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Movies That Will Make You Want to Travel

Can’t decide where to go on your next vacation? Look to Hollywood films for major inspiration. The movies on this list will feed anyone’s wanderlust and encourage you to book a flight to New Orleans — or maybe somewhere as far away as Tokyo.

These movies will make you want to travel. That’s why we’ve also included recommended things to do and places to eat — so it’s easier for you to imagine the adventure and envision the amazing possibilities.

Girls Trip follows four best friends who reunite and travel to New Orleans for the real-life Essence Music Festival. Their wild and hilarious adventure is full of dancing, drinking, romancing and even brawling. With so many beautiful shots of the Big Easy, it’s hard to resist catching the travel bug and booking a flight immediately with your crew.

Things To Do: The 2017 film featured the girls grooving down Bourbon Street, sipping hurricanes and zip-lining above tourists. If you’re looking to party, there are bars, live music venues and popular restaurants everywhere you turn in the French Quarter. A few famous bars include the Carousel Bar & Lounge and Erin Rose.

Want to escape the party culture? For a more laid-back experience, you can wander around the beautiful Jackson Square and gaze at the iconic St. Louis Cathedral. If you’re interested in the supernatural, take a haunting tour of the LaLaurie Mansion, the former residence of Madame Delphine LaLaurie , and the current home of tortured spirits.

Where to Eat: A trip to New Orleans wouldn’t be complete without trying a beignet (a delicious fried pastry covered in powdered sugar). The hottest spots for beignets are Café du Monde and the aptly named Café Beignet.

Based on the book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail , this film is about a divorced and lost woman who embarks on a solo hiking trip for self-discovery. After watching her trek 1,100 miles along America’s West Coast, you’ll want to pack your bags and spend more time in nature.

Things to Do: If you’re planning to walk the entire Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), make sure you’re prepared for a six- to eight-month trip. The 2014 film takes you across the stunning Mojave Desert, Mount Hood, Mount Hood National Forest, Crater Lake, the Bridge of the Gods and Smith Rock State Park.

Where to Eat: If you want more than just trail food, there are some great restaurants along the PCT. According to The Trek and The Hiking Life , Alabama Hills Cafe, Stehekin Pastry Company and Timberline Lodge are a few popular places on the journey.

The Hangover

The Hangover follows four friends who travel to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. The next morning, they wake up with no memory of the previous night — and the groom missing. Their hilarious journey is filled with crazy parties, dazzling hotels, luxurious casinos and (of course) booze.

Things to Do: Released in 2009, The Hangover was mostly filmed at Caesars Palace, one of the most beautiful and legendary properties on the Las Vegas strip. Located between the Bellagio and the Mirage, the palace brings Greco-Roman fantasy to life. You can spend hours admiring the exquisite architecture and browsing through high-end boutiques.

Where to Eat: There are so many great restaurants in Las Vegas, including Lotus of Siam, Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen and Mon Ami Gabi. If you’ve worked up an appetite and want to feast inside of Caesars Palace, many visitors highly recommend the Bacchanal Buffet.

Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians gave the world a taste of the luxurious life in Singapore. The film follows a Chinese-American professor who finds out her boyfriend is basically the “Prince Harry of Asia” because he’s from one of the wealthiest families in Singapore.

Flashing the big screen with massive mansions, fancy cars and dazzling hotels, we can see why people had their hearts set on Singapore after watching the film. Following Crazy Rich Asians’ premiere, many travel sites saw a jump in searches for Singapore compared to the same period the year before. According to Kayak, searches for the country soared 41% .

Things to Do: The 2018 film flaunted many of Singapore’s breathtaking places, like Merlion Park, where the remarkable Merlion (half-lion and half-fish) statue sits and the Marina Bay Sands hotel stands. Marina Bay Sands is among the most Instagrammed hotels in the world. With a rooftop infinity pool and a jaw-dropping view of the Singapore skyline, it’s no surprise that the hotel is extremely popular. Other notable sites from the film include CHIJMES Hall and Gardens by the Bay.

Where to Eat: Looking for an exciting food scene? Many locals and tourists head to Newton Food Centre, a famous outdoor night market, for cheap, delicious food like barbecued seafood and black pepper crab.

Lost in Translation

Released in 2003, Lost in Translation focused on two lonely Americans (Bob and Charlotte) who formed an odd yet heartwarming relationship in Tokyo. Moviegoers couldn’t help but fall in love with the captivating and vibrant city in the film’s backdrop. Most of the film was shot in two incredible districts in Tokyo: Shinjuku and Shibuya.

Things to Do: The film fuels people’s desire to visit Tokyo and admire many places, like Shinjuku’s swanky Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel where Bob and Charlotte stayed. On the hotel’s 52nd floor, the New York Bar offers premium whiskeys and stunning views of the sparkling city.

Lost in Translation frequently featured the neon-filled streets and bars of Shinjuku’s entertainment hub Kabukicho. Want to sing your heart out? The film’s karaoke scene was captured at Shibuya’s Karaoke-kan.

Where to Eat: Located in Shibuya, Ichikan was the little restaurant where Bob and Charlotte munched on sushi. If you’d prefer to eat somewhere else, Japan Wireless magazine names Genki Sushi and Sushi No Midori as the top sushi restaurants in Shibuya.

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Vacation (I) (2015)

• Parents Guide

Certification

• Sex & Nudity (9)
• Violence & Gore (1)
• Profanity (2)
• Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking (3)
• Spoilers (4)

Sex & Nudity

• Moderate 77 of 185 found this moderate Severity? None 11 Mild 54 Moderate 77 Severe 43 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• Some sexual talk and language that may bother some people not that bad. No male nudity some woman's but non sexual only when a girl is going to her room to get changed and the other is in the shower later on. No sexual stuff other than make out sense not bad Edit
• There are some chats about vagina. Edit
• A man is wearing tight shorts with a large penis shape visible in a prolonged scene. Edit
• From distance there are two topless women. Another girl Is full frontal nude. Edit
• Scenes where a man and his wife try to have sex but are interrupted. One takes place outside, when they try to run, multiple nude women are shown full-frontal for about a split-second. giving the "brief graphic nudity" reason on the MPAA rating. Edit
• There are a lot of sexual references in the movie. Edit
• A young kid asks a truck driver if he is a rap--t. Edit
• During the opening credits, a horse's penis is shown. Edit
• End credit scene shows brief male frontal nudity. Edit

Violence & Gore

• Mild 42 of 83 found this mild Severity? None 13 Mild 42 Moderate 26 Severe 2 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• During the opening credits, pictures are shown of funny things happening on random people's vacations. One photo shows someone vomiting on a ride. Edit
• Severe 66 of 107 found this severe Severity? None 2 Mild 9 Moderate 30 Severe 66 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• Most of the profanity is said by the younger son in the family. Edit
• Fuck and shit are said 48 times. Edit

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

• Mild 57 of 76 found this mild Severity? None 5 Mild 57 Moderate 13 Severe 1 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.
• A brief scene of cannabis being smoked from a bong. Edit
• A character drinks beer in front of their children. Edit
• Characters drink alcohol. Edit

Frightening & Intense Scenes

• None 42 of 72 found this to have none Severity? None 42 Mild 28 Moderate 1 Severe 1 We were unable to submit your evaluation. Please try again later.

The Parents Guide items below may give away important plot points.

• The youngest son in the family writes "I have a va---a" on the older brother's guitar. Edit
• A teenager asks his dad what a "rimjob" is, to which he responds "is a kiss done with the rim of a mouth." The teenager later asks a girl if he can give her a rimjob. Edit
• A man runs over a cow in one scene. Later it shows the man covered in the blood and the guts are all over the ground. Edit
• A Family finds a ear in a mud pool they were swimming in and they scream (No Blood) Edit

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Common sense media reviewers.

Occasionally funny but mostly crude, rude, and forgettable.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Amid the crude/over-the-top content are some messa

Rusty is a sweet and caring father who genuinely w

Kevin tackles and punches his older brother, James

Nudity and several references to sex, promiscuity,

Strong language in basically every scene, particul

Products/brands seen include iPad, iPhone, Faceboo

Adults and college students drink, and in one scen

Parents need to know that Vacation is a sequel to/reboot of the original National Lampoon's Vacation comedies. Ed Helms stars as a grown-up Rusty Griswold, who hopes to recreate the infamous road trip his own family took when he was a teen. Like the 1983 version, this Vacation is chock…

Positive Messages

Amid the crude/over-the-top content are some messages about steadfast marriages and the idea that vacations form lasting impressions on kids.

Positive Role Models

Rusty is a sweet and caring father who genuinely wants to lead his family on a memorable trip ... though he doesn't always make the best decisions. Other characters behave in very iffy ways (often for humor).

Violence & Scariness

Kevin tackles and punches his older brother, James, and repeatedly puts a plastic bag over his head. The Griswolds end up in a fist fight with another family. Jokes about a trucker being a rapist and a pedophile. A man with a death wish ends up killing himself while rafting. A woman in a car is killed by an oncoming truck on the highway. Rusty runs over a steer with an ATV and ends up with blood on him. Most of this is played for humor.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Nudity and several references to sex, promiscuity, groping, and sex acts. A married couple attempts to have sex several times but is foiled, including once when they try to have sex publicly but are met with other couples also waiting to have sex (or in the middle of it). Quick glimpses of breasts. The outline of a man's extra-large penis is visible through his boxer briefs. Friends recall how a woman was known for "doing anything" (like performing sex acts on an administrator). A teenage boy means to ask a girl if they can kiss on the lips but inadvertently asks for a much more explicit act (he was told it meant "kissing with mouths closed"). Dirty talk like "I'm gonna pound the s--t out of you," "Why don't you plug up your ears with Mitt Romney's d--k?," etc.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language in basically every scene, particularly "motherf--ker," "f--k," "f--king," "s--t," "a--hole," "p---y" (often said by the younger son in the family). Other words include "d--k," "bulls--t," "piss," "t-ts," "balls," and using "goddammit!" and "Jesus Christ!" as common exclamations.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Products/brands seen include iPad, iPhone, Facebook, Instagram, Yankee Candle, Ferrari, Nissan.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults and college students drink, and in one scene the mom chugs a pitcher of beer to do a "Chug and Run," resulting in her projectile vomiting throughout the obstacle course. Adults also drink wine at meals.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Vacation is a sequel to/reboot of the original National Lampoon's Vacation comedies. Ed Helms stars as a grown-up Rusty Griswold, who hopes to recreate the infamous road trip his own family took when he was a teen. Like the 1983 version, this Vacation is chock full of crass humor, coarse comments, sexual references, and constant strong language. Nearly every line of dialogue includes an obscenity -- from "motherf---er," "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," and "bulls--t" to "p---y," "d--k," and more. Violent moments/topics are played for humor (like siblings roughing each other up, a fist fight between families, a woman in a car getting killed by a truck, jokes about rape, pedophilia, incest, and more), and sexual content includes glimpses of bare breasts, scenes in which a man's large genitals are clearly outlined by his underwear, tons of crude innuendo and graphic references, and a scene of several partially nude couples waiting to have sex in public. One scene includes a mom chugging beer and then projectile vomiting while running an obstacle course. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (20)
• Kids say (51)

Based on 20 parent reviews

There is laughter, jokes, bonding and you never stop laughing

What's the story.

VACATION reunites us with the Griswold family: Ed Helms is the grown Rusty Griswold, now an airline pilot who lives in Chicago with his wife, Debbie ( Christina Applegate ), and two sons, James (Skyler Gisondo) and Kevin (Steele Stebbins), who constantly attacks his older brother. After friends brag about their memorable trip to Paris, Rusty decides that his family needs to recreate the long-ago Griswold road trip to Walley World in California. So Rusty rents a Tartan Prancer ("the Honda of Albania") and drags his reluctant clan across the country. As in the original, the Griswolds then face a seemingly endless list of obstacles and humiliating tragedies that nearly derail their ability to get to their destination.

Is It Any Good?

You'll likely have a few laughs watching this movie, but they're coming at the cost of base, gross-out, juvenile, sexual jokes. Although there's no doubt that the original Vacation was crass, Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo (who make a brief appearance here) made most of the franchise memorable; but the new version -- despite a talented cast -- tries so hard to be provocative that the gags feel over-the-top and forced. The sequence of Debbie chugging an entire pitcher of beer and then proceeding to projectile vomit her way through a sorority obstacle course is especially gross, as are the references to rape, pedophilia, incest, and sex acts.

That's not to say that audiences won't laugh. Charlie Day pops up as a suicidal white-water rafting guide who leads the Griswolds on a killer (and admittedly hilarious) ride. Other actors -- like Norman Reedus , Michael Pena , and Keegan Michael Key , as well as Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth as, respectively, Rusty's sister, Audrey, and her attractive (and ridiculously endowed) husband, Stone -- also add much-needed relief from the brothers' squabbling and Helms' clueless attempts at family bonding.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about reboots and remakes. Why are they so common? Why do you think filmmakers and studios are drawn to them? How does Vacation stack up to others?

How are sex and drinking portrayed in the movie? Are characters responsible when it comes to both topics? Are there realistic consequences? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values on these subjects.

Vacation -- like some other comedies -- uses humiliation as a source of humor. What do you think about this brand of humor? Why do certain topics make some people laugh and not others?

Most of the movie's violent moments are played for humor. Does that change their impact? Is it OK to let kids see some types of movie violence but not others?

Movie Details

• In theaters : July 29, 2015
• On DVD or streaming : November 3, 2015
• Cast : Ed Helms , Chris Hemsworth , Leslie Mann
• Directors : John Francis Daley , Jonathan M. Goldstein
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 99 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : crude and sexual content and language throughout, and brief graphic nudity
• Last updated : January 13, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Our editors recommend.

National Lampoon's Vacation

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon's European Vacation

Best classic comedy films.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

"One of the 50 Coolest Websites...they simply tell it like it is" - TIME

Vacation | 2015 | R | - 7.6.9

SEX/NUDITY 7 - During the end credits a photo shows a man wearing clingy swim trunks with half of his penis extending out of one leg of the garment. A man wearing clingy underwear walks into his guest room and speaks to his clothed brother-in-law and sister-in-law; the man's penis is erect with the bulge visible in the underwear as he bends one knee and places his foot on a chair and on the bed so that the woman can see his erection, but she looks elsewhere (we see his bare chest and the outline of his buttocks as he walks out of the room); the brother-in-law says that the man was showing off his six-pack. A photo shows a man wearing clingy knit trunks in which his erect penis stretches the fabric several inches to the side. A husband and his wife plan to have sex on the Four Corners Monument at night and the husband makes a sexually suggestive remark as he slaps his wife on the behind twice; as the couple lies down on the four corners a nude man beside them shouts and we see an aerial view of a nude woman sitting on the nude man's crotch area with no movement (we see his bare chest along with her bare back and upper buttocks) while a long line of couples wearing underwear in the shadows tells the clothed couple to get in line (we see people in underwear with some groin bulges and the bras and panties of a few women that reveal navels, abdomens and cleavage). ►  A series of photos show shirtless men wearing swim trunks or shorts that reveal bare chests and abdomens. A photo shows two potbelly pigs in mating position. A picture shows a one-year-old boy pinching a man's nipple as the man grimaces. Several photos show women and girls wearing bikinis or one-piece swimsuits. A photo features a male horse urinating, including its penis and a long stream of urine to the ground. Three men are seen wearing shorts that reveal bare chests and a woman wears a one-piece bathing suit with a shawl for a skirt that reveals cleavage. A few scenes include women wearing scoop neck or V-neck blouses that reveal some cleavage. One scene shows college women wearing short shorts and a few of them wear bikini tops with their shorts, revealing cleavage, navels and abdomens. A woman wears a one-piece swimsuit that reveals a little cleavage. ►  A husband and his wife kiss passionately and he says, "I want to have all your babies" and the woman says she hit the jackpot with his sexiness; he replies, "Sweet slice of sexy momma." A woman kisses and throws her husband onto a bed, then rips open his snap front shirt and the action ends because another man walks into the room. A photo shows a teen boy kissing a teen girl lightly as he touches one of her knees with his hand. A teen girl reads the phrase, "I have a penis" on a teen boy's guitar aloud, embarrassing the boy and he asks if he can give her a rimjob; she objects with, "Whoa!" and looks disturbed until he asks for a kiss, she agrees, and he just kisses the air in front of her face. A husband and his wife kiss briefly in a rubber raft ride along a river. A husband and his wife kiss and he says, "I'm going to pound the [scatological term deleted] out of you but we see no sexual action. A husband and his wife sit in jump seats at the back of a plane and kiss briefly. ►  A commercial pilot enters the passenger compartment during a flight and turbulence throws him toward a woman whose breasts he grabs and whose blouse he rips open (we see cleavage above her bra as the woman's husband tells the pilot to get away from his family). ►  A teen boy smiles at a teen girl in a passing car on the highway, she smiles back and they meet again at a motel swimming pool where the boy's father pretends to be a stranger and asks the boy to remove his shirt and make a muscle with his arm; the girl whispers that the boy should call the police about the "pervert" and then leaves. A man flirts with his sister-in-law by wiping BBQ sauce from her mouth at dinner and licking his finger in front of the woman's husband and his own wife. A woman in a convertible waves and smiles at a man driving next to her and he smiles back. ►  A father massages his teen son's shoulders and as another man approaches says that the boy is not too old to give his father a "rimjob"; the other man looks startled and walks away quickly. Visiting her alma mater with her family, a woman is embarrassed by sorority members showing a scrapbook of her when she was known as "Debbie Do Anything": photos of her show her wearing short shorts that reveal bare legs to the top of the thigh and one of the younger women says the older woman touched the dean's penis. A man and a woman rub the outlines of a painted penis and testicles on the side of a car, trying to remove the paint as their children watch and the woman says, "I can't get it off" as her husband says, "I got the shaft." A police officer make s a reference to Mitt Romney's penis. ►  A pilot brags to two flight attendants wearing clingy knee-length dresses that Spanish women love pilots and when with them, he does not even have to take his clothes off (sex implied); the women stand close to him and smile. A man tells his son that a pedophile is a man who loves a boy very much and his wife tells him to stop talking about it. A young boy tells his father that he found a hole in a restaurant washroom stall's wall and the father says, "Looks like you found yourself a glory hole"; his wife says, "No!" and changes the subject. A teen boy and his father discuss the term " rimjob" and the father does not know what it means but says it is kissing with closed lips. A young boy has written, "I have a vagina" in Sharpie on his teen brother's guitar and their father marks out "vagina" and writes in "penis" as he explains to his sons that gender fluidity exists and some men are born with vaginas until his wife tells him to stop talking about it; the young boy says that his teenage brother has balls hanging out of his vagina (he does not; the young boy is bullying the teen). A man and a woman get out of their car at their in-laws home where they find that someone spray painted a large penis and testicles on the side of their car. A man makes a couple of remarks about faucets and there is a slight suggestion that faucet might mean "penis." A man tells another man that he likes to start the day by having sex and herding steer. A man's father-in-law states to other family members that the first man and his wife "sleep around on each other." A man asks his wife how many male sexual partners she has had and she answers 30; he says he has had only three and feels inadequate sexually because of this and that she is a "sexual character." A young boy using a CB radio tells a trucker that he heard all truckers are rapists and asks the trucker if he is a rapist (the trucker does not answer); a few days later, the boy meets the trucker, asks if he is a rapist, and the trucker stares at him and laughs but does not answer. A woman asks a trucker why he has a teddy bear attached to the front grill of the truck and he says, "To make the children comfortable"; she asks if he has children and he says, "No" (pedophilia is implied).

VIOLENCE/GORE 6 - At an amusement park, a man skips ahead of another man's family in line to a ride after the second family waited six hours; the second man slugs the first man hard in the nose, knocking him down and the first man says, "You're a dead man" as a fistfight ensues with the men punching and rolling on the ride platform while the wives, teens, and children enter the fray and we see women punch men and teen boys hard in the nose, with some punches in slow motion and we see spit flying (one large blob of white spit that a boy spits purposely hits a man in the face); one teen boy digs his fingers into a teen girl's arm in slow motion (no blood flows), one young boy wraps a plastic bag over the first man's head, choking him and the fight ends (no injuries are visible). A woman slams a car door on her husband's arm twice. He shouts in pain and holds his arm. ►  A semi-truck tailgates a car and honks causing the male car driver to swerve and sideswipe another car, then flip about six times and suffer dents in all four doors, but the family inside is unharmed; the driver rushes off the road through some grass, levels a highway sign and two other vehicles crash into each other, then the car stops and the truck jackknifes and stops skidding just before it would have hit the car. A woman in a convertible drives in the wrong lane and another, blurred vehicle speeds into her head-on with a muffled smack; in another car's rearview mirror, we see a wide pillar of black smoke rising from the implied crash. A tour guide answers a cell phone call, argues and hangs up, then shouts angrily, tosses the phone into a white water river and screams several seconds into the distance; he takes a family of four on a raft excursion and falls face first into the river (we see his face under water briefly) then gets back into the raft and aims the raft into a series of rapids and the family screams in slow motion before jumping out of the raft and the tour guide goes over a tall waterfall, hitting three rocks very hard and loudly as he goes down (in the end credits we see a photo of him with bloodied shins, arms and forehead, as he is climbing out of the water and a grizzly bear is roaring at him); while riding away in their car the wife of the family tells her husband that they almost died in that ride. ►  Three male and one female police officers attempt to arrest dozens of couples ready to have sex at night at the Four Corners Monument (please see the Sex/Nudity category for more details); the couples run away, but the law officers draw handguns and shout at one another as two of the male officers are seen sucking the barrels of handguns and then all four officers put down their weapons and lie face down facing one another on the paved area in their own state corners. ►  A man and his family sit on a roller coaster ride and scream as it descends, but the roller coaster becomes stuck upside down at the top of a loop; a boy says that his eyes are bulging, to which his father answers that they will have help soon (the coaster is stuck for several hours until nightfall) and the camera cuts to people who were on the ride as they sit covered in blankets at EMT vehicles on the ground (no injuries occurred). ►  Heavy turbulence in a small plane shakes the passenger compartment severely as an elderly man pilots the vehicle; a flight attendant falls to the floor, but is unharmed and a man standing in an aisle is thrown across the laps of passengers and then the other way into a flight attendant's metal serving cart, toppling it and we hear glass tinkling as the cart overturns (the plane lands safely). ►  A woman falls several times as she attempts to run through a raised, padded obstacle course; she is hit in the head with a padded barrel that is suspended from a cord, she is punched in the head and off the course into the grass by a mechanical arm with a heavily padded cube on the end of it (she is not injured). ►  A pre-teen boy bullies his teenage brother, interrupting his conversations, telling him to shut up, calling him obscene names, loudly calling out that the teen has a vagina, wrapping plastic bags tight over the teen's head to gag him, and in one scene hitting him in the head repeatedly with small stones. A male pilot belittles another pilot and blocks him from boarding an employee shuttle to the parking lot. A pre-teen boy does a judo hip throw to his teenage brother and he lands in some grass. A teen boy pushes his younger brother down lightly four times, pats his forehead repeatedly, pinches his cheeks, ruffles his hair, taps him on the face with both hands several times and laughs. At a dinner with another family, a man punches his teen son in the arms lightly, hugs him, and picks up a carving knife and pretends to stab him, laughing while the other father stares, surprised. ►  A man runs into a steer in a field at high speed as he rides an off-road vehicle and the camera cuts to the man standing on a patio, bloody from head to feet, with chunks of steer meat hanging from his shirt and lying around his feet as another man hoses him off and we see a steer walk onto the patio, eat a mouthful of the raw meat, and lick up some blood. A man feeds a steer a long rib of BBQ beef and another man whispers to his teen son that this is cannibalism. ►  A family runs out of gasoline in the desert and exits their car; the dad restarts the car, which then explodes into smoke, flames and cinders as he argues with his family and hurts his foot twice, shouting when he kicks tumbleweeds that hide a large rock and a fire hydrant; a semi-truck chases the car driver as he runs through the desert, but stops, doing no harm to the man. A man and his family find that one of their car windows has been broken and their possessions stolen. ►  A husband and his wife argue about her losing her wedding ring when she loses weight and her fingers become thinner. We hear that a man overcame lupus and that a college drinking party (please see the Substance Use category for more details) is for charity donation for Asperger's Syndrome. ►  A family stays in a filthy motel room with dirty walls and smudged doors and the parents find the shower stall bloodstained and rust stained; the bottom and sides of the tub are black and the wife asks if mushrooms are growing (no answer), and then says that the husband has a large ball of pubic hair, which he drops as he shouts in disgust. A man has a rat on his shoulder and when another man asks him about it the first man shrieks and tries to brush it off as he runs away. ►  A photo shows a man vomiting yellow material across the shot as he rides on a roller coaster and the man next to him is grimacing and appears to be shouting. A woman on a college campus chugs a pitcher of beer and vomits immediately (please see the Substance Use category for more details), spraying amber liquid onto a padded obstacle course; she vomits twice more on the padded obstacles, then falls to the ground face down and vomits a large circle of white fluid that we see from an aerial view. Parents, a teen boy and a younger boy wade into a raw, steaming sewage dump and spread feces over their bodies and faces; the younger boy picks out a hypodermic syringe and lobs it at his brother as a dart, but it does not stick as the brother shouts and picks up slimy thin plastic sheeting from the murky water; the family reads a warning sign posted at the dump and exits the place quickly, squealing in distaste. A wife and her husband ride in the small jump seats at the back of an airplane passenger compartment, located beside the washroom where we hear a toilet flush once. In a car, a young boy makes sounds with his lips that sound like flatulence.

LANGUAGE 9 - About 48 F-words and its derivatives, 9 sexual references, 17 scatological terms, 25 anatomical terms, 19 mild obscenities, name-calling (idiot, dingus, clown, dork, weasel, loser, lunatic), exclamations (shut-up, shut your mouth), 1 religious profanity (GD), 17 religious exclamations (e.g. Oh My God, Holy Cow, Holy Moly, Jesus Christ, Holy [scatological term deleted], Oh Jeez).

SUBSTANCE USE - Three large family dinners show a wine bottle and glasses of wine on the table for adults (no one is shown drinking), a woman on a college campus chugs a pitcher of beer and becomes ill, we hear that a woman drank a lot in college and invented a beer chugging contest for charity, college students drink cups of beer drawn from kegs and one college woman passes out falling to the ground, male college students pour beer over another male student's head, and a man says that he used to drink bourbon and cry with a famous male movie star. A husband tells his wife and two sons that he rented a car with six ashtrays so he hopes they like smoking (no one smokes), and we see a picture of a woman in college and she has a cigarette hanging out of her mouth (it is unclear whether it is a regular cigarette or a marijuana cigarette).

DISCUSSION TOPICS - Family traditions, vacations, confronting bullies, relationships, love, fidelity, marriage, hermaphrodites, sexual slang.

MESSAGE - Maintaining family traditions can be harrowing.

Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.

We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.

Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated , Special , Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.

REVIEWS See ratings & reviews at Critics.com

WEB LINKS Official Site    IMDb

FILTER by RATINGS Did you know you can now filter searches by any combination of ratings? Just go to our search page or use the search bar, with or without a keyword, from the top navigation menu. Move sliders from 0-10 in any combination, check and uncheck MPAA ratings and use keywords to further filter results -- please let us know what you think.

THE ASSIGNED NUMBERS Unlike the MPAA we do not assign one inscrutable rating based on age but 3 objective ratings for SEX/NUDITY , VIOLENCE/GORE & LANGUAGE on a scale of 0 to 10, from lowest to highest depending on quantity & context | more |

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Vacation Parent Guide

Adult children often repeat the mistakes of their parents..

Release date July 31, 2015

If you remember Chevy Chase's Vacation movies, then you will have some idea of what to expect in this reboot of the franchise. This time it is Rusty Griswald (Ed Helms) -- the son of the original character -- who is taking his family on a holiday.

Run Time: 99 minutes

Official Movie Site

Vacation Rating & Content Info

Why is Vacation rated R? Vacation is rated R by the MPAA for crude and sexual content and language throughout, and brief graphic nudity.

This additional information about the movie’s content is taken from the notes of various Canadian Film Classification boards:

Violence: - Portrayals of non-graphic violence. - Brief explicit violence. - Depictions of fighting, beating and suffocation. - Some grotesque images. - Bullying. - Incidents of suicide.

Sexual Content: - Frequent sexual references and innuendo. - Brief breast and male genital nudity in sexual and non-sexual contexts. - Embracing and kissing. - Fondling. - Crude content and offensive scenes. - Frequent portrayals of crude bodily functions, with some detail.

Language: - Approximately 110 instances of coarse and/or sexual language, including: - Frequent use of the sexual expletive and variations, sometimes in a sexual context. - Frequent use of scatological slang and vulgar expressions. - Slurs.

Alcohol / Drug Use: - Excessive alcohol and substance use.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

News About "Vacation"

More About the Movie: This film is a spin-off of the National Lampoon's Vacation series, starring Chevy Chase .

Cast and Crew

Vacation is directed by Jonathan M. Goldstein , Tracy J. Brown, John Francis Daley and stars Chris Hemsworth, Leslie Mann, Michael Peña, Christina Applegate.

The most recent home video release of Vacation movie is November 3, 2015. Here are some details…

Vacation releases to home video on November 3, 2015.

Related home video titles:

Other families attempt vacations together in Blended and RV .

Age Rating JuJu

Parents Guide Movies, Games, TV & Web Series, Videos. Age Restriction reason – What & Why

Vacation Friends 2 (2023)

Table of Contents

Vacation Friends 2 Parents Guide

Vacation Friends 2 is a 2023 comedy film directed by Clay Tarver, known for Silicon Valley in 2014, Joy Ride in 2001, and Vacation Friends in 2021.

The writing credit of the film includes John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Tim Mullen, Tom Mullen, and Clay Tarver.

The film is produced by Stuart M. Besser, and Todd Garner for 20th Century Studios .

Know about Vacation Friends 2 Parents Guide, Age Rating, Release Date, Gameplay of Fort Solis, System Requirements, Trailer, Wallpaper, and Images.

Vacation Friends 2 Parents Guide and Age Rating

Vacation Friends 2 is ra ted R for pervasive language, some sexual references, and drug use.

What is R rated?

R Rated means Restricted. Films rated R are Restricted to be viewed by anyone below the age of 17 and are intended to be viewed by mature audiences. R-rated movies are not suitable for children.

Vacation Friends 2 Synopsis

A newlywed couple Lil Rel Howery and Yvonne Orji meets another couple on a Honeymoon vacation in Mexico find their friendship takes a strange turn when they return home.

Vacation Friends 2 Release Date

A sequel Vacation Friends 2 will release in the united states on August 25, 2023 , on the streaming channel Hulu .

Vacation Friends 2 Wallpaper and Images

Vacation Friends 2 Cast and Characters

Here is the list of Vacation Friends 2 Cast and Characters:

• John Cena as Ron
• Steve Buscemi as Reese
• Meredith Hagner as Kyla
• Ronny Chieng
• Jamie Hector as Warren
• Lil Rel Howery as Marcus
• Yvonne Orji as Emily
• Carlos Santos as Maurillio
• Mariana Novak as Female Traveler
• Julee Cerda as Mrs. Kim
• Julianne Arrieta as Chloe
• Alex Dayuha as Clubgoer
• Sam Bass as Big Man at Hotel
• Wolf Lee Counsel as Floor Boss
• Arnold Y. Kim as Goe
• Stephanie Brogdon as Beach Goer / Casino VIP Lounge
• Kevin Yamada as MinJin
• Josh Squire as Clubgoer
• Tory Mell as Traveler
• Andre Pelzer as Hotel Manager
• Ryan Michelle Yves as Traveler
• Max Lawrence as Blackjack Dealer
• Roger Groh as Gambler
• Christopher David Chong as Korean Business Executive
• Anthony Lloyd as Butler
• Eufemio Longboy Jr. as Traveler

Vacation Friends 2 Trailer

Vacation Friends 2 FAQ

What is the age rating of vacation friends 2.

To know the age rating read the article above.

Is Vacation Friends 2 suitable for kids?

No, Vacation Friends 2 is not suitable for kids.

Why Vacation Friends 2 is not suitable for kids?

Vacation Friends 2 is not suitable for kids as it contains pervasive language, some sexual references, and drug use.

Who can watch Vacation Friends 2?

Kids above the age of 18 can watch Vacation Friends 2.

In fact, the age rating is fixed by the MPAA( Motion Picture Association of America TV Series rating system), BBFC (British Board of Film Classification), and Commons Sense, TV Parental Guidelines (A television content rating system in the United States).

Stay tuned to get more updates on the age rating of all movies, tv shows, books, and games. Finally, any suggestions are always welcomed.

Also, please make use of the comment box for your reviews. We are always providing all age ratings for kids, We will make the easy and best way for your kids.

Vacation Friends 2

Director: Clay Tarver

Date Created: 2023-08-25 12:30

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Home » Parent Movie Reviews » Age Rating of Christmas Vacation: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)

Age Rating of Christmas Vacation: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)

Posted on Last updated: November 12, 2022

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You kids might be asking if they can see this one. The star power is there and it is a holiday classic! But can they? What is the true age rating of Christmas Vacation? Can your kids watch this one? We’re coving the 7 big things parents need to know about the age rating for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation in this parents guide.

About National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

As the holidays approach, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to have a perfect family Christmas, so he pesters his wife, Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), and children, as he tries to make sure everything is in line, including the tree and house decorations.

However, things go awry quickly.

His hick cousin, Eddie (Randy Quaid), and his family show up unplanned and start living in their camper on the Griswold property.

Even worse, Clark’s employers renege on the holiday bonus he needs.

Watch the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation trailer here.

Read the best Clark Griswold quotes and rants here.

Our favorite American family gets to gether for Christmas, and as always, they deliver big laughs.

Can your kids watch this one? What is the age rating of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?

This parent’s guide will help you decide if your family can handle the seven big issues with movies and shows: mature topics, gore, violence, language, sex, romance, and nudity. We’ll also give the age rating of Christmas Vacation and age-appropriate recommendations.

There’s a lot of language in this one. Some unkind words, as well as swears, may make this movie one you proceed with caution if you have younger children.

Your kids will hear:

• flipping the bird
• “bend over and I’ll show you”
• sh!t (and variants)
• @ss (variants)
• h@ll (variants)
• p!ssed (variants)
• son of a b!tch
• d!ck (variants)
• f@cking (used once)
• one character tells the main character that he “cocked” the evening up

Age Rating of Christmas Vacation: Is It Safe For Kids When It Comes To Sex, Romance, and Nudity?

Clark (the dad in the story) is a bit of a dirty dude when it comes to his fantasies. He tends to sexualize women and does so in this movie, particularly with a saleswoman.

Clark also trips over words and makes things more sexual in their conversation.

He later fantasized about the saleswoman stripping for him.

In one scene, characters are told to “freeze,” and the wife of the main character freezes with her hand on Clark’s crotch.

There is also a partial view of the side of a woman’s breast in a swimming pool scene.

Violence and Gore: Is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Too Scary For Kids Under 13?

While it’s not a scary movie, there are moments that are meant to be shocking.

Sensitive kids may not enjoy the humor of the movie.

There are lots of explosions (without injuries) during Christmas Vacation, with one character briefly catching on fire.

There are some jokes made about animals that do seem to put them in harm’s way. Obviously, no animals were harmed for real, but it can be something that bothers children.

Clark shakes a box aggressively with a cat in it, causing the cat to scream.

Later, a cat is electrocuted and leaves a dark cat-shaped mark and fur behind on the ground.

A character describes smacking a squirrel with a hammer.

Characters fall down the stairs, fall through an attic floor, and a man falls off a ladder; there are a lot of physical falls played for comedy.

Is Christmas Vacation Ok For Kids: Mature Topics

Clark has frequent bursts of rage which can be over the top.

Characters are also seen drinking and smoking in the movie.

If you have Santa believers: this is not the movie to watch with them. Plenty of discussion about who really buys the presents and it could ruin the Santa magic.

Age Rating of Christmas Vacation: What Ages Can Really Watch This One?

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is rated PG-13 for crude humor, language, and sexual innuendo.

Parents Guide Christmas Vacation: Is Appropriate For Kids Under 13?

We think kids as young as 10 could handle the humor in Christmas Vacation. But that will entirely depend on how your family feels about somewhat crude humor.

13, however, is a safe bet for the age of kids who will truly get and understand the jokes in the movie.

Where To Stream The Christmas Movies You Love

• Christmas Movies to Stream on Hulu
• Christmas Movies to Stream on Amazon
• Christmas Movies For Kids to Stream on Netflix
• Christmas Movies to Stream on Disney+

More Parents Guides

• Age Rating of A Christmas Story (1983): Parents Guide
• Age Rating of Gremlins: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
• Age Rating of Elf: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
• Age Rating of Wakanda Forever: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
• Age Rating of Prey For The Devil: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
• Age Rating of Willow (1988): Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
• Age Rating Of Ticket To Paradise: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)
• Age Rating of Black Adam: Parents Guide (7 Big Things)

Want More Age Rating Recommendations? Get the parents guides for movies and tv shows here

Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.

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Vacation Friends Parents Guide Movie Review

By: Author mandipie4u

Posted on Last updated: August 28, 2021

Categories Entertainment , Films , HULU

Vacation Friends is a light, fun and raunchy comedy giving viewers a little vacation from the real world gloom. Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.

Vacation Friends is NOW available to stream on HULU today, August 27th. The film stars John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji and Meredith Hagner and is a hilarious, raunchy comedy for the fun date night. But is this movie safe for kids? Check out the details in my Vacation Friends parents guide movie review.

If you enjoyed this Vacation Friends parents guide movie review, check out these other articles: He’s All That parents guide movie review , Together parents guide movie review , Candyman parents guide movie review , Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings parents guide movie review , Reminscence parents guide movie review .

Vacation Friends Movie Quotes

Vacation friends cast interview, vacation friends parents guide.

Marcus (Lil Rel Howery) and Emily (Yvonne Orji) enjoy an unusual week without inhibitions when they meet new friends on vacation, but they are horrified when Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner) show up uninvited to their wedding.

Vacation Friends Age Appropriate Parents Guide

Lets take a look at what parents need to know before letting their kids watch Vacation Friends .

Language : Vacation Friends contains very harsh language with profanity used throughout. Lookout words include” f*ck, sh*t, a**, b*tch, d*ck, son of a b*tch, g-d d*mn, d*mn, balls and more.

Drugs/Alcohol : The film has many scenes where adults are consuming alcoholic beverages and partaking in drug use, including cocaine.

Sexual Content/Nudity : There is a scene which reveals a bare bottom John Cena. The couples also take part in a drug induced “swinging” scenario.

Violence : Vacation Friends has a bit of violent and dangerous scenes, which include gun weilding, shooting bottles off heads of characters, and jumping off cliffs. There is also a bar fight which includes hand to hand combat of characters.

Overall Thoughts

Vacation Friends is quite predictable, but most movies of these sorts typically are. However, that predictablity doesn’t take away from enjoying this comedy. Audiences typically don’t imagine muscular, macho John Cena as a comedic actor, however, I believe this is where he shines. Despite reviews, I absolutely loved his film Playing With Fire , mainly due to Cena’s role and this is also true for Vacation Friends . Cena goes all in as the zany and slightly crazy Ron, even to the point where he looks a bit crazy in the eyes. His character steals the scene whenever he arrives and it is a blast to watch.

And while Cena was the standout performance in the film, Howery, Orji and Hagner do a terrific job sharing the screen with him. The friendship Cena and Howery share on screen is very natural and I would not be surprised if this duo became besties after filming concluded. Hagner was simply a joy to watch. Her innocent features complimented the outlandish lines delivered in the film perfectly and aided in many of the comedic scenes.

And while Vacation Friends will win viewers over with its slap stick comedy, it also has some heartfelt moments and some great lessons in friendships. We all have that crazy friend like Ron, who will be your “wingman” and who willingly eats drugs when his friends accidently ingest them so they won’t go on that ride alone. Ron and Kyla are appropriately juxtaposed against the more proper Marcus and Emily, showing them that there is more to life than being stuffy and perfect.  Likewise, partying hard without end won’t serve you well forever.  Vacation Friends could have benefited from more of a buildup to the zaniness as the movie progressed, but instead it comes right out of the gate pulling no punches about what the viewer is in for. Overall, it is a tried and true formula that launches another salvo at fans of the genre and hits the mark it seems it was aiming at all along.

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A Parent's Guide to Local April Vacation Spots

The ecotarium  .

As an immersive museum concept, the EcoTarium marries indoor and outdoor learning opportunities to inspire a passion for scientific and nature-based education. With science programs, a digital planetarium, live animal habitats, nature trails and a fully packed outdoor exhibit (with areas for digging, building, climbing and crawling) the EcoTarium is a rare local gem for engaging even the pickiest of crowds.  

Boundless Adventures

Action is aplenty at Boundless Adventures , with obstacle courses for tree climbers of every skill level. Whether you’re a beginner or an adrenaline-addicted climbing pro, you'll discover a course perfect for your needs. Climbers can conquer as many courses as they choose during their three hour admission window, which begins after the safety briefing. Walking paths and benches are available throughout the park for guests to enjoy, and there's no charge for parking or admission to watch your family and friends while they play in the trees.

Cornerstone Ranch

Adventures at  Cornerstone Ranch  are happening through every season, with group & private riding lessons, children's parties, yoga classes, horseback riding in the ring and leisurely horse-drawn wagon rides, plus a gorgeous new pavilion heated by a wood stove. Discover nature's beauty from the highest point in Central Massachusetts. 

Worcester Historical Museum  

Discover the true heart and history behind Worcester and its role in the wider world with a visit to the Worcester Historical Museum . Specially designed to incorporate four notable local spaces, the Alden Family Gallery offers a curated experience for children, families, teachers, school groups and members—uncover Worcester’s history together in a community-inclusive and imaginative manner.  

Worcester Public Library

Head to the Salem Square branch of Worcester Public Library for a few, specialized April Vacation events: 

Reptiles Rock on   April 19 @ 2:30 p.m. Join Rainforest Reptiles and enjoy a fun and informative presentation, observe both small and large reptiles, and have the chance to touch both a snake and an alligator. Registration is required as space is limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Worcester Public Library, this event is for families with children ages 11 and under.

Toe Jam Puppet Band  on April 20 @ 2 p.m. Toe Jam Puppet Band offers a special brand of hands-on children’s entertainment that grown-ups can actually enjoy. The performances are interactive, encouraging audience members to sing and dance along with the band as they entertain with a unique combination of original songs, masterful shadow puppetry and storytelling. Sponsored by the Friends of the Worcester Public Library, this event is for families with children ages 11 and under.

Worcester Art Museum

As the first U.S. museum to focus on collaborating with local schools, Worcester Art Museum has been at the forefront of engaging audiences and giving them a meaningful and personal experience. WAM provides a safe and comfortable environment for exploring art in new and fun ways through talking, playing and drawing together. Get tips on ways to look at art, relax and enjoy on your own, or discover all the programs and events they offer to inspire visitors. 

APEX Entertainment  

APEX Entertainment  sits at the nucleus of food, attractions and events, offering 100,000 square feet of serotonin. Think: luxury bowling, arcade games, a multi-level go-kart track, bumper cars, laser tag, glow-in-the-dark mini golf and sports simulators. 

Old Sturbridge Village 

A quick visit to Sturbridge will bring you back—to rural New England as it stood 200 years ago. Old Sturbridge Village , one of the nation’s largest outdoor history museums, is a total immersion into early American history through historic buildings and landscapes. This year, April Vacation Week Discovery Adventures take OSV April 17 through April 21. Discovery Adventures are immersive day programs that give kids a chance to step back in time and experience life in the 1830s. This five day program is offered for ages 6 to 14 and pre-registration is required. 

Sensory Station Toys

Peruse the selection at Sensory Station Toys . This local spot offers sensory-based toys which aid to build and assist in improving motor and cognitive skills in youngins. From the ABCs and 123s to learning about animals and their surroundings, this is a premier spot for sensory and education learning through play. The staff here is happy to provide specified recommendations for visitors based on age and best sellers.

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill  

Make your way to Boylston for floral magic you won’t soon forget. With beautifully lined trails, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill boasts a display of the finest nature, carefully planned gardens and collections of ornamentals, edible and native plants—with room for kiddos to run and explore the nature that lies within. They even offer options for birthday celebrations, as well as online resources for children’s learning, featuring at-home arts & craft prompts, adventure packs, wonders of nature and ideas for indoor/outdoor fun.

Southwick’s Zoo 

As a Mendon staple, Southwick’s Zoo sits in the heart of the Blackstone River Valley, spanning 200 acres and housing animals in their naturalistic habitats. Lions, tigers, giraffes, chimpanzees, rhinos and two-toned sloths are just a few of the creatures you can spend the day with at New England’s largest zoological experience, plus an on-site restaurant that remains open for diners year-round. Their educational excursions offer young explorers the opportunity to discover the world around them through hands-on learning and interactive exhibits. 

Even More Ideas for Kids

Look no further than our 91 Things To Do With Kids guide. Your kiddos will be inspired by visiting free exhibits at ArtsWorcester , picking out a book at Annie's Book Stop  and discovering Bancroft Tower . Then, get hands on with creativity at Brush It Off  or a drop-in class at ArtReach . For the musically inclined, look into classes at Joy of Music or take them to a Music Worcester performance. Are your tots driven by food? Take them to the iconic George's Coney Island for a hot dog and finish off the meal with a Table Talk pie. 

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Is Christmas Vacation Kid Friendly? Parents Guide

By: Author tanialamb

Posted on Published: December 17, 2022

Wondering if National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is ok for kids? If you’ve been wanting to introduce this holiday classic to your family, maybe go for an edited TV version. The humor can get pretty raunchy. Here’s what parents need to know in this Christmas Vacation Parents Guide. 

Christmas Vacation Parents Guide – Is it Kid Friendly? 

Clark Griswold has always dreamed about a big family holiday together, but he soon regrets it when the in-laws and crazy cousin arrive. Plus add a miserly boss who doesn’t want to pay him a Christmas bonus, and the chaos ensues! 

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to laugh about in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. When you see amazing and over-the-top holiday lights, you can thank Clark Griswold. If you like slapstick, farting, off-colored jokes, then this is the film for you. 

Is Christmas Vacation kid friendly? If they believe in Santa Claus, don’t let them watch this one. Also some of the humor is inappropriate for younger kids. 

Age Rating: Why is Christmas Vacation Rated PG-13?

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is rated PG-13 for language and sexual content and may not be suitable for children under 13 according to the MPAA

Language in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

There’s quite a bit of language in Christmas Vacation including a**hole, jacka**, fat a**, sh*t, shi**er, damn, g-ddamn, bit**, hell, and one use of the f-word. I counted at least 35 uses of profanity not including “oh my g-d” and Jesus. 

Clark calls his boss all kinds of bad names including di*kless. And there’s a lot of potty humor. 

Mature Content: Is Christmas Vacation OK for Kids?

There is quite a bit of sexual content in Christmas Vacation and isn’t ok for younger kids. Clark is kind of a perv. 

While shopping a saleswomen is wearing a low cut top that shows cleavage. She shows Clark women’s underwear and raises her skirt to show the type she is wearing; upper bare leg seen.

Clark wipes his sweat off his forehead with a pair of panties. Accidentally says hooters and nipple.

Some characters drink alcohol and smoke.

A Grandpa is shown up late in bed reading a “Sassy” magazine with a flashlight.

A man tells a woman that he wants to kiss every inch of her body. 

Characters kiss.

Clark day dreams of the sales woman swimming in his pool, then she starts to undress. You see side boob. 

The police show up and tell everyone to freeze, and Ellen freezes with her hand on Clark’s genitals (over his pants).

Is Christmas Vacation Appropriate For Kids Under 13?

In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation you can expect to see partial nudity, some sexual content, suggestive references, and some characters using profanity. To sum it up, the unedited version of Christmas Vacation is not kid-friendly.

I would not recommend it for kids under 13. Also, there is talk about hiding presents and who really buys the gifts, so this is not for little ones who believe in Santa Claus.

Christmas Vacation isn’t my kind of humor, but I can see how some people would find it funny. It’s become a Christmas classic in many homes, because it’s silly and doesn’t take itself seriously.

Some themes hit home like being taken advantage of at work, dysfunctional families during the holidays, and overall, that family is everything. However, all the extra sexual innuendos and thoughts of adultery were over the top and unnecessary. Clark is literally daydreaming of cheating on his wife.  

For those with a 14-year-old boy sense of humor, then Clark Griswold is a hero. I prefer the edited version, if any, though I’d rather watch Elf . 

Check out the best Christmas Vacation quotes for a Cliff’s Notes version and some of Clark Griswold’s best quotes .

More Christmas Movie Parent Reviews

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas Parents Guide
• Home Alone Parents Guide
• Elf Parents Guide
• Spirited Parents Guide

Walter Fisher

Saturday 1st of January 2022

Where can I purchase the edited version?

I don’t think you can purchase it anywhere. The edited versions are usually on TV or cable around Christmas. Or you can use a service like VidAngel to filter what you don’t want.

Thursday 23rd of December 2021

The use of the word ''Fuck'' completely destroys the opportunity of playing this in a family enviroment. They should have cut it from all version. While a bit risque in places, it's easier to otherlook everything else and the majority of stuff goes over kid's heads and the milder swearwords are not as bad. They need to re-issue this as a PG - which they did on VHS and DVD but not on Blu.

Best Thanksgiving Movies For Kids - Lola Lambchops

Thursday 11th of November 2021

[…] want Christmas now! If you want some laughs and need a movie for older kids or teens, then watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It’s totally inappropriate, totally Chevy Chase, and you may want to check out an edited TV […]

50 Hilarious National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Quotes

Saturday 6th of November 2021

[…] a bit stupid, but that’s what makes it a classic. Here are some fan favorite quotes from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Did I miss any of your favorite Christmas Vacation quotes? Drop them in the comments […]

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Saturday 19th of December 2020

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