Remarkable vintage photos of American presidents on vacation

Out of (Oval) office

For all its undeniable perks, being the president of the United States is surely one of the most stressful jobs on the planet. However, over the years, the country's commanders-in-chief have found plenty of ways to relax. From playing (lots of) golf to going on safari, from fishing expeditions to time spent with family, this insightful collection of historic images reveals how America's leaders have spent their vacations.

Read on to see US presidents enjoying time away from the Oval Office...

1903: Theodore Roosevelt and the great outdoors

The United States of America is a land rich in the beautiful outdoors. You don't need to tell that to Theodore Roosevelt, of course, pictured here taking in the sights of California's Yosemite Valley with the Scottish naturalist John Muir. Nicknamed 'the conservation president,' the 26th President is widely credited with laying the foundations of America's national parks system.

1937: Franklin D Roosevelt lands the catch of the day

Before the horrors of World War II, Franklin D Roosevelt enjoyed fishing expeditions in the Gulf of Mexico. The broad smile you can see here beneath the 32nd President's round sunglasses is the result of landing a 77-pound tarpon.

1947: Harry S Truman relaxes in Florida

In this image we see a hat-wearing Harry S Truman relaxing under a giant palm in Key West, Florida, enjoying a spot of light reading. Eagle-eyed observers will notice the book on the grass beside him is about one of his predecessors, a certain Abraham Lincoln.

1953: Down by the river with Dwight D Eisenhower

Dwight D Eisenhower was an avid outdoorsman, known for his love of fishing, hunting, and shooting. Here we see the 34th President at the Swan Hereford Ranch on the south fork of the North Platte River in Colorado, holding up a rainbow trout he's just caught. Ike (as Eisenhower was widely known) was also a keen golfer.

1962: John F Kennedy out on the water

John F Kennedy owned many boats and loved nothing more than being out on the water. For him, sailing was a way to temporarily escape the heavy burdens of his office. Here we see him aboard a US Coast Guard yacht named Manitou in 1962, looking stylish in a leather jacket and sunglasses, conversing with his brother-in-law Peter Lawford.

1963: The Kennedys and their dogs

Taken on the patio of their Squaw Island House in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, this photo shows the Kennedys (including the 35th President) enjoying some idyllic time in the sun surrounded by puppies and dogs. This blissful scene was captured just three months before Kennedy's shocking assassination in Dallas.

1968: Lyndon B Johnson wanders through a meadow

Looking like a scene from a John Wayne movie, this photo shows President Lyndon B Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson relaxing in the long grass at the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, Texas. It was taken in July 1968, a few months after Johnson surprised the nation by announcing he wouldn't be seeking reelection.

1969: All aboard with Richard Nixon

Taken in March 1969, just a couple of months after he was sworn in as president, this photograph shows Richard Nixon aboard the government yacht, Julie. It was taken just before a cruise on Biscayne Bay, Florida. The photo shows Nixon smiling and waving – a world away from the embittered figure he would cut as the Watergate scandal eventually brought his presidency crashing down.

1973: Gerald Ford enjoys filming his photographer

Taken at the Mauna Kea Resort in Hawaii in December 1973, this fun vacation snap shows Vice President Gerald Ford messing around with a camcorder on the beach. Smiling next to him is his wife, Betty. Ford would become the 38th President of the United States following the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974.

Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

1979: Jimmy Carter soaks up the sunshine

You'd be hard-pressed to find a photo of a US president looking more relaxed than Jimmy Carter does here. Taken aboard the Delta Queen, an American sternwheel steamboat, it shows a shoeless Carter enjoying a moment of peace during his 'working vacation' steaming down the Mississippi River.

1984: Ronald and Nancy Reagan get up close with history

Captured during a famous diplomatic visit to China in April 1984, this image shows Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy smiling among the sculptures of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's legendary Terracotta Army, which date from the late 200s BC. The figures are usually off-limits to all but archaeologists, and the photo underscores some of the rare privileges that come with being president.

1986: The Reagans go for a quiet beach walk in Bali

Since Ronald Reagan was a movie star before becoming the 40th President, the cinematic feel of this photo should be no surprise. Taken in Bali, Indonesia, it shows Reagan strolling down a quiet beach with his wife Nancy.

1991: George HW Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger's big day out

No, you're not imagining it. That really is George HW Bush tobogganing with legendary bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. This remarkable photo of the 41st President enjoying a snow day with the star of Predator and The Terminator was captured at Camp David. Schwarzenegger went on to become the 38th Governor of California from 2003-2011. 

1991: George HW Bush tries to forget his troubles with a game of golf

When you're the president of the United States, it can be hard to cut yourself off from outside noise. George HW Bush is giving it a go here with a 6am game of golf, played against the backdrop of the 1991 Gulf War.

1997: Bill Clinton goes sailing with the Kennedys

Photographed here in the summer of 1997, we see a cap-wearing Bill Clinton hanging out with various members of the Kennedy political dynasty. The boat Clinton is on is owned by Senator Ted Kennedy. It's sailing here off Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

1998: Bill and Hillary Clinton on an African safari

In 1998, President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton went on a 12-day tour of Africa. And while it wasn't primarily a vacation, with various diplomatic meetings and environmental discussions taking place, the Clintons did find time to enjoy a safari in Chobe National Park in Botswana. Here we see them waving to the trailing media, while a herd of elephants drinks at the water's edge behind them.

2001: George W Bush and his father at the golf course

On his 55th birthday President George W Bush played a round of golf with his father, former President George HW Bush. Taken at Cape Arundel Golf Club in Kennebunkport, the two Bushes wear hats bearing numbers reflecting their places in the presidential order.

2013: Barack Obama takes his bike for a spin

Taken during their week-long vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, this photograph shows Barack Obama and his daughter Malia taking their bikes for a leafy spin. As you'll see on the next slide, the 44th President has a thing for sporty breaks.

2017: Barack Obama goes kitesurfing

When Obama left the Oval Office in January 2017, he took an extended vacation. Heading to Richard Branson's Necker Island retreat with his wife, Michelle, he tried his hand at kitesurfing. Pictured here smiling goofily between attempts, and without the weight of the world on his shoulders, the 44th President cuts a relaxed figure.

2017: Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe on the golf course

You don't need us to tell you that the 45th (and now 47th) President, Donald Trump, likes a spot of golf. Pictured here in 2017, we see him on the green in Florida alongside Japan's then-prime minister Shinzo Abe. After meeting in the Oval Office, the pair decided to discuss US-Japanese relations over a round.

2022: Joe Biden riding his bike at the beach

Joe Biden is pictured here riding his bicycle while on vacation in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, in 2022. Cycling with his family and a large security detail, the 46th President looks in good spirits. 

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING 

Now discover surprising facts you never knew about America's former presidents