Breckenridge highlights ‘Christmas Vacation’ ties
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- If scenes throughout the 1989 comedy "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" seem familiar to Coloradans, that's because this Chicago-set film was partially shot in Colorado's high country.
According to GoBreck and the Breckenridge Tourism Bureau, the film actually begins in Colorado.
When the Griwolds are heading to the country for a tree and find themselves underneath a logging truck, that was shot north of Silverthorne near the Maryland Creek Ranch/LG Everist.
GoBreck says the final landing of their station wagon was at the Breckenridge Golf Course Near Georgia Pass on Tiger Rd.
The Christmas tree cutting scene was also shot at the Breckenridge Golf Course/Highlands area near Tiger Rd, which was before the Highlands subdivision of Breckenridge was constructed, according to GoBreck.
In a blog post, GoBreck wrote that the crew camped at the Breckenridge Ski Resort vehicle maintenance area on Peak 8. The shooting of the film was done at night, so it didn't interfere with skiing.
That's where Clark, played by Chevy Chase, rides down the hill on his silicone sprayed saucer. The traffic he goes through is on a section of a road in Frisco on Summit Blvd, and the Toys For Tots bin he crashes into was in front of the Wal-Mart in Frisco.
GoBreck also said the scene where Clark and Cousin Eddie, played by Randy Quaid, are shopping is at that same Wal-Mart in Frisco.
Another internal location used for the film was the former Summit High School in Frisco, which is now the Summit Middle School. GoBreck writes the scene where Clark watches old movies in the attic was filmed in the gymnasium. According to GoBreck, that scene was shot during a massive snowstorm when Breckenridge received more than 7 feet of snow.
This wasn't the only time the "National Lampoon" series filmed in Colorado. According to the Pueblo Chieftain, the 1983 "Vacation" movie had scenes shot in Pueblo.
