National Lampoon's Vacation Collection National Lampoon's Vacation Marathon
Page Last Modified:
23 December 2025
Most Recent Release:
Vacation - 2015
Total Runtime:
566 Minutes
Total Items:
6
Average User Score:
(6)National Lampoon's Vacation Collection
If you've ever found yourself laughing at an overly enthusiastic dad with a passion for road trips and Christmas lights, then you're probably familiar with the Griswolds. The Vacation franchise is a wild, nostalgic, and over-the-top journey through American comedy history. With six movies, different casts, and a reboot, it can be tricky to know the right order to watch them. Luckily, we've taken care of that for you. Whether you're a newbie or a superfan, this chronological viewing order is sure to give you the ultimate National Lampoon's Vacation movie marathon. Did you get your snacks ready? Let's hit the road.
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1
National Lampoon's Vacation Movie 99 min. 1983Clark Griswold is on a quest to take his family to the Walley World theme park for a vacation, but things don't go exactly as planned.USER SCORE 7 -
2
National Lampoon's European Vacation Movie 95 min. 1985The Griswolds win a vacation to Europe on a game show, and so pack their bags for the continent. They do their best to catch the flavor of Europe, but they just don't know how to be be good tourists. Besides, they have trouble taking holidays in countries where they CAN speak the language.USER SCORE 6 -
3
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Movie 97 min. 1989It's Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.USER SCORE 7 -
4
Vegas Vacation Movie 93 min. 1997The Griswold family hits the road again for a typically ill-fated vacation, this time to the glitzy mecca of slots and showgirls—Las Vegas.USER SCORE 6 -
5
Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure Movie 83 min. 2003Though Eddie's fired right at Christmastime, his boss sends him and his family on a South Pacific vacation, hoping Eddie won't sue him after being bitten by a lab monkey. When the Tuttle family winds up trapped on a tropical island, however, Eddie manages to provide for everyone and prove himself a real man.USER SCORE 4 -
6
Vacation Movie 99 min. 2015Hoping to bring his family closer together and to recreate his childhood vacation for his own kids, a grown up Rusty Griswold takes his wife and their two sons on a cross-country road trip to the coolest theme park in America, Walley World. Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned.USER SCORE 6
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983).
National Lampoon's Vacation was directed by Harold Ramis and written by John Hughes. This 80s comedy classic sets the tone right away. Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, is a bit of a klutz. He takes his family on a road trip to Wally World, a really popular amusement park. Things go wrong all the time, and it's pretty funny when they do. Sometimes it's just ridiculous. The film is all about those family outings that totally go off the rails, and it's got the perfect mix of slapstick, awkward silences, and the family dysfunction humor that the franchise is known for.
National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)
After their American adventure, the Griswolds score a trip to Europe in National Lampoon's European Vacation, directed by Amy Heckerling. Expect the same chaos, now with jet lag, culture clashes, and driving on the wrong side of the road. Clark's the king of overplanning, but Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold is the stabilizing force that keeps things from derailing completely. The kids, now played by Jason Lively (Rusty) and Dana Hill (Audrey), bring fresh energy to the European escapade. This film is like a warm hug for fans of road trip mishaps and European vacation comedy.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Christmas movies come and go, but National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a classic. Jeremiah S. Chechik directed this one, and it might just be the franchise's favorite. Clark's goal is to create the perfect Christmas, complete with classic Christmas lights, family dramas, and a dinner that descends into chaos. Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki play the new Audrey and Rusty, and Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie is a riot with his crazy antics. It's a mix of relatable Christmas stress and over-the-top slapstick that viewers can relate to year after year.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
Fast forward to the 90s, and the Griswolds are back on the Strip. Vegas Vacation, directed by Stephen Kessler, is about a family vacation to Las Vegas that's full of glitter, gambling, and, of course, chaos. Clark gets hooked on blackjack, Ellen almost becomes a showgirl, and the kids find out about the not-so-nice side of Sin City. It's like a Vegas casino adventure with a Griswold twist. The film feels a bit looser than its predecessors, but it's got enough absurd moments to earn its place in your marathon.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003)
This one's for the die-hard fans: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure Yeah, it's technically a spin-off and not a masterpiece, but it's still worth a watch. But if you're a completist, it's part of the collection. Randy Quaid is back as Cousin Eddie, this time on a tropical island for a Christmas that literally strands him. The humor is even more absurd than in the other films, and the slapstick is cranked up to the max. You could say it's an added bonus to your marathon: a tropical Christmas with a big wink.
Vacation (2015)
The franchise got a reboot (or rather, a next-gen sequel) with Vacation (2015), where Ed Helms plays the adult Rusty Griswold on a trip with his own family. This time, it's Rusty's turn to plan a road trip to, you guessed it, Wally World. Along with his wife Debbie (played by Christina Applegate) and their two kids, he tries to surpass the Griswold legacy, and predictably, things don't go well. The film pays homage to the original while bringing a fresh, modern twist with cameos, new characters (including a hilarious Chris Hemsworth as Stone Crandall), and relatable vacation problems of today. If you're looking to see the Griswold family's journey through 2015, this is a must-see.