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USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION
FLORIDA | MOVIES
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: DEBRA MOORE/GETTY IMAGES
Drive In! Enjoy classic movie fun from a safe social distance By Shameika Rhymes
T
RANSPORT YOURSELF BACK IN time to when families and
couples on date nights loaded into cars and parked in rows facing a 50-foot screen lit up with the current action, drama, romance or comedy flick at a drive-in theater. This nostalgic entertainment touchstone, which largely faded over
time from many parts of the country, has returned to vogue as the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered movie theaters and promoted quarantining and social distancing. If you’re looking for a safe escape from the confines of your home for a few hours, make your way to one of the approximately 400 drive-ins that remain in the U.S., down from about 4,000 in the late 1950s. In Florida, only seven ac-
tive drive-in theaters remain. Operators of those that managed to survive the ebb and flow of trends and technology say movie lovers flocking to the venues are lured by the same factors that drew people to the drive-ins of yesteryear: family fun and a good bargain. Prices at drive-ins across the state vary, but on average a family of four can see a double feature for $25 or less, including snacks.
