COLORADO NEWS

A bunch of the movie ‘Christmas Vacation’ was filmed in Colorado – Here’s where

Dec 3, 2024, 4:33 PM | Updated: Dec 4, 2024, 8:42 am

I’ve always kept the Christmas movies going for that week between Christmas and New Years. Elf and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are just a couple that’ll be on repeat in my house this week. However, until just now, I had no idea that a bunch of Christmas Vacation was actually filmed in Colorado!

Although the movie was set in Chicago, much of the filming happened in the Colorado high-country in the spring of 1989.

According to the Breckenridge Tourism Office, the movie begins with a tree-cutting scene as the family heads out to the country to pick the perfect Christmas tree. That happened near the Breckenridge Golf Course near Tiger Road. The subdivision nearby hadn’t actually been built yet.

This wasn’t the only “Chicago”-oriented situation that was filmed in Breckenridge.

The sledding scene was filmed at Breckenridge Ski Area’s Peak 8. When Clark is dodging traffic on the slick saucer, that was on Frisco’s Summit Boulevard.

According to GoBreck, Clark’s sled eventually ends up in a Toys For Tots bin in front of the Walmart in Frisco.

GoBreck said local crew was also involved in filming and a producer did everything they could to keep money in town. In fact, the shopping scenes with Clark and Eddie were shot at the Frisco Walmart.

Meanwhile, Summit High School in Frisco was converted into a cover set for the throwback home video scene.

Now I cannot wait to get home with this new knowledge to watch the movie for the 20th time this season!

Colorado News

(Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)...

Shawn Patrick

What are the Daiso stores popping up all over Colorado?

Everywhere I turn right now, I keep seeing these Daiso stores, whether it be on the news or social media. So, what are the stores that are popping up around […]

1 hour ago

(Photo by Gado/Getty Images)...

Shawn Patrick

A Tesla Cybertruck started a wildfire in Colorado

Tesla Cybertrucks look so much different than anything else on the road, that they still turn heads even though they’ve been showing up more and more lately. One in Southern […]

2 hours ago

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)...

Shawn Patrick

The Colorado Rockies are putting a sponsor on their uniforms, and it kind of makes them look like the Yankees

It’s 2025 and for the right amount of money you can put your logo on pretty much anything… Including the uniforms worn by professional baseball teams. The Colorado Rockies are […]

2 hours ago

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)...

Shawn Patrick

Eric Church will livestream his Red Rocks concerts

Great news for Eric Church fans, especially those who couldn’t get their hands on tickets before all three of his shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater sold-out. His three-night run at […]

2 hours ago

...

Big Mic

Interview: Comedian Josh Blue talks new memoir and Comedy Works 4th of July weekend shows

It was almost 20 years ago that comedian Josh Blue won Last Comic Standing and has since been a Denver favorite, and this Saturday he returns for 2 shows at […]

12 hours ago

Photo by Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images...

Shawn Patrick

LOOK – New portrait of President Trump in Colorado State Capitol

Remember all the drama back in March with the portrait of President Donald Trump in the Colorado State Capitol building? Well, there’s a new chapter in that book. A new […]

1 day ago

A bunch of the movie ‘Christmas Vacation’ was filmed in Colorado – Here’s where