Drive-Ins Near Los Angeles
The greater Los Angeles area has four drive-in theaters, concentrated in the Inland Empire and southeast LA County. A couple more sit further out in the desert for a road trip option.
View Drive-InsParamount Drive-In on Rosecrans Avenue in the city of Paramount is the closest to central LA, about 20 minutes south of downtown. It runs two 75-foot screens with Barco laser projection and is open nightly. Vineland Drive-In in Industry, about 25 minutes east of downtown, has four screens and has been operating since 1955.
Further east in the Inland Empire, Rubidoux Drive-In in Jurupa Valley has three screens and its original 1948 Art Deco screen tower still standing. Van Buren Drive-In in Riverside, also three screens, is one of the largest drive-ins in Southern California by car capacity. Both are about 50-60 minutes from central LA via the 60 or 91 freeways.
For a more adventurous outing, Skyline Drive-In in Barstow sits along I-15 about two hours northeast of LA, and Smith's Ranch Drive-In in Twentynine Palms near Joshua Tree National Park makes for a memorable desert movie night under some of the darkest skies in Southern California.
Most LA-area drive-ins operate year-round or nearly so. Movies start at dusk, which means 8:00-8:30 PM in summer and as early as 6:30 PM in winter. All use FM radio for sound. Arriving early matters on weekends, especially at Paramount, which can fill up on Friday and Saturday nights. LA traffic being what it is, build in extra time if you're coming from the Westside or the Valley.
Drive-In Theaters Near Los Angeles
Paramount Twin Drive-in
Paramount
A two-screen drive-in on Rosecrans Avenue in Paramount, the only drive-in in...
View Drive-InRubidoux Drive-in
Jurupa Valley
A three-screen drive-in on Opal Street in Jurupa Valley, east of Los...
View Drive-InSkyline Drive-in
Barstow
A two-screen drive-in on Old Highway 58 in Barstow, right off Interstate...
View Drive-InSmith's Ranch Drive-in
Twentynine Palms
A single-screen drive-in on Adobe Road in Twentynine Palms, near Joshua Tree...
View Drive-InVan Buren Drive-in
Riverside
A three-screen drive-in on Van Buren Boulevard in Riverside, one of Southern...
View Drive-In