A couple of weekends ago, my wife and I (along with our dog) made the “short” drive over to Lakeland for an evening at the Silver Moon Drive-In theater. Being the closest drive-in to Orlando (at 52.6 miles), the Silver Moon plays double-features on both of their screens seven days a week. They even do a triple-feature on Friday and Saturday nights, although the third movie is simply a replay of the night’s opening film.
Like most drive-ins these days, the Silver Moon broadcasts the film’s audio over an FM station so you can tune in from your vehicle. They also have the old-school speakers set up in the last few rows for those who want to sit outside and enjoy the evening air. I reccommend using your car’s audio, though, since the quality is significantly better (a small stereo/walkman with good speakers/headphones is another good option).
If you get hungry during the movie, the snack bar is just a few steps away. The options are limited to hot dogs, pizza, popcorn, nachos, candy and soda, so you might want to sneak some of your own treats in if you’re looking for something healthy. The next time we go, I’ll plan a quick dinner in Lakeland followed by drinks and popcorn at the theater.
To get to the Silver Moon Drive In from Orlando, follow these directions. US 92 in Lakeland is the most confusing stretch of road in the world, so print out a map and keep your eyes on the road. A good landmark to look for is the giant Publix birthday cake that stands tall over the grocery store’s headquarters.
For complete information, including the movies currently being shown, check out the Silver Moon Drive In website.
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2 Comments for “Short Drives: Silver Moon Drive In Theatre”
August 13th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Sounds like fun, Morgan and I will have to check it out. I didn’t think there were any drive-ins left around here. I think it’s still a viable business model; someone with some money should open up a chain of them with some serious technological advancements and car-window service for food and drinks.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Silver Moon could easily upgrade their offerings by improving their food selections and enlarging their “screens”. There are a couple of distracting street lights that could be blocked out for better viewing, too.
Irregardless, the place was packed and the overall experience was quite good (minus the accidental alarm I set off and the handful of insects that became a minor bother with us sitting outside). If/When we do it again, we’ll be sitting inside the car for the duration of the film and only getting out to relieve the puppy or to grab some goodies from the snack bar.
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