It is August 1997, and on Long Island, New York, there is one drive-in theater that remains open: The Westbury Drive-In.


With the dawn of the multiplex theater, and the rise in real estate prices, it is hard to believe that it is, in fact, still standing. In the early 1980's through approximately 1987, there were a number of drive-ins still struggling to stay alive. These theaters, mostly in Suffolk County, played a major part in my life as a child, and a young adult.

I was always fascinated by drive-ins, and was exposed to them on Long Island at a very young age. I have a younger sister, and two younger brothers. We were all born between 1965, and 1970, and because we were so close in age, were always told that we would be able to go to the "indoor" theaters when we were older and a lot less outgoing. Drive-Ins were the perfect answer for our rambunctious crew.

I can remember waiting in an endless line of cars (and never getting in) to see Herbie and the Love Bug at the Shirley Drive-In ( now a Caldor Shopping Center). I remember going to see a double feature of Planet of the Apes, and Battle for the Planet of the Apes at the Coram Drive-In (now a multiplex). I recall hoping the fence at Patchogue's All Weather, Indoor, Outdoor, now just a an indoor multiplex. I also remember a double feature of The Sting and The Gang That Couldn't Shoot straight. My sister decided that one feature was enough, and screamed through the opening credits of "The Gang...", prompting us to leave (which was probably a good thing).

Shortly after returning from college one summer I realized that the drive-ins were disappearing. This summer (ten years later), I became curious and decided to visit each former drive-in site. I have taken pictures of a few of the former drive-ins (now shopping centers, multiplexes and golf ranges), and have included these "after" pictures. I hope to find some "before" pictures, but information is scarce.

So far I've been able to determine the following:
Patchogue Drive-In.......now a multiplex
Coram Drive-In...........now a multiplex
Smithtown Drive-In.......open empty field (no trespassing)
Bayshore Drive-In........Home Depot and condominiums
Rocky Point Drive-In.....golf driving range (old marquee used)
Shirley Drive-In.........Caldor Shopping Center
110 Drive-In, Melville...hotel and Office Buildings

These are just the drive-ins that I remember. There were more, including one in Valley Stream, and the All Weather Drive-In in Copaigue with parking spaces for 2500 cars (as did the "110"), an indoor 1200 seat viewing area and a shuttle train from the cars to various points on the 28 acre lot.

I will be updating this site to include more "after" pictures of the other Long Island drive-in sites, local drive-in ads from the past including 1967,1969 and 1979, and hopefully some "before" pictures.