A Truly American Phenomenon

The drive-in theatre experience first came to light on June 6, 1933. That was the day Mr. Richard Hollingshead, opened the first drive-in theater in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. A few others quickly followed but the trend only truly took off with the advent of in-car speakers in the 1940s.Families still flock to our drive-ins for great entertainment at an incredible value. But when you come to a West Wind Drive-In you’ll experience more than just a great movie.  You’ll experience the drive-in – a unique and historic slice of Americana.

About West Wind
West Wind has been family owned and operated from day one.  We opened our first drive-in theatre in 1952 and today we own and operate the largest drive-in theatre chain in the world with four in California, one in Arizona and two in Nevada. In fact, we have recently reopened two drive-ins that had been shuttered for years: Solano Drive-In in Concord, California and the Santa Barbara Drive-In in Goleta, California. The atmosphere at West Wind is best described as relaxed family fun with a mix of old-school drive-in vibe combined with the latest technology. Toss a Frisbee or football around before the show or bring the wee ones to our play structure near the snack bar before you settle back for a one of a kind movie presentation.

The Modern Drive-In
We were one of the first drive-in theatres to fully embrace technology with the installation of the largest digital projectors available. Now all West Wind Drive-Ins project a crystal-clear digital image on screens so big they dwarf the ones you’ll find in a typical walk-in theatre. Even before digital projectors, we invested in new technology to beam audio straight to your car stereo. Gone are the days of dim screens and the old “squawk boxes” that hung on your car door. Visit our Digital Drive-In page here.

Fun and Games at Low Prices
Grab a bite from our fully stocked snack bars and let the kids be kids between double features at our playgrounds and game-filled arcades. We are proud to serve some of the highest quality concessions in the industry including Orville Redenbacher popcorn, Nathan’s Famous all-beef hot dogs, a complete line of Pepsi products and even fresh baked pizza at some locations. Visit our Snack Bar page here.

First Run Movies – Always
At West Wind, we are proud to offer first run movies at the same time as indoor theatres. We even feature midnight screenings of major releases and early openings so you’ll never miss a big premiere. 

Thank You
All of us at West Wind Drive-In would like to thank you for your interest and continued patronage. We’re proud of our history and excited about the future.

Welcome to West Wind Drive-In.


West Wind Drive-In Home Office

150 Pelican Way San Rafael, CA 94901 global@westwinddriveins.com

Our Locations

Come and experience drive-in movie watching at one of our locations below.