Last Updated on May 5, 2025 by Matt Staff
1970s van life was a unique kind of freedom that took shape on four wheels. Across America, people hit the road in custom vans, turning everyday vehicles into rolling homes, art projects, and personal sanctuaries. With shag carpets, funky paint jobs, and a backseat full of dreams, the van-life craze was more than a trend, it was a lifestyle that blended rebellion, creativity, and a deep hunger for the open road.
From beachside campouts to highway pit stops, these snapshots offer a glimpse into a time when all you needed was a map, some music, and the will to roam. It was a raw, colorful, and unfiltered era where living on your own terms meant packing up, tuning in, and rolling out. Here are 19 photos that capture ’70s van life.
1. Testing an early cell phone prototype in a van
Imagine if cell phones were still that big. If you’d like to see more old cell phone content, check out these 15 Things Everyone Forgot About Early Cell Phones.
2. Family washing their VW bus in 1978
Those family trips must have been wild.
3. Even the van has a center part
Long hair and rock and roll will forever live in the ’70s.
4. This van art is next-level
The paint job probably cost almost as much as the van.
5. A VW van advertisement shows off the spirit of 1970s van life.
Highlighting that you can take a house on wheels is a great selling point.
6. The inside of a ’70s van
Those kids sure had some serious interior design skills.
7. They’re living the life
This is exactly how you’re supposed to live in a van.
8. The whole crew’s in Mom’s VW van
Seat belts were optional in the ’70s.
9. Vintage van ad, 1978
Dodge vans are built to last.
10. The Hiway Star
Custom vans need to make a comeback.
11. She doesn’t need a mechanic
Today’s teens could never work on their own van.
12. They know their customers too well
A van ad that highlights kids hanging out on a beach is sure to get some attention.
13. Now this is a paint job
A custom paint job on a van like this in the ’70s ranged from a few hundred bucks to a few thousand.
14. The Love Machine, 1973
How do you get inside that thing?
15. Rolling around in the Zebra Van
That kid has no idea how cool he looks right now.
16. Dodge put me into a street van
Dodge ads were absolutely killer in the ’70s.
17. The beginning of a cross-country road trip
What a great way to spend a honeymoon.
18. The Wizard of Oz van
That paint job is next-level.
19. ’70s van life
It doesn’t get much better than this.
Explore more from the golden age of travel:
Check out 20 Vintage Photos of American Road Trips in the Pre-GPS Era, or take a look at 20 Photos That Show Road Trips Were Better In The 1900s. Maybe you’ll enjoy 19 Vintage Photos of Route 66’s Most Iconic Roadside Motels.
