Before the age of minivans and SUVs, American families rolled down the highway in the family station wagon. These wooden chariots were more than just a means of transportation, they were mobile family rooms where families created countless memories. Join us for some station wagon nostalgia and relive a time when every family road trip became an adventure.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. The Rear-Facing Back Seat
- 2 2. The Wood Paneling
- 3 3. The Cargo Space Playground
- 4 4. The Manual Windows
- 5 5. The Tailgate Games
- 6 6. The Metal Cooler
- 7 7. The Highway Games
- 8 8. The Road Maps
- 9 9. The Drive-In Experience
- 10 10. The Vinyl Seats
- 11 11. The AM Radio
- 12 12. The “Way Back” Naps
- 13 13. The Window Decals
- 14 14. The Roadside Picnics
- 15 15. The Emergency Kit
- 16 16. The Luggage Rack
1. The Rear-Facing Back Seat
That rear-facing third-row seat was the most coveted place in the car. It was our private domain to wave, and make funny faces, at the people behind us. Unlike every other seat in the car, this perked up seat allowed us to sit and watch the world go by instead of just the backs of the other passengers.
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2. The Wood Paneling
Those wooden sides were more than just decorations. They were the mark of a true suburban family. With a wooden maybe even real wooden side they could style and class that scream, “We are going to the lake house” regardless of if it was just running errands.
3. The Cargo Space Playground
We had our own living room for the road where we could spread out blankets, pull out our comics, and play our games. With the back set folded down, the living room even had sliding windows for fresh air. We could even nap.
4. The Manual Windows
The hand crank windows of yesteryear were mini workout machines! We would compete to see who could get their window up and down the fastest! Every now and then the window would get stuck and the only way to free it was to summon all the strength and will of Hercules. The click, click, click noise was the soundtrack to our summer road trips.
5. The Tailgate Games
The fold down tailgate was not just a door. It served as a picnic table, a seat for watching fireworks, and a stage for impromptu performances. No matter what roadside rest stop we pulled into, the tailgate became the center of family activity.
6. The Metal Cooler
That red plaid metal cooler was a road trip must have! The sound of shifting ice and tapping glass as drinks were pulled from the cooler, kept us from begging to stop at restaurants! We packed it with wax paper sandwiches and drinks to save money on the road.
7. The Highway Games
Before electronic devices were invented road trips were boring. We had to find entertainment ourselves. Simple family competitions like counting the number of Volkswagen Beetles on the road made the simple highway stretches interesting. We played games like license plate bingo and the alphabet game.
8. The Road Maps
The huge paper maps we got from the gas stations were like treasure maps. Being the navigator was a position of great responsibility. Each crease, stain, and fold from countless family trips showed the journey of each family. It was an art form to fold the maps correctly.
9. The Drive-In Experience
The drive-in movie theater experience was best in a station wagon. You could flip down the tailgate, back in the wagon, and set up a bunch of blankets and pillows in the back. You’d have the best seats in the house! Often the kids would fall asleep long before the second show even started.
10. The Vinyl Seats
Looking back on our family trips, we did not have the luxury of air conditioning or even vents in the rear of the station wagon so cooling the back area was impossible. The traditional vinyl seats could be easily cleaned, but they also heated up to unbearable temperatures. We all learned that it was essential to put down a towel to protect us from the vinyl seats that would leave skin behind as seats were worse than getting burned on the seat belt. We wish the sound of peeling skin from the seats was a sound that we could forget the longest road trips of our childhood.
11. The AM Radio
As we crossed state lines with our only entertainment option being a single-speaker AM radio, Dad fiddled with the radio to try to find news or baseball games for his enjoyment while we hoped for a music station to break through the static.
12. The “Way Back” Naps
There was nothing more peaceful than the gentle rocking of the station wagon that put all of us to sleep. with the sleeping bags and pillows we lugged along available to create nests. It was quiet for our parents while they drove out the miles.
13. The Window Decals
Each of the various sightseeing stops allowed us to grab a new sticker decal for the back window. These were like merit badges, proving we had been to places like Rock City, Wall Drug, or the Grand Canyon.
14. The Roadside Picnics
Mom’s Oatmeal Raisin cookies were part of our meals on the go as we drove and we converted the tailgate of the wagon into a picnic table. Concrete picnic table made roadside rest stops turned into our dining room.
15. The Emergency Kit
The family wagon was always stocked with the emergency gear which included jumper cables, tools, flashlights, and blankets. Dad was like a hero because he could fix almost anything with those basic tools.
16. The Luggage Rack
Dad seemed to enjoy his packing puzzle to strap down the bags and camping gear. The chrome roof rack was like a giant game board for him. When he loaded everything up, we started having our family vacation.
