Going to the Drive-In

[On_Call]

We were looking for a way to spend a fun day a day locally without spending a true fortune.

We have decided to go to a near-by resort town where they offer up a huge mini-golf range, a maze course, go karts, batting cages, etc. Nothing there costs an arm and a leg and it is only about 45 minutes away. There is a street full of souvenier shops, etc. and the kids have some cash saved up.

Then, tonight, we are capping the night off with a trip to the drive-in. They are showing Shrek 3 and Spiderman 3. The munchkins have never been to the drive-in and husband and I haven't been in something like 10 years. Can't even remember what we went to see, it's been so long.

We bought our own snacks and drinks last night - not telling munchkins what we were doing today. We're going to make sandwiches and take drinks for lunch. Planning on eating dinner at one of the restaurants - there is a cool one with outdoor tables and the weather looks like it may actually cooperate for us (although there is a 30% chance of light rain in the forecast).

Wish us luck, as this will be a long day, but hopefully, a fun one. I'm looking forward to it - and, in fact, I better go hop in the shower!

 

[kris]

<span style='font-size: 11pt'> <span style='font-family: Georgia'> <span style="color: #660000"> this must be the last drive in in the country lol. when my kids were little we had one near us. they loved it. loved sitting outside the car in beach chairs & watching the movies....often paid more attention to the one on the other screen than the one we paid to see :rolleyes:...yes, even with-o sound lol.

we bring our own snack into the regular movies too. their fountain soda are always badly mixed so we buy ours beforehand. then we stop by aunt annie's & stock up on pretzels & dipping sauces.

kris </span> </span> </span>

 

[sameold sameold]

I hope you had a nice day. Sounds like fun. I always love going to the drive-in.

 

[On_Call]

Our day went very well. We've only been home about 30 minutes - difficult child wanted a shower before bed and although it was so late, I knew he wouldn't want to go to be without one, so he is now squeaky clean and reading a comic to fall asleep.

We did mini golf and go karts - ate dinner out and shopped for souvenier t-shirts - and even had ice cream. The drive-in was the icing on the cake. We backed our SUV into the spot so the kids could sit in the back and we all ate a bunch of bad-for-us snacks. Shrek 3 was okay, but the event of the drive-in was the really good part.

I know, kris, drive-ins are a thing of the past really now aren't they? We are lucky enough to have two within an hour's driving distance. We didn't stay for the second movie, which was Spiderman 3 because difficult child decided one of the characters in it 'creeped him out', but it was just as well. I drank a very large caffeinated beverage while watching, though, and am bound to be up half the night because of it - good thing tomorrow is Sunday!

A very nice day, all in all. And extremely affordable - admittance to the drive-in was $5 each for husband and I and $2 each for the munchkins - you can't beat that! We plan to go quite a bit this summer, as our vacation budget is close to nil this year.

 

[Kjs]

We have a drive in less than a mile away. Sad to say we have only gone once. While sitting back in the car, difficult child saw the lights from airplanes, but insisted someone was bombing us. So much anxiety, the smallest things turn into life/death situations. Maybe we'll try agian this year.

 

[mstang67chic]

We have a drive-in in our town, only a few blocks from our house as a matter of fact. There are actually a handful in our state but ours is only one of a few in the northern part of the state. If you go, there are always cars from other counties and sometimes out of state also. Actually, ours had their screen blow down a couple of years ago and a community member got with the owners and put together a benefit concert to raise money. They rebuilt and have been going strong ever since.

 

[hearts and roses]

difficult child and her friends went to the drive in near us - the very same movies were playing! How funny.

When I was a kid we went all summer long. We'd bring blankets and pillows and lounge chairs. We'd go in our jammies so our parents could slip us into bed when we got home. I remember they would play a G/PG level movie first (they didn't have rating back then) and then the later movie would be a more adult movie. We always fell asleep by then anyways. Very nice memories.

We've been to our local drive in a couple of times, it's only 15 minutes away, but its nestled in the woods and very buggy, so you have to put on a lot of bug spray, which I hate. Anyway, the last time H and I went, AI was playing!! Holy cow, how long ago was that?? LOL

I'm glad your day went so well.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Sounds like fun. I remember going to the drive-in as a kid too. I haven't seen a drive-in that's still operating in years and years. The last one I knew of was in the 80s and showed porn flicks.

 

[hearts and roses]

I always found it odd that a drive in would show porn...I mean, wouldn't everyone passing by see it?!?! I remember when our childhood drive in went the way of porn - all the local teens were sneaking in to see them. It was gross. When we first moved to CT, we got lost on this major highway up here and we were driving along and suddenly this huge screen appeared and there in front of us was a porn flick! I think H almost had an accident. I was horrified - thank God the kiddos were asleep in the back seat! LOL

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I wondered about that too. Those enormous screens are visible from quite a distance. The only reason to pay the admission, for the normal movies anyway, is to get the sound too.

I remember as a kid riding in my parent's car on one of the southern California freeways and seeing a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey on a drive-in screen: the one where the ape-men fling a bone into the air and the camera zooms in on it spinning upwards in slow-mo. That image of the bone in the air has stuck with me ever since. I guess I was about 8 at the time.

 

[On_Call]

Lots of good drive-in movie memories - we used to go in our pj's, too. And, you even gave me a couple that made me laugh out loud!! Those screens are huge - I can just picture a vehicle coming around the bend and seeing a giant XXX scene!! Eeek!

As far as I know, no porns are shown at this drive-in!

It was fun because you can tell that a lot of the people there go often - kids were joining in on impromptu games with footballs and soccer balls and frisbees near the front before the movie. easy child and I walked around the entire field while we waited and saw several people we knew.

And, the fact that it was affordable fun was even better. We are planning several trips there this summer as our vacation budget is tight this year!

This weekend, they are advertising that Surfs Up will be there - don't know what the second movie is yet - or what the weather is supposed to be like, but maybe we'll go again! :wink:

 

[Kjs]

At our local outdoor, the sound speakers are no longer there. You tune your radio to a particular station to get the sound. This use to worry me that my car wouldn't start after. But it did. Only went once. But, like you say, you can see the film right along the road. There are apartments right along it. Gee, they can tune in their radio and watch the whole thing.
Oh...if this outdoor played porn I would be upset. I KNOW difficult child would be along the theater watching as he has friends in that area!!

 

[totoro]

When we lived in Valpo and Chesterton, IN we went to the Drive-In It was in Valpo. It was so much fun... every summer it would be packed. Before the movie starts everyone is outside playing catch, running around...
I don't think we ever go to stay for a whole movie...LOL K's anxiety, but it was still fun!!!

 

[On_Call]

Yeah, you have to tune in the radio at this drive-in, too. Not as nostalgic, but the sound is probably better considering the leaps in technology. We were afraid our battery might run down, too, especially since we had the back of the SUV open, but it didn't. This particular drive-in is out in the middle of nowhere. There is one house within vision distance of one of the two screens, but I think the drive-in owner lives there, so it's not much of an advantage to them - they can see the movies anyway. lol.

husband said where he grew up, there was one drive-in that only played horror flicks. All horror/thriller all the time. No porn, though, that he remembers. (Or, at least that he's admitting to!)