Hi-Way Drive-In
3170 Santa Maria Way,
Santa Maria,
CA
93455
3170 Santa Maria Way,
Santa Maria,
CA
93455
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Please update with the address provided in my previous entry.
And no Dave even the flea market is gone! 😳🥺😔
Is the swap meet still operating here?
Per Alphabet, this beloved theatre was located @ 3170 Santa Maria Way, Santa Maria, CA 93455 further SE!
It points directly to the concession stand itself…please update.
🥺🥺🥺
The sign has been removed and will be relocatsed at the Barstow ca drive in
From a post on the Hi-Way Drive-In’s Facebook page:
“It is with great sadness that we are announcing the closing of the Hi-Way Drive-In. Our last two movie nights will be this Wednesday and Thursday, January 5th & 6th. Spiderman will be playing on both nights. We are extremely grateful to all our wonderful and loyal customers for over the past 43 years. We are especially grateful to all our current and past employees.
Due to the current economic climate and the ever-changing film industry, our business as a drive-in theater is unfortunately no longer viable.
Thank you for all the good years! With much appreciation and a heavy heart….
Sincerely
The Gran Family"
Part 2
Hi-Way Drive-In 2005 article 2 Fri, Sep 2, 2005 – 19 · Santa Maria Times (Santa Maria, California) · Newspapers.com
2005 article:
Hi-Way Drive-In 2005 article Fri, Sep 2, 2005 – 17 · Santa Maria Times (Santa Maria, California) · Newspapers.com
On Friday June 21, 1991 “The Rocketeer” opened at the Hi-Way Drive-In, only a mile or two from the Santa Maria Public Airport, where part of the movie was filmed.
Opened 1959, accordingly to this rather informative 2005 article: View link
David,great shot.Thanks.
My parents used to own a rental house right across the street from the Hi-Way. I always wanted them to move into the rental so we could live closer to the drive in. They were showing pornos there in the mid to late 70s and that might have had something to do with my parents laughing at me. It’s not like we would have been facing the screen or anything…
Interesting but not suprising that this subdivision does indeed go RIGHT UP to the drive-in’s fences. There appears to be zero easement on some of the homes. Check it out on Google Earth (type in the Hi-Way’s address).
Long may you run, Hi-Way!
I know a man who tried desperately to buy out the Hi-Way so that he could expand his housing subdivision and get rid of the “negative” impact the drive-in would have on sales. The Hi-Way owner turned him down every time. He said “I’m a drive-in guy” or at least that what I was told. He expected me to share in his indignation, but all could think was “Cool! Chock up one for the good guys!!”
Here a link to a pic of my `47 Plymouth a little before the start of Superman Returns at the Hi-Way Drive-In:
View link
I drove by this theatre about ten years ago and photographed the sign. I don’t typically photograph drive-ins (I love them, but, one has to specialize sometimes). I’m glad to know it is still open and appreciated. Santa Maria lost all of its old downtown theatres, including the large Fox Santa Maria, which was demolished for a mall because Mervyn’s department store, one of the prospective anchor tenants, didn’t want to be located next to a movie theatre (Thank you, Mervyn’s, we all know how badly we need more of YOU!!)
At least there is the Hi-Way Drive-In, and, if you head a few miles West across flat agricultural land to the tiny town of Guadalupe, there is the little Royal Theatre, now used for town meetings and events, but with a nice restored neon marquee and sign.