photo by Visitor7 via Wikimedia Commons

It’s Day 37 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. I drove from suburban San Diego to southern San Diego, and in less than a half hour I reached the appropriately named South Bay Drive-In Theatres, less than five miles from the Mexican border.

The South Bay opened in 1958 with a single 100-foot screen. In 1974, it replaced the original screen and added two more. According to a CinemaTreasures commenter, its main screen blew down during early 2003 winter storms and had to be replaced that spring. The South Bay converted to digital projection relatively early, in 2013.

The South Bay is open all week, even on this Monday night. I’d already seen all three early movie choices so I sat through Resident Evil: The Final Chapter for the third time in eight days. I hope this viewing really is final for me.

Miles Today / Total:  26 / 4719 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter / 27

Nearby Restaurant: Since I set up shop in Imperial (see below), I stayed close by for dinner at the Coronado Brewing Company. Shrimp tacos and fresh beer within walking distance of my hotel. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There aren’t a lot of options close by, but that turned out wonderfully for me. I drove three miles due west and found Imperial Beach’s Sand Castle Inn, a charming little renovated place that’s literally across the street from the Pacific Ocean. The price was great for such easy access to Dunes Park, and the kitchenette and wifi made life easier in the room.

The obelisk in 1894.

Only in San Diego: Fifty-two obelisks, known as Boundary Monuments, were erected between 1849 and 1857 along the U.S – Mexico border. The westernmost obelisk, set between San Diego and Tijuana, was rededicated in 1971 by First Lady Pat Nixon as part of a new “Friendship Park.” In 2009, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security closed down Friendship Park to build a new fence. In 2012, it agreed to reopen the park with an outer perimeter fence blocking access to the public except Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

Next Stop: Paramount Drive-In Theatres, Paramount CA.