Summer is traditionally a time to let loose and have fun. In the film world, it is often also the ideal setting for falling in love. Some of these summer romances are brief flings that end when the leaves begin to fall. Others are built to last. Relive some classic summer romances by watching these films, one from each decade going back to the 1950s.

"Roman Holiday" (1953)

In 1953 the world fell in love with Audrey Hepburn. In her first starring film role, Hepburn plays Anne, an exhausted princess in need of a break from her royal duties. One evening in Rome (a stop on her royal tour of Europe) she escapes and spends the next day doing all the things she's always wanted to do. She meets a seemingly kind and handsome gentleman named Joe (Gregory Peck), gets a fashionable haircut, enjoys gelato on the Spanish Steps, drinks champagne at a sidewalk cafe, rides around on a Vespa, and attends a dance on a barge on the Tiber.

Unfortunately her romance with Joe could not last, as he was hiding a big secret; he knew her identity all along and was actually a reporter writing a story about her. Plus her country needed her.

"Two for the Road" (1967)

Another classic romance starring Audrey Hepburn is 1967's "Two for the Road." She and Albert Finney play Joanna and Mark, a couple who met on separate European road trips in 1954 and wed after a weeklong fling.

Though they are married and wealthy in the present day, they are unhappy. While driving through France, the couple reminisce about previous trips when they had less money but were more content — falling in love on the beach during that first trip, a disastrous vacation with another couple and their bratty child, and what turned out to be their happiest road trip despite everything going wrong (including their car going up in flames).

In the present, as the two travel together from France to Italy, they realize that after all they've been through, there is still love there.

"Grease" (1978)

In the summer of 1958, teenagers Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) fell in love after meeting at a California beach. The relationship seemed doomed from the start since the vacationing Sandy planned to return to Australia at the end of the summer.

However, the two are shocked when they see each other again on the first day of their senior year at Rydell High School. As it turns out, Sandy's family decided to stay in California.

But can the bad boy leader of a greaser gang date a goody two-shoes like Sandy? After a good deal of singing and dancing, a bit of drag racing, and a drastic makeover, the question is answered.

"Dirty Dancing" (1987)

In the early 1960s, many wealthy New York families summered in the Catskills. One evening while vacationing with her family at Kellerman's resort in the summer of 1963, teenager Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey) finds herself carrying a watermelon into a wild dance party thrown by the resort staff. There she meets Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), a hunky dance instructor and entertainer. Sparks fly immediately, and when Johnny's dance partner Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) is unable to perform at a paid gig at a nearby resort, Johnny gives Baby private lessons so she can fill in.

"Dirty Dancing" at its core is a critique of social class structures, as the upper-class guests enjoy a carefree summer while the working-class staff is treated poorly by management, and Johnny is accused of crimes he did not commit then fired over his relationship with Baby.

Do Baby and Johnny go the distance? That is unclear, but their final dance wins over Baby's father (Jerry Orbach), who comes to realize that Johnny is indeed good enough for his daughter.

"How Stella Got Her Groove Back" (1998)

While it may not technically take place in the summer, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" features enough fun in the sun to make up for that minor detail. Besides, it always feels like summer in Jamaica, where 40-year-old executive Stella Payne (Angela Bassett) and her best friend Delilah Abraham (Whoopi Goldberg) decide to fly on a whim to get away from the daily grind.

On the island, Stella meets 20-year-old Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs). She is immediately smitten by his good looks and charm but reluctant to flirt back due to the age gap. She quickly relents, and the two start a steamy romance. But when Winston gets a new job and must work throughout the rest of her trip, things seem to be over between the two. But are they? Or is their bond too strong to keep them apart for long?

"The Notebook" (2004)

In 1940, lumber mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) laid eyes on wealthy vacationer Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) at a carnival in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. For Noah, it was love at first sight. Allie, however, needed a little convincing to give Noah a chance. With her parents doing everything in their power to keep them apart, Allie returned home to Charleston before the end of the summer, leaving both heartbroken.

Noah and Allie suffered separately through World War II, often thinking about one another as the years wore on. When Allie became engaged to another man (James Marsden) who her parents approved of, it seemed that their summer fling would remain just that. But Noah never gave up on his dream of marrying Allie and growing old with her.

"Moonrise Kingdom" (2012)

Few films capture the feelings of young love like "Moonrise Kingdom," which tells the story of two shy 12-year-olds who run away together on an island off the New England coast in the summer of 1965. Both Suzy (Kara Hayward) and Sam (Jared Gilman) feel like outsiders within their homes, and only when they're together do they feel like part of something special.

As a violent storm looms offshore, Suzy leaves home, and Sam flees his summer camp. Soon they are hiking, camping, dancing on the beach, and sharing each other's first kiss, all while hiding from the adults trying to find them, including the local police chief (Bruce Willis), Sam's scout leader (Edward Norton), and Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand).

The two literally weather the storm that devastates the small island, and they remain close as the orphaned Sam gets adopted by the local police chief. The two no longer need to run, as they can now see each other anytime they want.

"Fire Island" (2022)

"Fire Island," a modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," centers on a group of gay friends who take a trip to New York's Fire Island, a popular vacation destination for members of the LGBTQ community. We were thrilled to provide our facilities for part of the film shoot.

On Fire Island, Noah (Joel Kim Booster), Howie (Bowen Yang), and their friends crash at the house of an older friend (Margaret Cho), unable to afford a vacation home of their own. Sparks fly when they meet the wealthy doctor Charlie (James Scully) and his equally affluent friends, among them Will (Conrad Ricamora), a lawyer.

Howie and Charlie have instant chemistry, and romance brews despite their different backgrounds. Noah and Will, on the other hand, initially dislike one another but soon bond over their shared love of literature.

As Noah and Will gradually grow closer, Charlie's ex suddenly shows up, devastating Howie. Can Noah convince Charlie to stay with Howie? Will Noah and Will stay together after their respective vacations end?

Watch "Fire Island" streaming on Hulu to find out. And be sure to check out our other recommendations before summer comes to a close.