Beaches Become Popular Destinations 

The development of passenger railroads in the mid-nineteenth century in Britain provided the middle class with an easier way to travel to the shore. A day at the beach back then did not mean splashing in the surf. Many people enjoyed beach vacations by strolling on resort boardwalks or lounging on the beach fully dressed in semi-formal attire. Men and women were often not permitted to swim in the same areas. Devices called bathing machines became popular at this time. These machines were wheeled carts that served as dressing rooms. They allowed bathers to enter the shallow surf without being seen.  

By the twentieth century, the beach vacation had spread to other European countries and to the United States. Men and women were now generally allowed to swim together. In 1920s America, going to the beach became an opportunity to exercise and get a tan. Travelling to the shore became more common. While Coney Island in Brooklyn had long been a popular destination, a subway line completed in 1920 meant that more and more people could make the trip to the beach.  

Americans Make Beach a Vacation Destination 

Improvements in transportation continued to play a part in the history of beach vacations. Early construction of the interstate highway system in the 1950s meant a family could drive from inland areas to the shore. With the growing popularity of air travel in the 1960s, Americans could conveniently travel further to reach their desired beach locations.  

Surf culture became a trend in the 1950s and 1960s, and it was popularized by television, popular music, and movies. The beach was no longer just a vacation spot. The beach came to symbolize leisure, fitness, and fun.