Camping became a popular choice for family vacations starting in the 1950s. It was a cost-effective activity for large families and provided tons of outdoor space for children to run around.

More federal money was being put towards the park services, and campgrounds became increasingly crowded with families and visitors from all over the country and beyond.

Tents, hammocks, and sleeping bags have always been the most common mainstays. But with the boom in annual family vacations to campsites, the rise of the camper vans started.

Soon, it was becoming a extension of the suburban dream to have not just the house with the lawn and white picket fence, but to also own a camper van along with all of the outdoor accruement.

Camping is still a very popular mainstay in the United States with its gigantic network of National Parks across the country. Let’s take a look at what camping was like for friends and families in the 60s and 70s.

References

30 Found Photos Show What Camping Looked Like in the 1960s and ’70s. https://www.vintag.es/2023/12/vintage-camping.html

Backpacking Cuisine in the 60s and 70s. https://www.backpackingtechnology.com/blog/2022/9/20/backpacking-cuisine-in-the-60s-and-70s

The Way We Were: Florida Camping During the 1960s and 1970s. https://wildernessprincess.net/2020/03/01/the-way-we-were-florida-camping-during-the-1960s-and-1970s/