illustration by Noah MacMillan
Skyview Drive-In Movie Belleville Illinois
Skyview Drive-In
If you want to feel like you've stepped back in time in the best way, consider taking a trip to see a movie at a drive-in theater. There, you'll tune your car's radio to pick up the show's sound and relax from the comfort of your car (or on a blanket or chair in front of it). Here are the Missouri and Illinois theaters showing films this weekend, arranged from closest to St. Louis to farthest from the city. We recommend following each theater's social media accounts for the latest information and future showings.
Skyview Drive-In Movie Theater
Opening the week of May 26, this drive-in, which has been around since the 1940s, is kicking off the summer season with the remake of The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. Tickets are $13 for adults, but children ages 12 and under are free if they have an accompanying paying adult. If you've got one parent and multiple kids, you'll only pay $3 for each additional child. Reserved spots can be purchased in advance for $10. Visit the box office at the end of the lane to the left of the Schnucks, and you'll receive a color flyer depending on whether your vehicle is "high-rise" (vans, trucks, SUVs) or "low-rise." The flyer will tell you where to park to maintain sight lines so everyone can see the screen.
Skyview's upcoming lineup is typically updated on Monday nights for the upcoming Friday; keep checking the website to see what's on tap. Pets are welcome but must be leashed, and you can BYO food and drinks. Important to note: The Skyview box office takes only cash, and you'll need to tune into the movie's audio using the FM radio in your car (or you can bring a handheld battery-powered radio). If you're bringing kids, just remember that Skyview's movies start when it gets dark outside—in the summer, that could be around 9 p.m. 5700 N. Belt W., Belleville, Illinois.
Starlite Drive-In is one of the best bangs for your buck. The drive-in movie theater in Cadet prices by the carload if you purchase tickets online, just $22 for Friday and Saturday viewings. That price drops to $20 Sunday through Thursday. If you're only going with a kid or two, consider purchasing tickets at the gate, where adults are $11 and children are $4. Starlite opens its season May 26 with The Little Mermaid and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 showing on Screen 1 and Fast X and The Super Mario Bros. Movie showing on Screen 2. Sound is broadcast through your car's FM radio. 15605 N. State Highway 21, Cadet, Missouri.
The Litchfield Skyview Drive-In rebranded as Rt. 66 Skyview Drive-In, but what hasn't changed is the drive-in movie theater's extended season—it opens a whole month before the others, in April, and runs until October. You'll also find whole pizzas at the concession stand, either 9-inch thin-crust or 12-inch thick- or thin-crust. 1500 N. Historic Route 66, Litchfield, Illinois.
If you're up for a two-hour drive or taking a weekend trip to Columbia, consider this movie theater, which is actually a mix of indoor theaters and drive-in experiences. Tickets are $20.28 per car. 3000 N. Morley, Moberly, Missouri.
Likewise, if you're considering a trip to Springfield, the Phoenix Theater and Drive-In is on the way and offers both an indoor and outdoor screen. Tickets for double features are just $8 for adults and $7 for kids. Children 2 and under are free. 16675 Highway B, Houston, Missouri.
For our guide to the ultimate summer road trip on Route 66, see our story here.
Way out near Effingham, Illinois, is the Drive‘N Theatre, aka the Fairview Drive-In, which has operated for 70 years. Starting May 26, it will be open seven days a week and will be showing The Little Mermaid and Avatar: The Way of Water through June 1. 16045 E. Highway 33, Newton, Illinois.
This drive-in, built in the 1950s, closed in 2015 and reopened last year under new ownership. It's now adding a new space for indoor seating as well as a diner. MO-34 East and County Road 339A, Piedmont, Missouri.