In 1933, New Jersey resident Richard Hollingshead nailed a sheet to two trees in his backyard, mounted a projector on the hood of his car and placed a radio behind his makeshift screen. Voila! The drive-in movie theatre was born. Decades later, the phenomenon spread west, where drive-ins once seemed as common as gas stations and roadside diners. Not anymore.

The drive-in has not fared well since its mid-20th century heyday. The advent of VCRs and cable television allowed the viewing public to watch feature films from the comfort of their homes, while high property taxes and land values, particularly in the Bay Area, persuaded many drive-in owners that their parcels could be put to better use. A once booming business, there are currently less than two dozen drive-in movie theatres in the whole state, and only a handful in Northern California.

So what makes the drive-in so great? For starters, drive-ins are cheaper than typical multiplex theatres (especially for kids and groups). Second, the huge screens make them awesome for action movies. And finally, even though you’re at the movies with hundreds of other people, you won’t hear any cell phones, loud conversations or people knocking over beer bottles. Throw in the fact that on nice summer nights you can bring some folding chairs or blankets and enjoy your movie under the stars, and it’s clear: Drive-ins should be the gold standard to which all other theatres aspire.

By now you’re asking: Where can I find one of these paved lots full of retro-cool good times? Below is a short list of what we’re broadly defining as “Bay Area” drive-ins. It’s a sad twist of fate that the further away the drive-in, the cooler it sounds. But, such is life. Enjoy!

Capitol Drive-In
3630 Hillcap Ave., San Jose | (408) 226-2251 | www.centurytheatres.com
Prices: $6.25; $4.00 on Tuesdays
Like many drive-ins, the all-season Capitol favors the blockbuster comedies and action flicks that do best on the big, big screen. And, oh, the screens! The Capitol sports not one, but six gigantic screens. This drive-in is great for extremely lazy people because the concession stand will deliver pizza right to your car. You won’t have to move a muscle (except to chew) for your whole double feature.

Skyview Drive-in Theatre
2260 Soquel Dr., Santa Cruz | (408) 475-3405
Prices: $6 for adults; free under 12
The three most popular names for drive-ins are Starlight, Sunset and, you guessed it, Skyview. This two-screen theatre has been around for 55 years, which makes it the perfect host for the annual summer Nostalgia Night car show, where restored classics and people dressed in their rockabilly best give it that time warp vibe.

Solano Drive-in
1611 Solano Way, Concord | (925) 825-1951 | www.centurytheatres.com
Prices: $6.25; $4 on Tuesdays
Sadly, the Solano is only open in the summer, so the rest of the year the East Bay is drive-inless. Like many drive-ins, the Solano hosts a regular weekend swap meet. And while all the tables of used books, clothing and power tools are cleared away for the evening double features, a few items from the market are occasionally left behind. The two-screen theatre holds 800 cars, meaning only the biggest of the summer blockbusters are likely to be booked there.

Lakeport Auto Movies
52 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport | (707) 263-4215
Prices: $15 a car for up to six people; $7.50 for a single person
The Lakeport opened in 1975, far past the peak for drive-ins. But hey, maybe it takes a little longer to get the word up in Lake County, just north of Sonoma. Owner Margaret Reese opens the one-screen theatre for double features on weekends during the spring and fall and daily during the summer. The Lakeport usually draws a family crowd, particularly grandparents with grandchildren, but has the occasional group of rowdy drunken teenagers to bust the place up. “Sometimes I have to call the sheriff, but usually I can handle it myself,” says Reese. “I’m an older woman and I guess they respect that. Still, I’ve been called a lot of names.”

Marysville Drive-In
Chestnut Rd. and Erle Rd., Marysville (530) 743-2342 | www.syix.com/drivein
Prices: $6 for adults; free under 12
The Marysville Drive-In has been plagued with problems. Its opening night in 1966 was delayed for two weeks due to a fire caused by faulty popcorn machine wiring. Twenty years later the drive-in was flooded and, even more catastrophic, reels of Jewel of the Nile and Bad Medicine were forever warped by the four feet of standing water. But the owners must be doing something right, since this drive-in (just north of Sacramento) is not only still open, but thriving. If you’re planning on going to one of their weekend double features, check out the website first for that day’s “secret code,” which gets you discounts at the well-stocked snack bar.

Red’s Crescent Drive-In
2303 Elk Valley X Rd., Crescent City (707) 464-1813
Prices: $7 a car for up to 10 people
Okay, you’re probably never going to drive to Crescent City just to go to a drive-in. But it’s only seven bucks for up to 10 people, which rules. So, if you’re ever visiting Redwood National Park, or trying to lose the cops before crossing the border into Oregon, consider stopping off for a double feature at Red’s.