Northeast Ohio opened one of the first drive-in theaters with the debut of Akron's Starlight Auto Theater in 1937. Ohio grew to love the unique movie theaters and by the late 1960s, the state boasted 189 drive-ins. Today, over 80 percent of them are gone, but the remaining dozen of so in Northeast Ohio are a fun place to spend a summer's evening.
Mayfield Road Drive-in - Chardon
A single screen theater, open seasonally, between April and October. It is open seven nights a week in the summer and on weekends in the spring and fall. Audio is offered via FM radio.
Admission is $13 per car.
Mayfield Road Drive-in
12010 Mayfield Rd. (just east of Rte. 306), Chardon
440 286-7173.
Aut-O-Rama Drive-in - North Ridgeville
Owned by the same family since it was built in 1965, the Aut-O-Rama is something of a west-side legend. The twin screen theater is open from early April until the end of September, seven days a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It offers FM radio for audio.Admission is $8 for adults and $3 for ages 4-11; under 4 are free.
Aut-O-Rama
33395 Lorain Rd., North Ridgeville
440 327-9595.
Magic City Drive-in - Barberton
A twin-screen theater, open between April and October. The theater features first run films seven nights a week during the summer and on weekends during the spring and fall. Offers audio from traditional speakers or via FM radio broadcast.
Admission is $12 per car.
Magic City Drive-in
5602 S. Cleveland/Massillon Rd., Barberton
330 825-4333
Sunset Drive-in - Mansfield
Opened during World War II, this venerable 600-car theater is open seasonally, seven nights in the summer and weekends in the spring and fall. It offers first-run films and audio via traditional pole speakers or via AM or FM radio broadcast.
Admission is $4 per adult; children under 11 are free.
Sunset Drive-in
4018 Park Avenue W., Mansfield
419 529-5514
Pymatuning Lake Drive-in - Andover
A single-screen theater, open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The theater features first run films and offers audio via traditional speakers and AM radio broadcast.
Admission is $4.50 per adults and $1 for children under 10.
Pymantuning Drive-in
Route 7 (5863 Beach St.), Andover
440 293-7757
Blue Sky Drive-in - Wadsworth
This single-screen theater is open from May to September each season and can accommodate up to 450 cars.
Admission is $12 per car.
Blue Sky Drive-in
959 Broad St., Wadsworth
330-334-1809
Memphis Drive-in - Cleveland
***Update:*** The Memphis Drive-In closed on September 30, 2006; American Greeting Card Co. has purchased the site to add its campus.
The Memphis was one of the oldest drive-in theaters still in use in Northeast Ohio. Built in 1954, the theater has three screens, each showing two films each night. The 1000-car theater offers audio via traditional audio speakers as well as FM stereo radio.
Memphis Drive-in
10543 Memphis Rd., Cleveland, OH
216 941-2892.
