66 Drive-In, Drive-in theater on Route 66 in Carthage, US.
The 66 Drive-In is an outdoor movie theater in Carthage, Missouri, set along Route 66, where visitors watch films from their parked cars on a large screen. The site consists of an open grass lot with rows for vehicles, a projection booth, and a screen visible from all parking spots.
The theater opened in 1949, during a period when drive-in cinemas were spreading rapidly across the US after World War II. It closed in 1984 and was later restored and reopened in 1998, after which it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The 66 Drive-In is one of the few drive-in theaters still operating in the US, drawing visitors who want to experience a form of entertainment that shaped American summer life for decades. Watching a film from the front seat of a car, under an open sky, feels different from any indoor cinema.
The theater sits directly on Route 66 in Carthage, making it easy to spot while driving through town. Screenings begin after dark, so arriving a little early gives you time to find a good spot and settle in before the film starts.
Instead of the old individual speakers that used to hang on car windows, the theater now broadcasts sound through an FM radio frequency that visitors pick up on their car stereo. This means nothing extra needs to be brought or attached to the car to hear the film clearly.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
