29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
19 drive-in theaters in Indiana where you can watch new and retro movies
We've entered the season in which humming cicadas, delectable snacks and sticky air combine to gift Hoosiers a favorite summer tradition: nights at the drive-in theater.
Nearly 20 such establishments still operate in Indiana, offering blockbusters and retro films while satisfying cravings for deep-fried munchies and all manner of sweet delights.
Find the complete list of drive-in theaters and what to know below. We offer the following advice: First, it's good to have cash on hand. Some theaters only take cash while others add a surcharge to credit cards.
Check Facebook and the theaters' websites for information on how to listen to the movie, when to arrive, if your dog can accompany you and whether you can bring your own snacks.
Happy movie watching!
1014 State Road 8 in Garrett. Check the Auburn Garrett Drive In on Facebook and for updates.
$10 adults, $5 ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under.
This drive-in is open once again after a storm damaged its screen in 2022. The theater has been a mainstay just north of Fort Wayne since 1951 and has changed its name a few times — from the Tri-Hi Drive-In to the Garrett Drive-In to its current moniker.
337 N. U.S. Highway 421 in Versailles. Check the Bel-Air Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 812-689-5525
$10 adults, $5 ages 5-11 along with seniors and active U.S. military with ID. Free ages 4 and under. Cash only at ticket booth.
The Bel-Air Drive-In opened in 1952, and its traditions include slathering French fries, nachos, hot dogs and the like in Coney sauce made from the family's recipe, third-generation owner Allan Chorpenning told IndyStar.
6735 State Road 67 North in Martinsville. Check Centerbrook Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 317-831-1526
$10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under.
Watch the screen light up in the midst of a Southern Indiana landscape of hills and trees. The popcorn, fried mushrooms and funnel cake fries loaded with powdered sugar come recommended here.
2037 State Road 67 in Spencer. Check Cinema 67 Drive In Theater on Facebook and for showtimes. 812-879-4240
$9 adults, $5 ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under.
Named for the nearby state road, the drive-in is a community gathering place that serves up a menu of traditional favorites.
The IndianapoLIST newsletter has the best shows, art and eats — and the stories behind them
8200 State Road 64 in Georgetown. Check Georgetown Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 812-951-2616.
$12 adults, $6 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under. Cash only at box office.
You'll find a few of those nostalgic window speakers along with a playground in this spot that opened in 1951. Enjoy the traditional drive-in concessions and an expanded menu on weekends.
1055 State Road 37 in Mitchell. Check Holiday Drive In Theater Mitchell IN on Facebook and for showtimes.
$10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under.
Be sure to order a steakburger, cooked the old-fashioned way on a grill. If you don't feel like a burger, try chicken, tenderloins, French fries, soft-serve ice cream or a fish sandwich.
646 N. State Road 161 in Rockport. Check Holiday Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 812-649-2857
$12 adults, $6 ages 4-11.
Just east of Evansville, the Holiday opened in 1955 and has grown steadily since then, adding more screens. The concession menu boasts all-American favorites, including double cheeseburgers, onion rings and snow cones.
2870 E. State Road 32 in Winchester. Check Hummel Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 765-546-8223
$10 adults, $5 ages 5-10, free ages 4 and under. Cash only.
After the Airline Twin Drive-In closed in 2014, Shawn and Pauletta Hummel bought it and gave it a new life. The couple's purchase kept the decades-old icon alive. What to eat? Try a pizza burger or walking taco.
1291 Condit St. in Huntington. Check GQT Huntington Twin Drive-In on Facebook for showtimes. 260-356-2924
$7 adults, $3 ages 12 and under.
Look for traditional favorites like candy, hot dogs and mozzarella sticks.
100 Rickey Road in Monticello. Check Lake Shore Drive-In Theatre on Facebook and for showtimes. 574-583-0311
$12 adults, $6 ages 4-12, free ages 3 and under.
The menu usually includes funnel cakes, breadsticks and other concession fare at the Monticello theater that's been part of the community fabric for about seven decades.
8721 N. State Road 39 in Thorntown. Check M.E.L.S. At The Starlite Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 765-325-2230
$25 per carload admission.
M.E.L.S. — located between Lafayette and Indianapolis — has long been a staple in Mechanicsburg, with admission priced per-carload that lets you pack everyone in.
7055 S. U.S. Highway 35 in Knox. Check Melody Drive-In Theatre on Facebook and for showtimes. 574-772-2042
$10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 kids ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under.
Up in the northern half of the state, Melody has all the eats to satisfy. Make sure the double cheeseburgers are on your radar — they're customer favorites.
5056 N. Lafayette Ave. in Terre Haute. Check Moon Lite Drive-In Theater - Terre Haute on Facebook for showtimes. 812-244-1275
Single-feature nights: $6 adults, $3 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under. Double-feature nights: $8 adults, $4 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under. Check Facebook for special showings, like retro nights.
Reopened in late 2018, this drive-in on the north side of Terre Haute programs nights with retro and single-feature showings in addition to the traditional two-film nights. Check their Facebook page for nights with discounts.
3986 E. Michigan Road in Shelbyville. Check The Skyline Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes.
$10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under or $30 per carload.
The Skyline made sure to keep its 35-millimeter projector after it converted to digital, which means it plays selections from the past that won't work with newer technology. Keep on the lookout for special events like August's Super Monster Movie Fest. As for food, look for the handmade pizzas and coffee bar. Be sure to ask for a secret menu item, the sky pretzel, which is deep fried and covered with popcorn salt.
7640 S. Old State Road 37 in Bloomington. Check Starlite Drive-In Theater on Facebook and for showtimes. 812-824-2277
Double-feature nights: $10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under. Check Facebook for special showings, like free retro nights.
In addition to first-run movies, be sure to take advantage of retro movie nights, and look for a menu of drive-in classics, like nachos and ice cream.
480 S. Tibbs Ave. in Indianapolis. Check The Tibbs Drive-In on Facebook and for showtimes. 317-243-6666
$12 adults, $6 ages 4-12, free ages 3 and under.
The only drive-in theater left inside Indianapolis' city limits has four screens and a reputation for friendly staff with good movie recommendations.
4400 Michigan Road in Plymouth. Check Tri-Way Drive-In Theatre on Facebook and for showtimes.
$10 adults, $8 ages 4-11, free ages 3 and under. Cash only.
Named for its location on U.S. 31 between U.S. 6 and U.S. 30, the drive-in opened in 1953. The woman who submitted the winning name received a year's pass to the theater for her family.
890 N. State Road 13 in Wabash. Check 13-24 Drive In on Facebook and for showtimes. 260-563-5745
$7 adults, $5 kids ages 3-12, free ages 2 and under. Or $25 carload of four or more. $10 carloads for Thursday retro reels.
Among the throwbacks this year are "Forrest Gump" and "The Notebook." The theater was named before its 1951 opening for the intersection where it resides — State Road 13 and Federal Road 24, now called the Hoosier Heartland Highway.
675 N. Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso. Check 49'er Drive-In Theatre on Facebook and for showtimes. 219-462-6122
$10 adults, $5 ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under.
Have yourself an iconic Hoosier summer day by spending hours under the sun at Indiana Dunes National Park and then driving about 15 minutes to the 49'er Drive-in in time for nightfall. The theater opened in 1956 and played "The Seven Little Foys," starring Bob Hope, as its first movie, according to newspaper archives.
