While watching a home movie, Marge becomes depressed as she is reminded of memorable childhood vacations spent at Barnacle Bay. Hating to see Marge sad, Homer and the kids take her on a surprise trip to the bay, only to discover that it has turned into a rundown mess due to the absence of fish. Homer and the kids lovingly give the boardwalk a whole new makeover for Marge. But when Homer accidentally lights the renovated carousal on fire, stirring up an angry mob of townspeople, more than just waves come crashing down.

When Lisa struggles to find excitement and intrigue in her family heritage for a school presentation, she decides to take creative license in crafting her heritage as a Native American, since it's only for a school project. What begins as an innocent embellishment quickly turns into a web of lies when Lisa is chosen to represent the school, and 'her people,' at City Hall, and then as a keynote speaker for the National Native American Tribal Council. As a reward for his heroic act, Bart is granted a driver's license, and in an attempt to escape endless family errands and chauffeuring he flees to a faraway town where he is romanced by an older teenage girl whose expectations may prove to be too much for Bart.