The World's Oldest Drive-In Movie Theater Is A Historic Gem In Pennsylvania Brimming With Nostalgia

There are currently only 300 drive-in movie sites showing films in the United States, a drastic decrease from their heyday in the 1950s, when there were a grand total of 4,000. So it's no small feat that Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre in Orefield, Pennsylvania, is still standing after almost 100 years since its establishment in 1934. It's the Guinness World Record holder of the oldest drive-in cinema, and even this iconic, historic drive-in on Route 66 doesn't have as long a historic run. It also beats out this New Hampshire drive-in, boasting hilly views under the stars. Ownership of the Shankweiler's Theatre has changed hands a few times since it opened, but each time, the drive-in has only gotten better, consistently adopting the newest state-of-the-art technology and continuing to dazzle moviegoers with films of the day.

Today, Hollywood films and classics are both shown at the drive-in, and the owners describe a night at the movies there as a DIY experience because guests pick their parking spot, what kind of refreshments they'd like to eat, and whether they sit in or outside their vehicles. The show is projected from a 66-foot-wide, state-of-the-art, digital Barco Alchemy Cinema projector that towers impressively over the 4-acre attraction, which fits 300 cars. The sound is also dispatched directly into car radios through an FM transmitter. 

Shankweiler's Theatre shows a range films,  some of which are more suited to a mature audience such as "Twilight" and "Hunger Games," while others are great for kids, such as "Dumbo" and "Aladdin." Movie nights at the theater are double features and pair flicks such as "The Monkey," a Stephen King adaptation receiving 78% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with "Mickey 17," a sci-fi mystery drama starring Robert Pattinson. Another fun pairing matches "Heart Eyes," a gory slasher/rom-com, together with "Companion," a futuristic thriller summarised as "a fiendishly clever contraption (...) that puts the demented into domestic bliss."

Like another hip, vintage drive-ins across the country, Shankweiler's Theatre has a fully stocked snack bar with classic goodies like burgers, fries, hot dogs, and popcorn. They are sold at reasonable prices and each bite makes adult visitors feel like they are kids again. Gates open at 6 p.m., and showtimes are at 7 p.m. After a 20-minute intermission, the second feature begins and you are in for another cinematic thrill ride. There are clean bathrooms on the premises and you may also want to consider keeping your car running or put it into a power-saving mode during the break to conserve its battery. Alternatively, you can rent a radio for $5 rather than using your car's stereo.

Bring chairs or blankets if you prefer not to sit in your car. Otherwise, make sure that if you have opened your hatchback to sit in the cargo, you have something to tie it down, so that it rests at roof height, and isn't restricting your fellow moviegoers' view of the screen. The entire throwback experience starts at $13.60 per adult with a vehicle (fees included). Additional adults are the same price, and tickets for children are $9.40. Feel free to bring your dog as well!

Fulfilling its duty as a fixture of the Orefield community, the theater aims to support its members beyond movie nights with another nostalgic extravaganza that's coming this summer with a crystals and jewelry market alluringly named Summer Solstice Mystic Market. The event will be free to enter and take place on June 21st. Local artisans and vendors, whose items will be chosen for their mystical, nature-inspired, or witchy aesthetic, will display a selection of their beguiling and enchanting wares. The venue's snack bar will also be open and offer a complete menu of scrumptious eats.

Shankweiler's Theatre co-owners, Matt and Lauren, are also great at shouting out the local businesses that help keep the theater going, such as a Facebook post thanking their internet service provider and a mention showing appreciation for Wegmans, a grocery store chain that provided cake for a "Dress like Matt" promotion on his birthday, and who always fulfill Lauren's "unhinged cake requests." The theater is located in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, just off Route 309, about an hour and 15 minutes drive north of Philadelphia.