In New England, many families summer in quaint towns far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Doing this provides well-to-do families with an opportunity to indulge in activities like boating, fishing, hiking, star gazing, et al. in the play On Golden Pond this East Coast vacation experience is examined. The story tracks the lives of Ethel and Norman Thayer, two aging lovers, and the relationships they have with their daughter and her son. This examination of love, life, death, morals, attachment and abandonment is very dramatic and if you find yourself shedding a tear during the play's climax, you probably won't be alone.