How to Channel the Vintage Golden Age of Travel in Modern Day

Travel today is fast, convenient, and endlessly accessible. Budget airlines whisk us across continents, hotel apps give us instant bookings, and Instagram fills our feeds with inspiration every second. Yet despite all the modern ease, many travelers long for the romance of the past—the days when travel felt glamorous, intentional, and steeped in style.

The “Golden Age of Travel”—roughly spanning the 1920s through the 1960s—wasn’t just about the destination. It was about the journey itself. Think ocean liners with ballrooms, stylish Pan Am stewardesses serving champagne on real china, and travelers in tailored suits and chic dresses walking through train stations with leather steamer trunks.

The good news? You can still capture that sense of vintage charm in your travels today. Here’s how to channel the golden age of travel while embracing the conveniences of modern life.

Embrace the Romance of the Journey

During the golden age, getting there was half the adventure. Travelers dressed for the occasion, savored fine dining in transit, and admired the scenic routes from trains, ships, or planes.

How to Bring It Back Today:

• Choose slower travel: Take a scenic train ride like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Europe or the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada. These trips echo the glamour of vintage locomotives.
• Savor layovers: Instead of rushing, enjoy airport lounges or explore a city during a long layover.
• Make travel days special: Pack a good book, a notebook for journaling, or even bring a little travel tea set. Treat the journey as an experience, not just a commute.

Dress the Part

One hallmark of vintage travel was style. Men wore tailored suits, fedoras, and polished shoes. Women opted for elegant dresses, hats, gloves, and pearls. People took pride in looking sharp while exploring the world.

Modern Twist:

• Swap the sweatpants for chic, comfortable outfits: tailored trousers, linen jumpsuits, or vintage-inspired dresses.
• Accessorize with silk scarves, classic sunglasses (aviators or cat-eye frames), and structured handbags.
• Go for timeless footwear: loafers, ballet flats, or low block heels. Comfortable, but refined.

When you feel dressed for the part, your mindset shifts—suddenly, your trip feels more intentional and glamorous.

Travel with Vintage-Inspired Luggage

There’s something undeniably stylish about old-school suitcases and steamer trunks. While no one wants to drag a heavy leather case through modern airports, there are ways to achieve the look without the hassle.

Tips:

• Invest in retro-inspired luggage brands like SteamLine Luggage, Globe-Trotter, or AWAY’s heritage-inspired designs.
• Carry a vintage-style carry-on: A hard-shell case with leather straps instantly channels nostalgia.
• Don’t forget the weekender bag: Leather duffels and canvas totes are practical yet timeless.
• Add luggage tags with old-school flair—brass, embossed leather, or replicas of Pan Am tags.

Your luggage sets the tone. When it looks sophisticated, your travel experience feels elevated.

Step into Historic Hotels

During the golden age, hotels weren’t just places to sleep—they were destinations themselves. Grand ballrooms, Art Deco lobbies, and rooftop cocktail bars made them icons of luxury.

Where to Stay:

• The Plaza Hotel in New York City – still dripping with Old World elegance.
• Raffles in Singapore – colonial charm and a rich legacy of hosting famous writers and celebrities.
• Hotel Ritz in Paris – beloved by Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway.

Even if you’re on a budget, consider visiting historic hotel bars or lobbies for a drink. You’ll instantly feel transported to another era.

Recreate the Dining Experience

Travel dining in the golden age meant full-course meals served with linen, silverware, and crystal glasses. Ocean liners offered multi-course menus, while airlines like Pan Am and TWA served steak and lobster in-flight.

How to Channel It:

• Pack a picnic: Skip the fast food and prepare baguettes, cheese, fruit, and wine for a train ride or road trip.
• Dine in iconic establishments: Seek out restaurants with long histories or those that still carry mid-century décor.
• Order a classic cocktail: Martinis, Manhattans, or champagne instantly feel vintage.

Dining like this makes travel feel celebratory, not rushed.

Collect Souvenirs the Vintage Way

Before airports were filled with generic souvenir shops, travelers brought home keepsakes that truly told a story—hand-painted postcards, travel posters, or artisanal goods.

Vintage-Inspired Souvenir Ideas:

• Collect postcards and stamps from each destination.
• Look for retro travel posters (originals or reproductions).
• Choose locally made crafts rather than mass-produced items.
• Keep a leather-bound travel journal for sketches, notes, and ticket stubs.

These souvenirs aren’t just trinkets; they’re pieces of history you carry with you.

Lean Into Old-School Entertainment

In the golden age, travel entertainment was simpler—card games, books, conversations, or live music in lounges.

Modern Applications:

• Carry a deck of cards, a vintage-style journal, or a fountain pen for writing.
• Download swing, jazz, or retro playlists for the road.
• Try analog photography: a Polaroid camera or film camera instantly gives you nostalgic travel photos.

This helps you unplug from screens and connect with the romance of travel.

Experience Retro Transportation

The journey defines the vintage vibe. Luckily, some of these experiences are still possible today.

Bucket List Ideas:

• Ocean liner cruising: Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 offers transatlantic voyages reminiscent of Titanic-era crossings.
• Luxury trains: Ride The Orient Express in Europe or the Blue Train in South Africa.
• Classic cars: Rent a vintage convertible for a coastal road trip.
• Historic streetcars: Explore New Orleans, Lisbon, or San Francisco via their iconic trams.

These modes of travel slow down the pace and bring back a sense of wonder.

Adopt the Golden Age Mindset

Perhaps the most important part of channeling vintage travel is the mindset. Travelers once embraced patience, curiosity, and intentionality.

How to Practice This Today:

• Travel slower. Spend more days in fewer places.
• Engage with locals. Strike up conversations, ask questions, and be curious.
• Put down the phone. Savor the views, the food, and the atmosphere without always documenting.
• Celebrate milestones. Order champagne to toast a new adventure, just as travelers once did.

Ultimately, it’s about savoring the experience rather than rushing through it.

Incorporate Vintage Travel into Your Everyday Life

You don’t have to book a luxury train to channel the golden age. You can weave vintage travel inspiration into daily life.

• Decorate your home with vintage travel posters.
• Use retro-inspired luggage for weekend getaways.
• Host a dinner party with a “Pan Am” or “Art Deco” travel theme.
• Curate a wardrobe inspired by timeless pieces you’d wear both at home and abroad.

By making vintage travel part of your lifestyle, you’ll carry that sense of elegance with you everywhere.

Conclusion: Bringing Back the Romance of Travel

The golden age of travel may be behind us, but its spirit doesn’t have to fade. By embracing slow travel, dressing with intention, choosing vintage-inspired luggage, savoring elegant dining, and adopting an old-school mindset, you can revive that glamorous feeling wherever you go.

Modern travel gives us unmatched convenience, but layering it with vintage charm creates the perfect balance: the ease of today with the romance of yesterday.

So, on your next trip, swap sweatpants for silk scarves, trade fast food for a picnic basket, and choose to see the journey as an adventure, not just a means to an end. In doing so, you’ll rediscover why travel has always been one of life’s greatest luxuries.