The Last Drive-In Theaters in Florida will Take you Back in Time
- Tyler Reed
- Dec 29, 2017
- 5 min read
Just give me one more night
There is something undeniably magical about the night sky; shooting stars, cool breezes, and the glowing moon. Complemented with a giant out door theater, concession stand, and an empty truck bed, and you have the makings of the perfect date night, or simply one of the most memorable nights you can experience at the movies. I remember my parents taking my brother and me to one of the local drive-in theaters as children. We never paid much attention to the movie, mainly because we were stuffed in the back seat of my mom’s station wagon, but nevertheless, those moments at the drive-in were always unforgettable. Unfortunately, sometime in the mid-1990’s, Florida seemed to be on a crusade to aggressively rid itself of every drive-in theater left in the state. During that same time, giant corporate movie theaters started popping up all over. Complete with stadium seating, surround-sound and marked-up popcorn, why would anyone go back to the days of the old drive-in? Or at least, that was the idea.
It’s been over 20-years since the Star-Lite Drive-In theater that my family frequented in the early 1990’s, had been shuttered for good. When the Star-Lite was on the verge of closing in 1996, giant letters were spray painted on the back side of the theater which read S.O.S. for ‘Save Our Star-Lite’. Regrettably, that last-ditch effort to save the silver screen was in vain, because in 1998 the drive-in that had been standing since 1949 had sadly been demolished. To satisfy the movie goers, a brand new, state-of-the-art, AMC 14-screen had moved into town, which seemed to ease some of the pain. After all, the relatively expensive replacement had love seats! Today, however, I find myself shouting S.O.S. for at least one more night at the Star-Lite.
The Early Days
Florida was one of the first states to have enjoyed the drive-in, with the first theater opening in February 1938 in Miami. The decade to follow, Florida saw 19 more drive-ins open across the state, to include the Star-Lite. By 1955, going to drive-ins had become such a popular pastime for Floridians, that the demand called for over 150 to be built. The characteristically great weather enjoyed year-round in Florida, seemed to favor the drive-in concept, which allowed the theaters to operate every night of the year.
After the drive-ins successful peak in the 1950’s however, the outdoor movie scene was on the decline, but still less so in Florida compared to other states. In 1979, there were still 115 theaters operating in Florida. By the 1980’s , the fate of Florida’s drive-ins were looking very bleak. More so in the 1990’s when many of Florida’s long-standing drive-ins finally closed. Today, there are only 7 drive-in movie theaters left in the state.
Old Florida, Today
The drive-in movie theater is good for many reasons, not the least being the ridiculously cheap admission fee. Most drive-ins today cost you no more than $5 a ticket for adults, making drive-ins one of the most in-expensive forms of entertainment around. Especially considering a regular movie theater ticket can cost more than twice that much. If money is no object, go for the experience, nostalgia and sense of community. Drive-ins bring us back to the days of sock hops and soda jerks. They are the sort of places where you can act out your favorite scene from 'The Outsiders' or set the scene for your first kiss. They are unapologetically old fashioned, and are set up in a way to almost encourage social interaction. This may sound counter-intuitive for a movie goer, but in this technology obsessed age, a little community should be seen as a much needed and welcomed bonus. All of this and more are waiting for you in these 7 great locations throughout Florida:
Joy Lan Drive-In
16414 Highway 301
Dade City, Fl
I saw Kung Fu Panda when it first came out, whilst sitting in the back of my truck, at this drive-in. It’s a place I would frequent more often if it were closer to where I currently live. The intimate, single screened theater, located on a country road, has spots for a couple hundred vehicles. Adult tickets are $5 and $1 for kids, although youngins can get in for free on selected nights. On the weekends, the space is used as a flea market during the day.
Silver Moon Drive-In
4100 New Tampa Highway
Lakeland, Fl
Silver Moon has shown first rate movies for over 60 years and is the last drive-in left in Polk County. This double-screen theater shows double-features every night, for a price of $5 for adults and $2 for children.
Swap Shop Fun Lan Drive-In
2302 E Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, Fl
Opened since 1950 as a single screened drive-in, the Fun Lan Drive-In now has 4 screens that play nightly and is opened year-round. Part of the Swap Shop chain, which owns many of the drive-ins still in operation, Fun Lan operates swap meets on the weekends.
Ruskin Drive-In
5011 Highway 41 North
Ruskin, Fl
Established in 1952, the Ruskin had become known as one of the first drive-in theaters to operate their own radio broadcast system instead of the traditional window speakers back in 1971. But don’t worry, if you had your heart set on doing things the old-fashioned way, the traditional speakers are still available.
Ocala Drive-In
4850 South Pine Avenue
Ocala, Fl
First opened in 1948, Ocala Drive-In had become one of the oldest operating classic drive-ins in Central Florida. In 2002, Ocala Drive-In closed, only to later reopen and remain in operation since 2011. Here you can get $6 for two movies.
Swap Shop Drive-In Lake Worth
3438 Lake Worth Road
Lake Worth, Fl
The last remaining drive-in located in Palm Beach County, also happens to be one of the youngest on the list, opening for the first time in 1967. This is a double-screen theater with room for several hundred cars. Come on the weekends for their swap meet.
Swap Shop Drive-In
3121 West Sunrise Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Fl
Last, but definitely not least, The Swap Shop Drive-In Fort Lauderdale, is the king of all drive-ins. No really, it is America’s largest drive-in movie theater which sits on 88-acres and boasts 14 screens of varying sizes! They describe themselves as more of a complex than a theater, which is probably accurate, considering they hold the world’s largest swap meet on the weekends and its own amusement rides. The complex even has a circus that performs 6 days a week! With more than 12 million visitors every year from all over the world, the Swap Shop Drive-In will probably be around for quite a while.
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