Cruising: A Nostalgic Look Back at the Joy of Driving

Cruising: A Nostalgic Look Back at the Joy of Driving


Play all audios:

Loading...

By


Aaron Kassraie,

  AARP Published June 01, 2020


Cruising has always been about the journey, not the destination. Getting behind the wheel, driving slowly and often times aimlessly, hoping to see and be seen; those are the goals — not


getting somewhere in a hurry. Car cruising had its heyday in the 1950s and into the early 1960s. After World War II, automobile manufacturing started to boom. And as more Americans became


car owners, they needed excuses to drive them. The cultural phenomenon of cruising, especially among teenagers, was born.


Today, amid the coronavirus pandemic, cruising is making a comeback. It has become a safe escape for so many who have been cooped up at home for weeks on end. Take a look at these vintage


cruising photos to get a glimpse of how Americans found joy in driving decades ago.


Members only %{postComment}%


Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign


policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English.​ ​


Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition


Join AARP to Continue Already a Member? Login


AARP NEWSLETTERS


%{ newsLetterPromoText  }%


%{ description }%

Subscribe See All Newsletters


Privacy Hub


MORE FROM AARP


See the 10 Cheapest Cars to Insure in 2020


Insure.com tallies the rates for coverage and ranks the vehicles accordingly


Drive-In Theaters Can Get You Out of the House and Keep You Safe


You can see summer movies and follow the social distancing rules


How to Keep Your Car in Shape if It's Parked Outside


Weather, lack of driving create different problems than for vehicles in garages


{ "maxItems":3, "itemsPerRow":"3", "rows":"4", "loadMore":"6", "adsNum":"0", "resultsLength":"3" }