Here’s Where Seacoast New Hampshire Residents Want to Put a Drive-In Movie Theater

Perhaps The Beach Boys said it best:

Every time I have a date there's only one place to go

That's to the drive in

It's such a groovy place to talk and maybe watch a show

Down at the drive in

Alas, that was nearly 60 years ago. And in 2023, there are no drive-ins on the New Hampshire Seacoast. So, I asked readers: where would you put a drive-thru on the New Hampshire Seacoast?

A reader named Steve suggested some place on Route 125 between Plaistow and Epping. A good suggestion, not just because of some of the roadside space that could support a drive-in, but also due to the success of Epping’s O’Neill Cinemas.

Sean wrote in to suggest Pease International Tradeport (to us natives, “the old Base”; to me, the place where I accidentally drove my Jeep onto the runway). Another strong suggestion, given the lay of the land. But would that create too much traffic?

Chris suggests a stretch of land on the North Hampton/Rye border that used to house the Sleepy Hollow Motel on Route 1. This seemed to be the suggestion that hit hardest, as that space has been just that – space – since the Sleepy Hollow went up in flames (do I get points for remembering the Sleepy Hollow Motel? Did you get tested after going there)? Alas, it appears the land is being developed for non drive-in use.

But Ana had an interesting idea, suggesting the Coakley landfill near Breakfast Hill road (and it seemed that the North Hampton/Rye border was a popular suggestion, in general).

Carly went over the border to Maine and noted that the Route 1 entrance to York’s Wild Animal Kingdom has a good amount of land that has gone unused. I mean, after a day of observing animals during mating season…

A common response: Newington. The reasoning: there's plenty of land (some jokers even think Newington's not really a town), and it's right off Route 16. But as Johnny C from Exeter points out, there once was a drive-in across from where Walmart sits today.

Maybe it's time for a sequel?