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The holiday comedy classic is a suburban Christmas disaster – and the Griswold house at the centre of it all is a facade on a Hollywood backlot, with the family’s tree-hunting misadventure filmed in the snowy mountains of Colorado.
Where was National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation filmed?
Christmas Vacation was filmed on the Warner Bros backlot in Los Angeles (the Griswold house) and in the mountains of Colorado.
Every Christmas Vacation location, explained
1
The Griswold house – a Warner Bros backlot
The famous suburban home is a facade on the Warner Bros backlot in Burbank, a street used in many productions.
2
The tree hunt – Colorado
The family’s snowy trip to cut down a Christmas tree used the mountains around Breckenridge and Park County, Colorado.
3
Frank Shirley’s office – Chicago
Clark’s workplace scenes used Chicago, around the Gold Coast.
4
The road-rage highway
The chaotic highway scenes used Colorado’s mountain roads.
Planning a visit
The Griswold house is a private backlot set, but Breckenridge and the Colorado mountains – where the tree-hunt unfolds – are a beautiful, accessible winter destination.
Christmas Vacation Fun Facts
1
The Griswold house is a backlot The famous home is a facade on the Warner Bros backlot, seen in many other productions.
2
Colorado for the tree hunt The snowy tree-cutting misadventure was filmed in the mountains near Breckenridge.
3
A holiday staple The film became a perennial Christmas favourite.
4
Those lights Clark’s over-the-top house lights became an enduring festive gag.
5
A National Lampoon entry It’s part of the long-running Vacation comedy series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Griswold house a real home?
No – it’s a facade on the Warner Bros backlot in Burbank.
Where was the tree-hunt scene filmed?
In the Colorado mountains around Breckenridge.
Can you visit the locations?
The backlot is private, but Breckenridge and the Colorado mountains are accessible.
Who stars in Christmas Vacation?
Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold.
Is it part of a series?
Yes – it’s part of the National Lampoon’s Vacation film series.
