Things That Made Summer Vacation in the ’80s Totally Unforgettable

Summer vacation is in full swing, but if you grew up in the ’70s or ’80s, it probably looked a little different than it does today. Okay — a lot different.

The obvious difference? No phones. And if you see any film footage from back then, it’s almost eerie to watch people not staring at screens and actually talking to one another.

READ MORE: How Many of These Iconic '80s Summer Toys Do You Remember?

Beyond that, there was no social media, no group chats, and no text chains to coordinate plans. You just looked for the pile of bikes in front of Mikey’s house — that’s how you knew where everyone was. And if your school friends lived across town? There was a good chance you wouldn’t see them again until September. The rule was often unspoken but understood: school friends and neighborhood friends didn’t mix.

Summer in the '80s: Slow Starts, Mourning Doves, and “No Whammys!”

Your world shrank down to the kids on your block, your bike, the sprinkler in the front yard, and (if you were lucky) whatever was playing on daytime TV.

READ MORE: Iconic Movie & TV Locations '80s Kids Dreamed of Visiting

Mornings started slowly. You’d lie in bed listening to the coo of the mourning dove outside your bedroom window — more on that below — and eventually shuffle over to the TV for a little Captain Crunch and Press Your Luck, which somehow felt like a perfect hybrid of cartoons and game shows ("No Whammys!"). You’d watch until Mom yelled for you to get outside, the screen door slamming behind you. Now that’s a core memory sound.

"It's 11 o'clock. Do you know where your children are?"

You’d be out all day — every day — until the streetlights came on. You’d ride bikes to far-off neighborhoods like the kids in E.T., record songs off the radio, and raise junk food money with a hand-scrawled lemonade stand out front. Childhood summers were simple, sun-soaked, and a little bit magical.