The Rise of Vintage Travel: Why Retro Experiences Are Taking Over in 2025–2026 (and Why Auckland’s Routemaster Is Leading the Revival)”
If there is one trend defining travel, culture, fashion and photography in 2025 and heading into 2026, it is this:
The past is back.
And it’s beautiful.
Vintage fashion.
Retro weddings.
Heritage venues.
Classic cars and double decker buses.
Film photography.
Slow travel.
Old-world interiors.
Nostalgia-rich experiences.
Across the world, people are rejecting the rushed, filtered, disposable digital aesthetic of the 2010s and rediscovering the joy of retro charm, classic design, and authentic storytelling.
Vintage culture isn’t a trend.
It’s a full-scale revival.
And nowhere is that revival more visible — or more joyful — than on the streets of Auckland, where a beautifully restored 1960s London Routemaster glides along the waterfront, through heritage suburbs, across the Harbour Bridge and into the heart of New Zealand’s largest city.
This is Vintage Views, and the Routemaster isn’t just a tour bus — it’s a symbol of the global vintage comeback.
In this long-form editorial, we explore the rise of vintage travel, the psychology behind the trend, how retro aesthetics are shaping tourism and events, and why Auckland’s Routemaster experience has become one of the most Instagrammable, nostalgic and culturally relevant experiences in New Zealand.
1. The Global Return of Vintage: A Cultural Movement, Not a Fad
Vintage aesthetics have always existed.
But in 2025 and heading into 2026, they’re no longer niche.
They are mainstream, influential, and highly desirable.
Everywhere you look:
Vintage weddings
Retro Instagram filters
Film photography
Reborn heritage venues
Classic cars in fashion campaigns
Mid-century interiors
60s-inspired branding
Vintage rail and bus experiences
Nostalgic group travel
This shift is happening because people crave substance, story, texture, and emotion.
Modern experiences felt smooth but shallow.
Vintage experiences feel alive.
Why people love vintage again
Because vintage represents:
Craftsmanship
Romance
Nostalgia
Personality
Slow moments
Emotional connection
Beautiful imperfection
Timeless aesthetics
Vintage is the antidote to a world of algorithms and disposable content.
2. Vintage Travel: The Fastest-Growing Segment in Tourism
Google trends, Pinterest searches, Instagram hashtags — all show enormous growth in:
“Retro travel”
“Vintage bus tours”
“Nostalgic travel experiences”
“1950s/60s travel aesthetic”
“Film photography travel NZ”
“Vintage weddings NZ”
“Mid-century Auckland”
People are tired of cookie-cutter modern travel.
They want trips that feel meaningful, beautiful, and somewhat timeless.
Vintage travel has exploded across the world:
Venice vintage boat tours
London heritage Routemasters
Lisbon’s retro trams
San Francisco cable cars
Tokyo’s Showa-era bars
Cuba’s classic cars
New Orleans’ old streetcars
Auckland needed its own.
And the Routemaster filled that gap perfectly.
3. Why Vintage Views Fits the Trend Perfectly
A. The Routemaster is a design icon
Unlike modern buses designed by software, the Routemaster was crafted by designers and engineers who valued:
curves
chrome
symmetry
colour
warmth
personality
Every angle is photogenic.
Every detail feels intentional.
B. It’s nostalgic even if you never lived that era
Vintage works because it triggers emotional memories — even borrowed ones.
You don’t need to be from 1960s London.
You only need to feel something when you see:
old fonts
painted metal
classic seating
analogue dials
vintage signage
Vintage travel is emotional travel.
C. It’s slower, calmer and more thoughtful
Slow travel is booming.
People want scenic moments, not rushed loops.
The Double Decker Discovery Tour offers:
time to look
time to breathe
time to take photos
time to feel the city
D. It is beautiful — naturally beautiful
Most tour buses aren’t aesthetic.
The Routemaster is aesthetic in every context:
Ponsonby villas
Parnell streets
Mission Bay shoreline
Harbour Bridge skyline
CBD skyscrapers
It’s a moving photoshoot location.
4. Vintage Travel Meets Modern Photography
Vintage travel is exploding largely because it photographs beautifully.
Film, digital, mobile — the Routemaster fits every style.
The most Instagrammable tour in New Zealand
Guests capture:
Top-deck coastal shots
Harbour Bridge cinematic frames
Parnell’s heritage homes
Ponsonby shopfronts
Sky Tower between buildings
Mission Bay with Rangitoto behind the bus
Retro colours and tones
The Routemaster’s red paint is a perfect anchor for photography:
High contrast
Warm tones
Nostalgic energy
Standout framing
In Auckland’s soft light, it’s spectacular.
5. Vintage Weddings & Events: The Routemaster as a Cultural Icon
Vintage weddings are skyrocketing.
Classic florals, retro dresses, old-world venues — and vintage vehicles.
For weddings:
It’s photogenic
Unique
Cinematic
Charming
Joyful
The Routemaster adds:
Grand entrances
Group transport
Gorgeous bridal portraits
A nostalgic story
A talking point
Modern weddings want originality — and nothing is more original than a 1960s London icon.
6. The Psychology of Vintage: Why It Makes Us Feel Good
Vintage travel taps into four powerful emotional responses:
1. Nostalgia
Even if borrowed, it makes people feel grounded and connected.
2. Storytelling
Vintage objects come with history — people feel like they become part of that story.
3. Authenticity
Vintage is the opposite of mass-produced tourism.
4. Identity expression
Vintage travel lets guests express their taste, style, and personality.
This makes Vintage Views a cultural product, not just a transport product.
7. Auckland Is a Perfect Canvas for Vintage Travel
Few cities match Auckland’s combination of:
waterfronts
volcanoes
heritage suburbs
mid-century structures
modern skylines
coastal roads
It is retro-friendly by nature.
Mission Bay: 1960s beach energy
Palm trees, ice cream shops, blue water — a perfect mid-century aesthetic.
Ponsonby: villas & colourful storefronts
A street photographer’s dream.
Parnell: old-world charm
Brick churches and leafy avenues.
Harbour Bridge: mid-century design meets modern skyline
A cinematic pairing with the Routemaster.
Viaduct Harbour: old meets new
Glass towers, water reflections, heritage references.
Auckland wasn’t built for the Routemaster — but it fits like it was.
8. The Vintage Travel Revival Fits New Zealand Perfectly
New Zealand is known for:
authenticity
heritage
natural beauty
scenic travel
family-owned operators
Vintage Views fits the national identity far more authentically than a franchise-style hop-on hop-off loop.
This is why the Routemaster has become one of Auckland’s most photographed tourism experiences since launch.
9. Vintage Travel in 2026: What’s Coming Next
Experts predict:
More retro transport experiences
More vintage tourism brands
More heritage restorations
More nostalgia in social media
More retro weddings
More “slow travel” itineraries
Vintage Views is perfectly timed at the front of this wave.
You aren’t following the trend —
you are leading it.
10. Why Vintage Views Will Keep Growing (And Why Auckland Loves It)
Because it offers the three qualities modern travellers value most:
1. Authenticity
Real bus. Real story. Real heritage.
2. Aesthetic beauty
It looks amazing everywhere it goes.
3. Emotional experience
People feel something on board — joy, nostalgia, connection.
These qualities are timeless.
Just like the Routemaster itself.
Final Thoughts: The Past Has Returned — And Auckland Is Better for It
Vintage culture isn’t coming back.
It’s already here.
Vintage Views is a cornerstone of that revival, giving Auckland a tourism product that:
feels original
looks stunning
photographs beautifully
celebrates heritage
connects with modern travellers
delivers unforgettable memories
In a world of digital overload, vintage travel offers something rare:
Humanity.
Warmth.
Colour.
Character.
Emotion.
Magic.
And no experience captures that better than riding through Auckland on a classic London double decker, feeling the city unfold like a film scene from another era.
Vintage isn’t the past.
Vintage is the future — and it’s beautiful.