We might be in an age where tech innovation floods headlines, but against all odds, nostalgia has come to shape the current zeitgeist. From a ‘90s fashion revival and the Gen Z rejection of smart phones, to the triumphant renaissance of print magazines (much like the one you’re reading right now), it’s easy to see: there’s a cultural craving for analog eras of yore. And this longing extends to travel—just look to the growing contingency of experiences that transport one back to simpler times. Ahead, three trends that feel like a welcomed blast from the past.
Retro Motor Lodges
Once considered a fusty relic from the mid-20th century, retro motor lodges now rank among the hottest hotel bookings across the US. “It’s the perfect blend of nostalgia for the ’50s with modern conveniences and subtle luxuries of now,” Cathy Boufford of Fora Travel points out.
The mass restoration of these properties lets travelers relive the halcyon days of the Golden Age of Motels—but with current design and amenities. Hotel Wren’s recent arrival in Joshua Tree is a testament to this, with designer Jessica Pell reviving a 1940s roadside motel with atmospheric details like a wooden fireplace with hand-carved motifs. Or Hotel Willa, a newcomer to the Taos hospitality scene, which enriches an adobe-style motor lodge with hand-troweled terracotta walls and poolside popsicles.
Communal Dinners
Calling to mind memorable meals savored with friends and family, the travel industry has picked up on how the dinner table is imbued with nostalgia.
Ready to pull up a chair? Drop in for a bite at The Point in New York’s remote Adirondack Mountains, where each day concludes at a hosted communal feast with fellow guests in the exquisite Great Hall. You’ll feel just like its original owners, the Rockefeller family.
If a rustic agriturismo is more your speed, check-in to Follonico in the Tuscan countryside, where a tri-weekly, home-cooked dinner is served to a communal table of strangers who reliably end the evening as friends.
Nostalgia Trips
First came heritage tourism, now there’s the nostalgia effect—however you want to spin it, a yearning to reconnect with the past through travel is timeless. For some, this means spending summer PTO at a lakeside hideaway where your family used to vacation, recalling pleasant memories of boat days and barbecue nights.
For others, a nostalgia trip might translate to an overseas adventure to reconnect with relatives. At its heart, this trend highlights our innate desire to tap into the comfort of old memories, while creating new ones in the process.
