Vacationing in America has developed greatly over the last 150 years. Originally a privilege for only the very wealthy, early vacations and periods of relaxation took place at spas where the sick would go to "take the waters," and activities for their healthy family members abounded. With the growth of the middle class at the end of the 19th century, more people began to visit spas and other nearby destinations, though usually through less-expensive means. As more Americans began traveling, the market and demand for vacations grew.

With the advent of railroads, vacation leave for workers, and the forty hour work week, the possibility of traveling across the continent became a reality. Railroads helped develop America's national parks as an enticement for people to travel on their lines. They also introduced much of the West to the rest of the country. By the early 1900s, with the invention of automobiles and the newly-built roads to drive them on, vacations became a more personal experience as people chose exactly when, where, and for how long they wanted to travel. This program, along with The Old Courthouse Museum's "Vacationing in America" exhibit, explores these patterns of early vacations in the United States, showing that, while methods have changed, the desire to travel, relax, and explore new and different places has remained the same.