South Bay Drive-In Theatre and Swap Meet

Absolutely loved the experience at this drive-in theater! The nostalgic vibe, clear picture quality, and great sound made it a perfect night. The popcorn was great. Buttery, perfectly salted, and so fresh. The staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was relaxed and fun. Whether you’re with family, friends, or on a date, this is the spot to create some amazing memories. I’ll be back with the family for sure! Oh, make sure you bring cash. They have an ATM there in the concession area tho in case you forget. You can pay card at the gate to enter.

Fun experience. Their signs can be a little misleading. It's easy to to think you're in front of a different screen. Lots of SUVs pull in backwards and leave their hatchbacks up while they watch from the back. This is against the rules, but they don't enforce that rule.

Love bringing the kids here. Children below 13 (I think) are $1. So if they fall asleep, it’s not too much of a loss lol. Concessions are reasonable and adults are $10. I come at least once a month. Love it here.

Utterly amazing local swap meet! So many incredible vendors selling nearly everything imaginable! Admission is only 50¢! Not to be missed! ♥️

Have a picnic, watch a movie and when the movie is over no need to walk 10-15 minutes to reach the car. Great prices for families and the snacks are not expensive either

Great idea but bad choice and variety of movies. Good prices good atmosphere

We used to love coming here and were even glad to make the 45 minute drive from North County. They now start all 3 screens at the exact same time, which creates extremely long lines on weekends. They never have more than 2 ticket attendants working at a time, no matter how busy it is. On two separate occasions, we chose to leave because we simply would not make it through the line in time to catch the first part of the movie. Last Saturday we arrived 10 minutes early, at around 8:20. The line was so long, it was creating traffic on the freeway due to its proximity to the exit. This would be very easy to fix by simply staggering the movie times and/or hiring more ticket attendants. Nothing has been done in weeks, and the problem is only getting worse. Management very clearly does not care about the customer experience, or about the surrounding residents and businesses.

Terrible drive in experience. The movie was supposed to start at 8:30 and it started 20 minutes early which was annoying because we were in line to get snacks at that time. Then we get to the front of the line and there was a 30 min wait to get popcorn, so we didn’t get any. The radio station was fuzzy so there was static in the background of the movie. And about 45 minutes into the movie, the screen shut off. Will not go back and sadly, it’s one of the only drive ins left in the area.

Flea market by day,drive in at night. Have not been here in a looooong time. Located off highway 5, after the IB exit. There are 3 screens available. Some things have changed a bit. The price is $10 for adults. $1 for children and kids 4 and under are free. There is concession candy, nachos, soda, coffee, tea, churros, etc. The movie on say theater #1 plays at 8pm and again at 10pm. Instead of alternating, plying 1 movie at 8pm and another movie at 10pm. It was a pretty fun and cool family night experience. As many other families were there. Beetlejuice, Joker, and a kids movie shared the screen. There is staff who comes around to make sure all lights are off and that you are not obstructing someone else's view by your lights. The radio stations are listed depending on what movie you are watching. We would be back with a different movie.

This is our last drive in theater! This is a great cheap date option or low budget outing with family! The roads are a bit bumpy so be careful when you're driving. It also needs more signs about which theater you're in so you may want to double check with the snack bar when you arrive. The bathrooms need some help, but the standard snacks are available and the staff is great! I recommend buying the popcorn and a fountain drink and bringing some of your own goodies along with those! Also great if you have a truck or an SUV where you can make a bed and back it in!

Unkind and unfair customer service from the security, who made a few small kids and those who are vision impaired sit 5 rows back in a small vehicle. There were less than 7 cars in the lot. We arrived 40 minutes early to sit in the front. The actual movie did not start playing until almost 9 pm. Not worth the value or the time. Do not recommend it. We have been customers for decades and never had this kind of mistreatment. Will be reporting the misconduct of the security guard. No management was available and would not give us their name. Will be complaining to BBB and SIA about this mistreatment.

This place sucksssssss!!! It's a movie theater and they don't have any popcorn ready! 20-25 minute wait. Movie started at 8pm. Pathetic!!! Pathetic. And there's a line of 10 people ahead of me. Pathetic. Invest in another popcorn machine .heck I could have brought mine from home. Brought my microwave and charge everyone $5. That's why I prefer AMC or Edwards or anywhere other than this ghetto ridiculous place. Super disappointed. Pathetic.

No sound 45 minutes into the movie. No refunds issued. Free movie next time BUT 20 more minutes to try to exit. Talk about a cluster F and poor service. Never coming back.

We used to love coming here and were even glad to make the 45 minute drive from North County. They now start all 3 screens at the exact same time, which creates extremely long lines on weekends. They never have more than 2 ticket attendants working at a time, no matter how busy it is. On two separate occasions, we chose to leave because we simply would not make it through the line in time to catch the first part of the movie. Last Saturday we arrived 10 minutes early, at around 8:20. The line was so long, it was creating traffic on the freeway due to its proximity to the exit. This would be very easy to fix by simply staggering the movie times and/or hiring more ticket attendants. Nothing has been done in weeks, and the problem is only getting worse. Management very clearly does not care about the customer experience, or about the surrounding residents and businesses.

Amazing place for the fam to see a couple movies! We usually can only hang for one before we're too tired with the kids. We brought our own snacks but still tried the churro and popcorn and they were perfect! We really enjoyed going here. We'll be back!

I used to love drive ins. But they let people park their suvs in the middle of the lot with the hatch back open so if you're in a car you can't see anything. I even told them at the concession stand. Nothing was a done. Also if you try and call you just get a busy signal. Customer service sucks!

Great place to see a movie! Sharp digital picture & sound. Clean & family friendly. FREE for kids 4 and under! $1 for kids over 4! You can see 2 movies for less than the price of 1, and the shooting stars are free!! *Southbay please bring back the old food menu you used to have or at least add back a few of the old items. We miss being able to have a real dinner at the snack bar.

I went to the drive in on a Thursday and paid $10 per person. There was no line to get in. We watched 2 movies at screen #2. The first movie started late, no previews and when the film did start it was not at the beginning of the movie. It was difficult to watch because the screen was just so dark at times. There were also bright lights from the buildings across the street that were distracting as we watched our movies.Next to our area they were showing Inside Out 2, and that movie was bright and we could hear that movie from our section! I want you to know that I got what I paid for and I am not complaining, just letting you know how it was. There really wasn't anyone there so my daughter and I had a good time munching on snacks and watching some movies outdoors.P.S. I don't recommend you go to screen #2 if you want to be able to watch a movie clearly.

My boyfriend and I decided to do a date night with a movie at a drive-in theatre and had the choices between South Bay or the Santee drive-in. Due to the showtime options and the movie selection, we ended up at South Bay. - PARKING - Each screen has its own groupings of parking spots where they are on a sloped incline so that you're never blocked by another car in front of you. We went on a Thursday night at 8:15pm for an 8:30pm showing and it wasn't crowded at all. - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - When you first get into the lot, you will pay the attendant the fee per person ($10 adults/$1 children). You let him know which movie/movie time you'd like to see, and he gives you a receipt that tells you the radio station to tune into. He might have given us wrong directions as he told us to turn left for screen 2, but we ended up having to turn right, so just follow the numbered signs after paying. Due to the amazing deal of $1 for children, there were definitely kids running around and screaming, although luckily once the movie started it wasn't too bad. There's a concession stand in the middle back, where I assume the bathrooms are as well. - EXPERIENCE - It was very easy to tune our car radio into the proper station and sit back and relax. We brought our own snacks to be in the comfort of our car the entire time. There were a few cars that rolled in late, so their headlights were a bit distracting, but nothing crazy to complain about. They say that your payment can be used for 2 movies, so you could technically stay after the first showing. However, our screen showed the same movie twice, so we left after it was done. That's an amazing deal if you happen to plan your night around seeing 2 movies for $10! - OVERALL - A great experience overall that I would highly recommend to anyone who hasn't tried a drive-in theatre yet. Try to look out for showtimes to get that 2 movies for the price of 1 deal!

Great for a family night. Very budget friendly. $10 per person on regular days. You get to watch two movies. We brought in our on food, pillows, and blankets. Drive in has a concession stand with regular movie items (hot dog, chips, soft drinks). There is also restrooms there.

You must experience the movies like this at least once in your lifetime before drive-ins become extinct. Been here so many times. So many good memories... with my dad and brother on a few dates with my boyfriend friends husband and kids In the summer and spring, we camp out in the back of the suv or bring chairs, pillows, and blankets. It's a great deal, for the price of one car full ($10 per adult, $1 per child ages 5-9), get two movies starting at sunset. They have concessions, but you can always bring your own food and drinks. South Bay Drive-In is also home to Wednesday and Saturday / Sunday swap meets, which is just "ok". I never found anything spectacular there - just odds and ends and impulse buys here. But, check it out at least once- who knows, you could find something you never knew you needed!

Came in on a Sunday for a 6:30pm showing of Avatar. We arrived around 6:15 to set ourselves up comfortably for the movie. We noticed Avatar was already showing but we figured out they will restart the movie at 6:30 since the other screens were showing trailers. When it hit 6:30 a few other cars came in and we were waiting for the movie to start. The other two screens had their movies starting and we were very confused. Around 6:40 we went to the front to find out what was going on. When we talked with someone at the front they told us they started the movie early due to weather! Why weren't we told that when we bought out tickets. Also, why didn't the other movies also start early due to weather? We spent over an hour driving back and forth, waiting for the movie to start and find someone to ask what was going on. We asked for a refund and they could only give us a credit voucher. I would not recommend coming to South Bay Drive in. We were very disappointed in the service.

We go at least 2 times a month. Miss the double features. My review is just to say that there would be more people going if you go back to showing movies titles on your marquee. Kids would be able to see as they drive by. Lots of people forget to go online to see what's playing, once they get home .

Came to watch Beatlejuice with the family and the movie cut out twice. Once during a random scene, and then again right at the final climax. Was out for 2 minutes before it came back. They didn't rewind it, so everyone missed the climax of the movie. Everyone was pissed and they gave out no refunds. Go to a theater

Watched the movie Nope. First time at a drive in theater and didn't even know they still existed. Took my friend from Japan here and he loved the experience. Because the movie took place mostly at night it was difficult to see the details so I will unfortunately have to rewatch it again. But the experience was awesome and the popcorn and tickets were reasonably priced. Sound was very high quality too. Just had to connect to the FM radio station.

What a joke came for a 11:05 showing got there 5 minutes after at 11:10 and gates were shut locked and no employees present love drive in theatres but this one blows

Love this drive in I wish food selection was better but hey its a drive in not a Hilton lol

Sound was not working. They did not refund the tickets nor do anything to help the situation. Huge waste of time and money. Knew about the audio issue beforehand and didn't warn anyone. Stole our money. Called the cops on the angry customers. DO NOT GO HERE.

I wish I could have gone another time with her. It was a great time and watched two different movies, great way to spend the night and a fun date idea.

Very disappointed with my visit tonight. Brought my kids to see a movie. We got there 10 minutes before the movie started. Found a good spot. Security came up to us and said we have to move four rows down to let smaller cars get the closer rows. But he said if there are no smaller cars you guys are okay to move up to the row you wanted. We said okay that sounds reasonable. We moved back four rows waited about 5 minutes. An SUV pulls up and takes the exact place we were. Security talks with them. Comes to us and we asked "hey I thought we needed to give smaller cars a chance first?" This unprofessional security tells us " the move is going to start and I gotta make people happy" This place sucks and that was super rude!! The screen is so dark you can't even see anything !! Zero ratings for the treatment we got.

This is the second time I've been here and it's a fun idea especially now during pandemic. You can bring your own food but they also have a very flushed out concession stand with $2 tacos lol We arrived 30 min before showtime and was 3rd car in our theatre so got to grab middle spot. Highly recommend showing up early, don't be THAT guy who's car head beams shows up while everyone is trying to enjoy the movie

New COVID activity! There are two drive in theater that are operating in San Diego. I've been to Santee drive in, and this place had movies I wanted to watch, I had to go. This place does NOT leave spaces between your car and other car. It was PACKED. There's a dip and grove between the lines (like speed humps style) This means, even if there's a bigger car in front of you, you can still see the screen. The screen was farther away and higher up than the one in Santee. Which makes the screen smaller. Also it was wide screen, which means the bottom part of the screen was black, it looks like the screen is cut off, but it's not. They have 3 "theaters", and they open at 5pm but the gate itself didn't open till like 5:20-30pm. First movie starts at 6pm. Get there early, because this place was busier than Santee. The bathroom is larger than Santee and little bit cleaner but it was tight! There's a little to no space to open the door to the stall. Snack bar offered pretty much you can find in a regular movie theater and more. They had tacos. Lol Even though it was packed, everyone wore masks when they were out of the car. I would say this place is definitely bigger than Santee and they show different movies. The reason why I wanted to go here because Santee didn't play the movie I wanted to watch. I would come back again, but I suggest getting there early.

This is the first time I've gone to a drive-in. It isn't common where I grew up, and it wasn't until months into the pandemic I decided I just needed to do _SOMETHING_, and, being the movie buff I am, I've been itching to just get out of the house and see a movie. Seeing as I wasn't comfortable heading to a movie theatre, this was a nice compromise. They have four screens here. We came here to watch "Tenet", which, in retrospect, might have been better to have waited on TV. It is a very brain-intensive complex movie, so imo it needed a more ideal environment to process it. I feel like comedies, movies that are blockbuster but don't have much action are probably the best kinds of films for people to hit up a drive-in. Now, for anyone else who will be going to their drive-in for their first time. The lots are all very "bumpy". You want to angle your car right to the top of the hill so that you have a better view of the screen, and it might help block some of the lights around you. Every movie experience is only as good as your neighbour (and yes, this also includes at home... LOL), and drive-ins can be really distracting. The car in front of us kept on hitting their brakes and their red lights were going on and off the entire time. People behind us could be heard having conversations. People walk around. Also, the car I was in had automatic shutoff, so, there were a couple times we had to turn the car back on and missed the dialog. It is very affordable here, $10 per person for a double feature. We only stayed for the one movie, but it is a great deal. I'd definitely recommend it if you are as careful as I am and haven't really left their home except for groceries and going to a park very occasionally and just want to get out and catch a movie. This sure is a nice alternative. The only downside is how far it is from north of San Diego. But, that's a minor complaint since obviously that varies from person to person.

So much fun... Just like the good old days... You can bring food or you can go to their snack bar and buy hot dogs, candy etc... They have 3 screens playing different movies. Sometimes you get 2 movies on the same screen. You pay for one movie and can watch 2 movies. :)

Love this spot! It's always nice to be able to enjoy a movie from the comfort of your car. The family and I love going to the last showing, usually around 11pm. I don't believe the concession stand is open at that hour, although not really sure since we usually pack up all sorts of goodies to enjoy and just sit back and enjoy the movie. If you happen to go to the last showing keep in mind that there's an employee that will start shouting "You need to leave! Now!" the second the credits start rolling. Extremely annoying especially when we all know that Marvel movies always have a post-credit scene. Like chill lady, they wouldn't do this at an actual movie theater. Won't stop us from going.

I love the South Bay Drive-In! They always have a few great movie options, and plenty of double features. Unfortunately for me, the second movie is always too late for me and I end up falling asleep. There are three screens total and the tickets only cost $10 each for adults. There's always plenty of parking and the staff are always helpful with directions towards your screening and radio station to listen to the movie.

I be been here many a times with my family to watch movies and it's a great place to take the family out and enjoy a flick or two. If you have a truck or SUV it's good to park it in reverse and watch from the bed of your truck or rear of your SUV. I even purchased one of those speakers that has an FM receiver that you can listen to the movie vs using your car radio and draining your battery.

I hadn't been to a drive in for about 25 years. I am glad that we finally tried this one out. It it located right off the freeway so there is easy access. It is only $9 per person and you can bring your own snacks and drinks, all you can fit in your car but if you forget, they do have a snack stand that sells popcorn, ice cream, snacks, etc. The bathrooms are also located in the snack bar area. You drive in, pick your spot, and get ready to enjoy the movie. The screen quality was just as good as most regular movie theaters Not Imax but like a standard regal theater screen. The audio quality through the FM radio channel was pretty good, but I think that also depends on the quality of the audio system in your car. Had a nice time, but I am giving it 3 stars because it is so far away from Oceanside (like 53 miles), and the fact that they let patrons smoke pot in their cars. I don't care what people do unless they are blowing the smoke in your car.

I've never been in a Drive In Movie Theater before... I KNOW... I KNOW... Don't laugh at me! My man-friend surprised me and took me here for a date night (with a double movie feature). Perfect for COVID to be able to watch movies from our own car. Woot Woot. There are dips and peaks (on the concrete - similar to a big speed bump), so the front of your car is on the peak and the back of your car is in the dip. That way, you can "lean back" watch the movie. The only annoying part is the big trucks, so try to get a spot closer to the movie screen. I didn't use the snack bar or the restrooms, so I can't comment on those. More info: https://southbaydrivein.com/enjoy/ ENJOY!!

Visited a few weeks ago to see the Teenage Kraken movie with my family. First I want to say that I have visited South Bay drive in several times in the past and had nothing but great experiences! This time however things have changed a bit.. My main problem is there is a lady worker who was really overbearing, and overreaching with her authority moving cars and directing traffic making up her own rules not letting us park where we wanted... We had a simple small car a compact.. not a SUV not a truck. But she wanted us to go in the back with the SUVs anyways. Then on another occasion she approached us pestering us again. Then yet again we ran into her and had to watch her interacting with other vehicles. My bad experience this time is solely to do with this particular worker. We understand that SUVs and trucks need to go towards the rear. But that was not the case with our particular car. Also we can drive for ourselves and find our own parking spots.. We don't need an overbearing worker to enforce where we park. We can do it ourselves. It was really an annoyance and I just wanted to leave cuz it put me in such a sour mood.

a movie starting 30 minutes early, another starting at least 10 minutes early, the movie i went to see having the projector shut off before the movie even started but with the audio still working, and each order in the concession stand taking over 5 minutes each. it's gonna end up like santee at this rate. hope it gets better.

We'd hadn't been here for almost a decade, so imagine our excitement of returning as a family (with cousins in tow) for a double feature. We hit up a nearby store for snacks and also bought 3 large buckets of popcorn (of course). We arrived early for choice parking/viewing spots. We also brought folding chairs and blankets. The movies we watched were PG so the vibe was more family/kid friendly but I can't imagine it getting too crazy there with the roving security. The concession stand was decent, the bathrooms were ok but they got trashed out as the night wore on. For that optimum drive-in experience, consider looking here !

Who doesn't love a drive in movie theater. Being able to watch two movies for the price of one is great. Also, being able to either sit on a chair outside the car or lay down inside the car while watching a movie is great. And the snack at South Bay Drive In have improved dramatically. The only negative is not being allowed to use a Bluetooth speaker when watching a movie. It beats having to have our car radio on for 2+ hours. I'll be back.

Love this place. The nostalgia of watching your favorite cartoon movies as a kid is unbeatable.

Someone had their headlights on for the first hour of a 90-minute movie, making the bottom half of the screen hard to see. Watching for this is one of the very few responsibilities the staff here have. I wasn't expecting the best viewing experience ever but this is so dumb for a drive-in to not be on the lookout for, especially when you only have two screens and it's so obvious.

On this day, all 3 screens were not working correctly. And the movies started 25 minutes late instead of starting the movies from the beginning. The staff had no clue on what to do. And when I asked to speak to a manager. They said he wasn't available, and they were not gonna give refunds. I want to speak to a manager and not get a phone number where the line sounds busy. I will be reviewing this place on all media I can.

It is such a treat to see a drive in movie especially during the pandemic. We saw the Croods. The project quality is superb, way better than I expected. There are two showings 6:30p and 8:05pm. I highly recommend it. The earlier show has more attendees.

Favorite family activity. It's nice to enjoy movies in open air when we live in such a beautiful place with typically mild weather. It's such a fun experience and reasonably priced too. We preferred this over regular movie theatres, even before covid.. perfect for family's with young children or date nights! They even have yummy food & drinks. Clean facilities too. I highly recommend.

Value and Selection, as well as service was great! Tickets are cheap and seats are way more comfortable, since obviously you sit in your car and are able to lean back all the way!

Great place for a drive-in movie. The only downside is people who arrive late after dark and have their bright lights on. Another thing is when people sit outside of their cars and are loud (usually kids). The bathroom was clean and has many stall but only about four sinks. The concession stand has the basics like popcorn and soda. For 10 dollars per person and to have the option to see two movies ( at least I think you still can) in the same area isn't bad at all. It's kind of difficult in a push to start vehicle because the car keeps turning off but you can hear from other peoples' cars fairly well. Also you can bring a radio but make sure it has clear stations on it because it can be difficult to find on a radio that is not from the car. The open the gates maybe 15 minutes after 7 and i'd say maybe line up in the 2 middle lines not the outside ones, but don't quite me on that cause things change.

I like this place. I have always had an enjoyable night here. Yes the snack bar leaves things to be desired which is why I bring my own snacks. (The beauty of being in my car) Yes the bathrooms arent fabulous but keep in mind this place is old and we are lucky to still be able to go to a drive-in these days.

This place is always a great place to visit when you want to have a great movie in your car.

Great place to enjoy a film under the stars. It's a nice and secure drive-in with a friendly environment (especially if you're watching a family film) that everyone can appreciate.

They had 4 lanes open and suddenly closed one, and cars began backed up all the way to the street and on to the freeway. Did they have only 3 workers working the whole entire drive in today? There's chaos, people cutting each other in line to get in. I didn't expect incompetence from a drive-in theater that existed for over a decade. This is the last time I'm coming here. EDIT: They closed 2 lanes and declared cash only! Last minute. More chaos erupted and it's a shit show right now! God bless us all.

Very nice Drive-in theatre . Prices are reasonable and the snack bar was always open.

Bring a beach chair an a blanket. You are about to have a wonderful time. What a treat that there still exists drive-in theaters. Growing up in Los Angeles, my parents would pack up the vehicle with a cooler and blankets for an inexpensive evening out with the kids. So glad to see this tradition is ongoing, decades later. And this is a regional chain! They have locations in Riverside, Montclair and also West Valley City in Utah. South Bay is a sweet spot. You could have a beach day (given that it is only a few miles away from the ocean), then stop in for a movie night. Groups of 20 or more can also reserve space. Tickets are reasonable: $9 for adults and $1 for children aged 5-9. The drive-in opens and hour before films begin. Films show with two features per screen -- though the theater will sometimes double a showing depending on popularity. The audio is great. Never had a problem there. But it can be difficult to see some of the darker films on the screen, which is typical at most any drive-in. And while they call their foodie spot the Snack Bar, this place has full offerings: nachos, popcorn, candies, soda and more. Even carne asads nachos. What, what?! Check out the website for coupons. And FYI -- South Bay also runs a weekly swap meet on Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays with hundreds of vendors. Also, a parting note: The drive-in has a FM signal transmitted, not poles. It is relatively common that someone will need a jump at the end of the showings. We already had to bail someone out. So be sure to bring a battery powered, portable FM radio if you are concerned about your car battery. And apparently barbecuing on site is not allowed. Boo!

Great place to go with friends and family esp during this pandemic as you can still stay safe in your vehicles. You definitely need a working car radio, radio apps don't work. Place is clean and the ticket lady was friendly. I've yet to try the popcorn but I will next time. Can't wait to come back!