Road tripping in the 1960s and '70s was both popular and affordable.

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With the cross-country interstate materializing, automobiles on the rise, a booming economy, and a growing travel bug, families loaded up their station wagons and hit the road in the mid-20th century.Road tripping in the '60s and '70s was popular and affordable, and for many people, these cross-country vacations were the first time families experienced life outside their own towns. Many Americans grew up road tripping, and the shared experience is something they still bond over today — though high gas prices may make road trips more difficult this year. Here's a look back at Americans who hit the road, ready for family bonding, exploration, and plenty of mishaps along the way.

In the early 1960s, Americans realized the relative ease and low cost of cross-country road trips.

The signature camper loaded up with endless supplies.