The vinyl record is back, gas is under $3 a gallon, and this summer you’re going to catch a movie at the drive-in. In fact, you’re going to go on a drive-in-theater tour of Colorado that will take you to southern and western parts of the state you might not have seen.
Sure, you could start with the two drive-ins in the Denver metro area, or even the one in Fort Collins as a warm-up, but get your calendars out and plan some movie caravans with friends and you’ll be rewarded with a series of memorable one-night road trips to historic and quirky outdoor cinemas. There, you’ll catch typical summer popcorn fare — big, rompy adventures and stuff for the whole family.
For example, most of these drive-ins featured “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “How to Train Your Dragon 2” and “Planes: Fire and Rescue” in 2014. A few 2015 examples: Pueblo’s Mesa Drive-In opened on March 20 this year with double fea-tures of “Cinderella” and “McFarland, USA”; “Insurgent” and “The Duff”; and “American Sniper” and “Focus.”
The feature is only part of the attraction, of course. Fair-style vittles are available at most drive-ins — hot dogs, burgers and the like. Pueblo’s Mesa Drive-In (1) also has funnel-cake fries — an easier-to-eat funnel cake, and presumably the inventor is in line to be canonized. The Holiday Twin Drive-In (2) in Fort Collins has the usual hot eats, plus churros. The 88 Drive-In Theatre (3) in Commerce City offers flavored pickles and, according to their website, “Alien Glow Pops are back! Shipped directly to us from Roswell, N.M.!”
And as you pull back from the snack bar armed with a pop and something fried, take in the unique environs of each drive-in. In Delta, 45 minutes south of Grand Junction, you’ll find the Tru Vu Drive In (4), operated by the Egyptian Theatre. The Egyptian was built in 1928 and is on the National Register of Historic places. The nearby (5) in Montrose is in its 66th year and operates every night most of the summer.
In Monte Vista, about four hours south of Denver, you can pull into the Star Drive-In (6) (which, yes, is similarly named to the above Star Drive In Theatre) to catch a Friday feature, as do many locals — or you can stay the night in the adjacent Movie Manor Motel. The motel and original screen have been there for more than 60 years, says owner Mike Suthar.
Most rooms have a view of the screen, but if you book early, you can request a room that has a view of the screen specifically from your room’s bed. Suthar notes that those traveling with a pet will unfortunately get a designated room that does not have a view of the screen.
Rates vary, but in peak summer season, that’d run you about $99 for a single queen bed — a full breakfast and the night’s movie are part of the deal. So, there you’d be, in your motel bed, watching a movie out the window, listening to the audio via radio broadcast. Maybe not the clearest picture or sound, but like shooting a photo with a Polaroid camera, it’s mostly about the exquisite moment.
If you can believe it, this summer is also the debut season for a drive-in theater right in Denver, , near I-25 and 58th Ave. The new screen there will be 40 feet high by 92 feet wide, and it opens June 12.
But even a plain-old Friday night at the drive-in could be in the running to be one of your more memorable summer outings.
“It’s a family event,” says Mesa Drive-In co-owner Marianne James, “and so many kids in this generation haven’t been to a drive-in. Also, it’s a night outside, which is so cool.”
Dave Burdick: 303-954-1957, dburdick@denverpost.com
Colorado’s drive-ins
Denver Mart, 451 E. 58th Ave., Denver. denvermart.com
The 88 Drive-In Theatre, 303-287-7717, 8780 Rosemary St., Commerce City. 88drivein.com
Holiday Twin Drive-In, 970-221-1244, 2206 S. Overland Trail, Fort Collins. holidaytwindrivein.com
Mesa Drive-In, 719-542-3345, 2625 Santa Fe Dr., Pueblo. mesadrive-in.com
Star Drive-In, 719-852-2613, 2830 US-160, Monte Vista.
Star Drive In Theatre, 970-249-6170, 600 E. Miami Road, Montrose. stardrivein.com
Tru Vu Drive In, 970-874-9770, 452 Main St., Delta. movies.qwestoffice.net/9201.html
