19 Nostalgic Photos That Show the Magic of ’90s Summer Vacations

Written by Alina Wang on May 29, 2025

A young woman in a colorful swimsuit laughs while spraying a large water gun on a sunny beach, with cars and other people in the background.

From the crackle of a Walkman to the unmistakable ding of logging onto AOL, summers in the ’90s reminded us of the simple joys in life. The days blurred together in a haze of backyard adventures, scraped knees, and bike rides that only ended when the streetlights flickered on. It was the last era of truly unplugged freedom before smartphones took over, where the biggest worry was whether our Tamagotchis would make it. Here are 20 photos of a 1990s summer that’ll take you right back to the good ol’ days.

1. ‘Summer Vacation in the Mid-1990s — Trampoline and a Sprinkler’

Two children in swim trunks are playing and jumping on a trampoline in a sunny backyard, surrounded by green trees and grass. One child is mid-air with arms raised, while the other stands on the trampoline. — danathecount

2. ‘My Family on a Road Trip, Early ’90s’

A family in a packed station wagon with a roof container waves while parked beside a large "Welcome to Colorado: Mountains and Much More!" sign under a cloudy sky. — merelala

3. ‘Feeling Cool on a ’90s Field Trip’

A group of people wearing "Summer Outing '98" shirts stand in a line on a forest path, each person leaning sideways to be visible, smiling and posing for the camera. Tall green trees surround them. — madking8

4. Beanie Babies T-Shirt? Check. Velcro Sandals? Check. Iconic? Absolutely

A young girl wearing sunglasses, a white Beanies T-shirt, shorts, socks, and sandals stands smiling outside near a palm tree in a parking lot on a sunny day. — Kbmaybe

5. ‘Don’t Come Home Until the Street Lights Turn On!’

Seven young boys with light hair, dressed in colorful summer clothes, sit and stand together outdoors on a grassy lawn, smiling at the camera. Some wear hats and most are wearing shorts and T-shirts. — nassauYATCHclub

6. ‘Summer Day in New York City, Late ’90s’

A woman and child sit on green grass with the New York City skyline and Twin Towers visible in the background on a clear, sunny day. — UserDeleted

7. Spring Break in Florida

A large crowd of people enjoy a pool party under a colorful "MTV Spring Break" sign. Many are in swimwear, holding drinks, and relaxing on pool inflatables, with palm trees and a building in the background. — Djf47021

8. ’90s Musicians Sisqo, Pink, and Tyrese Gibson

Three people smile and pose together by the ocean. One wears a white shirt and yellow shorts, one has short pink hair and a pink bikini top, and one is shirtless with sunglasses. The sky is clear and water is turquoise. — Djf47021

9. Going to SeaWorld in the ’90s

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10. How Selfies Were Done in the ’90s

A man in a blue tank top sits on the hood of a red car, filming with a camcorder. Another person faces him, also holding a video camera, while a crowd stands around them on a street. — Djf47021

11. Daytona Beach, 1999: Where Legends Were Born and Hips Did Not Lie

A man in a gray t-shirt and patterned shorts spins a hula hoop at the beach while a group of young men in swim trunks cheer him on. Palm trees and buildings are visible in the background. — Djf47021

12. Before Hot Girl Summer, Destiny’s Child Was Serving Real ’90s Glam

Four women smiling and posing together on a beach, wearing coordinated red and blue swimsuits and denim outfits, with the ocean and a blue sky in the background. — Djf47021

13. Top Down, Shirts Off: Hittin’ the Beach in the ’90s

A group of young men ride in a red convertible with the top down, smiling and wearing sunglasses, while crowds of people in swimsuits walk along a busy street on a sunny day. — Djf47021

14. No Sun? No Problem. We Can Always Crush a Couple Brewskis

Two people sit on a blanket at the beach, covered by a blue blanket, drinking canned sodas. One holds a book, and sandals and more soda cans are on the blanket. A lifeguard stand and people are visible in the background. — Djf47021

15. Just Out Vibin’ in a Red Convertible

Two people sit on the back of a red convertible at night in city traffic, smiling and wearing sunglasses. Other cars and people are visible on the busy street, with city lights in the background. — Djf47021

16. Did Adidas Pay Him for the Product Placement?

Three women in swimsuits sit on towels at the beach, smiling and relaxing, while a man in swim trunks stands in front of them, showing off a crown shape shaved into the hair on the back of his head. — Djf47021

17. Did You Even Do Summer Right in the ’90s If You Weren’t Out Slaying With Your Besties?

Three women in stylish 90s summer outfits pose confidently for a photo outdoors while a man holds a camera, capturing their picture in front of parked cars and trees. — Djf47021

18. Carmen Electra and Tyrese Gibson Hosting MTV Spring Break, 1999

Two people standing side by side outdoors. The person on the left wears sunglasses, a blue plaid sleeveless top, and swimwear bottoms. The person on the right wears a gray shirt over a white tank top and smiles at the camera. — Djf47021

19. George Costanza and the ‘Original Photobomb’ in a 1997 Episode of ‘Seinfeld’

A framed photo of a family at the beach features two boys, a woman in a bikini, and a shirtless older man smiling, with another man in glasses photobombing in the background. — rm311

Want more summer nostalgia?

Check out 23 Photos of Summer Vacation in the ’60s, 15 Photos of Summer Vacation in the ’70s, and 25 Throwback Photos of Summer Fun in the ’80s. We think you’ll also love 15 Vintage Photos of Summer Camp.