Top 10 Drive-In Movie Theaters in or near Portland

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 by 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. I’d personally suggest opting for a retro-style movie for the full effect! 

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!

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 anytime. 

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. 

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. 

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, but 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.

Cinema Unbound is a summer drive-in movie event that takes place in the Zidell Yards lot in Portland. 

While usually a four-day event in the summer, it’s an awesome experience as you view unexpected films. 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. 

The Oregon Garden measures 80 acres and is a well-known Oregon tourist attraction that comprises 20 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, the usual daily operating hours are 10 am to 3 pm, but check their special events for upcoming drive-in theater experiences.

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 about a half hour from Portland utilizing the US-26 E route. Check showtimes to see when your movie starts. Weekend movies usually begin early to mid-afternoon. 

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.