The rise of the family road trip was witnessed in the 1950s and 1960s. Advanced automobiles, roads, and the advancement of the state wage added to the appeal of cramming everyone into a car for a protracted journey.
The colored photographs in this post feature many beautiful locations, from famous National Parks to classic roads. A family of four sits inside an exquisite 1957 Ford convertible in navy blue as they smile at the camera while parked in front of a mountain.
A brightly colored street with a small hotel and two women who appear to have arrived at their destination can be found in Virginia City, Nevada in 1954.
There is also a 1957 Dodge Wagon with a group of small children in the back of the flame-red vehicle.
In front of a large lake, the children are standing outside the back window and grinning in the sunlight.
One photograph shows a 1963 Pontiac driving on a mountainside while a bear cub strolls alongside the vehicle. Another road trip photograph is one from 1950 that was taken in Maraposa Grove in Yosemite National Park. In front of a large tree that conceals a cabin and a train, the scenes show multiple family cars and a pick-up truck parked.
In 1960, the family road trip included a stop at Jack Rabbit Ranch in New Mexico.
The scene is dominated by a solitary car parked outside at a roadside stop with old Native American-style tents.
The Rocky Mountains are also depicted in a 1950 photograph of a family of three standing on the side of the road next to their car with their arms around each other.
The timeless family road trip originated in the 1950s and 1960s, but families continue to travel by car to beautiful locations in America today, maintaining its popularity. The glory of the first road trip upsurge in American history is captured in these vintage photographs.