This Unique Colorado Inn Blends A Rustic Glamping Experience With An Old-School Drive-In Theater

The drive-in movie theater is an American icon. The first patented location opened in Camden, New Jersey in 1933, and by the phenomenon's midcentury heyday, there were more than 4,000 outdoor theaters nationwide. Among a handful of venues in Colorado was the family-run Frontier Drive-In, which opened in the San Luis Valley town of Center in 1955. After a three-decade run, the theater closed in 1986, and the site sat abandoned for years until a revitalization was completed in 2022 by Born Hospitality Group.

Today, it's the Frontier Drive-Inn, a glamping experience focused on art, cinema, and the great outdoors. With eclectic accommodations in modern yurts and smartly outfitted Steelmaster sheds, a revamped open-air theater featuring a rotating calendar of films, on-site art and architecture installations, and a beautifully restored original neon sign to light the way after dark, it's an unforgettable spot to break your journey for a few nights on a road trip through Colorado.

Call it camping, or call it glamping: the rustic-chic lodgings at the Frontier Drive-Inn aren't easy to categorize. Though all units are individually designed, they fall into two groups — yurts and sheds — all furnished with Pendleton blankets and Parachute mattresses. Yurts are organized around central gas firepits. Bright and colorful inside, they each feature a comfortable queen-sized bed and a living room area. Instead of an outdoor fire pit, each has an indoor pellet stove where you can build a small fire. None of these units has a private bathroom; instead, each cluster of yurts shares a communal bathhouse with toilets and showers. Yurts sleep two, and prices start at $199 per night (plus tax) on weekends.

Steelmasters are the more upscale of the two accommodation options. A nod to the prefab sheds that are commonplace on the region's farms, they feature luxurious extras like underfloor heating, en-suite bathrooms, and private decks with views of the nearby mountains. Like yurts, each unit sleeps two, and you can expect to pay around $259 for a one-night stay (plus tax) on a weekend. Note that prices for both accommodation options fluctuate throughout the year.

Interested in the idea of camping elsewhere in the state? Discover this underrated Colorado town known for year-round recreation or this sun-soaked city just outside of Denver with urban and outdoor charm.

The Frontier Drive-Inn comes alive after sunset when the vintage neon sign glows at the entrance and the skies light up with stars. The main attraction, of course, is the old drive-in theater, complete with its refurbished original screen and upgraded audiovisual equipment. Movie screenings happen on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from May through October, with schedules posted online. 

Instead of pulling up in a car, you'll take a seat on the provided outdoor furniture on the lawn, and the staff serves complimentary popcorn during the show. Note that all film screenings are dependent on the weather and subject to change. Though there's no restaurant or bar on-site, guests are welcome to use the shared kitchen at the Frontier Snackbar, which stays open from early morning through late at night.

Most travelers arrive at Frontier Drive-Inn by car. If you're looking to fly in and rent a car, the closest major airport is Denver International, about a four-hour drive away. For more road trip ideas in the area, check out this itinerary through Colorado's loveliest small mountain towns or this scenic route that hits Colorado's most breathtaking beaches and state parks, perfect for summertime.