Entertainment
TV's Best Summer Vacation Episodes To Revisit
When the temperature heats up, we tend to flashback to the happy days of summer break and the joys of getting out of town. Whether you hit the road for Disney with your fam or flew off to Cabo with your girlfriends, those vacation memories live on in your heart and Facebook albums. But, now, who the hell has the time? So, if you aren't getting away this summer, there are fortunately more than a few television vacation episodes that'll make you feel like you're hitting the sands with all your television favs.
I mean, granted, sometimes even fictional summers tend to go sour. Sometimes, sitcoms use a car ride with your relatives as 22 minutes of slow (albeit funny) torture, which is at least shorter than family road trips in real life. Other times, you get to jet away to exciting places: Las Vegas! Hawaii! Rome! New Jersey! New Jersey? New Jersey! All the while, there are plenty of two-parters dedicated to causing trouble shoreside, and, ooooh, are those story arcs worth treading.
Whatever show fits your taste and vacation tickles your fancy, I have you covered. Scroll down for some of the most entertaining TV summer get-aways you can take yourself on.
1"The Escape," 'The O.C.'
I mean, it was all fun and games and Seth-Summer road-banter until Marissa caught Luke cheating on her and overdosed hard on the Tijuana streets.
2"Vacation," 'Rugrats'
Not that there's ever a bad time to use the Go-Go's "Vacation," but it's well implemented in this particular episode. My only question: why on earth would you take a bunch of infants to Vegas?
3"Fourth Of July," 'Saved By The Bell'
I'm pretty sure that you could lump all the Season 3 Malibu Sands Beach Resort episodes together. I'm just pinpointing this one because the Fourth of July timing makes it extra summery. Oh, and there's a beauty pageant!
5"The One At The Beach" and "The One With The Jellyfish," 'Friends'
It's not technically a two-parter so much as it's a finale that bleeds into a season opener. Either way, this is some pretty peak Ross and Rachel drama (that 18 page letter!)/
6"The House Meets The Mouse Part One And Two," 'Full House'
It's pretty much the sitcom Disney Land episode to end all sitcom Disney Land episodes... you know, except for the fact that this became a beloved classic.
7"Summer Of 4 Ft. 2," 'The Simpsons'
I could've picked out a myriad of Simpsons vacays (Tokyo! New York!) and yet the emergence of faux-cool beach bum Lisa is part of what makes this one of the greatest (and most summery) Simpsons episodes ever. Like, you know, whatever.
8"My Soul On Fire Part One And Two," 'Scrubs'
The Janitor and Lady get married, J.D. re-declares his love for Elliot (he says it's more than his love for Turk, which is a very sweet lie), and Dr. Kelso has a passionate affair with a series of Bahama Mamas.
9"Twenty-Something Girls Versus Thirty-Something Girls," 'Sex And The City'
There are far more glamorous Sex and the City outings than this (plus that gross squirrel-ridden cabin that Aiden made Carrie stay in), make no mistake. However, something about Carrie vomiting in a bandeau and cowboy hat really pinpoints all the darkness of summer heartbreak.
10"Tallahassee," 'The Office'
OK, this work trip down south wasn't a vacation-vacation... unless you're Florida Stanley, in which case it was the most vacation-y vacation of all time.
11"Summer, Kind Of Wonderful," 'Gossip Girl'
OK, the vacation B and S took to Paris was tres dreamy (or at least very aesthetic). Still, I always want to go back to the glory days of GG, and the thick of that is when those crazy kids heated up the Hamptons at the beginning of Season 2.
12"Hawaii," 'Modern Family'
I'm pretty sure I got more misty-eyed watching Phil and Claire have a proper wedding than I did at my own parent's Hawaiian vow renewals. Which says either something wonderful about the episode or horrible about me.
13"Road Trip To Harvard," 'Gilmore Girls'
I mean, if you have to take an impromptu college visit to escape your own wedding, it might as well be to an Ivy.
14"Beach House," 'Girls'
Tensions sort of explode while the girls of Girls are staying in this non-Hamptons house, as to be expected. They manage to slay that Harry Nilsson dance number, though.
15"Family Vacation," 'SpongeBob Squarepants'
Yes, there are sing-alongs. How could this be a Spongebob special without one?
16"The Gang Goes To The Jersey Shore," 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia'
Dee and Dennis have an expectedly hellish time at the Jersey shore (my brother and I vacationed there as kids, it really does fall short of magical once you get older). Frank and Mac, however, manage to turn their trip around with a rescue from a boat party of guidos, another well-implemented use of "Vacation," and, of course, rum ham.
17"All In," 'New Girl'
Nick and Jess sort of psuedo-elope to Mexico, which is certainly a hell of a time until reality kicks back in.
18"The Doorway," 'Mad Men'
Don has half a dozen California ventures that would probably also fit comfortably on this list. You know what, though, there is nothing like seeing uptight Betty rock colosseum hair and shut down men in fluent Italian. It is all I aspire to.
19"Is It Fall Yet?" 'Daria'
OK, in typical Daria fashion her time as a camp counselor mostly sucks. And actually Lane's artist retreat kind of sucks too, but it does basically have Bif Naked, which is an early 2000s triumph.
20"We'll Follow The Sun," 'Married...With Children'
Literally just the Bundys stuck in traffic during Labor Day weekend, which is the realest family vacation story ever. You know, except it's absolutely hilarious instead of vacation.
21"Doug's Bad Trip," 'Doug'
The title is mostly true to the rest of the story (unless you thought this was about Doug having a rough time with hallucinogens) and yet it's all worth it when the Funnies finally see the Great Painted Gorge.
And there you have it! Feel free to go traveling all over the world, all from the comfort of your laptop.
