One Of The Most Iconic Drive-In Theaters In America Is A Historic Must-Visit Along Route 66

A highway so famous it's been sung about by countless musicians from Nat King Cole to The Rolling Stones, historic Route 66 has carried millions of Americans from Chicago to Los Angeles since its inauguration in 1926. Dozens of roadside attractions, midcentury relics, and underrated stops still line Route 66 to this day, standing as mementos to the thoroughfare's heyday in the mid-20th century.

For folks who missed out on the Route 66 Golden Age, a road trip to unique roadside America stops that include kitschy Route 66 destinations like Holbrook, Arizona's Wigwam Motel, and the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma can feel like the next best thing to time traveling. And no trip down the Oklahoma stretch of this iconic route would be complete without an evening at Admiral Twin Drive-In, the historic drive-in theater that once played center stage in the Brat Pack-powered Francis Ford Coppola film "The Outsiders."

Situated right off Route 66 in the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma near a stretch of the Mother Road known for its historic signage, Admiral Twin has been a staple since 1951, with locals flocking to its two screens every weekend the theater is open, typically March through October. Drop by on any weekend during the season just before sundown, and you'll see dozens of cars lined up and down the street to check out a first-run double feature for less than the price of a regular evening movie ticket. Just don't forget to bring an FM radio and some comfy lawn chairs or blankets to chill out with.

Although drive-in movies have been an American tradition since the first drive-in theater opened in Camden, New Jersey in 1933, Tulsa's Admiral Twin became famous when it was prominently featured in the film adaptation of S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders." Set in the 1950s, the coming-of-age story was one of the first Brat Pack films and served as an early film credit for Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, and Diane Lane. The theater remained a popular weekend destination through the years until its iconic tower caught fire on Labor Day weekend in 2010. The original painted plywood of the tower went up quickly and was completely destroyed within the span of a half-hour, leaving many locals heartbroken. 

As the historic wood screens had not been insurable, Tulsans realized it would be up to them to save the historic landmark. They quickly rose to the challenge, generating more than $30,000 in donations for the cause. By June 2012, the rebuilt tower was back in business. Once just a point of pride for its history and connection to "The Outsiders," today the glow of the tower each weekend, visible from Interstate 244, serves as a welcome reminder of the city's sense of community. 

If you're planning a trip down Route 66, Tulsa makes a perfect stop on a stunning and storied U.S. road trip. A culturally diverse city with a thriving arts and music scene, Tulsa boasts an impressive collection of Art Deco architecture and an expansive municipal park system that includes an award-winning 66.5-acre destination called The Gathering Place. The city is home to Greenwood District, a freedman's colony historically known as "The Black Wall Street."

Visitors to Greenwood can stop by the Greenwood Cultural Center or John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park to pay their respects to the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The city is also home to several Native American tribes who were forcibly removed to Oklahoma via the Trail of Tears, with most of Tulsa falling on Muscogee Creek Nation territory. Not far off Route 66 in downtown Tulsa, visitors can pay tribute to the Council Oak Tree where Creek Nation survivors first built their village, naming it Talasi ("Old Town") — the word from which Tulsa derives.

Fans of the "The Outsiders" can pair a trip to the drive-in with a visit to the Outsiders House Museum. One of the many Sears homes built in Tulsa around 1920, the Outsiders House was a private home that served as the Curtis brothers' residence in the film. After looking up the house while visiting the city on a three-day layover in 2009, House of Pain rapper and huge fan of "The Outsiders" Danny Boy O'Connor set out to purchase and restore it. The house underwent an extensive restoration process to transform it back to its condition from the film, finally opening to the public in 2019.