20 Family Road Trip Customs From the 1970s

The 1970s represented a specific era of travel that relied on physical maps and patience rather than digital tools or instant entertainment. Families piled into large station wagons and headed out on the open road with very little plan beyond reaching a specific destination. There were no screens to keep children occupied and no cell phones to call for help if the car broke down. Instead, people relied on paper guidebooks and the kindness of strangers at gas stations. This decade was a time of transition where the highway system was expanding, but the world still felt vast and disconnected. These trips were often long and exhausting, but they created a shared culture among travelers. Looking back at these customs offers a glimpse into how much technology has changed our daily family interactions today.

1. Reading Paper Road Maps

Navigating across state lines required a large paper map that was notoriously difficult to fold back into its original shape. One parent usually served as the navigator, holding the giant sheet across their lap in the front seat. They looked for red and blue lines to find the best route while trying to ignore the wind blowing through the open windows. Getting lost was a common part of the journey because there was no voice to tell you when to turn. You had to keep a sharp eye out for physical road signs and mile markers to ensure you were still on the right path. If a turn was missed, it often meant driving for miles before finding a place to turn around and check the map once again.

2. Using CB Radios

Many families installed CB radios in their cars to communicate with truck drivers and other travelers on the road. It was a popular way to hear about traffic jams or hidden police speed traps ahead of time. Everyone had a unique handle, which served as a nickname over the airwaves. Listening to the static and the rhythmic chatter of strangers made the long stretches of highway feel a bit less lonely. There was a specific etiquette to follow, and kids loved listening to the colorful language used by the pros. It provided a sense of community among those who were spending their days driving across the country. This technology was the social media of its day for people moving between different states.

3. Piling Into Station Wagons

The wood-paneled station wagon was the ultimate vessel for a family vacation during this specific decade. These large vehicles had plenty of room for suitcases and coolers, but they lacked modern safety features like headrests. Children often spent the entire trip rolling around in the very back cargo area without any seatbelts. This space was known as the way back, and it was the best place to hide from parents or make faces at the drivers in the cars behind you. The vinyl seats would get incredibly hot in the summer sun and often stick to the back of your legs. Despite the lack of comfort, these cars are a symbol of the era. They carried entire lives across the hot asphalt for weeks at a time.

4. Stopping at Stuckey’s

No road trip was truly complete without a scheduled stop at a bright teal-roofed Stuckey’s along the highway. These roadside stores were famous for their pecan log rolls and various kitschy souvenirs that tempted every child. It was a reliable place to stretch your legs and use a clean restroom after hours of driving. Parents would usually grab a quick coffee while the kids browsed the aisles of rubber snakes and postcards. The smell of sugary candy and gasoline defined the atmosphere of these locations. They were a consistent landmark that let families know they were making good progress on their long journey. Seeing that familiar roof on the horizon always brought a sense of relief to everyone.

5. Packing Metal Coolers

Before fast food was available at every single exit, families relied on heavy metal coolers packed with ice and food. These containers were filled with ham sandwiches wrapped in foil and glass bottles of soda. The ice would slowly melt over the course of the day, creating a cold slush at the bottom. Reaching in to find a drink was a refreshing but freezing task for whoever was sitting in the middle seat. Eating at a roadside picnic table was much more common than pulling into a drive-through restaurant. It saved money and allowed the kids to run around in the grass for a few minutes. The ritual of packing the cooler was the first sign that the vacation was finally starting for the whole family.

6. Playing License Plate Games

Without any electronic devices to provide entertainment, children had to rely on their own imagination and surroundings. One of the most common activities was trying to spot license plates from all 50 states. Kids would keep a running list on a piece of paper and compete to see who could find the rarest ones first. It required staring out the window for hours and paying close attention to every passing vehicle. Finding a plate from a distant place like Hawaii or Alaska was considered a major victory. This simple game turned the boring scenery of the interstate into a scavenger hunt. It helped pass the time during those long stretches of road where there was nothing else to see but trees and fields.

7. Visiting Roadside Attractions

The highways were once lined with strange and colorful attractions designed to lure tired drivers off the road. Families would stop to see the world’s largest ball of twine or a park filled with concrete dinosaurs. These spots were often cheesy and underwhelming, but they provided a much-needed break from the car. Giant statues and hand-painted signs promised wonders that rarely lived up to the hype. Still, these stops became core memories for children who marveled at the oddities found in small towns. They were a product of an era before theme parks were the primary destination for every vacation. Each stop offered a unique slice of local flavor that you just could not find anywhere else.

8. Singing Along to 8 Tracks

Music during the trip was often limited to whatever 8-track tapes the parents had chosen to bring along. These bulky plastic cartridges would frequently click loudly in the middle of a song as they changed programs. If the tape got stuck, it might unravel into a long mess of brown film that was impossible to fix. Families would listen to the same albums over and over until everyone knew every single lyric by heart. There was no way to skip a song easily, so you had to listen to the entire thing in order. The limited selection meant that the soundtrack of the summer was usually a mix of soft rock and country hits. It was a shared auditory experience that everyone in the vehicle participated in.

9. Rolling Down Windows

Air conditioning was a luxury that many older cars simply did not have, or it was too expensive to run. This meant that the windows stayed rolled down for the duration of the trip to keep the cabin cool. The constant rushing wind made it very difficult to have a quiet conversation without shouting. It also meant that hair would become a tangled mess by the time the family arrived at the motel. If it started to rain, everyone had to frantically crank their windows up to keep the interior dry. The smell of exhaust and fresh hay would drift inside as the car sped through different landscapes. It was a sensory experience that connected the passengers directly to the environment they were passing.

10. Paying With Cash

Traveling in the 1970s required carrying a significant amount of physical cash for every single expense. Credit cards were not widely accepted at small gas stations or local diners along the rural routes. Parents had to carefully budget their bills to ensure they had enough for fuel, food, and lodging. This often meant keeping money hidden in various places, like the glove box or a secret pocket. Paying for a full tank of gas involved walking inside to hand over a few dollars to the attendant. There was a constant mental tally of how much was left in the wallet before the next stop. Running out of cash in a remote area was a genuine concern that required careful planning before leaving home.

11. Collecting Gas Station Stamps

Many major oil companies offered stamps or tokens as a reward for buying gasoline at their specific stations. Families would collect these small pieces of paper and paste them into booklets to earn prizes. It was a way to build loyalty and gave the children something to keep track of during the journey. Once a book was full, it could be traded in for household items like clocks or blankets. Kids would beg their parents to stop at a certain brand just to get the right stamps for their collection. It turned a mundane chore into a recurring game that lasted for the entire length of the trip. These little rewards were a staple of the roadside economy and added a bit of fun to every fill-up.

12. Staying in Motor Courts

Before large hotel chains dominated the landscape, families usually stayed in small independent motor courts. These were often U-shaped buildings where you could park your car directly in front of your room door. They featured neon signs and sometimes a small swimming pool that was the highlight for the kids. The rooms were simple and often smelled of old wood or cleaning supplies from a different era. There was a sense of adventure in pulling into a new town and looking for a vacancy sign. You never really knew what the quality would be until you stepped inside and saw the bedspreads. These motels offered a personal touch and a direct connection to the local community of the area.

13. Using Pay Phones

Staying in touch with relatives while on the road meant finding a functioning pay phone at a rest area. You had to have a pocket full of quarters ready to make a long-distance call to let people know you arrived. There was often a line of people waiting their turn to use the booth under the hot sun. Conversations were kept short and direct because every minute cost more money to maintain the line. If the car broke down, you had to walk to the nearest phone to call for a tow truck or help. There was no way to be reached once you were back on the highway and moving again. This meant that families were truly off the grid and independent until they reached their next stop.

14. Checking the Oil

Cars in the 1970s required much more frequent maintenance and attention than the vehicles we drive today. It was a standard custom to check the oil level and the coolant every time you stopped for gasoline. The gas station attendant would often offer to do this for you while the tank was being filled. They would wash the windshield and check the tire pressure as part of their regular service. Parents often carried an extra quart of oil in the trunk just in case the engine started to run low. Keeping the machine running smoothly was a hands-on task that everyone understood was necessary. It was a time when drivers had to have a basic knowledge of how their car actually functioned.

15. Enduring Secondhand Smoke

During this era, it was very common for adults to smoke cigarettes inside the car while driving for hours. With the windows up or only cracked, the interior would quickly fill with a thick haze. Children sat in the back seat and simply had to deal with the smell and the stinging in their eyes. There were ashtrays built into the armrests of almost every door for the passengers to use. It was a socially acceptable habit that rarely received any complaints from the other family members. The scent would cling to the upholstery and the clothes of everyone inside the vehicle for weeks. It was a lingering part of the atmosphere that defined the interior of many classic family cars.

16. Sleeping on the Floor

When a family of five or six stayed in a single motel room, someone usually ended up on the floor. Parents would take the beds while the children scrambled to make a nest out of extra blankets and pillows. It was considered a normal part of the vacation experience to save money on extra lodging costs. The carpet was often rough and thin, but after a long day of driving, no one really cared. Waking up in a cramped room with suitcases everywhere was a sign of a successful day on the road. It fostered a sense of closeness and shared struggle that made the trip feel like a true adventure. These nights were often filled with whispered jokes and laughter before everyone drifted off.

17. Reading Billboard Signs

The landscape was dotted with large billboards that provided the only information about what was coming up next. These signs advertised everything from local diners and motels to upcoming religious messages or attractions. Some companies, like Wall Drug or South of the Border, would place signs hundreds of miles in advance. Families would count down the miles as they saw the numbers on the boards slowly get smaller and smaller. It created a sense of anticipation for a destination that they had been reading about for hours. The bright colors and catchy slogans were a primary source of visual interest on long rural roads. They served as a physical timeline for the progress the family was making each day.

18. Taking Polaroid Photos

Capturing memories of the trip involved using a camera that produced a physical print almost immediately. The white-bordered photos would slowly develop before your eyes after being pulled from the machine. Families had to be careful with how many pictures they took because the film was quite expensive. You could not see if the shot was good until it was already taken and the moment had passed. These photos often had a specific warm tint that gave everything a nostalgic and fuzzy appearance. They were tucked into wallets or taped to the dashboard to remind everyone of the fun they were having. These instant snapshots provided a tangible connection to the sights and people met along the way.

19. Navigating Detour Signs

Road construction was a constant presence and often meant following a series of orange signs onto back roads. These detours could add hours to a trip as the car meandered through small towns and farm country. There was no way to know how long the delay would last or where exactly the road was leading you. It forced families to see parts of the country they never would have visited on the main highway. Parents would have to consult the map again to make sure the detour eventually looped back around. While frustrating, these unplanned diversions often led to the most interesting discoveries of the journey. They were a reminder that the trip was about the entire experience and not just the end.

20. Eating at Roadside Parks

Long before modern rest areas with food courts existed, states maintained simple roadside parks for travelers. These spots usually featured a few concrete tables and a grill located under a grove of trees. Families would pull over to unload their coolers and enjoy a meal in the fresh air and quiet. It was a chance for the driver to rest their eyes and for the kids to burn off some energy. There was often a simple swing set or a small creek for the children to explore for a few minutes. These parks offered a peaceful break from the noise and vibration of the car on the hot pavement. They were a staple of the American road trip and provided a scenic backdrop for many family lunches.

• Tags:
• road trip
• 70s life
• Old Customs
• 70s road trip
• road traditions