Central Tx Drive-in’s

by Adam Carter

Do you remember your first drive-in movie? Mine was Star Wars when I was 4 years old. I saw about 5 minutes, then fell asleep in the back seat.

With evening temps in the 50s and 60s now, I’m looking forward to trying the local outdoor theaters In central Texas. Watching in the cool evenings, under the stars, is so much nicer than in a cramped theater. I love that there’s a mix of modern classics, “classic” classics, and new movies showing throughout the week. It’s also the perfect way to be social, while maintaining some distance, if you want.

Todays drive-ins, like the Stars and Stripes theater in New Braunfels have big indoor facilities with a cafe, restrooms, and a playground. You can meet up for a group picnic or rent a screen for parties. Lots of families meet up and hang out for the double feature at a discounted price. This drive-in has the classic 50s drive-in atmosphere and beautiful hill country sunsets.

A more intimate experience would be had at the Blue Starlite mini urban drive-in locations. They offer a smaller screening for a limited number of cars, so buy tickets in advance. There are basic concessions at all of their locations. They also feature indie, art house, and cult classics films, if you’re not into blockbusters.

I’m most anxious to visit their Downtown Skyline drive-in location on the rooftop of a building in downtown Austin with a 360-degree view of the city skyline. This theater popped up during the pandemic and is a collaboration between the theater and the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation. Besides a concession stand, they have a list of participating downtown restaurants that will deliver your food order in time for the show. So cool.

If it’s been a while since you’ve tried a drive-in, or maybe you never have, here’s a few tips for having the best experience:

Bring your own fun food- it saves money and lets you have the kinds of things you only wished a movie theater served. Don’t forget the thermos of cocoa or coffee if it is chilly.
Have a portable old fashioned boom box with battteries ready for tuning in if your car is like mine and turns on interior lights periodically when the radio is on.
Bring comfortable lawn chairs or loungers. Some theaters have a seating area close to the screen, but there’s plenty of room by your car, especially if some of your group opts to sit in the back of the van or SUV.
If your hatchback rises above the roofline of your vehicle you may have to tie it down so it doesn’t interfere with other people’s view, but a lot of these theaters have an area just for hatchbacks.
Bring lots of blankets or sleeping bags and pillows. This can be more comfortable than the modern indoor theater with La-Z-boy type recliners. If you have sleepy little ones, like I was during Star Wars, they’ll be able to sack out in comfort.
Consider the double feature if your crew is into it, to save a few bucks. I just saw Blue Starlite has a Charlie Brown/ Scooby Doo Halloween double feature. Seems like something I would’ve enjoyed as a kid, for 5 minutes before falling asleep.

We appreciate you,

Michelle & Adam

Central Tx Drive-in’s

by Adam Carter

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