Airstream, the sleek silver RV brand, surged in an American postwar road trip boom by embracing tourism as a lifestyle.

The 1950s saw the rise of the modern American road trip

Commercial air travel made international vacations more commonplace.

'Vacation' wasn't common for Americans until the mid-1800s, when it became a luxury for the wealthy.

Commercial air travel's early days: Flights were short, cold, depressurized, and generally comfortable

After World War II, airlines competed for their high-end passengers by offering cocktails, meals, and plush seats, cultivating the image of the elite "Jet Set." By the 1960s, air transport was completely changing global trade and offering big profits to companies able to ship via plane.

The National Park Service responded to the postwar influx of visitors with a massive project

At the 100th birthday of Route 66, a look at what makes it distinctive

The iconic road from Chicago to Santa Monica was first laid out by Cyrus Avery, a member of the highway board, in the 1920s. Before the interstate system was created in the 1950s (rendering the route a tourist route), Route 66 became the site of major roadside attractions, food stops, and lore as early American drivers explored the countryside by highway. This visual-rich essay showcases its origins and how the route stands today.

The US' coastal vacation destinations were developed with the aid of railroad companies, creating pivotal aspects of the vacation industry.

After World War I, consumerism began to usurp frugality as a foundational value in American life and culture.

Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post created an idealized American life

The Saturday Evening Post’s circulation exploded in the early 20th century, due in no small part to Rockwell’s iconic cover illustrations, which often portrayed idyllic portraits of American life from the not-so-distant past. This documentary explores how Rockwell’s covers played on national nostalgia, creating a vision of the country that grew to be associated with the American Dream.

The slow disappearance of America's roadside attractions

Roadside attractions, as defined by Jane Stern, are quirky, oddball landmarks. Instead of corporate entertainment, charms like a giant twine ball, a shabby dinosaur sculpture exhibit, or hand-painted oddities beckon travelers off the interstate. These roadside attractions have declined in recent years, but Stern commemorates their value and reflects on the joy of discovering unusual and homemade wonders in this piece.

Thomas Cook invented modern tourism in the 19th century by creating package tours and travel guides for aspiring travelers.

100 years of passenger air travel: a visual guide

This interactive timeline covers the first 100 years of passenger air travel, which was created in 1925 when the U.S. Post Office allowed private airlines to start delivering mail.

Atlantic City was a major vacation destination in the early 20th century

The city’s boardwalk, filled with amusement parks and vendors, became a significant attraction for vacationing families. The town also became a hub for entertainment, with actors often starting there before heading to Broadway.

The first motel appeared in 1925

The Milestone Mo-Tel was designed by Arthur and Alfred Heneman. The two architect brothers in San Luis Obispo noticed Americans choosing road trip vacations—which grew in popularity in the 1920s—but had limited sleeping options outside of campgrounds. The Milestone Mo-Tel was later renamed the Motel Inn.

'Mystery hikes' were a popular attraction in the 1930s

Still reeling from the Great Depression, many Americans were looking for low-cost (or free) activities. Some travel agencies curated "mystery hikes," which offered intrepid amblers the opportunity to be set on a blind adventure.

‘The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby’ mapped a major transition

The hilarious 1963 story offered insight into how Americans were shifting away from elite interests to “low culture” by focusing on customized cars and their teen enthusiasts in Southern California. Wolfe pokes fun at the trend while also recognizing young people’s post-war desire for freedom, individualism and creativity.

Jeep culture, explained

Jeeps originated as all-purpose vehicles in World War II and have since become the most common off-road vehicle. Owners greet each other with a wave, but there's a pecking order. Drivers of younger, less-modified models are expected to initiate the wave to older, vintage Jeeps. Also, all those rubber ducks are tokens left on that particular Jeep from admirers.

William HH Murray spurred American interest in rustic retreats, characterizing them as necessary respites from the country's oppressive urban centers.

Why airships are making a comeback as a cheap, fast transport solution

Airships, including blimps, have had a pretty bad reputation since the tragic incendiary crash of the Hindenburg in New Jersey in 1937. But an intense competition is ongoing between airship manufacturers looking to develop the trucks of the sky: a...

Explore a gallery of electric vehicles from before 1920

In 1884, Thomas Parker invented the first practical electric car in London. By the turn of the century, early EVs were seen on the streets of Washington, DC. Automaker promotional materials included photographs of cars on mountain roads and other terrains.

World War II innovations helped advance car racing

Modern American auto racing began in the 1920s with bootleggers modifying cars to outrun authorities. World War II innovations like better engines and surplus parts fueled post-war racing. By 1947, Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR, creating a unified league with consistent rules, transforming stock car racing into one of America’s favorite sports.

Cookout and barbecue culture boomed in post-war 1950s America

Magazines like "Life" fueled the outdoor cooking craze, and by 1955, barbecue had grown into a $100 million industry. American Studies scholar Kristin L. Matthews explains that the trend fit neatly with Cold War-era consumerism and the emphasis on home ownership.

High fuel prices and fuel shortages revived dormant interest in EVs

Electric vehicles, in the form of motorized carriages, predate the invention of the gas-powered automobile by over 40 years. The latter's affordability made it more popular until technological advances made EVs more viable to consumers in the early 2000s.

The Volkswagen bus returns to the US market after 20 years

Volkswagen will start selling battery-powered versions of its VW bus in North America from 2024 onwards, a reintroduction of the iconic vehicle after a roughly two decade-long hiatus. See the revamped bus here.

Bottled water started as a 19th-century wellness trend

Selling drinking water in America began at resorts in New York and West Virginia, where tourists were encouraged to take the regenerative mineral water back to their homes.

How the US built the Interstate Highway system

As late as World War II, it took a well-prepared motorist roughly 10 days to cross America from coast to coast in a car. That all changed when the nation undertook its biggest public infrastructure project in 1956, the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, initiating a 36-year, $114B mission to lay 41,000 miles of roads across America. Watch a smart overview here.

The American diner evolved from a 'lunch wagon' into a restaurant

Providence, Rhode Island's Walter Scott began serving homemade dishes from a freight wagon to late-night workers, who were looking for meals long after proper restaurants had closed for the night. Scott quickly inspired dozens of copycats, crowding the streets and leading to complaints. Soon, Scott and his imitators parked their carts, which became the earliest American diners.

The history of American summer camps

The modern summer camp was created in 1861 by a boarding school educator who wanted to teach his students military-grade self-sufficiency and discipline. Over the next century, the camp evolved, providing a solution for parents anxious about their kids' thin connections with nature and simplicity. This Atlas Obscura article traces the history from modest, independent operations to a sprawling seasonal industry.

A $50 bet led to the first American coast-to-coast road trip, a journey that cost the driver $260K in today's money.

Explore a timeline of advancements in American aviation

From the Wright brothers' flight of the first powered plane in 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to SpaceX's debut of the Falcon 9 rocket in 2010 with reusable boosters, this interactive shows off the technological evolution of flight, from mechanical propulsion to ballistic spaceflight. (Some users may experience a paywall.)