30 vintage photos of people camping show how different it used to be

Shelby Slauer,Erin McDowellJun 25, 2024, 02:08 IST

Two women setting up camp in 1956.Harry Kerr/Stringer/Getty Images

Camping didn't always involve fancy RVs, watching movies on iPads, or state-of-the-art campgrounds.
Camping has evolved from sleeping under the stars to camping out at music festivals and events.

While technology has been incredibly helpful in outdoor adventuring, making recreational camping simpler and more comfortable, there's something nostalgic about how basic the activity used to be.

The decked-out RVs people can now travel in can cost $20,000 to $100,000, but the price of luxury RVs can reach as high as $2 million, according to HomeGuide.

In the 1930s and following decades, however, recreational campers primarily set up simple tents or basic caravans to spend time with their friends and family outdoors. And today, simpler camping can be a great option for families wanting to spend time together — without spending a fortune — as the cost of living climbs.

These photos show what recreational camping used to be like. They might even inspire you to try it for yourself this summer.

Recreational camping looked different 100 years ago.

Two friends on a camping holiday in 1930.Fox Photos/Stringer/Getty

While the basic idea of camping was the same as we now know it — sleeping outdoors — the gear was markedly different.

People camping in France in 1930.KEYSTONE-FRANCE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

These simple tents were used regardless of weather conditions.

A father helps his son set up a tent during a hunting expedition.John Titchen/Stringer/Getty

The lack of technology made the experience much more authentic.

A group of campers talk outside of their tent in 1932.Central Press/Stringer/Getty

... but also a lot more work-intensive.

A family camps in 1934.J. A. Hampton/Stringer

Regular morning routines had to be done without a bathroom or mirror.

A group of boys shaves outside while camping in 1935.Fox Photos/Stringer/Getty

Even just making tea could be a chore.

A group of people make tea from water at a mountain stream during a camping holiday in 1931.Fox Photos/Stringer/Getty

Hammers had to be schlepped to the campsite.

A couple sets up a camping tent in 1936.Hulton Archive/Stringer/Getty

But the work was part of the fun.

Two girls set up their camping tent in 1938.Nick Yapp/Stringer/Getty

People still found ways to make their camping trips a little more comfortable.

One of the pioneers who founded San Francisco in 1849 in a rocking chair.Hulton Archive/Stringer/Getty

Forget the paper plates — some campers brought actual porcelain dinnerware.

A group of women drinks from porcelain cups while camping in 1936.Alan Webb/Stringer/Getty

Early on, camping was often done out of necessity during long travels. But over time, it became a more common recreational activity for people.

A mother grills hamburgers over a campsite grill in 1967.CORBIS/Corbis/Getty Images

Boy Scouts went on camping trips every year after their establishment in 1910.

A group of Boy Scouts sits around a fire in 1943.Harry Todd/Stringer/Getty

The Girl Scouts were established in 1912, and wilderness survival was also at their core.

A group of girls cooks a meal over an open fire around 1955.George Heyer/Stringer/Getty

As the years passed, camping became more involved.

Campers set up their tent in 1955.Richard Harrington/Stringer/Getty

Rather than just setting up tents, people began bringing RVs.

A woman and a girl on a camping holiday in 1960.Fox Photos/Stringer/Getty

The famous Volkswagen Westfalia Camper was an instant classic for campers and road trippers alike.

A woman camping in 1962.Gerry Cranham/Stringer/Getty

Having camper vans meant being able to bring more of the luxuries of home, from barware ...

Models pose with a Colt caravan in 1968.Fox Photos/Stringer/Getty

... to decorative lanterns.

Two ladies of the Annual Reunion of Members of the Camping Association of Great Britain and Ireland, September 1930.Getty/Topical Press Agency /Stringer

Camper vans also allowed campers to be more comfortable.

A woman camping in her car in 1929.Edward G. Malindine/Stringer/Getty

One could now avoid truly living in the elements.

Campers set up their caravan around 1930.General Photographic Agency/Stringer/Getty

Once campers were able to have more cover from nature, they did that instead.

A group of campers in 1978.Gerry Brents/Stringer/Getty

Camping also became a way to get good seats at events.

A group of campers outside Wimbledon in 1978.Evening Standard/Stringer/Getty

People would camp to stake out good spots at festivals.

Two fans stake out a spot a week in advance of a music festival in 1970.Evening Standard/Stringer/Getty

By the 1960s, camping was no longer just a necessity — it was a popular recreational activity.

A family gathers around a camp stove at a campsite in Wyoming in 1965.Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Writers of the Beat Generation popularized camping the old-fashioned way in the '60s.

A family on a camping holiday in 1922.Topical Press Agency/Stringer/Getty

The Beat Generation romanticized the idea of living on the road.

Camping in 1959.Bowden/Stringer/Getty

Many state and national parks upheld segregation until the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, limiting access to these outdoor spaces for Black citizens.

A family attends a picnic in Washington Park in Chicago, circa July 1973.Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Traditional camping will likely remain a popular activity for years to come, regardless of technological advancements.

Girl Scout guides working at their camp kitchen in 1924.Topical Press Agency/Stringer/Getty

Camping may keep changing, but it will never go out of style.