A Chicago man and his family go camping with his obnoxious brother-in-law.
Having fond memories of the good old days at Pine Lodge Resort in Pechoggin, Wisconsin, Chicago family man Chet Ripley takes his wife and kids to the lakeside honeymoon cabin for the summer. But instead of having an unforgettable vacation in nature, high-rolling brother-in-law Roman and the haughty Craig family crash the party. Chet can now say goodbye to family bonding. As the two rivalling families half-heartedly try to spend quality time together, a string of undeserved misfortunes and mini-disasters pave the way for the ultimate showdown between clans. The question remains, however. Can the modern urbanites survive the Great Outdoors and save what's left of the holiday?—Nick Riganas
When an unannounced, uninvited and unwelcome family of fun-loving misfits converge upon a lakeside resort to join their relatives for a summer of relaxation, the result is anything but restful in this raucous comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and John Candy. It's a vacationer's worst nightmare, as wheeler-dealer Aykroyd, his sexually repressed wife and eerie twin daughters "join" the easygoing Candy and his straight-laced clan for a season of "fun" in the sun. Unfortunately, the only thing these two in-laws have in common is their intense dislike for each other. Soon, it's brother-in-law against brother-in-law in an uproarious and hilarious fight to the finish to see which one really knows how to enjoy The Great Outdoors.
Big-hearted Chicago family man Chet has brought his family to a lakeside resort area, and although his wife and kids aren't quite as excited as he is, Chet has high hopes for the vacation. However, his optimism is sabotaged when his obnoxious brother-in-law Roman drops in unexpectedly, along with his snooty, strange family. Chet and his family try to stay open-minded, but they find it difficult to relax and enjoy themselves because of the constant annoyance of Roman's presence.—William Agee <[email protected]>
Chicago resident Chester "Chet" Ripley, his wife Connie, and their two sons Buck and Benny are on vacation at a lake resort in Pechoggin, Wisconsin. Then the unexpected happens -- Connie's sister Kate, Kate's know-it-all investment broker husband Roman Craig, and Kate and Roman's twin daughters Mara and Cara crash the vacation, having decided to blow off their own plans to vacation in Europe. Roman proceeds to majorly get on Chet's nerves -- so much that Chet is ready and willing to pack up and go home, even as teenager Buck tries to romance local girl Cammie.—Todd Baldridge
Well to-do Chicago resident Chester "Chet" Ripley (John Candy), his wife Connie (Stephanie Faracy), and their two sons 16-year-old Buck (Chris Young) and 12-year-old Ben (Ian Giatti) are on vacation at a lake resort in Pechoggin, Wisconsin. Chet is a fun-loving father and husband looking for a get away for his family. All is going as planned when four unexpected visitors show up with a video camera in hand at the lake resort lodge.
The four unexpected visitors are Connie's outgoing sister Kate (Annette Bening), Kate's know-it-all investment broker husband Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd), and Kate and Roman's 10-year-old twin daughters Mara (Rebecca Gordon) and Cara (Hilary Gordon) who arrive to suprise Chet and Connie, having decided not to vacation in Europe.
Roman is a typical Mercedes-driving, investment focused, '80s yuppie, and he and Kate live in the posh Chicago suburb of Oak Park. Roman seems to take pleasure in making sure others are well aware of his wealth and (supposed) expertise on many subjects, while Chet both finds his brother-in-law annoying and intreging at the same time.
During the first night, Chet tells a ghost stories at the family BBQ which includes a man-eating grizzly bear that Chet once met face to face earlier in his life right at the very cabin they are in. During the first night, a family of racoons raid the garbage cans outside the house, leaving an angry Chet to clean up the mess the next morning.
The following day, the two families decide to go out on the lake for water skiing. Roman describes the remote northern woods location as "God's Country" and prefers speedboats over pontoon boats. After Roman pulls Chet around the lake on an adventure water ski ride, tensions between families erupt. Roman proceeds to get on Chet's nerves so much so that Chet is ready to pack up and go home, even as his eldest son Buck tries to romance local girl Cammie (Lucy Deakins) whom he meets at a local pool hall that evening.
In this subplot, Buck and Cammie's teen romance sparks at a local amusement park when they go out the following evening on their first date. The budding romance goes well until Buck's father Chet is challenged to eat the entire Paul Bunyan 96 oz. roast at a family dinner, which causes Buck to break the date. The next day, Buck tries to apologize to Cammie for being late, but Cammie refuses to speak with him.
Another day later, Chet shares his love for family when Chet gives his son a ring from his father. It is the same ring that Chet's father gave him when Chet was a young boy in the northern woods.
Adventures continue at the local amusement park at the golf driving range, go-carts aces, and horseback riding path. Chet negotiates a ride with his horse only to find the horse runs away. Chet is forced to walk back to the barn where his family is enjoying some libations.
Sisters Connie and Kate bond at a local bar when the conversation drifts to Kate's challenges of being wealthy. Later, just at the peak of tension between families, ironically, it emerges when Roman confides in Chet that he has made a bad investment and is flat broke. He hasn't told Kate, and was planning to offer Chet a $25,000 'investment'. Roman describes how he hasn't traded on the floors in Chicago in two years. He now wears a blue coat to fetch coffee and has lost everything. This is the reason why he came to the Great Outdoors to hit up family man, Chet for the money.
Meanwhile, during a thunderstorm, the twins go missing and fall into a poorly blocked-off former mica mine shaft. Chet and Roman search for and find them. Chet encourages Roman to be a father for the first time to his kids. Whilst Chet gets a rope, Roman summons up all his courage and rescues the twins. While sitting on dynamite, Roman rescues his girls out of the Pechoggin mine.
Chet, not knowing they are out of the mine, discovers in the mineshaft, the 'Bald-Headed Bear', which supposedly attacked Chet many years ago. It chases him through the woods to the house, smashes through the front door and rampages through the house. Just as the bald-headed bear stands on two feet and climbs up stairs to attack Roman, the cabin owner arrives armed with a shotgun. Chet takes the gun and shoots the bear's rear end, causing its rear to become exposed. The bear with bald head and rear, runs out of the cabin and the families are safe.
The following morning, the two families part ways on good terms. Both families share how they enjoyed their vacation together in the Wisconsin northern woods. Roman's last words to Chet are "Race you home," which means that Roman's family will be moving in with Chet and leaving their Oak Park home. Cammie shows up and makes up with Buck before he leaves, and part ways and end their summer romance. Family guy, Chet, and his family head back to the Chicago area in a race for the good parking spot in their garage.
The closing credits feature Roman at the Pechoggin Lodge dancing up a storm with the other barnuts.
After the credits, those three rambunctious raccoons that have wreaked havoc at the lodge throughout the movie have the last word. They make fun of their brown bear friend who is "bald on both ends now".
