sold out and packed in.

What we loved about the Drive-In experience...

1. Family Time - that's right, it begins when you enter the line and continues after you park while waiting for the festivities. Take lawn chairs and something to entertain you. Frisbees and  Nerf footballs seemed popular amongst the crowd.

2. Family Friendly - We saw people there from 0-80 and they were all having a good time. If you decide to talk or fall asleep during the either the first or second screening, you are not really disturbing anyone! 

3. Economical - Well.....Sort of - which probably explains why they are dying. We paid $8 per adult...for two movies which is the standard cost of one matinee showing at most walk in theaters. The snack bar, which you can avoid by bringing your own food, was not that bad in the price ranges.  We grabbed hotdogs and pretzels at $2-$3/each.  We brought our own snacks and drinks and popcorn and ate via tailgate while  we waited for the movie to begin. 

4. It got the car cleaned ...hey every mom has to work the chore angle somehow!  The boys eagerly pitched in to help clean and vacuum the car to make it  "camp-out." worthy. 

Tips:
Get there early to enjoy a good spot and enjoy tailgating
Bring lots of sweatshirts and blankets - evenings get chilly.
Bring your own snacks to save money and avoid the long lines, but don't forget that the drive-in needs your concession monies too...for five people we did both!
Dress in jammies...a step we forgot
Bring bug spray, just in case
Bring a flashlight to keep from having to turn on the car lights for the pre-movie time and intermission.

Remember that today's movies are piped through your car radio, so make sure you know how to turn your lights off so that you can turn the car on but don't disturb other patrons and while trying not to kill your battery.  Make sure you have enough gas in your car that you can let it run.

I know they may may not be as convenient, being scarce, and that they may not be that big of an economical savings, but they are so worth it! The drive, the late hours (yeah movies don't start until dusk and because they run a double feature you can be there until 1 a.m.), trust me they are worth it!!! Drive-Ins represent an era gone by. They are a dying art, but maybe one we can prolong just a little while longer if we all stick together.