- Gets dark6:42 pmGates open 1 hour before first showtime
- Google rating4.7012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens1
- Price$15per adult
- DogsOn a leash
- Sit outsideYes
- FM88.5 FM
- Car spots750
- Opened1955
Overlook Drive-In Theatre is at 126 De Garmo Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
Location
Where is Overlook Drive-In Theatre?
Overlook Drive-In Theatre is at 126 De Garmo Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. The entrance is at Between Routes 44 & 55.
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Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Allie's Ice Cream and Grill Cafe
- Momo Garden
Start time
What time does the movie start at Overlook Drive-In Theatre?
What Overlook Drive-In Theatre says: The theater says its first movie time is based on the estimated time of sunset. If the sky is not dark enough, it may start 5 to 10 minutes later, but never earlier than the posted time.
In October the sun sets around 6:14 pm and it gets dark around 6:42 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Overlook Drive-In Theatre promises, and some drive-ins start the movie before it. Plan to be parked by sunset.
Here is when it gets dark in each month, from April to October, on the 15th.
| Month | Gets dark |
|---|---|
| April | 8:04 pm |
| May | 8:39 pm |
| June | 9:05 pm |
| July | 9:01 pm |
| August | 8:26 pm |
| September | 7:33 pm |
| October | 6:42 pm |
For more on what time it gets dark and when drive-ins really start their movies, read our start-time guide.
Prices
How much Overlook Drive-In Theatre costs
- Adult$15
- Child$12Ages 5-11
- Under 5FreeKids 4 and under
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Radios to rent: Free to borrow a radio from the Projection Booth or Concession Stand; $20 refundable deposit plus a valid driver's license required, both returned when the radio comes back.
- Snack bar
- Restrooms in a building
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- You can sit outside your car
- Sister venue: Hyde Park Drive-In, opened by the same Cohen family in 1949 (site: hydeparkdrivein.com); as of a 2023 Cinema Treasures comment Hyde Park has closed for at least one season while the Overlook stayed open.
- Seasonal Discount Ticket Books: 10 adult tickets for $120 ($30 savings), locked-in price, sold at the ticket booth.
- Group rate/private events: no private rentals during the season, but a section of the field can be reserved in advance for a birthday or gathering (email [email protected]) and groups of 20+ get special rates.
- On-screen advertising available for local businesses (email [email protected] or call 845-452-3912).
- No open flames or grills anywhere on the lot.
- Absolutely no videotaping once the movies begin.
- Hatchbacks may be left open if tied down level with the roof; string provided at the Projection Booth.
Reviews
What visitors say about Overlook Drive-In Theatre
From 560 visitor reviews, 4.7 stars.
Huge screen and strong sound draw repeat praise
- Billed as the largest screen in the tri-state area, about as tall as a 6-story building (venue's own Information page)
- Multiple 2025-2026 reviewers called the screen huge and the sound mix great, one specifically citing a 50th-anniversary showing of Jaws
One review says the screen is too dim for dark scenes
- A 1-star review from September 2025 said dark scenes in a horror double feature were unwatchable and asked for a stronger projector, cutting the visit short before the second film
Monday discount night is the value pick
- An August 2025 review put Monday adult admission at $10; the venue's own site now lists $12/person on Mondays for the double feature (Sept 2026)
Bathrooms and staff called out as clean and friendly
- Reviewers repeatedly describe the restrooms as clean and plentiful and the staff as warm and helpful, including help turning off headlights for first-timers
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 1 hour before first showtime
- Large trucks, large vans and commercial vehicles must park in the back rows marked by blue poles; SUVs/minivans/small trucks park right of the concession stand, cars park left of it.
- Rain or shine, the movie plays
- Tune to 88.5 FM for movie audio; borrow a radio from the Projection Booth or Concession Stand for a $20 deposit plus a valid driver's license if your car radio doesn't work
- Ticket booth opens 1 hour before the first movie's advertised showtime; arrive early since parking spots can't be saved for friends arriving later
- Monday is discount night: $12/person for the double feature (site, Sept 2026)
- Seasonal Discount Ticket Book: 10 adult tickets for $120, a $30 savings, sold at the ticket booth
- Large trucks, vans and commercial vehicles must park in the back rows marked by blue poles
History
The history of Overlook Drive-In Theatre
Sidney and Ida Cohen opened the Hyde Park Drive-In in 1949 and added the Overlook Drive-In in 1955. Today only the Overlook remains family owned and operated. Situated on 12 acres with a capacity of 750 cars, it has the largest screen in the tri-state area, about as tall as a six-story building.
In 2012 the theater converted from 35mm to digital projection to stay open when the film industry dropped 35mm distribution. Several Cohen family members have since passed: Brad Cohen (1975), Ida Cohen (1995), Sidney Cohen (1997), Andy Cohen (2009), Fred Cohen (2014), Arnold Cohen (2020) and Barry Horowitz (2024); the Overlook operates in their memory.
FAQ
Questions about Overlook Drive-In Theatre, answered
How many screens does Overlook Drive-In Theatre have?
Overlook Drive-In Theatre has one screen. Everybody on the lot watches the same film, so there is nothing to choose when you arrive. Park where you like, tune your radio and wait for the light to go.
What FM frequency does Overlook Drive-In Theatre use?
Overlook Drive-In Theatre broadcasts its soundtrack on 88.5 FM. The audio comes through your own car stereo rather than a speaker on a post. If your car cannot run its radio with the engine off, bring a portable one.
Can I rent a radio at Overlook Drive-In Theatre?
Overlook Drive-In Theatre rents radios at the counter: free to borrow a radio from the Projection Booth or Concession Stand; $20 refundable deposit plus a valid driver's license required, both returned when the radio comes back. It is worth one if you plan to sit outside the car, or if running your stereo for four hours would flatten your battery. They go quickly on a busy night, so ask when you arrive rather than at the interval.
What time does the movie start at Overlook Drive-In Theatre?
What Overlook Drive-In Theatre says: The theater says its first movie time is based on the estimated time of sunset. If the sky is not dark enough, it may start 5 to 10 minutes later, but never earlier than the posted time. In October it gets dark around 6:42 pm. Check with the theater on the day you go.
How much does Overlook Drive-In Theatre cost?
Admission to Overlook Drive-In Theatre is $15 per adult, $12 per child 5-11. Two adults and two children come to $54. Children 4 and under get in free.
Are dogs allowed at Overlook Drive-In Theatre?
Dogs are welcome at Overlook Drive-In Theatre as long as the leash stays on. Keep it short near other cars, bring water, and clean up afterwards. A nervous dog is worth leaving at home, because sound carries across a lot.
Nearby
Other drive-in theaters in New York
- 19 miles awayFour Brothers Drive-inSee this theater
- 31 miles awayFair Oaks Drive In TheaterSee this theater
- 41 miles awayWarwick Drive-InSee this theater
- 43 miles awayHi-Way Drive-In TheatreSee this theater