31 '50s Beach Pics to Kick Off Memorial Day Weekend

Carly Tennes Published 05/24/2024 in wow

After a long winter and a pollen-filled spring, summer has finally arrived! Memorial Day is finally here, kicking off everyone's favorite season. While we may celebrate our extra day off with trips to the beach and a dip in the lake, we're far from the only ones to do so — just take a look back at 1950s beach culture.

From James Dean walking along the sand to Muscle Beach patrons living up to its name, here are 31 old-school photos of 50s beach days.

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1. “My dad on a beach in the '50s.”
2. “Fit family posing at Muscle Beach in California in the 1950’s.”
3. “Albert Einstein at the beach (1950s).”
4. “Fashionable young women on the beach, Florida, 1950.”
5. “My grandfather in the 50s, taking his new camera to the beach.”
6. “Beach Babe 1950s-1960s.”
7. “My grandparents on a beach in the 50s.”
8. “My great grandmother in Panama City Beach, at a local steakhouse sometime in the 50s.”
9. “My grandparents on the beach in the 50s.”
10. “My grandparents at the beach in 1950. Forever cooler than I'll ever be.”
11. “My grandparents 1950's on beach UK.”
12. “My Grandmother Being Glamorous On The Beach In The Early 50s.”
13. “Bettie Page modeling on the beach 1950’s.”
14. “Natalie Wood and some 50s era beach hijinks.”
15. “Bikinis and the Beach, 1950s.”
16. “My Dad in the 50's doing a handstand on the Santa Monica beach.”
17. “My Grandma at Daytona Beach in the early 50’s.”
18. “A beautiful young family at Chicken Bone Beach, the segregated section of Atlantic City's beach area, 1950s.”
19. “Sylvia Plath at the beach in the 1950s.”
20. “My grandpa, grandma, and mom at a beach on Lake Michigan, 1950s.”
21. “Beach date in 1950s.”
22. “A group of friends pose on Muscle Beach at Santa Monica, 1950.”
23. “My grandparents at the beach in the 50s.”
24. “50s beach bunnies.”
25. “On the beach, 1950’s.”
26. “Hanging at Atlantic City's Chicken Bone Beach in the 1950s.”
27. “James Dean and girlfriend Barbara Glenn at the beach in the 50s.”
28. “My grandfather at a beach. Late 50s to early 60s.”
29. “1950s African American Beach Beauties.”
30. “On the beach, 1950’s.”
31. “My in laws —NY beach in the 50s.”

1. “My dad on a beach in the '50s.”
2. “Fit family posing at Muscle Beach in California in the 1950’s.”
3. “Albert Einstein at the beach (1950s).”
4. “Fashionable young women on the beach, Florida, 1950.”
5. “My grandfather in the 50s, taking his new camera to the beach.”
6. “Beach Babe 1950s-1960s.”
7. “My grandparents on a beach in the 50s.”
8. “My great grandmother in Panama City Beach, at a local steakhouse sometime in the 50s.”
9. “My grandparents on the beach in the 50s.”
10. “My grandparents at the beach in 1950. Forever cooler than I'll ever be.”
11. “My grandparents 1950's on beach UK.”
12. “My Grandmother Being Glamorous On The Beach In The Early 50s.”
13. “Bettie Page modeling on the beach 1950’s.”
14. “Natalie Wood and some 50s era beach hijinks.”
15. “Bikinis and the Beach, 1950s.”
16. “My Dad in the 50's doing a handstand on the Santa Monica beach.”
17. “My Grandma at Daytona Beach in the early 50’s.”
18. “A beautiful young family at Chicken Bone Beach, the segregated section of Atlantic City's beach area, 1950s.”
19. “Sylvia Plath at the beach in the 1950s.”
20. “My grandpa, grandma, and mom at a beach on Lake Michigan, 1950s.”
21. “Beach date in 1950s.”
22. “A group of friends pose on Muscle Beach at Santa Monica, 1950.”
23. “My grandparents at the beach in the 50s.”
24. “50s beach bunnies.”
25. “On the beach, 1950’s.”
26. “Hanging at Atlantic City's Chicken Bone Beach in the 1950s.”
27. “James Dean and girlfriend Barbara Glenn at the beach in the 50s.”
28. “My grandfather at a beach. Late 50s to early 60s.”
29. “1950s African American Beach Beauties.”
30. “On the beach, 1950’s.”
31. “My in laws —NY beach in the 50s.”