Vintage Photos of Celebrities at the Beach

Actress and singer Ginger Roger was a starlet during Hollywood's Golden Age, and in this photo, the American icon is getting a little golden herself under the warm rays of the sun. At least she's using sunscreen!

This picture proves that Marilyn Monroe knew how to let loose and have a little fun. We're not exactly sure what's going on here, but there aren't many action shots as well-timed as this photo. Let's just hope that this photo didn't capture her mid fall! 

Rita Hayworth is a picture of youth as she lets Robert Mitchum apply sustain lotion on her back. This candid photo was taken in 1957 on a beach at the Port of Spain in Trinidad as they filmed Fire Down Below. This film wasn't a Blockbuster hit for her career like Only Angels Have Wings or Cover Girl, but she certainly appeared to enjoy herself just as much. 

Brigette Bardot is the beach girl every woman wants to be in this shot on the beaches of Cannes, France. Hasn't everyone seen this same shot in a movie and daydreamed about running barefoot down the shoreline only to leap into your soulmate's arms and be carried off into the distance? No? Just us? 

Sir Sean Connery was a Scottish actor who is best known for being the first actor to play the British secret agent James Bond in the titular films. He starred in seven Bond films from '62 to '83, but his busy schedule didn't stop him from trapezing on sandy beaches on and off the film set. 

If you ever wondered what it takes to be a vintage California girl, look no further than this image of Bette Davis posing on a lifeboat in SoCal. She has it all! The meticulous curls, one-piece suit, and bold lips… You can’t get much more vintage than this!

This image of Lucille Ball posing in front of a beach is so perfect that it almost looks too good to be true. Just look at that view! Turns out this shot was taken at a publicity shoot for her 1943 film Best Foot Forward. No wonder she looks perfectly done up without a spot of sand on her suit.

Elvis Presley wasn't afraid to show a little skin and kiss a beautiful woman on the beach if it meant movie magic--what a saint he was. In this shot, the King is embracing actress Joan Blackman as they film a scene for the 1961 romantic musical Blue Hawaii. 

If it's not already clear, being a classic American actress means posing on the beach in a bikini and a full-face of stage makeup. Hey, we don't make the rules! This shot of Ava Gardner was taken in 1951 on the set of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman; thus, it's natural to assume that she's lying on the stunning seaside sands of Catalonia, Spain.

Darth Vader might be a villain when he's on the clock, but even this intergalactic baddie likes to enjoy a beautiful beach from time to time. While it's not clear just what's going on in this Star Wars odd couple beach photo, this is definitely a snapshot for the history books. 

Audrey Hepburn is killing two birds with one stone in this photo. She's enjoying a lovely day at the beach, but she's also hard at work earning a paycheck! This candid photo was taken while the British actress was filming her role in the 1967 romantic comedy Two for the Road. 

Even iconic actors need to take a break from work and have a little fun from time to time. In this photo, Cary Grant and Randolph Scott enjoy a quick ball game at their shared beach house. However, it looks like Scott is a bit more invested in the game than Grant is!

Things were rarely peaceful and blissful between baseball great Joe DiMaggio and actress Marilyn Monroe, but the two managed to keep things together at least for this one beach photo. At the time it was taken, Monroe was visiting DiMaggio while he was doing spring training with the New York Yankees. 

If you thought Arnold Schwarzenegger's best days are behind him, this picture wouldn't do much to disprove that opinion. The Austrian-American actor and retired bodybuilder is captured here in his natural habitat -- flexing his infamously large muscles. What's the point of meeting Schwarzenegger if he's not posing for the crowds, especially when surrounded by adoring fans? 

Grace Kelly was an American actress who starred in many significant '50s blockbusters before marrying Prince Rainier III in 1956 and becoming the Princess of Monaco. You heard that right; Meghan Markle wasn't the first to weasel her way into royalty! This photo captures Kelly on the beaches of France in the Cote d'Azur a year before she married the Prince. 

John F. Kennedy wasn't the only U.S. President to get down and dirty at the beach! Plus, Reagan began his career as an actor before becoming a politician, so he's checked all our boxes for this list! Here he's pictured alongside actors Eddie Bracken, and Dona Drake on a boardwalk in 1949. Much like the other beach photos, it was part of a marketing campaign to promote the movie The Girl from Jones Beach. 

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were basically Hollywood royalty, so it might seem odd to see this super couple lounging around on some driftwood. In reality, this shot was taken while they were filming the 1965 drama The Sandpiper. Can you imagine Elizabeth Taylor lying on the ground for anything besides a job? 

In this photo, Marlon Brando proves that not every day at the beach is a magical one. That seagull looks like he's up to no good and shouldn't be trusted. This photo was taken during the filming of the 1964 comedy Bedtime Story. 

Actress Rita Hayworth knew how to entertain American audiences, but it's clear she knew how to keep herself entertained too. Case in point--this photo depicting the starlet having a ball of a time playing solitaire on the beach. I guess celebrities are just like us. 

This is one beach photo that is unlike any other on this list. Taken in 1964, this picture depicts former US President Dwight Eisenhower and journalist Walter Cronkite surveying Normandy Beach on the 20th anniversary of the D-Day invasion during World War II. 

Poor Ringo Starr might not be the first band member you think of when you think of the Beatles, but it's clear from this photo, he got plenty of love during his day. This picture, taken in 1964, shows the British drummer being accosted by kisses from adoring young fans. 

In this photo, the Lads from Liverpool take a short break from making teenage girls loose their minds to enjoy a little surf and sun. This photo was taken in Miami Beach, Florida, and we have to believe that this bright, sunny American hotspot is way more picturesque than any of the sad, gray beaches back in Britain. 

In this photo, Bob Denver enjoys a fun day at the beach with his first wife, Maggie Ryan, and his stepson. We're not entirely sure what a tire is doing at the beach or what sort of beach fun you're supposed to have with it, but there's no denying that it made for a memorable photo op! 

Italian actress Sophia Loren looks like she’s better suited to walking the streets of Paris in this pleated ensemble than lounging on the beaches of Cannes! Not that we’re judging her or anything; she was definitely the best-looking woman on the beach in ‘55 with those gleaming white heels and on-trend makeup.

Here, Paul Newman was caught strutting along the beaches of Lido, Venice in 1963. He’s surrounded by a crowd of swimmers as he walks toward the camera in a bathing suit of his own. His film Western drama film Hud premiered at the Venice International Film Festival that same year, which is probably why Newman was spotted all over the city.

R&B quintet the Jackson 5 is an iconic music group for countless reasons, if not the most iconic being Michael Jackson himself. Whether they called themselves the Jackson 5ive or the Jacksons, they were always made up of Jackson family members. Pictured here are Michael, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, and Marlon sporting their iconic afros in 1970 during the year of rabid Jacksonmania!

Surprise, surprise! It's another Hollywood icon pictured on a beautiful beach! Jane Fonda isn't only an actress but she's best known for her roles on Broadway and on the screen, winning everything from Academy Awards to Primetime Emmys and Lifetime Achievement Awards. However, we should mention that she also works as a political activist and environmentalist as well as a former fashion model before her acting career took off. 

We'll spare you the gory details of JFK's whirlwind life, but here he is pictured with Jackie Kennedy on the beach in Massachusetts in 1955. It appears that he's preparing the sail of a small boat for his wife and him to enjoy a relaxing afternoon drift across the water in Hyannis Port. 

Actor Frankie Avalon isn't the only fresh-faced star featured in this vintage photo. If you're familiar with classic cinema, then you'll recognize Annette Funicello and Linda Evans by his side for the filming of Beach Blanket Bingo. And we know that eagle-eyed readers will also spot Jody McCrea in the back. What a lineup! However, Frankie Avalon is special because he originally made a name for himself by playing the trumpet on The Jackie Gleason Show in 1952.