Wheel-In Motor Drive-in
Port Townsend, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Tucked among the evergreens outside Port Townsend, the Wheel-In Motor Drive-in has a setting that’s hard to beat. The grassy parking area and surrounding trees give it the feel of a clearing in the woods that just happens to have a giant movie screen. Follow the entrance signs, find a spot, and there’s little reason to hurry anywhere else.

Ernie and Geneve Thompson opened the Wheel-In in 1953 after carving a viewing area out of the forest. The theater remained in the family, with their grandson Rick Wiley later carrying on the business. With room for roughly 150 cars, it’s a considerably cozier operation than the sprawling outdoor multiplexes that once dotted the Northwest.

Wheel-In Ticket Booth
Port Townsend, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Keeping the movies going has required more than nostalgia. The Wheel-In made the expensive conversion from film to digital projection, and its aging screen was replaced in 2017. FM radio sound supplies the soundtrack, while the snack bar offers everything from popcorn to pizza and hamburgers. Apparently, there’s no requirement that dinner be finished before heading to the movies.

UPDATE: The Wheel-In continues operating seasonally at 210 Theatre Road, preserving one of Washington’s few remaining outdoor movie experiences. More than seventy years after opening, the trees still frame the lot and visitors still wait for darkness before the show begins. It’s nice to find a roadside survivor where the ticket booth remains part of an evening out. 07-26

The screen tower Port Townsend, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com	Wheel-In Drive-in Entrance Port Townsend, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com