Sandusky Drive-In

Great Site... but what does the Chausee have to do with the Drive-In?

http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/Sandusky%20Drive-In,%20Sandusky%20OH/IMG_3262.JPG

It's right next to it, no?

The former theater site is west of the chausee, between the airport 

and the causeway along Rt. 6.

It's actually 1.3 miles west just before you get to the airport. I also don't see what the Chausee has to do with it either but I guess he just wanted to add that photo.

I drove by the site on Friday the 4th and the drive-in was already gone. You could only see the two driveways going to nowhere. You would have never known what was there since it looks like freshly plowed farmland. I didn't realize how big the area was since I could see how far back the land clearing went now that the screen is gone. Something tells me that not very many are going to miss it.

~Rob Willi

They also have some pics from Chippewa Lake on this site:

http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/chippewa_lake_amusement_park.htm

I remember when Drive In's were THE thing to do. When I was a kid (50's 60's) drive in's were the least expensive way for families to go to the movies. It was originally one price per car and they always had a double feature with cartoons between.

Then they began charging a buck or two per person (still pretty cheap compared to the movie theatres). Of course, those who were not interested in watching the movies generally parked in the back.

I think the last time I went to a drive in was in the late 70's for a Planet of the Apes marathon (the original movies of course) or maybe it was the Clint Eastwood westerns marathon...don't quite remember.

Almost every drive in I went to as a kid is now a shopping plaza or mall.

There's actually another abondoned Drive-In theater. You see it when you take Route 2. I think it is right ouside of Oregon (the town) I believe.

When did that one in oregon get abandoned? I remember up to a few years ago it was playing films?

Well it looks abandoned, but it might not be.

OldCPer said:
I think the last time I went to a drive in was in the late 70's for a Planet of the Apes marathon (the original movies of course) or maybe it was the Clint Eastwood westerns marathon...don't quite remember.

So you were parked in the back? ;)

There is one right next to the ohio turnpike near Elyria. It has two big screens and every time when I'm driving past it at night, they show 2 movies and I try to guess what they are showing. That's the only one I know that is still operating.

Not being from Ohio or knowing an excessive amount about the area, where abouts is Elyria? I've heard of it but can't pinpoint it. Is it past CP (if coming from the Detroit area)? I've never seen a movie at a drive in and have always wanted to.

That one by Elyria is an ok place. They have reasonable prices. The only downside is that its just a few feet from the train tracks so about every 20 to 35 minutes a train goes by, it can be loud.

There is also another drive-in just outside Norwalk. While I have never been to that one, a friend of mine takes his family there a few times a month in the summer. He tells me its a good deal.

I'm 95% certain the drive in on Rt. 2 in Oregon is still operational in the summer time.

There's a drive-in still open in Warren on Elm Road (Elm Road Drive-In).

The drive-in mentioned near Elyria is the Aut-O-Rama in North Ridgeville. It's the only drive-in left in the Cleveland area after the one on Memphis , across from the Memphis Kiddie Park closed a year or two ago.

The one on Route 2 is The Sundance Kid, and I am pretty sure it is still open in the summers. I've gone there twice, once while camping at Maumee Bay and another when I was going to school at Toledo.

I know that there is still a drive-in in Muskegon. It's owned by Jack Loeks, so it has the same prices as for a Celebration Cinema. It's actually quite nice with 3 smaller screens and a huge screen; don't get to see that one used too much anymore though. So far as I know of, it's the only one in Western Michigan.

Sorry about the loss of another drive-in, I loved them as a kid/teen, lots of fun was had.

But YAY for tearing down stuff to make way for a park!! The additions to the Erie County Park District in the eastern bay area have been phenomenal. Keep up the good work!

Sundance on SR 2 in Oregon is still open and the sign out front says it opens again in March 2008 (I drove past it yesterday).

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the fact that daylight savings time played a roll in the demise of the drive-in as well. In the height of summer, it doesn't get dark until 9:30.