Drive-in theaters nearby Orlando offer a step back into the past

Car parked in front of a projection screen at a
drive-in theater. Photo by Joe Shlabotnik

Ask anyone who grew up in the 1950's or 1960's what it was like to go to the movies and they will describe a setting greatly different from the modern day multiplexes, reminiscing about larger screens, double features and more affordable tickets and concessions.

One of the most popular movie-going options of that era was the drive-in theater, also known as "cinema al fresco", where patrons parked their vehicles in front of a large outdoor projection screen to watch films in the privacy of their cars. Drive-ins rose to prominence after the end of World War II, reaching their peak in the 1950's and 1960's but declining in later years as a result of increased land values and competition from new media such as color television and the VCR. Few drive-in theaters still exist today, but just like vinyl records and vintage cars, their nostalgic appeal is attractive to both old and young audiences.

Central Florida is fortunate enough to have a number of drive-ins still open and operating. Orlando lost its last drive-in theater, the Ri-Mar Drive-in in the Lockhart District, when its lone screen was destroyed in a fire in 1998. But visitors to the Orlando area can consider visiting a nearby city to capture the essence of this movie-going experience of yesteryear.

The Silvermoon Drive-in in Lakeland is not only the most affordable option, but it's the closest one to Orlando, located 61 miles away and amounting to a drive of about one hour and 10 minutes. Serving Polk County for over 60 years, the two-screen theater is open seven nights a week. General admission for a double feature costs $4 per person; children between the ages of four and nine are admitted for $1.

Its snack bar, serving a variety of favorites such as fresh-baked homemade pizza and grilled sausage and peppers, is decorated with photos of drive-ins from years ago. It also serves breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings for visitors of the Silvermoon Swap Shop, the property's flea market open from 5:50 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Silvermoon Drive-in is located at 4100 U.S. 92 West in Lakeland, just off the County Line Road exit on I-4.

The Fun-Lan Drive-in Theatre in Tampa is the second closest, located an hour and a half away from Orlando. Set to mark its 60th year in business in January 2010, Fun-Lan is the only four-screen drive-in theater in Central Florida; its fourth screen was added in 2006, making it one of the most state-of-the-art drive-ins in the area. General admission per movie is $6 per person; children between the ages of four and nine are admitted for $2.

Besides the usual popcorn, pizza and hot dogs, Fun-Lan's snack bar also offers meatball subs and BBQ sandwiches. Like the Silvermoon, Fun-Lan's property also doubles as a flea market and its snack bar serves breakfast for its hungry vendors and patrons. The Fun-Lan Swap Shop, open Fridays through Mondays, is one of Tampa's busiest flea markets.

The Fun-Lan Drive-in is located at 2302 East Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, just off North 22nd Street.

The Ruskin Family Drive-in in Ruskin is the furthest from Orlando, located 100 miles away and amounting to a drive of about an hour and 45 minutes. Operating for over 55 years, the Ruskin Family Drive-in considers itself "the last family drive-in" because it runs on family values; for example, it does not allow alcoholic beverages on the premises or show movies deemed inappropriate for children. General admission for a double feature, viewed from the theater's 2,000-square foot screen, costs $5 per person; children between the ages of four and nine are admitted for $1.

Like the other theaters, the snack bar serves freshly baked pizzas, grilled hot dogs and hot buttered popcorn among its selections. The drive-in strongly urges guests to buy refreshments from its snack bar because concession purchases are the only source of income that directly supports the theater.

The Ruskin Family Drive-in is located at 5011 U.S. 41 North in Ruskin.

If a trip to any of these theaters is too much out of your way on your visit, consider these options for seeing a movie closer to Orlando. You might also be interested in my article about locations in the Orlando area that served as movie filming sites.