A fun and vintage way to have family movie night is to find a great drive-in movie theater in North Texas! But how does it work? For someone who’s never been, I have some tips to make your drive-in experience great — and comfortable! — as well as my family’s list of the best drive-in movie theaters in North Texas.
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1. Brazos Drive-In
Brazos Drive-In in Granbury shows movies Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. It is intentional about keeping a vintage feel, and shows double features Friday and Saturday.
2. Coyote Drive-In
The Coyote Drive-In theater in Fort Worth has a lot of great reviews. This drive-in shows movies on four screens every night, and allows you to sit in front of or behind your vehicle. The theater suggests you arrive more than an hour early, and does not allow outside food.
3. Galaxy Drive-In
Located about 45 miles outside of DFW, the Galaxy Drive-In theater in Garrett, Texas, shows movies on seven screens every single night. It charges per person instead of per car, and tickets are sold at the gate.
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4. Movie Pop-ups
Often times, community groups will do movies (and concerts) in the park or at the local swimming pool, also known as “dive-in” movies. Places like Hawaiian Falls, NRH20, or even your local rec center will host movie nights in the wave pool in the summers. These one-time events are usually free or cheap, and are SO much fun! For Collin County events like these, make sure you’re following Collin County Moms on social media and sign up for our newsletter here to keep up with all the family-friendly happenings.
5. The DIY Option
Since the pandemic, blockbusters are available both at the theater and on streaming platforms. This means you can rent a movie, and watch it from the comfort of your couch. Taking my whole family to see the latest kid’s movie in the theater would have cost upwards of $50, so buying it for $30 and setting up our own fancy movie night at home is a better deal!
You can even make your own drive-in movie theater in the backyard! If you are anything like me, you probably have some big delivery boxes laying around that the kids could convert into their very own vehicles. And most portable movie projection systems can be used inside or outside on a clear wall or white sheet. Here’s an option with a screen. Here’s one that’s more affordable and cheaper than taking the whole family to the theater.
Five Drive-In Movie Theater Tips
1. Know your car. Figure out what does and doesn’t drain your car battery and how high your trunk pops up. One way to reserve your battery power is to bring a portable radio to tune in to the movie, instead of using your car stereo. Also, if you’re watching from the back of the car, you might need to tie down your trunk because trunks cannot be higher than the roof of the car.
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2. Stock up on fun food and snacks. While there are concession stands, one of the most convenient things about drive-in movie theaters is that you can bring whatever you want to eat! However, some theaters do not allow outside food because they depend on concession sales. Check before you go.
3. Make sure you’ll be comfortable . . . the whole time. You may find that sitting in the trunk, in a lawn chair, or on a blanket is more comfortable than looking at the screen from your seats. Whatever you decide, keep these in mind: The darker it gets, the colder it gets, so bring extra blankets; and whenever you’re outside during the summer, always bring the bug spray!
4. Get there early, and prepare for a late night. Just like in a theater, some seats are better than others, so arrive early to get the best spot. Kids can play in front of the car while you wait. With most drive-in movies, one ticket gets you a double feature, but since the movie doesn’t start until sunset, the second film won’t end until well after bedtime. For this reason, park at the end of the row, so you can split in the middle of or between movies without causing too much disruption to other moviegoers.
5. Go on Thursday or Sunday instead of Friday and Saturday. Drive-in movie theaters in North Texas are the busiest on weekends. Going on a weeknight or Sunday night pretty much guarantees a better spot and shorter exit line. As a bonus, you can go in pajamas to have a super easy transfer from car to bed when you get home!
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It’s fun to enjoy movies alongside your kids and hear their perspective on them, and drive-in theaters create a lot of extra space for that. For an added bonus, here are discussion questions you can use to connect with your child during your next visit to the theater.
