Among coronavirus reopenings, Riverside drive-in stands tall

What are you doing this weekend? Want to catch a drive-in movie?

Drive-in movie options around Los Angeles

May 15, 2020 9:37 AM PT

There is another quiver of life in the SoCal movie scene, as the historic Van Buren Drive-In in Riverside reopens this weekend with COVID-19 safeguards in force but multiple big screens showing the latest features.

With its ranch-themed snack stands and prairie sunsets, the Van Buren has been a SoCal tradition for 56 years.

Beginning Friday, the Van Buren joins the Mission Tiki Drive-In Theatre in Montclair as the only outdoor theaters in the region to restart the projectors in the wake of a shutdown that started in mid-March.

But stay tuned: Drive-ins remain one of the few entertainment options capable of operating in a time when social distancing is still required, and more are bound to unlock the gates soon. Expect various pop-up venues to open around Los Angeles as well.

Among the precautions at the Van Buren:

Movies must be watched from inside the car, which prohibits the option of lawn-chair and truck-bed viewing popular at drive-in theaters.

Masks are required when visiting the snack bar or bathrooms.

Social distancing guidelines are in force at all times.

The Van Buren is about 80 minutes east of Los Angeles. Movies begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 per person; $1 for ages 5-9; free for 4 and under.

Note that the price includes two movies, the first and second shows. “Knives Out,” “Valley Girl” and “Trolls World Tour” are among the Friday features. Any lane gets you into any screen.

The swap meets remain closed at both the Van Buren and Mission Tiki.

As of Thursday, here is the status of drive-ins in the area:

Open

Van Buren Drive-In: 3035 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside; (951) 688-2360

Mission Tiki Drive-In Theatre, 10798 Ramona Ave., Montclair; (909) 628-0511

Closed

Vineland Drive-In, 443 N. Vineland Ave., City of Industry; (626) 961-9262

Paramount Drive-In Theatres, 7770 Rosecrans Ave., Paramount; (562) 630-7469

Rubidoux Drive-In Theatre, 3770 Opal St., Riverside; (951) 683-4455

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Chris Erskine

Chris Erskine is a nationally known humor columnist and editor who retired from the Los Angeles Times in 2020. Previously he wrote for the Sports, Travel and Saturday sections and edited with the paper’s features staff. As an editor, he has been a part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams at The Times (for his graphics work on the Northridge quake and the North Hollywood bank robbery). He is best known to readers for his weekly humor pieces on life in suburban Los Angeles. His latest book, “Daditude,” released in 2018, is a collection of his favorite Times columns on fatherhood. He has written two other books, “Man of the House” and “Surviving Suburbia,” which reached the Los Angeles Times bestseller list. The Chicago native has also worked for papers in New Orleans and Miami.

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