17 Retro Vacation Habits That Would Seem Unbelievable Today
Before GPS, TSA, and endless online reviews, vacations were a completely different adventure. People packed station wagons to the brim, took roadmaps more seriously than school textbooks, and trusted postcards over Instagram to share their travels.
Kids ran wild at rest stops, parents let the sun decide when the trip was over, and safety was more of a suggestion than a requirement. Today’s ultra-planned, tech-reliant vacations would make any traveler from the past shake their head in confusion.
Let’s take a trip back to the gloriously chaotic vacation habits of yesteryear—the ones that would raise eyebrows (or alarms) today!
1. Letting Kids Roam the Beach or Amusement Park Unsupervised
Back in the day, parents would unleash their kids at the beach or theme park with a casual, “Meet us back here before dinner!” There were no cell phones, tracking apps, or helicopter parenting—just a blind faith that the kids would survive.
Today, this would send parents into a panic, and any kid wandering alone for too long would likely have security escorting them back within minutes.
2. Piling the Whole Family into a Single Motel Room
Why book multiple rooms when you could squeeze two parents, three kids, an uncle, and maybe even a dog into one motel room? The ‘60s and ‘70s were all about cramming people in like a clown car, with kids sleeping on floors, in bathtubs, or wherever there was space.
Today, with strict occupancy rules, fire codes, and an appreciation for personal space, this would probably get a family a visit from hotel security.
3. Drinking Directly from Public Water Fountains
Long before bottled water was a travel essential, thirsty tourists relied on public drinking fountains—even if the water tasted like metal or had a suspicious sulfur smell. Nobody carried their own water unless they were hiking the Grand Canyon!
Now, thanks to concerns about germs, bacteria, and who-knows-what, most people wouldn’t dare sip from an unfiltered spout in a busy tourist spot.
4. Smoking Everywhere—Even on the Plane!
Vacations meant freedom, and for many adults, that included lighting up a cigarette literally anywhere—in the hotel, at the restaurant, even mid-flight.
The idea of smoking on an airplane today is unthinkable, but in the past, cabins were thick with smoke, and “No Smoking” sections were more of a polite suggestion than a real solution.
5. Relying on Paper Maps and Asking for Directions
Before GPS, people wrestled with massive paper maps that never folded back the right way. If that failed, the next step was to pull over at a gas station and hope a friendly but possibly unreliable stranger could point you in the right direction.
These days, getting lost is nearly impossible—unless your phone passes away, at which point you might as well be stranded in another dimension.
6. Sending Postcards Instead of Texts
No instant photo-sharing back in the day! Vacationers sent postcards with cheesy greetings like “Wish you were here!” and waited weeks for them to arrive.
Today, a vacation photo is uploaded in seconds, complete with filters, hashtags, and likes—while the humble postcard gathers dust in souvenir shops.
7. Letting Kids Ride in the Back of a Pickup Truck
Nothing screamed summer road trip freedom like riding in the open bed of a pickup truck with the wind in your hair. Seatbelts? What seatbelts?
Now, this would result in immediate police intervention and a hefty fine—not to mention some very concerned onlookers.
8. Packing a Cooler Full of Homemade Sandwiches Instead of Eating Out
Fast food stops? Not always an option. Families packed giant coolers full of sandwiches, soda, and questionable potato salad, pulling over at random picnic spots to eat.
While this might seem charming today, most travelers now opt for drive-thrus, food delivery apps, or fancy airport lounges.
9. Taking Family Photos with a Film Camera
You took the photo, but did it actually turn out okay? Nobody knew until the film was developed back home.
Today’s instant digital previews would’ve seemed like pure wizardry to travelers who once crossed their fingers that everyone’s eyes were open.
10. Sunbathing with Zero Sunscreen
A deep tan was the ultimate vacation souvenir, and nobody worried about SPF. Some people even used baby oil or aluminum reflectors to speed up the process!
Today, dermatologists would have a collective heart attack at the thought.
11. Taking Hitchhikers Along for the Ride
Need a ride? Just stick your thumb out, and some friendly family on a road trip might pick you up. Totally normal in the ’60s and ’70s!
Now, with true crime podcasts and safety concerns, the idea of letting a total stranger hop in your car sounds like a Netflix horror plot.
12. Drinking Straight from the Hotel Sink or Poolside Water Hose
Bottled water wasn’t a vacation necessity because tap water and poolside hoses did the job. Who cared about taste, mineral content, or germs?
Today, even hotels provide filtered water stations because nobody trusts anything that isn’t sealed in plastic.
13. Trusting Travel Brochures Over Real Reviews
No Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Google Maps—just brightly colored brochures promising luxury experiences. Only after arriving did you realize the “oceanfront resort” actually had a parking lot view.
Now, nobody books a trip without scrolling through dozens of brutally honest online reviews.
14. Letting Kids Ride Front Seat Without a Car Seat
Car seats? What car seats? If you were a kid in the ’60s, you probably stood on the front seat next to your dad as he drove.
These days, child safety laws require car seats until kids are practically teenagers!
15. Walking Straight to the Airport Gate Without Security Checks
Airport security was so lax that family members could walk right up to the gate to see you off or meet you when you landed. No ID checks, no body scanners—just pure travel simplicity.
Now? Even your toothpaste gets suspicious looks at TSA.
16. Booking a Last-Minute Roadside Motel Without Checking Reviews
If you were tired, you pulled off at the next “Vacancy” sign—no reservations needed.
Today, that kind of blind trust in an unknown motel might result in a horror movie scenario.
17. Buying a Souvenir Ashtray as a Gift
Nothing says “I went on vacation” like bringing back an ashtray from a tourist shop.
Nowadays, gift shops push keychains, mugs, and magnets—because nobody expects a souvenir to double as a smoking accessory anymore.