Now drive-ins are making a comeback in these tough times.
It's a piece of Americana that has long since disappeared in many parts of the country. But the drive-in movie may be making a comeback. Attendance is up by double-digits, thanks to nostalgia and low prices.
For parents who remember, it's a chance to connect with their children.
"It makes us very close. We left our other son at home, we sit here and joke before it starts. This is an experience, he'll always have," one mom said.
Even for a showing of the new movie, "Aliens Versus Monsters," audiences don't have to pay a monster price for a drive-in double feature.
Most theater owners say a family of four can get in for less than $15.
The tricky part is finding a drive-in still in business. In the Tri-State Area, you can probably count the number of operational drive-ins on both hands.
Statewide searches found 28 functioning drive-ins across all of New York. There are only two in Connecticut and one in New Jersey.
But those numbers may be changing soon.
And thanks to upgrades at many drive-ins, the picture and sound may be better than you remember.
"We've upgraded our picture quality to get a 7-times brighter picture on the screen. It's crisper and it's cleaner."
Drive-ins begin to open as the weather gets warm.
To find a list of drive-in theaters in your area, visit Drive-ins.com.
NEW YORK AND TRI-STATE AREA NEWS
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