The 1988 comedy “The Great Outdoors” was primarily filmed in California, even though the story is set in Wisconsin.
Main filming location
Most of the movie was shot at Bass Lake, a small resort town in the Sierra National Forest in California, which stands in for the film’s lakeside vacation setting. Ducey’s Bass Lake Lodge and nearby areas around the lake were used for the resort, bar, and many exterior scenes.
Other filming sites
Additional scenes were filmed at Yosemite National Park in California to provide wider wilderness backdrops. Production also used Universal Studios’ backlot in Universal City for the Loon’s Nest cabin and Paramount Ranch in Agoura, California, for the go‑kart and golf sequences.