Entry No. 21 — the Savannah file — filed under: drive-in
Highway 21 Drive-In
A three-screen drive-in that's run continuously since 1978 and made Travel Channel's national list of 10 classic drive-ins — gates open at 6pm, cars angle in at dusk, and the picture comes up once it's properly dark, the old way.
The story
While most drive-ins were leveled decades ago to build strip malls and cookie-cutter housing developments, Highway 21 in Beaufort kept its projector lamps burning continuously since 1978. It expanded over the years into a three-screen, family-owned complex—landing it on the Travel Channel's national list of classic drive-ins while quietly outlasting almost every multiplex competitor in the region.
The screen setups sit tucked off Parker Drive among the Lowcountry trees, operating on the same late-20th-century rhythm: you kill your headlights at the gate, angle your hood toward the screen, and wait for dusk to turn the sky navy blue. It isn't nostalgia staged for tourists; it's just how cinema worked before stadium recliners and digital streaming took over.
What it's like
Gates open at 6:00 PM, and you'll want to arrive early to stake out your parking spot before the lines pile up. Tune your car radio to the screen's designated FM frequency—or bring a portable handheld radio if you're paranoid about killing your car battery. Expect families tailgating from truck beds, kids running to the concession stand for popcorn, and cars lining up in the dark while waiting for the sun to drop completely so the double feature can start.
The move: Pre-buy tickets online, load up on concession-stand popcorn, and watch a double feature from the hood of the car under an actual sky instead of a multiplex ceiling.
- 📍 Beaufort, SC
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 55 Parker Dr, Beaufort, SC 29906
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Saint Helena Parish Chapel of Ease Ruins — Explore these 1740 tabby ruins on St. Helena Island in the late afternoon before heading north to Beaufort for dusk.
- Old Sheldon Church Ruins — Pair an afternoon stop at these 18th-century burned church ruins in Yemassee with a night under the stars at the drive-in.
- Stoney Baynard Ruins — Spend the afternoon investigating late-1700s tabby plantation remnants on Hilton Head before driving up to Highway 21.
Good to know
When do movies actually start?
Gates open at 6:00 PM, but the projectors don't turn on until dusk when it's properly dark enough to see the screen.
How do you hear the movie audio?
Audio is broadcast over local FM radio frequencies direct to your car stereo or portable radio.
Do tickets cover more than one movie?
Yes, screen schedules are set up as double features, letting you catch two back-to-back movies on a single admission.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · islandpacket.com · southcarolinalowcountry.com
last checked: 2026-07-20