The best outdoor cinemas in Sydney for open-air movies

From November 21, 2025, Moonlight Cinema is back at  Centennial Parklands for its 30th year in Sydney. Screening a bunch of flicks in the open air under the stars, the program features a stellar line up of box office blockbusters, festive movie favourites and family flicks right through to April 5, 2026.

The Moonlight experience is about more than the movie. You can snuggle up in the comfiest of bean bags – and so can your furry best mate, because dogs are allowed! It’s BYO-friendly (so chuck a bottle of bubbles on ice) but if go unprepared, have no fear – there’s heaps of food trucks, licensed bars for libations and on-site activations flogging free samples to boot. 

If picnic rugs, deckcharis and beanbags aren't for you, Mov’in Bed just might be. This open-air, beach-style cinema pop up in Barangaroo is home to 150 queen- and king-sized beds, complete with noise cancelling headphones and bedside food delivery options. The screen is set against the Baragaroo harbourfront, so you can expect spectacular sunset views before the opening credits roll.

Veteran outdoor cinema producer Sunset Cinema (also responsible for this North Sydney outpost) brings four weeks of outdoor movie screenings to Bondi Pavilion this summer. Sunset Cinema Bondi will screen from November 13  through to December 20 (check specific dates) at the beautiful Dolphin Court. You can soak up the alfresco atmosphere while they take care of all the outdoor cinema must-haves: comfy bean bags, a fully licensed bar, food truck options and mandatory movie snacks like freshly popped popcorn.

The north-of-the-Bridge iteration of Bondi's Sunset Cinema is taking over North Sydney Oval again this summer. From December 18 to March 14, you can enjoy three months of alfresco flicks at this open air location. This one might not be beachside like it's Bondi counterpart, but a spot in an iconic grandstand setting more than makes up for it. You can also pay an extra $30 for a prime position, a beanbag, a drink and unlimited popcorn.

If you’re on a budget, The Rocks’ free Laneway Cinema is back with magical alfresco film screenings this summer. Films screen at 7pm every Wednesday night between November 12 to February 25. There's the big screen, deckchairs and cosy bean bags on the corner of Playfair Street in The Rocks with historic sandstone buildings and cobblestones for company. Tickets are free, and are available to book on the Monday before the screening. Be sure to register here to secure your seats, as there is limited seating available.

The last remaining drive-in movie theatre in the city is so popular that, on busy nights, it backs up traffic all the way along Reservoir Road and out onto the Great Western Motorway. So if you’re planning a commute past Prospect, you might want to check session times. We love the joint's on point 1950s theme, with diner food served by staff in era-appropriate outfits. There are new blockbusters and classic flicks to see, and you can even catch the odd late-night horror session, if you dare. Check the program here.