| FAMILY Escape to the Drive-In BY PADEN HUGHES If I could turn back time / If I could find a way… I would take you to Sunset Drive-In. For a date night, for a family outing, or for a gathering of friends. If we didn’t drive a pick-up truck with its bed full of pillows and sleeping bags, we’d settle for lawn chairs, blankets, and hot drinks instead. But without a doubt, we’d have to wait in line for the buttered popcorn. For parents of toddlers, it almost doesn’t matter what’s playing on the big screen, the experience is curated in a way that the movie, at times, feels like the backdrop to the evening. In fact, you might just want to sit back and embrace the crazy side of parenthood and enjoy the real “show” sitting right next to you with the endless questions, laughter, and spills. Not to be out done, of course, by the squirming around that happens in your lap before the little one passes out and drools down your arm. When it comes to young families visiting the drive-in, the movie itself almost doesn’t matter. It’s just a part of the experience. I’ve lived in San Luis Obispo since 2004 when I first came on the scene as a freshman at Cal Poly. In the last sixteen years (man, that went fast), I’ve made some amazing memories at Sunset Drive-In. I remember a night I was on a date watching a movie from the back of a pick-up truck with my then college boyfriend. Kevin Costner was starring as the Coast Guard’s top rescue swimmer in The Guardian, when out of nowhere it started to rain—not a drizzle, but a torrential downpour. And you know what? It just made the experience so much more amazing. We got under a tarp and watched the rest of the show fighting the water, feeling aligned with the actors in the movie. On my college graduation weekend, I took my parents to the drive-in, and they were blown away by the vintage ads, the concession stand offering classic snacks, and the overall experience. It was so fun to see things through their eyes and watch them relive their childhood memories. Simply put, they were gleeful. Then, there was the time we showed up to take in a sci-fi movie starring Tom Cruise, was it Oblivion or Edge of Tomorrow? Turns out, he’s made a lot of movies cast alongside aliens. For some reason, the car didn’t have a radio. We tried and failed to listen through our cell phones and ended up instead attempting to read lips, while stealthily inching our chairs closer and closer to the car parked beside us, catching every third or so word. I’ve never appreciated nonverbal communication the same way, thanks to the drive-in. Without a doubt, one of the most nostalgic and unique experiences San Luis Obispo has to offer for after dark is the Sunset Drive-In. For $10 per adult, you get entry to both movies on the line up. With Hollywood holding off on new releases for the foreseeable future, one perk is that the drive-in is showing a lot of classics—for me, that honestly takes it to the next level. Local Tip: To see the latest showings, check out the Sunset Drive-In Facebook page or Fandango. Bring cash and extra blankets, double check the start time (it can change based on the time of sunset), support the concession stand—it’s how they generate the bulk of the necessary income to support their operating costs—and come regularly so we can keep this local gem up and running. <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> PADEN HUGHES is co-owner of Gymnazo and enjoys exploring the Central Coast. 42 | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | AUG/SEP <strong>2020</strong>
AUG/SEP <strong>2020</strong> | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | 43