Lifestyle / Nostalgia

21 Vintage Photos of 1960s-1970s Surf Culture

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A group of young people in swimsuits gather around a white convertible on a sandy beach, holding surfboards. One person sits on the car playing guitar, while others stand nearby, with the ocean waves in the background.
Via Reddit

This vintage 1960s surf culture photos collection can instantly transport you back to a sun-soaked time in history when “hanging ten” was a rite of passage. You’ll be able to feel the rhythm of beachside jam sessions, and also feel the overall electric thrill of catching that picture-perfect wave right before the massive crowds feel. The ’60s truly were a magical time to be alive and a part of the surfing scene. These 21 vintage photos do it justice.

1. Love the red on this truck from a surfer back in the 1970s.

A man with blond hair and a mustache leans out the window of a red pickup truck. A surfboard with pink edges rests in the truck bed. The background shows grassy fields under a cloudy sky.
yestertoday

This guy seems like he’s caught some great waves, indeed.

2. Look at these lads getting ready to take on the big waves, circa 1960

A group of young people in swimsuits sit on the sand beneath a row of large surfboards propped up against a railing, with more people standing behind them. The scene appears vintage and is in black and white.
Screenshot

The moment before you go and catch that next epic wave can be one filled with anticipation.

3. You don’t want to fall out of line when catching the waves

Five surfers ride a large ocean wave together, balancing on their surfboards under a bright sky, creating a dynamic and energetic scene.
histoyrincolor

Seriously, surfing can end up being its own kind of contact sport.

4. I just wonder what they’re laughing about

Three young adults in yellow swimsuits smile and relax by a large green and black striped surfboard on a sunny beach with the ocean in the background.
lifeisincolor

Everyone is just radiant in this shot.

5. People really loved to bring their cars out on the beach

A group of young adults in swimsuits stand by a white convertible on a sandy beach, holding surfboards and chatting. One person sits on the car playing guitar. Waves roll in behind them under a clear sky.
kharvocoin

The classic Mustang really elevates the whole ’60s-’70s surfing aesthetic here.

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6. Nice red surfboard

Two men in swim trunks stand on a sandy beach with rocks, smiling and talking, with a red and white surfboard propped upright between them. The sky is clear and blue.
lifeisfullofcolor

Yeah, that’s a nicely looked after surfboard indeed.

7. This guy’s ready to shred

A man in swim trunks stands in front of a row of very tall surfboards, some towering above him, with trees and a wooden structure in the background.
lifeisfullofculor

Definitely ready to shred it up.

8. The mantras are probably being perfected

Seven women in swimsuits lie on the sand in a star formation, each with one arm extended and holding hands, their bodies aligned with long water skis radiating outward like spokes.
lifeisfullofcolor

They’ve no doubt transcended.

9. The surfer vans of the ’60s and ’70s were just built different

Four people sit by a van with its back door open, two surfboards upright nearby. The scene is set against a rocky hillside. The image is black and white, with a relaxed, outdoor atmosphere.
lifeisincolor

The vans for the surfers were just too clutch.

10. The pink shorts are truly radical

Two surfers with light hair, wearing shorts, stand in shallow water holding surfboards, facing toward incoming waves. The ocean is choppy, with whitecaps, and a sandy shoreline is visible in the background.
lifeisincolor

If you didn’t have pink surf shorts back in the day, then what were you really doing?

11. The wooden van is something special

A vintage wood-paneled station wagon with its back open, showing a surfboard and a colorful striped towel inside. The car has a California license plate and is parked among other vehicles.
lifeisincolor

A wooden surfing van? Doesn’t get much more ’60s or ’70s than that.

12. The views must’ve been electric up there

A crowd of people, some seated on sand and others on elevated platforms with cameras, watch an event at a beach on a sunny day. Wooden fences and more spectators are visible in the background.
lifeincolor

The lifeguard chairs are special.

13. The Southern California surf culture was elite in 1964

Vintage beach scene with classic cars and vans parked on sand, crowded with people sunbathing, surfing, and gathering near a wooden hut under a hazy sky by the ocean.
lifeisincolo

Southern California was the place to be for epic surfing sessions.

14. Surfing during the Vietnam War, at Bãi Sau (Back Beach), Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

A person in swim trunks carries a surfboard on a sandy beach lined with barbed wire, metal fencing, and yellow barrels, with hills and the ocean visible in the background.
gagator43

This actually looks like a great place to surf it up.

15. He seems to be putting on some kind of demonstration or another

Five women in vintage swimsuits stand on a sandy beach, with one woman using a stick to draw or point at something on the ground. A large building sits on a hill in the background.
yesterdaytodaytribute

The real question is, just what kind of demonstration are we talking about here?

16. The fits really speak to that vintage ’60s surfing vibe

Three women in vintage swimsuits walk on a beach, each holding a wooden paddleboard. The background shows rocky cliffs under a clear sky. The image is black and white and appears to be from the mid-20th century.
lifeisincolor

Their fits are that perfect blend of classy and athletically versatile.

17. Surfboards are no easy thing to lug around

A woman in a swimsuit stands on a sandy beach, holding up a large surfboard vertically beside her. The background includes scattered seaweed, a fence, and some laundry hanging to dry.
lifeisincolor

No kidding, surfboards can get really heavy, really quickly after a long day out in the water.

18. Women surfers at the beach, circirca 1960s

Two women in swimsuits walk on a sandy beach carrying long surfboards under their arms, with mountains and clouds in the background. The image is in black and white.
electricalaspect13

Looks like a perfect day to surf away.

19. Everyone is gathered to take in that surf vibe

A group of young people in swimsuits sit on the back of a car filled with surfboards, parked on a beach. The scene captures a carefree, vintage summertime vibe.
lifeisincolor

They really loaded up that rig with plenty of boards, didn’t they?

20. Cesar Romero as The Joker, getting ready to out surf Batman on Season 3 Episode

A person dressed as a classic Joker character stands on a sandy beach, holding a tall green surfboard with a sticker of their face on it. The ocean and sky are calm in the background.
navearsurfing

Simply iconic.

21. The colors pop off in this one like none other

A group of surfers in yellow shorts holding colorful surfboards gather on a beach, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, with palm trees in the background.
Screenshot

Surfing competitions can actually get quite competitive.

Explore more nostalgic content:

If you’re craving even more sandy nostalgia, check out our 20 Rare Vintage Photos From California’s Coastal Past or relive a sun-lotion-soaked day with 20 Vintage Beach Photos That Show Summer Was Better in the Seventies.

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Meet the Writer


Matt Staff

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.



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