The beach has always been a popular summer hangout, whether today or a century ago. While the salty breeze and peaceful waves have the same allure, the beach itself looks quite different now than it did then. In past decades, there were no iPhones, wireless bluetooth speakers, and teeny, weeny bikinis. Instead, friends flocked to the sand in more modest bathing suits—and sometimes full outfits with heels!—to laze away the afternoon by sunbathing, bouncing beach balls, or fishing for a fresh catch. So, browse through these vintage beach photos and get a glimpse of simpler times at the seaside. And for more retro flashbacks, check out the 50 Vintage Photos That Show What Traveling Used to Look Like.
1 | Beach ballers
H. Armstrong Roberts / ClassicStock / Alamy Stock PhotoTwo pretty girls in matching bikinis and a dreamboat in the middle is a simple equation for fun in the sun in the 1950s.
2 | Happy couple
AlamyIn the 1970s, it was still romantic to take your sweetheart for a long walk on the beach.
3 | Beach bash
ClassicStock / AlamyThese two guitar players had the whole group groovin' at this teen beach party in the 1970s. And for more scenic snapshots, check out the 33 Vintage Photos That Show That Our Parents Were Actually Really Cool.
4 | Splash sisters
AlamyYou may not want to get wet when you go to the beach, but even in the 1950s, majority ruled.
5 | Dapper beach crew
Public DomainLined robes, panama hats, and full suits! Going to the beach in the 1930s was an opportunity to see and be seen.
6 | Family fun in the sun
ClassicStock / AlamyA Sunday funday perhaps? With a sweet raft like that, spending the entire day in the waves is the only acceptable option.
7 | Water-skiing wonder woman
ClassicStock / AlamyThrill seekers in the '50s—like this darling daredevil in Miami—needed only a pair of water skis and a speedboat to make them happy.
8 | Squad goals
Everett Collection / ShutterstockThese beach book worms wanted to hear one thing only: the sound of crashing waves.
9 | Ride with a view
Everett Collection Historical / AlamyTwo women take in the view from the Parachute Jump ride at Coney Island in 1950. At the time, Coney Island was the country's largest amusement park, drawing millions of annual visitors to its boardwalk and beach. And for more images from the golden age of travel, check out the 15 Beautiful Vintage Photos of Famous U.S. Tourist Attractions.
10 | Family fishing excursion
ClassicStock / AlamyA day at the beach in the 1920s meant a fresh catch for dinner—if you're lucky like this duo!
11 | Beach bum
Everett Collection / ShutterstockMagazine? Check! Radio? Check! This seaside sweetheart is ready for a full day of sunbathing.
12 | Teen dance party
AlamyFor teens in the 1960s, some good tunes and space to dance in the sand made the beach a blast.
13 | Beauties in bathing costumes
Everett Collection / ShutterstockA coterie of French women compare swimsuit styles outside of their cabanas in the coastal town of Dieppe in 1925. And for more gorgeous pictures from around the world, check out the 27 Totally Insane Travel Photos You Won't Believe Are Real.
14 | Beach backgammon
Everett Collection / ShutterstockYou know you're a serious sun seeker when you lug a full-size backgammon table all the way down the beach!
15 | Colorful beach bathers
National Geographic Image Collection / AlamyThese 1930s fashionistas formed the ultimate girl squad on a beach in St. Petersburg, Florida.
16 | Beach gymnasts
ClassicStock / AlamyThis group of kids spent an afternoon in the 1960s hanging around Laguna Beach, California... literally!
17 | Tunes on the sand
Everett Collection / ShutterstockLooking for a way to jazz up your day at the beach? Bring a portable gramophone like this woman did in the 1930s.
18 | Beach picnic
ClassicStock / AlamyA towel, sand toys, and a cooler full of snacks make for one groovy '70s family picnic.
19 | Sunny stage show
M&N / AlamySun, sand, and surf weren't the only seaside attractions a century ago. This 1928 stage show is a classic example of beach entertainment in days past.
20 | Surfer stud
Vintage Images / AlamyCatching waves has always been the number one past time of surfer dudes. Here, one man hangs ten in the 1920s.
21 | Private cabanas
The Protected Art Archive / AlamyNo sandy towels to shake out for these folks! Beach cabanas were the way to go in 1910.
22 | Spectacular sand sculpture
Henry Horenstein / Library of CongressPart whale, part shark, all fun! This little girl watches a sand creation take shape in 1979.
23 | Joyful sun seekers
Glasshouse Images / AlamyCome on in, the water's fine! This group keeps cool in 1905 by socializing during low tide.
24 | Incredible beach trolley
Glasshouse Images / AlamyHow romantic is a sky tram? This one cruises over Ocean Beach in San Francisco as the sun begins its descent, circa 1964. And for more stunning coastal escapes, check out the 17 Best Secret Beach Towns in America.
25 | Ocean water slide
Theodore Horydczak / Library of CongressYou could slide directly into the surf on this impressive water slide, circa 1910.
26 | Brighton beachgoers
George Grantham Bain Collection / Library of CongressThese formally dressed sunbathers take in the views of New York's Brighton Beach from their awning-covered, wooden chairs in 1915.
27 | Fashionable beach babes
lisagsf / FlickrWho wouldn't want to wear one of these incredible 1940s halter-top bikinis? Luckily, the high-waisted look is fashionable again if you want to try it out for yourself.
28 | Game of catch
Everett Collection / ShutterstockThere was no shortage of silly games to play in the '50s. Case in point: this backwards game of catch.
29 | Beach volleyball
Ken MacKay / AlamyBump, set, spike! A challenging game of beach volleyball in San Juan, Puerto Rico, probably sent this group home sore.
30 | Lather up
Everett Collection / ShutterstockFriends don't let friends sunburn! The bottle may be small, but the swimsuits did offer more coverage back then.
31 | Bold beach goers
ClassicStock / AlamyIt's impossible not to smile along with this colorful couple in Florida, circa 1960.
32 | Seaside viewing area
Library of CongressA shady, open-air beach viewing area—like this one in 1923—meant having a place to cool off, even if you weren't a fan of sand in your shoes.
33 | Trio of sand loungers
Everett Collection / ShutterstockThese sunbathers got cozy in their very own sand pit on the German island of Norderney in the 1930s.
34 | Race to the waves
Everett Collection / ShutterstockThere's no question these boys followed their foot race down to the water with tons of splashing and dunking.
35 | Sand castle competition
Patrick Ward / AlamyThere's a formula to creating a sturdy sand castle, and the talent was clearly on display at this competition on Manhattan Beach, California, in 1981. And if you're curious what shopping used to looked like, check out the 15 Vintage Shopping Mall Photos That'll Make You Nostalgic.
