25 Nostalgic 1970s Summer Photos

Last Updated on May 8, 2025 by Matt Staff

These timeless images evoke a sense of history and charm, and also capture the essence of summer during the 1970s. This collection of 25 vintage 1970s summer photos offers a unique opportunity to delve into the cultural significance and aesthetic appeal of this iconic period through the lens of vintage photography. It’s always fun to immerse yourself in a bygone world.

1. Last day of high school and the start of summer 1977, Montreal

Three young people with long hair, wearing 1970s-style clothes, lean against a parked car in front of a wood-paneled building. Two stand on either side while one sits on the hood, all appearing relaxed and engaged in conversation. — trapperpoint

There was nothing to match that feeling of excitement on the last day of school before summer vacation kicked off.

2. A mother holding it down in a summer in the late ’70s

A woman stands smiling beside a dining table decorated with a patriotic red, white, and blue star tablecloth, party hats, and a cake. The room has plants, paintings, and a retro-style couch in the background. — deleted

Looks like a party is about to be launched indeed.

3. The sweet summer of 1976

A woman sits on a doorstep smiling, holding a baby on her lap, with a young child in red shorts on her right and another older child grinning with hands on cheeks on her left. They are in front of a glass door. — gitchigun

Looks like at least one of the kids is having a grand old time.

4. Someone’s grandmother tossing the frisbee like a pro back during a seventies summer day

A woman in blue jeans and a beige vest throws a white frisbee on a grassy field, with dense bushes and leafless trees in the background. — chronic discovery

Don’t underestimate the fun in a proper frisbee toss around the yard.

5. The summer of 1977 out in Rockaway Beach

A vintage photo shows five young men and one young woman in casual summer clothes, standing and sitting on a car parked on a city street, with shops and buildings in the background. The group appears relaxed and happy. — axlcobainvedder

Seriously. Rockaway Beach is the place to be during those hot NYC summer days. Regardless of the decade we’re talking about.

6. The 1970s was a great time for classic cars

A young woman in a red top and shorts sits barefoot on the hood of a green classic car with a “USA1” license plate, next to a surfboard, in a grassy, tree-lined park on a sunny day. — quick_presentation11

Note the license plate here, too.

7. Jean shorts and tube socks sure went great with the ’70s

Two kids in retro clothing pose outdoors; one sits on a bicycle while the other stands beside a skateboard. Both wear tall striped athletic socks and shorts on a sunny day in a suburban neighborhood. — fnaxq

The tube socks were such a fit back in the seventies. Let’s bring them back now, okay.

8. Camping and boating on the Mississippi River in the 1970s

A man in swim trunks holds a baby wearing a life jacket while standing in a river. A young child is nearby in the water. Other people and a boat are visible in the background, with a bridge and treeline behind them. — swamprabbitr

Can anything really rival the fun to be had in camping and boating during those hot summer days.

9. August, 1979. End of summer trip with work friends to Santa Barbara, California

Four young adults stand together on a sunny beach. Two women wear swimsuits, one woman wears a plaid shirt, and a shirtless man in glasses and jeans stands beside them. They are all smiling at the camera. Blue sky in the background. — boynurse

Love all the radiant colors at play here.

10. Summer Solstice Celebration, Stockholm, Sweden, 1970

A young woman in traditional European folk attire sits on grass, smiling, while people in colorful costumes dance and hold hands in a circle at an outdoor festival surrounded by trees. — nihilist91

The Swedes really love to celebrate their summer solstice every year.

11. It was always fun to play at being a princess during the 1970s

A young woman dances joyfully on grass near a pond, wearing a yellow "PRINCESS" t-shirt and high-waisted shorts, with trees and hills in the background on a sunny day. — welcometoross

Yes, because who doesn’t want to be treated like royalty during those hot summer days?

12. Southern California in the late ’70s

A group of adults and young children sit together on the grass in a park with palm trees and distant hills under a clear sky; a yellow floral lawn chair is in the foreground. — listoftimes813

Love the palm trees vibes here.

13. Camping in the ’70s was no joking matter

A family of three stands in front of a red and white pickup truck with a large camper attached. The adults and a child pose and smile together on a suburban street with grass and trees in the background. — chad59n

The cherry red paint job on that truck is something special.

14. Enjoying a summer day in 1970 with the whole family

Three people sit on a yellow blanket on grass; a woman with a child on her lap, another child beside them, and another woman relaxing on a lawn chair nearby. Trees and greenery fill the background. — deleted

This kid’s having a grand old summer day.

15. Brothers camping in Colorado, early 70s

Three people wearing cowboy hats stand in front of an orange canvas tent with trees and green mountains in the background. The setting appears to be a camp in a forested, mountainous area. — born2live

Colorado truly is one of those magical places to camp out during the summertime.

16. Hangin’ out in New Orleans, Summer of 1976

Black-and-white photo of people in swimsuits relaxing near parked classic cars; one woman lies on the ground sunbathing, while others lean or sit by the cars with trees in the background. — quickpresentation11

There have long since been so many great vibes to catch hold of out in New Orleans during the summertime.

17. Family Picnic, summer of 1967, Burke Lake, Virginia

Four children sit at a wooden picnic table by a lake, eating food with drinks and snacks on the table. Trees and another empty picnic table are in the background on a sunny day. — right0righto

The picnics just hit different during the summertime.

18. Daytona Beach in 1970

A man and two children stand in front of a vintage car parked on a beach, with palm trees and houses in the background under a cloudy sky. — markeydsade

Daytona Beach in the seventies is pure electricity in the photos.

19. The big wheel roundup in the 1970s

A group of children sit on Big Wheel tricycles in a row outdoors on a sunny day, smiling and posing for the camera. The children wear casual summer clothing. — quickpresentation11

If you didn’t bring the big wheels to the seventies summertime gatherings, you had a hard time keeping up with your friends.

20. A concert-goer at The Powder Ridge Rock Festival, August 1970

A young woman with long blonde hair wears an American flag patterned top, standing outdoors near a tent. She poses with a relaxed expression, and trees and another person are visible in the background. — ectheow3

She seems to be having a great day out there.

21. Caracas, Venezuela in the seventies

A busy city street scene from the 1960s with vintage cars, outdoor cafes with yellow umbrellas, pedestrians, and buildings featuring signs for “American,” “SAVOY,” and a bank. — ultimatelazer

It’s really the colors in this vintage photo that are able to capture that fun energy of the summertime, if one is lucky enough to find themselves traveling the world, too.

22. Someone’s mom working with her first horse that she paid for with her gig at the movie theater

A young woman with long auburn hair in a white tank top and jeans holds a lead rope attached to a gray horse, standing in a grassy field near a white fence and a large tree under a partly cloudy sky. — pickletimes

Horse training is no easy feat at all.

23. Some summer tomfoolery back in the seventies

Four boys ride bikes through a field of tall grass and wildflowers. Three of them are shirtless, and one wears a t-shirt. Trees and open land are visible in the background. The image is in black and white. — deleted

Biking through tall grass is so hard. Respect to these lads.

24. The socks say all you need to know about what decade this summer was captured in

Two kids on a sidewalk, one riding a bicycle and the other standing on a skateboard. Both wear T-shirts, shorts, and tall striped socks, with trees and grass in the background on a sunny day. — deleted

The tube socks are bringing the seventies vibes out perfectly.

25. Someone’s dad in the late seventies with his 427 Big Block Vette

A smiling person in green and yellow athletic wear stands barefoot next to a vintage gold sports car parked in a driveway, with a brick house and an American flag in the background. — basic_outlandishness

Yeah, I’d want to strike a pose in front of this car as well.

Explore more nostalgic content from past decades:

If these sun-soaked snapshots from the 1970s brought back memories of backyard barbecues and beach days, you’ll love diving into 20 Things Kids Did After School In the ’70s That Aren’t Common Anymore for even more retro fun. You can also keep the nostalgic vibes going with 20 Things You’d Instantly Recognize from the ’70s.

Tags: 1970s 70s

25 Vintage Photos from 1970s Summers