Entry No. 96 — the Dallas file — filed under: after-dark
Galaxy Drive-In Theatre
A nine-screen drive-in south of Dallas on I-45 that runs 365 nights a year, showing first-run double features for $8 a head (kids $4). Parking is first-come, first-served, so regulars stake out a spot at dusk with lawn chairs and blankets. With nine simultaneous screens, it's one of the largest drive-ins in the country. Outside food and drink aren't allowed, so plan to hit the concession stand.
The story
Pull off I-45 south of Dallas into Ennis and you’ll run into a massive nine-screen outdoor theater operating 365 nights a year. While drive-in sites across the country were swallowed up by real estate developments, this field was built out into one of the largest drive-in complexes in the nation, aiming nine separate screens across the Texas sky every single evening.
It isn't a sleepy retro novelty showing black-and-white revivals. You're getting first-run current releases packaged as double features for $8 an adult and $4 for kids. Audio broadcasts directly over FM radio frequencies, turning a quiet patch of land along the interstate into a multi-screen cinema engine.
What it's like
Arrive well before dusk if you want a prime spot in front of your screen. An online ticket speeds up your gate entry, but it will not reserve a physical space—parking is strictly first-come, first-served. Back into your space, set up lawn chairs or lay out blankets in the bed of your truck, and tune your car stereo to your screen's designated FM frequency. Outside food and drink are prohibited on the property, so head straight to the cash-friendly snack bar for concessions before the double feature starts.
The move: Pack blankets and snacks, claim a spot at sunset, and catch a current-release double feature from the bed of the car.
📍 Before you go Online tickets don't reserve a parking spot; arrive early. Cash-friendly snack bar and FM-broadcast audio.
- 📍 Ennis
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 5301 N I-45, Ennis, TX 75119
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Munster Mansion — Tour a full-scale, room-by-room Victorian replica of the TV mansion in Waxahachie before heading south to Ennis for a double feature.
- Webb Gallery — Browse outsider folk art and odd fraternal relics in downtown Waxahachie before driving down I-45 for sunset cinema.
- Texas Theatre — Pair a night at Oak Cliff's historic 1931 indoor movie palace with a night at this nine-screen outdoor drive-in complex.
Good to know
How much does admission cost?
Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children, which covers a current-release double feature on your assigned screen.
How do I hear the movie audio?
Audio is broadcast over local FM radio frequencies. You tune your car stereo—or a portable FM radio—to the specific station assigned to your screen.
Does buying a ticket online guarantee a specific parking spot?
No. Online tickets only help you clear the entrance gate faster. Parking is entirely first-come, first-served, so arrive early before dark.
Can I bring my own snacks and drinks?
No, outside food and drinks are not allowed on the lot. Plan to buy food and beverages from the on-site concession stand.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · cinematreasures.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23