Americans have always found reasons to get away. The American vacation has changed considerably over 250 years, from where we go to how we get there.
Travel looked much different early on. People relied on horses and stagecoaches to get from place to place. Trains eventually made longer trips easier, and cars gave families the freedom to travel on their own schedule. Road trips soon became part of the American vacation. Today, we have more choices than ever when it is time to get away.
Here is how vacations went from difficult journeys to something millions of us look forward to each year.
Early American Travel Was Not Exactly a Vacation
During America’s early years, most people traveled because they needed to. Journeys took time, roads could be rough, and overnight accommodations were limited.
Taverns and inns provided meals, a place to sleep, and space for horses. They also became gathering places where travelers exchanged news and learned what waited farther down the road.
By the late 1700s and early 1800s, mineral springs began drawing people who believed the water offered health benefits. These early resorts helped introduce the idea of leaving home simply to rest and enjoy a change of scenery.
Photo credit: By Mark Allyn – GNU Free
Photo credit: By LesMeloures-CC BY-SA 2.5
Railroads Changed Where Americans Could Go
The arrival of passenger rail changed American travel. Destinations that once required long, difficult journeys became easier to reach.
By the late 1800s, resorts, hotels, beaches, and mountain destinations welcomed travelers arriving by train. Railroad companies also promoted destinations along their routes, giving Americans new ideas about where to spend their time away from home.
Ohio became part of that growing travel network. Rail connections brought people into cities, small towns, lake communities, and resort areas across the state.
Amusement Parks Became Part of Summer
Americans soon found another reason to travel: amusement parks. Many early parks developed near trolley or rail lines, giving families somewhere to spend the day. Picnic grounds, music, dancing, swimming, and rides became popular summer entertainment.
Ohio’s best-known example started along Lake Erie. Cedar Point opened in 1870 as a bathing beach. Over the decades, the lakeside destination grew into the amusement park generations of families know today.
The park’s long history also shows how American vacations changed. A simple day at the beach gradually became a trip filled with rides, entertainment, hotels, dining, and attractions.
The Automobile Put Families in Charge
Once more Americans owned cars, vacations changed again. Families no longer had to plan trips around railroad schedules. They could choose the route, stop along the way, and change plans as they traveled.
Roadside America grew around them. Motels, diners, gas stations, drive-ins, souvenir shops, and unusual attractions gave motorists plenty of reasons to pull over.
Ohio sat along several important routes, including the historic National Road and the Lincoln Highway. Those roads carried generations of travelers through communities across the state.
Camping Became a Family Getaway
Camping became a favorite family vacation during the 20th century. A tent and a few days at the lake offered an affordable break from home. As camping caught on, pop-up campers, travel trailers, and RVs started appearing at campgrounds, too.
In Ohio, state parks gave families plenty of places to spend a few days away from home. Mornings might start with fishing or hiking, followed by an afternoon at the lake and dinner around the campfire.
Where Will You Go Next?
Today’s vacation can be as simple as a weekend camping trip or as big as a cross-country adventure. Travelers follow historic roads, visit amusement parks, explore small towns, stay in cabins, and head outdoors.
The transportation and destinations have changed during the past 250 years, but the desire to get away hasn’t. So pack the car, choose a direction, and make a few memories of your own. After all, the American vacation is still being written one trip at a time.
For more on how travel has changed over the years, check out The Evolution of Travel Through the Decades.
