Seattle Family Calendar
Subscribe
I’d never seen my van so full of pillows and blankets. I was pretty sure there was even a bean bag chair somewhere in the back. No, we weren’t going camping. My family was instead packed up for a cozy night at a drive-in movie theater.
For a not-too-big outlay of cash, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity for the old-school summer fun of watching a drive-in movie. Plus, it meant a night of fun with the whole family, always a special treat.
I’ve rounded up a list of fantastic drive-in movie theaters around the Sound, and I’m sharing all the details from our experience at Skyline Drive-In Theater in Shelton so you can plan a family movie night of your own.
Drive-in movie theaters in the Greater Seattle area
- Skyline Drive-In Theater in Shelton suits South Sound families. It’s about 25 minutes from Olympia and 50 minutes from Tacoma. The theater shows “throwback” films on Thursdays. New films are played as double features Friday–Sunday nights.
- Blue Fox Drive-In Theater in Oak Harbor incorporates all the nostalgia of drive-in movies, including an awesome snack bar. This theater charges between $1.50–$7 per person, but children ages 4 and younger are free.
- Rodeo Drive-In Theatre in Bremerton offers a mix of movies, with some geared toward a teenage and older audience. Tickets run $7–$12, kids ages 4 and younger are free. Available concessions include savory items like chicken strip baskets, pizza and burgers, and sweet treats such as ice cream and candy.
- Wheel-In Motor Movie in Port Townsend has all the amenities of the other drive-ins, including family-favorite food such as hamburgers, hot dogs and nachos. General admission tickets cost $10–$10.50; free for ages 5 and younger.
Watching a drive-in movie at Skyline
With a little bit of planning, you can make the most of movie night at this nostalgic drive-in theater in Shelton.
How do you get tickets?
Tickets for Skyline Drive-In can be purchased in person at the box office or in advance online. Tickets cost $8 for ages 12 and older; $3 for kids 6–11; and free for ages 5 and younger. Follow Skyline’s Facebook page for movie selections and current info.
On “Throwback Thursdays,” Skyline shows single films from previous decades. Each Friday–Sunday showing at the Skyline is a double feature.
One of the movies we watched was “The Goonies” — an ’80s movie classic.
What is parking like at the theater?
At the entrance, show your ticket on your phone. Gates open at 8:30 p.m., and movies start after dusk, which is closer to 9 p.m. these days. Employees direct guests to park in different locations according to vehicle size. If you’re planning to meet up with another family, make sure you have similar-sized vehicles to be able to park next to each other. We met our friends at a nearby gas station and caravanned into the lot. We also made sure to arrive early so we’d have lots of time to visit and settle in before showtime.
We parked our van with the rear gate facing the screen so we could relax with the aforementioned pillows, blankets and bean bag chair. We found that having our car doors and windows open was a great way to socialize and enjoy the summer evening. Some folks sit in their truck beds; others just sit in the driver and passenger seats of their car.
How do you hear the movie?
Once dusk settles in and the movie is about to start, tune your car radio to 89.1 FM. If your car doesn’t have an FM receiver, you can rent one from the snack bar for $5. And if you happen to accidentally drain your car battery, helpful staff members are on-site with portable battery jumpers if needed.
Are there snacks for kids?
Yes, you will want to make a trip to the snack bar. Snacks and food are the main source of revenue for the theater, so we recommend stocking up (and note that no outside food or drink is allowed). Our carloads sent the dads in for provisions, and they returned with armloads of popcorn, pretzels and drinks.
How late does the movie go?
Cars can leave anytime during a movie or at intermission. If you do stay for the second feature on the weekend, plan for a 2 a.m. drive home. Skyline also does a Sunday Switch, with the screening order of the double feature reversed. This makes it possible to see each half of the double feature without the 2 a.m. end time. The Skyline theater opens for the season in spring, with movies showing Thursday–Sunday through the summer and into fall. Check out the Skyline’s Coming Soon page to plan ahead.
The Skyline experience was great for our family, and brought us together for a meet-up with friends. And now, much to my heart’s delight, the Goonies’ catchphrase “Hey, you guuuuuuys” is a common refrain in our household.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in June 2020, and was updated most recently on July 8, 2026, with a thorough fact-check, including verifying show times and ticket prices, by ParentMap’s family fun editor, Meredith Charaba.
