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25 Vintage Photos Of Road Trips In the 1960s and 1970s

Nostalgia Technology Travel Vintage Photos May 16, 2025

Last Updated on May 16, 2025 by Colby Droscher

There was something undeniably special about hitting the open road in the ’60s and ’70s. Before smartphones and GPS, road trips were all about folding maps, radio static, and the thrill of the unknown. Families squeezed into station wagons with coolers and Polaroids, and friends cruised in vans plastered with bumper stickers and dreams of the open road.

It wasn’t just about the destination, it was the journey that defined the era. Gas was cheap, the music was loud, and every stop along the way felt like an adventure waiting to happen. Roadside diners, quirky motels, and hand-painted signs became part of the story, etched into memories and photo albums. Here are 25 vintage photos from road trips in the 1960s and ’70s.

1. They broke down in the middle of the desert, 1960s

Two people sit on rocky ground in a desert landscape, facing away from the camera, sharing drinks with a bottle between them. Mountains and a dramatic cloudy sky are visible in the background.
crisscrosshotsauce

They’re making the best of a bad situation.

2. Taking a family trip to the Continental Divide, late ’70s

Three people stand in front of the Monarch Pass Continental Divide sign (elevation 11,312 feet), with a white pickup truck parked behind them on a sunny day.
snowflake

Families need to take trips to random places like this more often.

3. A late ’70s road trip to Pennsylvania

A woman wearing headphones reads a SLAM magazine in a car, while a boy beside her listens to music on a large portable stereo and raises his hand. Both appear relaxed and casually dressed.
aprocessunderstood

There were no screens to kill time, just magazines and stereos.

4. Flat tires are a part of the journey

A person with blonde hair kneels by the rear tire of a blue car parked on a highway shoulder. Surfboards are strapped to the car roof, and the road stretches into the distance beside grassy fields.
userdeleted

This surfer is heading from Florida to California in search of bigger waves.

5. Family road trip

A family in a brown station wagon packed with luggage passes a large colorful sign that reads "Welcome to Colorado. Mountains and Much More!" under a cloudy sky.
merelala

That car is packed to the brim with people and supplies.

6. A 1960s station wagon trip

Three children sit in the open back of a station wagon, reading and relaxing with books and pillows. An adult stands nearby outside the car. A house and another car are visible in the background on a sunny day.
big_shot_gangster

Seat belts were optional.

7. Roadside picnic, 1960

Four people sit at a small table eating a meal beside a vintage car parked on the roadside, surrounded by trees and forest on a sunny day. Camping supplies are in the car’s open trunk.
diosmioman63

Roadside picnics were a great way to save money and to break up the trip.

8. Calling home for directions

A man in sunglasses and a black tank top stands by a New England Telephone payphone, holding a folded map. He appears to be looking at the map, with houses and a white picket fence in the background.
littlefoot1195

Road tripping in the pre-GPS era was tough to say the least.

9. Welcome to Utah

A person stands under a large "Welcome to Utah" sign next to a deserted highway, with wide open desert landscape and distant hills under a clear blue sky.
pats_preludes

If you pass a state sign, it’s tradition to take a photo with it.

10. Steve McQueen and his wife, Neile Adams

A man and woman relax on a blanket by rocky seaside cliffs. The man reclines, holding a cigarette, while the woman sits upright, wearing sunglasses and holding a glass of white wine. A picnic basket is nearby.
007butnotcool

This photo was taken during their famous 1964 California road trip.

11. Family road trip, 1987

A woman stands smiling in front of a red car with two children on the roof posing playfully next to an upside-down bicycle. The scene is set in front of blue houses on a suburban street.
gdbeav

Rumor has it those boys rode just like that for the trip.

12. Get cozy in the back of the truck

Four children sit inside the covered bed of a pickup truck, surrounded by blankets, bags, and stuffed toys, smiling at the camera. The setting appears cozy and playful, with a metallic interior.
kutiecat

I hope Dad didn’t hit any major bumps.

13. A quick stop for some lunch

Two children sit in the open trunk of a packed vintage station wagon, eating snacks and drinking milk, parked by a road in a wooded area.
ststeveg

Bringing milk on a road trip is a questionable choice.

14. Mom needed to stretch her legs

A yellow van is parked on a deserted dirt road. Two children stand by the open back, while a person lies face down on the road. Another person walks in the distance under a clear blue sky.
la-zy-boy

That kid on the road has had enough of his siblings.

15. The end of a long road trip

A young woman in shorts and a sleeveless shirt leans against an old pickup truck parked near trees and mountains, with the truck door open behind her. The photo is in black and white.
castman_2020

This photo was taken in Yosemite Valley, California, in 1966.

16. Road trip through the redwoods, 1975

A person in a denim jacket stands next to a red Honda motorcycle with a yellow bag strapped to the back, in a grassy, wooded outdoor setting.
castman_2020

A road trip on a bike sounds like it could be a sticky situation.

17. A 1979 road trip to Kansas

A young man with blond hair relaxes on a plaid seat, wearing large headphones and lying next to a vintage boombox. He appears to be enjoying music, eyes closed, with his hand resting near his ear.
gtasut

He’s bumping the Styx.

18. The whole family is in that car

castman_2020

They’re taking a road trip to Grand Teton National Park, 1964.

19. Hanging out in the camper, late ’70s

can-do-it-

Hauling a house behind your car had its perks.

20. Another bike trip, late 1970s

mixwell_foh

He drove his bike from Pennsylvania to Colorado.

21. Is it a road trip if it’s on a horse?

A woman wearing a cowboy hat sits on a saddled horse loaded with gear and supplies. A dog sits on top of the packs. The scene is outdoors, surrounded by trees, in a black-and-white photo.
janis_miriam

This woman went on a 500-mile solo trip from Washington to Montana in 1968.

22. Post-graduation road trip

Three women stand in front of a customized van with red and orange designs; two of them are looking at a "Lost River" sign while the third smiles and looks at them. A white building is in the background.
poohbear1025

When you’re young and have the time, a cross-country road trip with friends is always a good choice.

23. Pets need a bathroom break too

A woman in a red shirt stands next to a light-colored vintage car with a small dog on a leash, on what appears to be a ferry or metal deck, surrounded by greenery.
cczaphod

The car is a 1967 Cadillac Sedan de Ville.

24. Road tripping in the early ’70s

Four people lean against the front of a vintage blue bus on a road, smiling. Two men are on the left, a woman is in the center, and a man in a plaid shirt is on the right. Trees are visible in the background.
hesjuggernaut

This is your sign to rent a bus and drive cross-country.

25. They rented a Winnebago, 1979

Eight men stand outside a white RV on a gravel lot. They are casually dressed in 1970s-style clothing, including plaid pants and collared shirts, and pose together, some smiling at the camera.
userdeleted

They’re going on a cross-country trip to see a baseball game.

Want to see some more vintage ’60s and ’70s content?

Take a look at 35 Vintage Photos of the 1960s, or check out 20 Family Photos from the 1960s That Capture the True Spirit of the ’60s. If you want to check out what life was like in the ’70s, take a look at 40 Vintage Photos of the Mid-1970s.

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