Things Lubbock Kids Did Before Phones Took Over Summer Vacation

Lubbock summers in the 90s were the greatest days of my life. We spent the days doing whatever we wanted until the streetlights came on. There wasn't a smartphone, iPad, or streaming platform in sight, and somehow, we still managed to have enough fun to last several lifetimes.

A typical summer day would start with one question:

"What are we gonna do today?"

The answer was usually "I don't know," followed by hours and hours of straight-up adventure.

Summer Fun in The 90s in Lubbock

We rode bikes and scooters everywhere. Not just around the block. We'd disappear for miles with zero GPS, phone, or parents holding us back. It's kind of amazing any of us made it home at all. We got into a few dangerous hijinks, but they usually only required a bandaid, or at most, a couple of stitches.

Sprinklers were more or less our version of a waterpark. Sure, we had Texas Water Rampage, but the front yard was free and easily accessible. We'd set one up on the front lawn, and all the kids in the neighborhood would be there in minutes.

Read More: Top Summer Camps For Kids In Lubbock: What's Still Available?

My best friend and I spent hours trying to build forts and treehouses. None of them ever really came to fruition, but planning them down to the tiniest detail with a pencil and paper was the best part. We'd dream up everything we wanted in them, down to the color of the curtains.

Boredom was never a crisis. In fact, if I ever told my mother I was bored, she would tell me to "Go read a book," so I did everything in my power to never utter those words. When there was nothing to do, you'd just knock on the neighbor's door and ask the universal summer question:

"Can _____ come out to play?"

Those Were The Days...

Kids today probably think we had it rough, but we'd all certainly disagree. Spending time riding bikes, getting sunburned, and peddling lemonade for a quarter at the park was our era. We made memories nobody bothered to photograph, and it was all so beautiful.

The evidence of the fun we had may not be around these days, but the stories won't ever die.

Keep scrolling for more Lubbock nostalgia in the galleries below...