This National Lampoon's Vacation Inspired Travel Bucket List is a list of places to travel that are inspired by the movies. This can include places that were featured in the movies, places that remind you of the movies, or places that you would like to visit because of the movies.
Be sure to check out our Movie-Inspired Travel Bucket List when you’re done!
Which locations are included on this National Lampoon's Vacation Inspired Travel Bucket List?
- Take a family road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles, mirroring the Griswolds' journey to Walley World.
- Take a pit stop and visit the Boot Hill Museum and Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas.
- Stop at the Four Corners Monument, where four states meet.
- Take a scenic drive through Utah’s picturesque Monument Valley before hitting the Grand Canyon National Park.
- Visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and enjoy the spectacular view. Spend more time there than the Griswolds did.
- Visit the Hoover Dam in Nevada, a popular attraction in Vegas Vacation.
- Stop at a roadside attraction, like the World's Largest Ball of Twine (or second-largest which the Griwolds decided to skip).
- Take a tram up the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. The Griswolds didn’t get to see any attractions, since they made a wrong turn.
- Camp for a night while on your road trip, as the Griswolds did at Kamp Komfort, South Fork, Colorado.
- Take a few intentional “wrong turns” to explore places you normally wouldn't.
- Spend some time in Phoenix, Arizona. You can visit places like Camelback Mountain and Papago Park.
- Take a detour to Las Vegas and try your luck at the casinos.
- Visit the quaint town of Coolidge, near the Colorado state line.
- Go to Walley World* (or a similar amusement park). Recreate the iconic racing scene at the park entrance. Walley World is a fictional amusement park. The scene was filmed at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. There is a real Wally World in Ontario, Canada, that is part of a large amusement park complex.
Click here to download the Travel Bucket List printable.
About National Lampoon's
The comedic film series “Vacation” from National Lampoon was based on the National Lampoon magazine short story “Vacation '58” written by John Hughes. The movie follows Clark and Ellen Griswold as they travel with their two kids to several vacation destinations.
Why is it called National Lampoon's?
In 1969, when they first licensed the “Lampoon” moniker for a monthly national journal, Harvard grads and former members of the Harvard Lampoon Doug Kenney, Henry Beard, and Robert Hoffman founded National Lampoon.
National Lampoon's Vacation – film series
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid (Actors)
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
The Griswold family's cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more complicated than they ever anticipated.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Dana Hill (Actors)
National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid (Actors)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
The Griswolds spend the holiday in a garish way, especially when a country cousin pulls up in an RV.
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Vegas Vacation (1997)
The Griswolds are back! Poised to prove that even the best-laid plans can unravel into hilarious misadventures, the ill-fated family heads for hijinx, high times, high rollers – and a Vegas vacation.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Randy Quaid, Miriam Flynn, Dana Barron (Actors)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2 (2003)
Shortly after getting fired from his job at a nuclear lab, a monkey bites Eddie Johnson. Hoping he won’t sue, Eddie’s boss sends the whole family on a South Pacific vacation. But paradise is short-lived when they’re shipwrecked and Eddie has to step up.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann (Actors)
Vacation (2015)
The next generation of Griswolds is at it again – and on the road for another ill-fated adventure. Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding.
National Lampoon's Vacation cast
- Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold
- Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold
- Dana Barron as Audrey Griswold
- Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie
- Anthony Michael Hall as Russell Griswold
- Miriam Flynn as Catherine Johnson
- Brian Doyle-Murray as Kamp Komfort Clerk
- Imogene Coca as Aunt Edna
- John Candy as Lasky
- Jane Krakowski as Vicky Johnson
- Eugene Levy as Car salesman #1
- Christie Brinkley as The Girl in the Ferrari
- Frank McRae as Grover
- Eddie Bracken as Roy Walley
- John P. Navin Jr. as Cousin Dale
- Fritz Ford as Neighbor #1
- James Keach as Motorcycle Cop
- Gerry Black as Davenport
- Michael Talbott as Cowboy
- John Diehl as Assistant Mechanic
- Nathan Cook as Man Giving Directions
- Tessa Richarde as Motel Guest
- Randy Lowell as Wyatt Earp
- James Staley as Motel Desk Clerk
- Mickey Jones as Mechanic
- Dennis Freeman as Policeman
National Lampoon's Vacation characters
- Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold
- Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold
- Dana Barron as Audrey Griswold
- Anthony Michael Hall as Russell Griswold
- Imogene Coca as Aunt Edna
- John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr., Clark's father
- Diane Ladd as Nora Griswold, Clark's mother
- E. G. Marshall as Arthur “Art” Smith, Ellen's father
- Doris Roberts as Frances Smith, Ellen's mother
- Miriam Flynn as Catherine Johnson, Ellen's cousin
- Randy Quaid as Eddie Johnson, Catherine's husband
- Cody Burger as Rocky Johnson
- Ellen Hamilton Latzen as Ruby Sue Johnson
- William Hickey as Uncle Lewis
National Lampoon's Vacation streaming
You can stream, buy, or rent National Lampoon's Vacation movies on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Max, and Youtube.
National Lampoon's Vacation car
The Wagon Queen Family Truckster in the National Lampoon movie is a modified 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire.
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