Tucson Drive-Ins
To Main MENU
My first car was a Jaguar E-Type roadster and I spent many date nights at the local drive-ins. My fondest memories of innocent fun are connected with the theatres and movies from the late '60's and early '70's.
Photos of my current E-Type at our last drive-in. [Taken in 2000]
Drive-In theaters were an integral part of the Tucson automotive scene for over 60 years.
Drive-Ins That Were Never Built
My Personal Memories of Drive-Ins
Here's a great book on the history of drive-ins. Click on the cover to go to Amazon.com to buy it..
If you have additional info to contribute about drive-in theaters that you have known, especially in Arizona, E-Mail me.
I love drive-in movie theaters! To me they represent the ultimate in personal movie viewing. Where else can you watch a double feature, eat and drink and talk about the movie with your best friend in the comfort and privacy of your own vehicle?
At one time, Tucson Arizona hosted ten different drive-in movie theaters! They varied from single screen theaters to the ultimate 5 screen known as the Tucson 5 (What else!). They have disappeared one by one over the years until only one is left, and that one may disappear at anytime. Here's a chart of the theaters and the date they left us.
| Apache | 3 Screens | 1600 East Benson Highway | Opened 1955 Closed 1994 |
History of the Apache |
| Rodeo | 1 Screen | 5101 South Nogales Highway | Opened 1949 Closed 1981 |
History of the Rodeo |
| Midway | 1 Screen | 4500 E Speedway Blvd. | Opened 1948 Closed 1976 |
History of the Midway |
| 22 Street Drive-In | 1 Screen | 1401 So. Belvedere | Closed 1979 | History of the 22nd Street |
| Fiesta | 1 Screen | 3200 South Park Avenue | Opened 1953 Closed 1966 |
History of the Fiesta |
| Prince | 1 Screen | 2015 E. Prince Rd | Opened 1953 Closed 1976 |
History of the Prince |
| Tucson Driv-In | 1 Screen | Ajo Way at 6th Ave. | Opened 1940 Closed 1942 |
History of Our 1st Drive-In. |
| Tucson 5 Drive-In | 5 Screens | 1055 West Grant Road | Opened 1974 Closed 1988 |
History of the Tucson 5 Drive-In |
| Miracle Mile | 1 Screen | Miracle Mile at Glenn | Opened 1950 Closed 1978 |
Originally Called The Biltmore Motor-Vue |
| Cactus | 1 Screen | 1401 South Alvernon | Opened 1951 Closed 1976 |
History of the Cactus |
| DeAnza | 4 Screens | 1401 South Alvernon | Opened 1977 Still Operating |
History of the DeAnza |
Drive-Ins were very popular in the Tucson area. Because of our mild weather, sometimes reaching the 70's in the winter, drive-ins were a 12 month operation here. Only one drive-in ever offered in-car heaters and that was the Sfufy owned Tucson 4 (later Tucson 5) drive-in at Grant Road and Interstate 10.
As the city grew, the land they occupied became too valuable to only be used by night. One by one they came crashing down to be replaced by shopping malls and large multi-screen indoor multiplexes. Here's some local newspaper coverage as we dwindled to the last operating theatre.