Southern California in the 1960s looked quite different from the SoCal we all know and love today. And while we’ve shared some pretty amazing photos of California from the 1950s, today we’re fast forwarding an entire decade to see what SoCal looked like in the ’60s. Many of these locations are unrecognizable today in comparison to when they were captured on film over 50 years ago. Take a look for yourself to see how much has changed.
- Postcard capturing the Miracle Mile District along Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles in the 1960s.
Wikimedia Commons/Ellis-Sawyer
- Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade as it looked back in 1965.
flickr/jericl cat
- Orange, CA in 1967. Remember those old Holiday Inn signs?
flickr/Roadsidepictures
- Dory Fleet in Newport Beach photographed in the 60s. If you look closely you can see Owl Rexall Drugs in the background.
flickr/Orange County Archives
- Buildings on fire during the Watts riots in Los Angeles that took place over six days in August 1965.
Wikimedia Commons
- Bruno’s Market in Villa Park in Orange County as captured in 1965.
flickr/Orange County Archives
- On the border between Garden Grove and Cypress on Knott Ave in 1962.
flickr/Orange CountyArchives
- Imperial Car Wash in Inglewood back in the 60s.
flickr/Roadsidepictures
- Fashion Square in Santa Ana in the 1960s long before it became what is now Mainplace Mall.
flickr/Orange County Archives
- The iconic Bun Boy building located in Baker as captured in this picture from the 1960s.
flickr/Roadsidepictures
It’s amazing to see how things in our corner of the Golden State have changed and transformed over time. Do any of these photos of Southern California from the 1960s bring back some memories for you? Do you have any family members or friends who remember this time? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Wikimedia Commons/Ellis-Sawyer
flickr/jericl cat
flickr/Roadsidepictures
flickr/Orange County Archives
Wikimedia Commons
flickr/Orange CountyArchives
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Southern California in the 1960s May 01, 2022 Sarah M. What were some popular attractions in California in the 1960s? One of the most popular places in Southern California in the 1960s is a place of immense intrigue today. Bombay Beach was a place of pure paradise; a SoCal mecca that boomed with luxurious hotels and yacht clubs in the early 1900s and through the 1960s. The sea and its shores teemed with wildlife, and it truly was a slice of SoCal heaven. Then, seemingly overnight, this bustling resort town just up and vanished, leaving practically nothing behind. It’s one of the most puzzling ghost towns in the country, in fact. And by the ’70s, the fish had died, the birds had become ill, and the tourists had disappeared. Today, visitors will find vacant buildings, fish corpses, and an unpleasant smell that seems to permeate the town, making Bombay Beach one of California’s most intriguing abandoned places. Are there any retro diners in California from the 1960s? If you enjoy a classic diner experience, you’ll want to head to Rod’s Grill. Since 1957, this local diner has been a fixture in Southern California. From the moment you step inside Rod’s Grill you’ll be taken back in time. The quaint charm of California in the late 1950s and 1960s is still alive and well at this longtime local favorite. The green booths are mid-century chic, and old black-and-white photographs on the walls tell a similar story to those tales in the above vintage photographs of Southern California in the 1960s. Get comfortable and order a 1960s breakfast favorite – country fried steak and gravy – and revel in this little time capsule in Southern California.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Southern California in the 1960s
May 01, 2022
Sarah M.
What were some popular attractions in California in the 1960s? One of the most popular places in Southern California in the 1960s is a place of immense intrigue today. Bombay Beach was a place of pure paradise; a SoCal mecca that boomed with luxurious hotels and yacht clubs in the early 1900s and through the 1960s. The sea and its shores teemed with wildlife, and it truly was a slice of SoCal heaven. Then, seemingly overnight, this bustling resort town just up and vanished, leaving practically nothing behind. It’s one of the most puzzling ghost towns in the country, in fact. And by the ’70s, the fish had died, the birds had become ill, and the tourists had disappeared. Today, visitors will find vacant buildings, fish corpses, and an unpleasant smell that seems to permeate the town, making Bombay Beach one of California’s most intriguing abandoned places. Are there any retro diners in California from the 1960s? If you enjoy a classic diner experience, you’ll want to head to Rod’s Grill. Since 1957, this local diner has been a fixture in Southern California. From the moment you step inside Rod’s Grill you’ll be taken back in time. The quaint charm of California in the late 1950s and 1960s is still alive and well at this longtime local favorite. The green booths are mid-century chic, and old black-and-white photographs on the walls tell a similar story to those tales in the above vintage photographs of Southern California in the 1960s. Get comfortable and order a 1960s breakfast favorite – country fried steak and gravy – and revel in this little time capsule in Southern California.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
One of the most popular places in Southern California in the 1960s is a place of immense intrigue today. Bombay Beach was a place of pure paradise; a SoCal mecca that boomed with luxurious hotels and yacht clubs in the early 1900s and through the 1960s. The sea and its shores teemed with wildlife, and it truly was a slice of SoCal heaven. Then, seemingly overnight, this bustling resort town just up and vanished, leaving practically nothing behind. It’s one of the most puzzling ghost towns in the country, in fact. And by the ’70s, the fish had died, the birds had become ill, and the tourists had disappeared. Today, visitors will find vacant buildings, fish corpses, and an unpleasant smell that seems to permeate the town, making Bombay Beach one of California’s most intriguing abandoned places.
Are there any retro diners in California from the 1960s?
If you enjoy a classic diner experience, you’ll want to head to Rod’s Grill. Since 1957, this local diner has been a fixture in Southern California. From the moment you step inside Rod’s Grill you’ll be taken back in time. The quaint charm of California in the late 1950s and 1960s is still alive and well at this longtime local favorite. The green booths are mid-century chic, and old black-and-white photographs on the walls tell a similar story to those tales in the above vintage photographs of Southern California in the 1960s. Get comfortable and order a 1960s breakfast favorite – country fried steak and gravy – and revel in this little time capsule in Southern California.
