The history of beach vacations captured in vintage photos

Seaside breaks through the ages

Seaside breaks date back to the Roman times, but it wasn't until the mid-19th century that the prospect of sun, sea and good times became a must for vacationing aristocracy and the upper classes. Developments in infrastructure in the 20th century meant even more people could enjoy a break on the coast, and as international travel kicked off, destinations in France, Spain and Italy became top choices for glamorous movie stars and the rich and famous.

Click or scroll through as we step back in time and look at the history of some of the world's most famous coastal escapes.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Atlantic City's potential as a resort town was realized as early as 1853, when the city's first hotel, the Belloe House, opened its doors. A year later, train services began on the Camden and Atlantic Railroad and soon nearly half a million visitors per year were pouring into Atlantic City to enjoy a sojourn by the beach. In this snap, high society make the most of the newly finished Atlantic City Boardwalk in 1890.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

In the first three decades of the 20th century, Atlantic City's shores were full to the brim come summer. This photo was snapped in 1915 and sees hundreds of vacationers dot the sands. Behind it, the Atlantic City Boardwalk had grown to host numerous hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, and is seen here humming with activity too.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

After the Second World War, beachside destinations on America's East Coast continued to boom. Atlantic City became the home of the Miss America pageant, legalized casino gambling in 1976 and, during the 1960s, became America's hot spot for nightclub entertainment. Here, families, friends and couples relax on Atlantic City's sandy beach in 1957.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

However, these decades also represented a torrid period of American history. Racial tensions were rife and America’s shores remained officially segregated right up until the 1960s (with unofficial divides remaining even after the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964). Strands such as Chicken Bone Beach (pictured), an exclusively African-American area of Atlantic City’s shoreline, were formed in the first half of the 20th century. It’s pictured here buzzing with beachgoers circa the 1950s.

Bognor Regis, England, UK

Some 55 miles (89km) south of London, stretched along England's south coast, is Bognor Regis, which was developed as a seaside resort by Sir Richard Hotham in the late 18th century. A railway connection was eventually established in 1864 and visitor numbers grew rapidly. It's also said that Jane Austen's novel Sanditon drew inspiration from Hotham and his new resort. Vacationers are seen enjoying the walks on the promenade in the first of the spring sunshine in this photo from March 1929.

Bognor Regis, England, UK

As the Second World War drew to a close and life returned to some form of normality, resort towns, including Bognor Regis, were flourishing once more. In this shot from 1945 you can barely see the shingle between the sunbathers, and the promenade lining the beach is busy with people too. The first vacation camp here was opened by Butlin's in 1960 (although the amusement park and zoo had already existed for nearly 30 years) and it remained one of the most popular family destinations in England until the rise of package vacations.

Coney Island, New York, USA

Perhaps no place is more synonymous with the American summer vacations of yore than New York's Coney Island, which began attracting vacationers back in the 19th century when it was just a beach with no amusement parks, fast food booths or other entertainment. This photo dates right back to 1897 and captures a group of young sun-seekers burying their friend in the sand.

Coney Island, New York, USA

The fabulously kitsch rides and amusements of Brooklyn's Coney Island have certainly made this beach destination what it is today. Its very first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, made its debut in 1884 and the wonderfully wacky Luna Park followed in 1903. It entertained vacationers for over four decades before it was ravaged by fire in 1944. Here visitors gather around the park's entryway, with its flags, turrets and giant half-moons, shortly after it opened.

Coney Island, New York, USA

Fast-forward to the 1940s and Coney Island was as popular as ever. In this aerial shot, hordes of vacationers appear like ants across Coney Island's sands and boardwalk, as a pair of women ride the now defunct Parachute Jump. The ride was part of Coney's Steeplechase Park, which closed its gates in the 1960s.

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Coney Island, New York, USA

Coney Island attracted vacationers with its bounty of sweet treats too. In this gloriously nostalgic snap from 1948, a mother lifts up an eager child, so she can accept a sugary cloud from Jimmies cotton candy shack, while the young boy is already tucking into his.

Coney Island, New York, USA

Vacations in the Caribbean and other far-flung destinations gained popularity during the 1980s among those who could afford it – but back on American soil, the shores of Coney Island were still heaving. Here, at the tail end of the decade, Coney Island's sandy strand swarms with people. Rubber rings, umbrellas, beach towels and balls add splashes of color to Brooklyn's famous beach as families enjoy their vacation time.

Blackpool, England, UK

By the middle of the 18th century, sea bathing – thought to prevent and cure diseases – was a fashionable practice among the wealthier classes. Blackpool, on England's northwest coast, was perfectly placed for such activities. But it wasn't until the mid-1800s that this seaside haunt really started coming into its own, thanks to some early vacation cottages and the arrival of a railway line. Blackpool's seafront is captured here at the turn of the 20th century, with a number of bathing machines (Victorian-era changing rooms) lined up for potential swimmers.

Blackpool, England, UK

Throughout the 20th century, Blackpool offered everything Brits could want from a family vacation: sun (if they got lucky), sea, sand and the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a loud, proud amusement park that dates to the late 1800s. In this nostalgia-inducing snap from the 1930s, park-goers take a spin on the Pleasure Beach's tumble bug ride.

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Blackpool, England, UK

During the 1950s and 1960s, Blackpool became England's most popular seaside resort, attracting visitors from all over the country. In summer, Blackpool Beach, with its piers and promenade, played host to throngs of vacationers, who rode donkeys, ate ice cream and lazed on the sands. This snap taken during the height of summer in July 1951, captures the iconic Blackpool Tower looming over the crowds of people.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Arguably Massachusetts' most famous destination, Cape Cod has been drawing in vacationers for more than a century, offering city dwellers a summer haven by the coast with more than 60 public beaches. This photograph, taken at the tail end of the Roaring Twenties, pictures glamorous young sunbathers basking on a beach at Buzzards Bay. The neat waterside houses and patterned umbrellas no doubt brighten the scene.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Some three decades later, in the 1950s, Cape Cod's popularity with vacationers showed no sign of waning and it was one of the top vacation spots for families from New York City, Boston and even Philadelphia. This sandy, umbrella-carpeted beach is actually on Nantucket, a dinky island that lies just off the cape. A quieter escape than Cape Cod at the time, Nantucket soon became what's known as a summer colony in the US – a well-established vacation destination, popular among the rich and famous.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

The area's allure only increased when President John F. Kennedy, who vacationed in Hyannis Port in Cape Cod himself, established the Cape Cod National Seashore. A new wave of vacation villages bloomed to cope with the ever-increasing traveler numbers. Here, a family is pictured relaxing in front of their vacation cottage at the Kalmar Village in 1960. The village is still operational and many of its cottages date back to the 1940s, when it was first opened.

Costa Brava: Tossa de Mar, Spain

Across the pond (and the Celtic Sea), Spanish tourist resorts such as Costa Brava and Costa Blanca became increasingly popular with wealthier Brits, who mainly traveled on package vacations that had started to appear in the 1950s. While these Mediterranean spots typically attracted tourists from the UK, some well-off Americans keen to pair a fly-and-flop break with a tour of Europe could be found on these beaches too. Pictured here is Tossa de Mar, a resort especially popular with British sunseekers, in 1965.

Costa Brava: Palamós, Spain

There was a steady uptick in tourism from the 1950s and 1960s onwards, as package vacations became a little more affordable. And, by the 1980s, Spain's beaches were thronged with people come summertime. Here, families cruise on inflatables in the ocean or sit elbow-to-elbow on the shores, shading themselves under umbrellas. This snap was taken in Palamós, another top Costa Brava destination for Brits, in 1981.

Miami, Florida, USA

Of course, the mother of all America's sun-sea-sand destinations, especially through the 1950s and 1960s, was Florida, the Sunshine State. Miami mushroomed in popularity in the first half of the 20th century: dozens of glitzy Art Deco hotels and resorts sprang up and vacationers flocked to the city's sand-trimmed shores like never before. This photo dates to the 1930s and captures a group of young friends having lunch by the pool at a Miami hotel.

Sanibel Island, Florida, USA

Beyond the buzz of Miami, Florida had plenty of quieter tourist spots too. Destinations such as Sanibel Island, a Floridian barrier island that juts into the Gulf of Mexico, offered a more sedate escape through the 1950s and beyond. A couple enjoy the shade of a palm tree in this 1955 photo taken on a Sanibel Island beach.

Cypress Gardens, Florida, USA

Another draw for tourists to the Sunshine State was Winter Haven's Cypress Gardens. Often tipped as Florida's first major tourist attraction, the site was a theme park and botanical garden that opened in 1936. Cypress Gardens was famed for its water-ski shows, first introduced to entertain visiting Second World War soldiers. The show saw the skiers perform elaborate routines and eventually tourists would come to enjoy the sport for themselves. This water-skiing clan was snapped trying their hand at the sport in 1959.

Gulf Coast, Florida, USA

By the 1940s, self-catering vacation cottages and chalets close to the seaside, and often a stone’s throw from major highways, were a frequent sight too. Most parks would also have plenty of space for trailers and RVs. Pictured here is a trailer camp on Florida's Gulf Coast around 1950.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Another popular vacation particular to Florida is spring break. It was in the 1930s that the notoriously lively tradition got its start, and US college students began heading to warmer beach destinations, like Daytona Beach in Florida, to celebrate the end of term. Eventually spring break became a rite of passage. Here, a group of Broward Business College students can be seen dancing the twist on the beach in Fort Lauderdale in 1962.

Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Florida remained the destination of choice through the 1960s. As new hotels, resorts and amusements continued to spring up near the coast, the Sunshine State was flooded with people each summer and continues to be a popular vacation destination today. Here, sun-worshippers relax beneath the palms on Miami Beach in southern Florida circa 1965.

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American Beach, Florida, USA

Up until the mid-1960s, racial segregation affected most parts of life – even a simple family activity like going to the beach. As most areas in and around Jacksonville didn't welcome Black vacationers, several beaches for minorities popped up, most notably, American Beach on Amelia Island. The largest and most popular beach community among African Americans, American Beach Historic District is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Here, a young family is photographed on American Beach in 1958.

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A luxury exclusive to the upper echelons of society, lounging on Copacabana beach was something most Europeans and Americans could only dream of. Nonetheless, the Brazilian bolthole soon became a legendary destination, with 5-star hotels, first-class restaurants and entertainment facilities springing up ready to welcome everyone from royalty to movie stars. This photo, taken from Copacabana Palace circa 1930, captures the famous sands and the equally iconic wavy tiling of its beach promenade.

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Copacabana's popularity boomed in the 1970s, a decade that saw several hotel redevelopments, the relaying of the promenade tiles and further airline links to Europe and the US. Here, thriving Copacabana is captured in the late 1970s.

Côte d'Azur: Cannes, France

Côte d'Azur, or the French Riviera, covers most of the French Mediterranean coastline and the end of the 18th century saw the region develop into a fashionable health resort and vacation destination for the British upper classes. Many notable Brits were among regular visitors, including Queen Victoria and Edward VII (then Prince of Wales). By the turn of the 20th century, a summer escape to Côte d'Azur was a must among the wealthy. Here, people are seen wandering beneath the palm trees of Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes in the early 1900s.

Côte d'Azur: Cannes, France

While much of Europe was still recovering from the First World War, the strength of the US dollar meant Americans became staple visitors to the French Riviera – everyone from businessmen and artists to movie stars and politicians came here to mingle. This influx of Americans is largely responsible for the birth of the summer high season in Côte d'Azur, but it was Coco Chanel who made sunbathing fashionable among the upper classes of Paris and beyond: she was snapped sporting a striking tan in the summer of 1923, as she hopped off a yacht in Cannes. In this image from 1925 beachgoers are captured enjoying the sun at Plage Les Baigneurs, also in Cannes.

Côte d'Azur: Nice, France

Another French Riviera city, Nice, was equally en vogue, especially for aristocrats who preferred to escape the gloomy British winter and settle here until spring. Nice's popularity boomed even more following the refurbishment of the city's main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais, in 1931. In this image, captured shortly after its opening, people are seen enjoying a casual stroll, with the stunning Casino de la Jetée in the background. Sadly, the casino was stripped of all its metals for the German war effort during the Second World War and destroyed.

Côte d'Azur: Cannes, France

After the Second World War, many of the French Riviera's towns and cities were quite badly damaged, especially Saint-Tropez. However, the end of the war brought back artists, like Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso, who both returned to live here. Cannes really came to life in 1946, when the Cannes Film Festival was launched, marking the return of French cinema to world screens. Here, fans are captured in 1959 waiting for their favorite movie stars to arrive at the Carlton Hotel for the festival.

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Côte d'Azur: Saint-Tropez, France

Soon the ruined Saint-Tropez got a new lease of life too. Featured in the 1956 flick And God Created Woman, starring Brigitte Bardot, Saint-Tropez became an international tourist destination, particularly for the "jet set" (a term used to describe society figures traveling around the world on jet planes). Here, a wealthy couple arrives at the harbor of Saint-Tropez in their MG sports car in the mid-1960s.

Côte d'Azur: Nice, France

Nice, meanwhile, enjoyed major development during the 1960s and was transformed from solely a vacation destination to an international hot spot for conventions and summits. This spurred on a building spree of high-rise apartments and real estate, drawing in more visitors than ever. Here, the crowded Nice shoreline is pictured in August 1963.

Italian Riviera: Paraggi Beach, Italy

Another European destination making the most of wealthy visitors was the Italian Riviera. Stretching along the Ligurian coast, from the French border to La Spezia, the region has captured the hearts of many over the decades, from writers and poets to fashion designers and movie stars. A hotel in the Paraggi Beach is captured here early in the morning in 1948, with the unfolded beach chairs expecting eager sunbathers.

Italian Riviera: Portofino, Italy

Portofino was (and arguably still is) the most famous of all the resorts on the Italian coast. By the 1950s, glamorous movie stars from across the pond – most notably Rita Hayworth, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Humphrey Bogart – all set their sights on Portofino for their vacations. This nostalgic shot from the 1950s perfectly captures the atmospheric town and its picturesque harbor.

 

Italian Riviera: Paraggi Beach, Italy

As most beaches on the Ligurian coast are rocky and Portofino doesn't have a beach at all, it was no surprise when the clear blue waters and golden sands of Paraggi, just north of Portofino, started attracting hordes of visitors. Here, a couple is seen relaxing among rows of beach chairs in Paraggi in 1952.

Brighton, England, UK

Much loved by King George IV, Brighton has been a top seaside destination from London since the 1800s, when a railway link was established. Most of Brighton's major attractions – including the Grand Hotel, West Pier (now in ruins) and Palace Pier – were built during the 19th century too. This vintage shot captures the Palace Pier shortly after opening.

Brighton, England, UK

Soon after the end of the Second World War the day-trippers returned to Brighton and its pebbly beach. The city grew significantly over the coming decades and saw the opening of many new hotels, restaurants, amusements and other entertainment venues. This lovely photo captures a group of friends relaxing on the beach next to a 'cockles and whelks' sign so synonymous with the British seaside.

 

Margate, England, UK

Another English seaside resort town that really boomed in the Victorian era (and between the two World Wars) was Margate. Amusement rides had existed here since 1880, but Dreamland proper didn't open until 1920. As the theme park and its wooden coaster, The Scenic Railway, found its feet, day-trippers descended on Margate. The famous roller coaster is pictured here in action during the 1930s.

Margate, England, UK

After the Second World War, Margate enjoyed a few more decades of success before package vacations to warmer climes came into the mainstream. This photo from 1955 captures hundreds of sun-seekers making the most of the unusually hot September temperatures.

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