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National Lampoon's Vacation Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the National Lampoon's Vacation movies in order

Last updated: October 7 2026

Written by: ChronoBob

The Griswold family's disastrous trips have made the Vacation movies a comedy institution. Here's the order to follow the chaos.

Few comedy franchises are as beloved as National Lampoon's Vacation, which follows the hapless Clark Griswold and his family as their well-meaning holidays spiral into catastrophe. Chevy Chase anchors the series, with a 2015 reboot handing the road trip over to the next generation. From a cross-country drive to Walley World to a snowbound Chicago Christmas, each film finds fresh ways to put the Griswolds through comedic misery.

๐Ÿ• Release Order

Release order is ideal, since each film follows the Griswolds at a different stage of family life.

  1. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
  2. National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)
  3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
  4. Vegas Vacation (1997)
  5. Vacation (2015)

The first four films follow Clark and Ellen Griswold, while the 2015 film shifts focus to a grown-up Rusty taking his own family on the road. Christmas Vacation is often singled out as the funniest entry and has become an annual holiday tradition for many households.

๐Ÿ“– Story Chronology

Story order follows release order, tracking the Griswold kids as they age across the decades and culminating with adult Rusty's trip in 2015. Watching the kids recast and age across the films is part of the fun, so the natural flow of release order feels like growing up alongside them.

  1. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
  2. National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)
  3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
  4. Vegas Vacation (1997)
  5. Vacation (2015)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Watch in release order. Christmas Vacation is the crowd favorite and works as a standalone holiday classic, but following the series from the 1983 original gives you the full Griswold journey. The 2015 reboot plays best once you know Rusty as a kid in the earlier films. For many fans, December isn't complete without Christmas Vacation, so even if you only watch one, make it that holiday staple.

๐Ÿ”— Related Guides

  • Meet the Parents Watch OrderGuide
  • Coming to America Watch OrderGuide

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