Only 11 Drive-In Movie Theaters Remain in New England

When we were kids, we’d get our pajamas on, mom would load a cooler with sodas and sandwiches, we’d pop some popcorn to bring with us, and off we went with our parents and some neighborhood friends to the local drive-in theater for a double feature.

We’d never stay awake for both movies, but that didn’t matter. The drive-in theater was like a sleepover for a night with your siblings and best friends in the back of a pickup truck.

How many families in this age of Netflix have ever had the joy of a drive-in movie with the big metal speaker hanging off the window? Now, all you have to do is tune into the radio frequency for the sound. It’s so much easier, but less nostalgic.

If you haven’t been to a drive-in theater in a while, it might be just the night out you need for some old-fashioned family fun.

Drive-in theaters have gained a resurgence in the past five years, but alas, there are fewer around as maintenance costs and property values go up. Many owners can get more money for the land from developers than they make on the movies.

Some theaters host flea markets or events during the day to make ends meet. Others rely on a robust season from May through October. Either way, you can introduce your children to new family memories with a drive-in theater trip this summer.

Once prolific in every town, there are only 11 drive-in theaters still in business in New England. Let’s see where they are, and don’t forget the popcorn.