5 places to see outdoor movies this summer in North Carolina
Drive-in movie theaters are enjoying another heyday of sorts. While traditional indoor theaters are closed to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus, many drive-in theaters have continued to operate and are thriving.
After all, at a drive-in theater, there's a good chance you may never come in to contact with anybody else other than the people in your vehicle (barring potential multiple trips to the bathroom, which is a concern if you have young kids).
North Carolina has a handful of drive-in theaters. And while most are not in the Triangle, I'll share them in case the summer has you traveling to an area that is near one. (Traveling smart and socially distanced, of course.)
Here are 5 places to see outdoor movies this summer.
Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre
About an hour north of the Triangle in Henderson, the Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre has been a popular destination already for Triangle families looking for something to do. New and classic movies are on the schedule, along with family-friendly ones such as Zootopia. The theater encourages people to purchase tickets online. Tickets are $8 for ages 12 and up; $5 for ages 3 to 11; and free for kids under age 3. It's open nightly.
Eden Drive-In
About two hours northwest of Raleigh near Reidsville, the Eden Drive-In is screening a variety of movies, including family-friendly ones. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 to 11.
Badin Road Drive-In
About two hours southwest of Raleigh in Albemarle, the Badin Road Drive-In also is screening movies, including family-friendly ones. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 to 11.
Hound's Drive-In Theater
If your summer travels are taking you past Charlotte and into the mountains, there's Hound's Drive-In Theater in Kings Mountain. Family-friendly movies are on the schedule. Tickets are $20 per vehicle.
Charlotte Motor Speedway Drive-In Movie Nights
It's not officially a drive-in movie theater, but the race track will be hosting two movie nights and a fireworks show in July to benefit children's charities. "The Goonies" is scheduled for July 1. "The Secret Life of Pets" is lined up for July 8. The movies will be screened on the speedway's 16,000-square-foot HDTV. Admission is $40 per car. Tickets are available on the Charlotte Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities website. The track is in Concord, about two hours from Raleigh.
