One of the best – and most nostalgic – way to spend an evening or afternoon is a drive-in movie. If you want to watch a film from beneath the stars there are some in the city or located within driving distance.
From cool vintage style to family-friendly here are the best drive-in movie theaters in or near Portland…
1. 99W Drive-in Theater – a classic old school drive-in theatre which dates from the 1950s
The 99W Drive-in Theatre first opened in August 1953 showing “Under the Sahara” and “Sea Devil” as the first movies shown. Now there are 3 screens at the theatre to show movies.
It’s worth a visit to 99W Drive-in Theatre because you get to view double features with purchasing just one ticket.
The 99W Drive-in Theatre is located about a half hour away from Portland via I-5 N. They open in late April or in the early parts of May and operate until the last week of October.
Address: 3110 Portland Rd, Newberg, OR 97132
Phone Number: (503) 538-2738
2. PDX Drive-in Movie Spectacular – a great drive-in movie theater where you will have fun in a cool environment
For the last 7 years, the PDX Drive-in Movie Spectacular has been an annual event that takes place in the Kenton neighborhood at the Portland Expo Center.
The annual event usually runs from late July to late August.
It will be a fun experience for you and your family or friends attending the upcoming PDX Drive-in Movie Spectacular because there are discounted tickets for carloads of people up to 5 people, which works out to about $8 per person if you order tickets in advance.
Check the Portland Expo Center website for when the year’s events will occur!
Address: 2060 N Marine Dr, Portland, OR 97217
Phone Number: (503) 736-5200
3. Cinema Under The Stars with Rose City Rollers – a perfect outdoor romantic cinema to have a magic night under the stars
The Cinema Under the Stars event takes place annually during the summer months at Rose City Rollers in Portland
You will love Cinema Under the Stars because you can watch classic or even newer movies outside with family and friends during the warm summer months, which is a unique viewing experience versus visiting a normal movie theatre.
Rose City Rollers is located in the Oaks Amusement Park in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood.
The business has a 24-hour schedule, so you can call with questions about the next Cinema Under the Stars event at any time.
Address: 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202
Phone Number: (503) 784-1444
4. Sunshine Mill Winery – a cool place where you will find a drive-in movie theater with a large screen and plenty of space
You can view drive-in movies year round at Sunshine Mill Winery in The Dalles, Oregon.
Classic movies are shown throughout the year. During the holiday season, they show popular movies such as Polar Express, A Christmas Story, and Elf.
If you want a different movie experience than the cinema or from watching movies at home, you will love how much you can frequent the Sunshine Mill Winery drive-in movie events.
Sunshine Mill is about an hour and a half away from Portland using I-84 W. Daily operating hours are 12 pm to 6 pm, except they close Fridays and Saturdays at 9 pm.
Address: 901 E 2nd St, The Dalles, OR 97058
Phone Number: (541) 298-8900
5. La Grande Drive-In – a vintage single-screen drive-in movie theater open seasonally
La Grande Drive-In operates mainly in the spring through fall, but sometimes they feature shows in the winter.
It’s worth a visit to La Grande Drive-in Theatre because you can sometimes catch free showings for a special season event such as their free showing of a Christmas movie during the holidays.
This drive-in is located about 4.5 hours away from Portland using the I-84 W route. Check their website for showtimes, so that you know when to purchase tickets.
Saturday and Sunday showtimes usually start a little after noon and other showtimes throughout the week start mid to late afternoon.
Address: 404 20th St, La Grande, OR 97850
Phone Number: (541) 963-3866
6. M-F Drive-In Theater – a traditional no-frills drive-in theater that shows family movies during summer
M-F Drive-In Theater usually operates in the spring through the fall. All of the movies start at dusk which times vary depending on the season you are going to view movies.
You will love visiting because not only do they offer popular movies playing in movie theaters every summer, they also offer drive-in concert events. Check their events schedule when they open for the 2022 season for more information.
This drive-in theater is almost 4 hours away from Portland using the I-84 W route.
Address: 84322 OR-11, Milton-Freewater, OR 97862
Phone Number: (541) 938-4327
7. Cinema Unbound (The Zidell Yards) – a drive-in cinema that features 10 movies and 6 shorts
Cinema Unbound is a summer drive-in movie event that takes place in the Zidell Yards lot of Portland.
While usually a four-day event in the summer, it’s an awesome experience as you view films that are unexpected. They are not your usual popular movie theatre films. Cinema Unbound features first-time features from local movie makers or other budget flicks.
Located in the South Portland neighborhood, you can enjoy Cinema Unbound annually in August. Browse the Zidell Yards website for more information on the upcoming drive-in event or give them a call for more information.
Address: 3121 S Moody Ave, Portland, OR 97239
Phone Number: (503) 228-8691
8. Oregon Garden – an astonishing botanical garden that hosts a cruise-in cinema
The Oregon Garden measures 80-acres and is a well-known Oregon tourist attraction that comprises 20 of different gardens such as the Silverton Market Garden, Children’s Garden, Pet-Friendly Garden, and the Rose Garden.
Whether you are attending the Cruise-in Cinema in the summer or visiting for another reason, it’s worth going to Oregon Garden just to see the different breathtaking gardens made of beautiful botanical plants. This is one of the beautiful sights of the Willamette Valley.
Located about an hour away via the OR-214 and I-5 route, usual daily operating hours are 10 am to 3 pm, but check their special events for upcoming drive-in theater experiences.
Address: 879 W Main St, Silverton, OR 97381
Phone Number: (503) 874-4294
9. Cornelius Cinemas – Act V Theaters – the only cinema to have THX screens in Portland
Cornelius Cinemas operates year-round showing popular movies that are usually shown in movie theaters in the form of a drive-in theater. If it is the holiday season, they may show popular movies with limited showings.
The screen for the drive-in theater is large at 48’ high, which makes for a high-quality viewing experience and a great reason to visit Cornelius Cinemas. Tune into 87.9 to hear your chosen video’s audio when you drive up.
This cinema is located about a half hour away from Portland utilizing the US-26 E route. Check showtimes to see when your movie starts. Weekend movies usually begin early to mid afternoon.
Address: 200 N 26th Ave, Cornelius, OR 97113
Phone Number: (503) 844-0891
10. Lincoln City Cultural Center – a perfect spot to go and enjoy a movie during summertime
Lincoln City Cultural Center features drive-in movies on Saturdays from late July to late August.
Besides the classic movies that they show at drive-in theatre events, you will also enjoy your visit to this cultural center because of visual arts activities, fitness activities, and the popular Fiber Artisan’s Market event.
Located about 2 hours away from Portland using the OR-18 route, you can visit the Lincoln City Cultural Center on Thursdays through Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm, but check the drive-in movie schedule because these will be shown after operating hours.
Address: 540 NE Hwy 101, Lincoln City, OR 97367
Phone Number: (541) 994-9994
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My first true adventure began as a six month voyage around South East Asia as a fresh faced backpacker and ever since I’ve lived a semi nomadic existence, clocking up visits to over 40 countries. I’m a lover of US Road Trips, deserted beaches bathed in warm glow of a sunset, Cuban mojitos, travel destinations far away from the tourist crowds and all things Scandinavian – from cloudberry liquors to Nordic noirs. When not wandering the world and running Global Grasshopper, you’ll find me walking my rescued Greek street dog in leafy South West London, strolling around the Brighton Lanes on random day trips, hunting for photogenic landscapes or daydreaming about my favourite places; Havana, Copenhagen, Italy, Laos, California and the surreally beautiful landscapes of a wintry Iceland.