Sunshine Mill Is A Classic Oregon Drive-In That's A Nostalgic Throwback

There’s nothing quite like a warm night at a classic drive-in theatre: a flick playing on the big screen, beverage in hand, sprawled out on a blanket (or inside your car with the back door popped), the big skies of Oregon overhead… this is the quintessential summertime experience. And happily, there’s a place in the Dalles sure to take you back to the good, old days: Sunshine Mill. This classic Oregon drive-in is pure nostalgia, and definitely a place to add to your summer bucket list!

In the Dalles of Oregon, Sunshine Mill is a nostalgic nod to the past that's anything but your typical drive-in movie theatre.

For starters, it's located at a winery. Yes: a winery!

The winery operates in a historic building that's lived many lives and harkens all the way back to the turn of the 20th-century. The Sunshine Biscuit Company once owned the property and the wheat milled here was used to make (drumroll please...) everyone's favorite cracker: the Cheez-It!

Built in 1913, this property was the first building in The Dalles to have electricity, and was the only designated skyscraper in the Columbia River Gorge, too.

Now for more recent history: at the beginning of the pandemic, the winery converted its parking lot into a drive-in movie theater, and it was so popular, it became a permanent fixture.

Unlike other drive-in theaters in Oregon, Sunshine Mill shows films as special events, not regular features. But this makes showtimes all the more special, we say.

And really, everything about the drive-in at Sunshine Mill is special. Why get a flat fountain drink and stale popcorn...

...when you can have a glass of white and a charcuterie board? This is next-level movie snacks, folks.

So the next time you're in the mood for a good, old-fashioned night of fun, friends, and films beneath the stars, you know where to go...

...Sunshine Mill in the Dalles of Oregon!

For more information, including upcoming events and showtimes, visit the Sunshine Mill website.

Looking for more nostalgic fun in Oregon? Head up to Bend and rent a flick (perhaps a VHS?) from the world’s last remaining Blockbuster...

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Sunshine Mill, The Dalles, OR 97058, USA

Sunshine Mill Is A Classic Oregon Drive-In That Will Take You Back To The Good Old Days

Sarah McCosham

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