Perhaps your usual dinner and a movie routine has gone stale. Or maybe you’ve found yourself opting for Netflix over human interaction on more than one occasion. Melbourne truly is a city that has something for everyone. This city offers open air cinemas, outdoor cinemas, rooftop cinemas, and even a cinema where you can watch a movie from the comfort of a bed on the beach! If you want to know all about the best outdoor cinema Melbourne has to offer, keep reading… and you’d better get the popcorn ready!
Check out the top 9 drive-ins, rooftops and open air cinemas in Melbourne!
Top open air cinemas in Melbourne
Mov’in Bed Cinema
St. Kilda Beach
Getting out of bed to be social with friends is tough sometimes. I mean, a movie in bed and no expectation of wearing “real pants” is the definition of a good night for me. Now, you don’t have to choose between getting out of bed and being social. (Real pants are required, though.)
Movin Bed Cinema on St Kilda Beach
Mov’In Bed Cinema is an innovative new cinema that’s popped up on the shores of St. Kilda Beach. Instead of your typical blanket or bean bag affair, Mov’In Bed offers comfy beds with a fluffy doona (that’s Aussie slang for quilt) for the comfort of home with a lot more sand.
The onsite Hollywood diner offers diner-style food delivered straight to your bed. Enjoy pizza, cheeseburgers, chicken wings, milkshakes or bottomless popcorn… and no one will nag you about eating food in bed!
Movin Bed Outdoor Cinema in Melbourne on St. Kilda Beach bottomless popcorn
Cinema at the ‘G
Melbourne Cricket Ground
I love a little side of philanthropy with my entertainment… even more so when it’s at an amazing location. That’s why Cinema at the ‘G is a must visit! Bring a blanket, pillow, meal and non-alcoholic beverage to the grounds of the MCG, where revered cricketers play.
The echo of the stadium means sound quality isn’t as great as some of the other venues, but when will you ever get another chance to sit on the grass of the MCG?!
Moonlight Cinema Melbourne
Melbourne Botanical Gardens
The Melbourne Botanical Gardens offer a slice of green in the midst of the city. If you want to experience an evening amongst nature just outside the Free Tram Zone, secure a beanbag at the Moonlight Cinema Melbourne to watch movies in the park.
The movies are great and the concessions are plentiful and a notch above your typical cinema fare (although you can bring your own food and alcohol if you want to save a little cash). What truly sets this cinema apart is what happens at sunset. As the sun goes down, the flying foxes who call this garden home take flight for their evening feed. Try to keep your eyes on the screen… but I think the bats are a bit more exciting than the advertisements!
Melbourne Botanical Gardens Moonlight Cinema
Cameo Outdoor Cinemas
1628 Burwood Highway Belgrave 3160
Cameo Cinemas is a historic 1930s cinema set amongst the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. Throughout the year, they screen a mix of mainstream and arthouse films in the Art Deco cinema with a 1970s flair. From December to March, they operate the Cameo Outdoor Cinemas for movie buffs who want to take advantage of the good weather days in Melbourne.
Choose from their list of Victorian beers and wines and munch on a sweet or savory snack from their vegetarian menu.
Join Cameo’s Movie Club for discounted tickets and access to screenings.
Top Rooftop Cinemas in Melbourne
Rooftop Cinema
The roof of Curtin House – 252 Swanston Street
While Ubers and trams traverse the roads and tourists and locals walk the streets in search of a restaurant or bar, you’ll be situated above the noise at Rooftop Cinema. Located on the roof of Curtin House, you’ll feel miles away from reality instead of just a few floors from the hustle and bustle of the CBD.
Take a seat in a foldable fabric beach chair and wait for the feature film to begin. Drinks, snacks and ice cream are available for purchase and if you get cold, blankets are available to hire.
Rooftop Cinema Melbourne
Lido on the Roof
675 Glenferrie Road Hawthorn 3122
Lido Cinemas is a small, traditional cinema near Glenferrie Train Station which hosts regular jazz nights. But that’s not why they’re on this list. In the summertime, Lido opens up their roof for Lido on the Roof. In addition to new releases, Lido on the Roof also resurrects old favorites like 10 Things I Hate About You and The Princess Bride.
Drive in Cinemas in Melbourne
Village Cinemas Coburg Drive In
155 Newlands Road, Coburg North VIC 3058
The Coburg Drive In first opened in 1965 with a showing of Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie and McHale’s Navy. They’re still screening the most recent Blockbuster hits on their 108 ft. wide screens. Kids under 12 get in free all year round, so it’s a fun experience for the whole family!
Order food from their Coburg Drive In app straight to your car, so you never have to get out of your car!
Lunar Drive In
115 South Gippsland Hwy Dandenong VIC 3175
Things are done a little differently at Lunar Drive-In. Instead of charging a per person fee, the largest drive in theater in the country charges just $30 per carload. That number drops to $25 Monday through Wednesday. The theater operates 364 nights a year (the team gets Christmas night off), so as long as your car has heating, you can enjoy the drive in cinema set in the Dandenong Ranges all year round.
Originally opened in 1956, Lunar Drive-In is the oldest operating drive-in theater in Australia. Drive in for a chance to watch history from the comfort of your vehicle!
Dromana Drive In
133 Nepean Highway, Dromana
If you’re heading down to Mornington Peninsula for a long weekend, be sure to put Dromana Drive In on your list for some good old fashioned fun! Don your comfiest clothes and load up the car with blankets and pillows for an evening at the drive in.
Beauty and the Beast was playing on the night I visited, and the staff made sure we enjoyed a fully enchanting experience. Lumière and Cogsworth waved cars into their parking spots while Belle and the Beast danced through the crowds waiting for hot dogs and Dippin Dots.
Arrive early because this is a popular attraction!
Dromana Drive In Mornington Peninsula
Which of these outdoor movies in Melbourne sounds best to you? What film have you most been looking forward to this year?
Pin this post and make a plan to visit every outdoor cinema in Melbourne!
