Travel By Decade: Top Destinations, Trends And Iconic Trips
A guide to where Britain went on holiday, decade by decade.
Pick an era below for its destinations, how the holiday worked at the time, what changed and what people remember.
Every guide now has an iconic trips section too - the journeys of the decade, with dates.
Each guide links to that decade's calendar, music, food, games and year pages.
Cards and prints, drawn and printed by us
Funny cards, travel and milestone art prints and pin badges, printed in the UK. Order on a working day and it usually goes out the same day.
Happy Valentines Day, Bab (Valentines Day Card)
£3.87
"Woof Woof" Sausage Dog Valentines Day Card
£3.87
Happy Valentines Day Card From The Cats
£3.87
Happy Valentines Day, My Love (Valentines Day Card)
£3.87
You're Purr-fect To Me (Cat Valentines Day Card)
£3.87
Happy Birthday Papa (Happy Birthday Card) (Multiple designs)
£3.87
Pick a decade
- 1920s - The seaside by train, a week at most, and abroad only for the well off. Guide: /blogs/news/1920s-travel
- 1930s - Paid holidays arrive, Butlin's opens, and the seaside becomes an institution. Guide: /blogs/news/1930s-travel
- 1940s - No holidays during the war, then the seaside again as soon as it was allowed. Guide: /blogs/news/1940s-travel
- 1950s - The last great seaside decade, and the first charter flights abroad. Guide: /blogs/news/1950s-travel
- 1960s - The package holiday takes off and Spain replaces Skegness. Guide: /blogs/news/1960s-travel
- 1970s - Spain, self-catering apartments and the seaside town beginning to struggle. Guide: /blogs/news/1970s-travel
- 1980s - Cheap flights, Club 18-30 and the holiday as a status symbol. Guide: /blogs/news/1980s-travel
- 1990s - Budget airlines, the Channel Tunnel and city breaks. Guide: /blogs/news/1990s-travel
- 2000s - Book it yourself online, fly for a fiver, and go for a weekend. Guide: /blogs/news/2000s-travel
- 2010s - Airbnb, Instagram and the holiday photographed more than it was had. Guide: /blogs/news/2010s-travel
- 2020s - Travel stops, restarts, and comes back more expensive. Guide: /blogs/news/2020s-travel
How holidays changed
- 1920s-1940s: the seaside by train, and only if your employer paid you for the week.
- 1950s-1960s: the car, the holiday camp, then the first charter flights to Spain.
- 1970s-1980s: package holidays for everyone, and British resorts losing their regulars.
- 1990s-2000s: budget airlines, city breaks and booking it yourself.
- 2010s-2020s: Airbnb and Instagram, then a full stop in 2020 and a more expensive restart.
How to write it so it lands
- Pair a decade's travel guide with its music and food guides for a full themed evening.
- Bring a map - people point at places long after they stop naming them.
- Postcards make a better display than photographs and are easier to find second-hand.
Where to shop next
- 1920s holidays and travel
- 1930s holidays and travel
- 1940s holidays and travel
- 1950s holidays and travel
- 1960s holidays and travel
- 1970s holidays and travel
- 1980s holidays and travel
- 1990s holidays and travel
- 2000s holidays and travel
- 2010s holidays and travel
- 2020s holidays and travel
- The 2020s so far
- The 2010s: the whole decade
- The 2000s: the whole decade
- The 1990s: the whole decade
- The 1980s: the whole decade
- The 1970s: the whole decade
- The 1960s: the whole decade
- The 1950s: the whole decade
- The 1940s: the whole decade
- The 1930s: the whole decade
- The 1920s: the whole decade
- Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
- Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
- Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
- Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
- Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
- Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
- Decade calendar: every year from 1920
- Decade trivia: fun facts by era
- Nostalgia gift shop
- Guess the year quiz
- Milestone birthday cards
- All decade guides in one place
- Decade history by era
- Decade films: best movies and directors
- Decade art: artists, styles and trends
- Decade technology: gadgets and computers
- Decade shopping guides
- Decade games: board, card and video games by era
- Decade quizzes: questions and answers by era
- Decade trivia game: play for points
- Decade quiz: test your memory
- Shop art prints and posters
- Shop greetings cards
- Shop birthday cards
- Shop funny cards
- Retro party supplies
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Good luck cards
- All guides
Frequently asked questions
What decades are covered?
Every decade from the 1920s to the present, each with its destinations, practicalities, trends and memories.
Is this UK focused?
Yes - British holidays and where British holidaymakers went, including the seaside years and the package-holiday boom.
Can I use these for a quiz or care home session?
Yes, freely. Print them, read them out, copy them - no permission needed.
What is a good example of decade travel guides?
"1920s-1940s: the seaside by train, and only if your employer paid you for the week." is one of 16 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.