Shankweiler’s Drive In Orefield PA – America’s Oldest Drive In Movie Theater [2022 NEW OWNERS!]

2022 MIRACLE = Shankweiler's has new owners!!!!

https://www.shankweilers.com/who-we-are

2018 UPDATE - ARGH! Shankweiler's is FOR SALE! BUY IT SOMEONE!! 
http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-biz-shankweiler-drive-in-for-sale-20180118-story.html

Added 2014 bonus! It's the Retro Roadmap Video of Shankweiler's!

https://youtu.be/ThEvPLYXnP4

ORIGINAL 2010 POST: 

Shankweiler's Drive In of Orefield PA had already made it onto the Retro Roadmap as America's Oldest Drive In Movie Theater (since 1934), but I couldn't resist sharing a few photos from the visit Retro Roadhusband and I made this past weekend. Now that we've been there  personally I totally recommend the drive-in, as a fun place to bring the family and enjoy a movie under the stars.

OK so I didn't ask about the cement lion sculptures that flank the entrance to Shankweilers- Penn State's Nittany Lions, maybe? There's also one of these on the other side of the big brick building on the other side of the entrance.If you've got the scoop then share it with us!

The theatre is a quick left off of the main drag of route 309 in Orefield, hard to miss!

We got there just as the sun was going down (8:45EST in July, love it!)

We pulled in and saw that this was a small single screen Drive In Movie Theater, allowing folks to set up blankets, chairs, play ball and whatnot before the movie. We loaded up on snacks in the snackbar - cheeseburger, hot dog ( Dietz & Watzon!), popcorn (real butter) pretzel and M&Ms (dinner!) and followed the orders:

While we were waiting for our feature (Toy Story 3, my pick, loved it, got all teary-eyed at the end, if you must know) one of the cool surprises for me was the fact that their introduction to the previews of coming attractions was the exact same one as they had in our local movie theater when I was growing up!

I totally remember that pinky purply color and know that back in the day that tidbit of music was pretty darned slick.

Clean, friendly, double feature - no reason not to go to Shankweiler's Drive in, no sireee, except if you happen to be going to Becky's Drive in, which is our next stop!