20 Retro Photos That Capture Hitchhiking’s Heyday in the ’70s and ’80s
Hitchhiking in the ’70s and ’80s were more than just a way to get around; for many, it was a rite of passage. With backpacks slung over shoulders and thumbs pointed toward the open road, young adventurers from New York City to Oregon were fueled by the decade’s sense of wanderlust and connection. Long before Uber, strangers became companions — and each ride held the promise of an unforgettable story in the making. Here are 20 vintage photos that capture the untamed spirit of hitchhiking.
1. Three Women Hitchhike Along Highway 1 in Big Sur, California, 1971
2. Washington, D.C.-Bound Hitchhiker Seen on the New Jersey Turnpike, 1971
3. ‘Make Sure To Smile and Not Look Like a Serial Killer’
4. Fashion Shoot or Hitchhiker?
5. ‘Two Women Hitchhiking in Toronto, Canada, 1974’
6. Hippies Flash the Peace Sign as They Hitchhike, 1971
7. ‘My Dad, Hitchhiking From Michigan to California, 1973’
8. ‘My Mom Hitchhiking in California, 1972’
9. A Hitchhiker Pictured With His Dog Tripper on Route 66, May 1972
10. ‘My Dad Hitchhiking in Canada at 15 Years Old, 1974’
11. Hitchhiking on Steroids: Boys Catch a Free Ride on the Back of a City Bus in New York City, 1970
12. Ozzy Osbourne, aka the Prince of Darkness, Hitchhiking His Way Home, 1977
13. ‘Hitchhiking in Boston, Massachusetts, Circa Early ’70s’
14. Two Disheveled Hitchhikers Try Making Their Way to the Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic Near Austin, Texas, 1980
15. Paul McCartney of the Beatles Pretends to Hitchhike in Toronto, 1989
16. A Man Hitchhikes By a Country Road, Circa 1972
17. ‘My Cool Aunt Hitchhiking Through the Rockies in the ’70s’
18. A 19-Year-Old Jim Carrey Shows His Unique Method of Hitchhiking, 1981
19. ‘A Hitchhiker in Luxemburg, 1977’
20. ‘My Dad Hitchhiking Across the US in the ’70s’
Wondering what else was in the zeitgeist at the time?
Take a look at these 15 Defining Moments That Shaped the 1970s, along with 20 Vintage Photos of Surf Culture in the 1960s and ’70s. And if you’re looking for more road trip nostalgia, check out 11 Retro Photos That Capture Road Trip Magic.