5 Drive-In Movie Theaters Near Lafayette & Indianapolis

Drive-in movies have always been one of my favorite places to go as a mom of small children! You can hunker down in your car with a noisy toddler and no one cares if they shriek during a crucial scene in the movie. If they spill a drink sitting in the grass, it’s a whole lot easier to clean up than at an indoor theater. And there’s just something magical about the atmosphere of a drive in theater on a warm summer evening. Now with COVID-19 concerns shutting down many regular theaters and putting a pause on the Hollywood movie production industry, drive-ins might see a revival by showing classics and older movies (something I am also excited about as a mom!). Social distancing is so much easier in this setting than inside!

If you’re looking for drive-ins nearby, here’s a list of options in our area:
1). M.E.L.’s-at-the-Starlite ~ located about 35-45 minutes from Lafayette, this is my family’s go to location. Their price is per carload, which makes the cost very reasonable. We’ve even loaded up with extended family members in the van to split the cost more. They usually do two showings ~ a kid friendly movie first and one geared more to adults as the second feature. We bring loads of blankets and pillows and usually fold down the back seat of the van and make the kids comfy either for bed time (if they’re tiny tots) or their own second movie inside the van for the second.
Their concession prices are very reasonable, nor do they mind if you bring in your own snacks and treats. Their restrooms are fairly rustic and primitive. If you are nervous about taking little kids to a bathroom during corona season, I know friends who have invested in a small travel toilet and this could be a good addition.

2) Lake Shore Drive In, Monticello ~ They have two screens and each shows double features. One set tends to feature more family friendly films (this coming week it will be the newest Jumanji sequel followed by Sonic the Hedgehog), the other is definitely more adult material. Their admission price is per person, but it still works out to a pretty good deal if you are eager to see both movies offered (or are desperate to get out of the house in a social distance accepted way!)

3) Tibbs Drive In, Indianapolis ~ This is about an hour from Lafayette ~ They’re open this week-end! They have 4 screens with a wide range of options (one set of double features: Onward & Call of the Wild!). Their admission cost is also per capita, although they highly encourage buying advance tickets online at a discount (and you don’t have to choose a date for going to the movie; you can buy a set now and decide later when to use them, as long as it’s by the time they close in November).
Right now you must stay in your car for the duration of the movie except for using a restroom and picking up concessions (that must be ordered via an app). Thanks to the most recent cold snap, though, staying in my van sounds rather nice….

4) Centerbrook Drive in, Martinsville ~ just under 90 minutes from Lafayette (about 20ish minutes from Indianapolis). Their pricing is also per person (I found it on their facebook page, which is available here). They advertise that they are getting movies like Sonic the Hedgehog, Onward, The Invisible Man, & more. Their website also has information about concessions and requirements for social distancing right now.

5) Canary Creek Cinemas ~ They are opening May 15 with Sonic The Hedgehog, and getting fun titles like Dolittle and Trolls: World Tour next weekend. Their pricing is also per person, although adults are a super reasonable $8. They are also just under 90 minutes from Lafayette, on the south side of Lafayette. Their website is not the most glamorous one out there (few sites for drive-ins are, with the exception of Tibbs, perhaps), but they do have the fairly unique feature of letting you vote on their list of potential movies for ones you are the most excited about. Find the calendar option and scroll through for that.

May 2020 be a great year for drive-ins, so our kids and grandkids can continue to enjoy this special summer tradition!