20 Vintage Beach Photos That Show Summer Was Better In the Seventies

Nostalgia April 17, 2025

Last Updated on April 17, 2025 by Colby Droscher

There’s something about summer in the seventies that just hits different. Before smartphones and selfies, summer wasn’t curated; it was lived. It was sand sticking to sunburnt shoulders, the smell of saltwater and coconut oil in the air, and music drifting from tiny car speakers parked along the coast. You didn’t need much to have a good time: a towel, a cooler full of soda or cheap beer, and maybe a frisbee if someone remembered to bring it.

These 20 photos are a time capsule of an era when life felt a little more free and a lot slower. Whether it’s friends piling into a van or a family day at the beach, each photo tells its own story. We hope you’re ready to experience a beach day in the ’70s, because that’s what we have for you. Here are 20 vintage beach photos from the 1970s.

1. Copacabana Beach, Brazil

Vintage beach photos - A group of women in bikinis sunbathe in a row on a crowded, sunny beach, surrounded by colorful umbrellas and other beachgoers on Copacabana Beach in Brazil.
pombapreta

Back when it was cool to coat yourself in oil and fry yourself in the sun.

2. Hermosa Beach, summer of ’78

Three young adults stand by a worn classic car on a sunny street lined with palm trees and shops. Two shirtless men and a woman in a bathing suit appear relaxed, chatting casually in this black-and-white scene.
j3434

Don’t trust a guy whose passenger side looks like that.

3. Sunbathing near the World Trade Center

Two people sunbathe on a sandy area with towels, bags, and shoes, with the Twin Towers and New York City skyline rising in the background under a clear sky.
cool_architect

That sand was excavated during the building of the World Trade Center.

Related: 45 Photos That Prove The Seventies Were Just Better

4. A day on the beach in Cannes, France

A man in a striped shirt and scarf stands next to a woman in a white bikini on a sunny beach, with empty lounge chairs and closed umbrellas in the background.
notbob1959

He’s wearing some questionable beach attire.

5. Rio Beach, late 1970s

Surfers walk out of the ocean at sunset, with many people swimming in the water. In the background, Two Brothers mountain rises above Ipanema Beach, silhouetted against the hazy sky.
luke0ne

The mountains make this one of the most beautiful beaches imaginable.

6. Taking a long walk on the beach

A woman in a bikini and a man in denim shorts walk barefoot on a sandy beach, looking back toward the camera. Other people walk along the shoreline, and waves crash in the background.
avintagefox

You can’t beat jean shorts at the beach.

7. Hanging out at California Beach

A group of young people in swimsuits stand around a white convertible on a sandy beach, holding surfboards, while one person plays guitar. The ocean is in the background under a clear sky.
zadraaa

They’re getting ready to tear up some waves.

8. The roller skating craze at Venice Beach, 1979

Three young women roller skate down a sunny, palm-lined street in casual summer clothes, while other people walk, skate, and bike in the background beside tall buildings and a parked white van.
till80

Why did roller skates ever lose their popularity? They were such a convenient way to get around.

9. Copacabana Beach, 1970

Aerial view of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, showing a wide sandy shoreline, blue ocean, wavy-patterned sidewalks, busy roads, and densely packed buildings with green mountains in the background.
iamabrazillian_ama

In the ’70s, people said the beach was alive with sound. Musicians often jammed on the sand, and locals said you could hear someone playing a guitar on every corner.

10. Surfers getting ready to take on the waves.

Two women in vintage swimsuits walk along a sandy beach carrying large surfboards, with mountains and clouds in the background. The photo is in black and white, giving it a classic, retro feel.
electrical-aspect-13

They couldn’t look happier to be spending their day like this.

11. Randy Savage at the beach with his parents, 1970

Three people stand together on a rocky beach by the ocean. Two shirtless men are on either side of a smiling woman in a floral dress. The older man has white hair, and the younger has brown hair. All appear happy and relaxed.
pickledpeppers101

There’s no telling why he’s choking his mom out. Maybe she forgot the Slim Jims.

12. Paul McCartney being a goof on the beach in Antigua

A bearded man poses playfully on a sandy beach, standing barefoot with one leg crossed over the other and hands on his hip. The ocean and green hills are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
userdeleted

This photo was taken by his wife, Linda McCartney.

13. Skating to the beach

A group of people roller skating on a sunny beachside path; a woman in a black swimsuit and striped socks skates in front, others follow behind her, with the beach and ocean visible in the background.
goodgriefwhatsnext

Bring back men wearing short shorts.

14. Rio Beach, late ’70s

Close-up of a man wearing sunglasses, with the reflection of a crowded beach scene visible in the lenses. People are sunbathing, walking, and relaxing under umbrellas on the sandy shore.
luke0ne

That smile screams beach.

15. You’d better watch that tide

A man and woman in swimsuits lie on the sand playing chess near a yellow Dodge van parked on a beach, with the ocean in the background.
gregornot

I can’t think of a single photo in existence I’m more jealous of.

16. Heading for Hermosa Beach, 1976

People in swimsuits and casual summer clothes ride bikes and relax by a brick wall outside beachside buildings on a sunny day. The scene has a laid-back, retro summer vibe.
dhorlin

Biking on a boardwalk is nothing short of amazing.

17. Hermosa Beach, 1970

A group of men and one woman in swimsuits relax on and near a low brick wall, smiling and chatting together on a sunny day, with a house in the background.
peterdork

In the ’70s, Hermosa Beach was known as the beach volleyball hub.

18. “Pack up the van, we’re headed to the beach.”

Four young adults, two men and two women, pose in swimwear at the open back of a van. The women wear sunglasses, and everyone looks relaxed and happy, suggesting a summer beach outing.
quick_presentation11

I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer day than taking a van trip to the beach.

19. Paignton Beach, England, 1979

A crowded beach scene shows people sunbathing on towels and lounging on deck chairs along sandy and paved areas, with a pier, beach huts, and distant buildings under a partly cloudy sky.
mydoggoldi

There’s a steam train that runs alongside the coast. The ride offers epic views of Paignton Beach.

20. A day on Manhattan’s temporary beach, 1977

Two people sit on a sandy beach under an umbrella with towels and bags, with the Twin Towers and New York City skyscrapers visible in the background on a clear, sunny day.
beliberden

That umbrella doesn’t look like it provides very much shade.

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