<P> The Great Outdoors is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Howard Deutch, and written and produced by John Hughes . It stars Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Stephanie Faracy and Annette Bening in her film debut . </P> <P> The film follows two families spending time on vacation in Wisconsin . </P> <P> Chicagoan Chester "Chet" Ripley, his wife, Connie, and their two sons, Buckley "Buck" and Ben, are on vacation at a lake resort in Pechoggin, Wisconsin during the summer . All is going as planned until Connie's sister, Kate, Kate's investment broker husband, Roman Craig, and their twin daughters, Mara and Cara, crash the vacation . </P> <P> Ghost stories at the family BBQ include one of a man - eating grizzly bear that Chet met face - to - face when he was younger . Chet says that while he and Connie were honeymooning at the same lake, he was attacked by a giant grizzly bear . When he fired at it with a shotgun, the buckshot shaved the hair off the top of the bear's head and from that day on, it was known as the "Bald - Headed Bear" of Clare County . </P>

Where did they go in the great outdoors