I Got You Babe

We thought about going back to Devil's Lake State Park to hike on the east side of the lake this morning, but we didn't because...

1. I was still tired and sore from yesterday's hike.
2. It was raining.
3. We decided to go to another Cubs game tonight with other friends, so we needed to get back to Chicago.

After checking out of the hotel in Lake Denton, we started driving back on I-90, which brought us around the opposite side of Madison from where we were yesterday. Near Janesville, we got off the interstate and onto US-14 because we intended to stop in Woodstock, IL along the way. Unfortunately, we missed a turn going around the town square in Walworth, WI, so we got rerouted onto smaller roads instead.

180 miles, 3.75h

You're probably asking why go to Woodstock? To see Phil Connors, Ned Ryerson, and Punxsutawney Phil, of course! 

The 1993 movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray was primarily filmed here in Woodstock. It has become firmly entrenched in pop culture ever since, so the town has totally leaned in and hosts its own annual Groundhog Days festival to celebrate the movie. It also has a walking tour of filming locations available online for geeky tourists just like us. Knowing that we were going to visit, we checked out the DVD from our city library and watched it before we left home! 

We pulled into a public parking lot around 11:15AM and walked over to the town square to start our self-guided tour.

Woodstock Opera House was used as the hotel exterior where Rita (Andie McDowell) stayed

Woodstock Square Park was where the Gobbler's Knob scenes were filmed

The corner where Phil (Bill Murray) meets Ned Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) again and again

The curb where Phil repeatedly steps into a puddle

Tip Top Café

Alpine Theater

Just down the block from the theater is an alley with murals showcasing Woodstock's other claims to fame.

Orsen Welles attended a boys' prep school in Woodstock and performed at the Woodstock Opera House

Woodstock Willie

By now it was almost noon, so we stopped for lunch at Cesaroni's Cafe & Deli across the street.

Turkey panini and roast beef sub with tomato soup

Our last stop on the way out of town was the Cherry Tree Inn B&B, which served as the Cherry Street Inn where Phil (Bill Murray) woke up every morning.

There was another production filming here - looks like a Hallmark Christmas movie?

Then we drove through the far northwest suburbs, stopping by the Long Grove Confectionery for some sweets, before finally returning to the more familiar territory of Cook County around 2:00PM. We got back to R's aunties' with just enough time for a quick nap before heading out to meet our friends at the remote parking lot on Irving Park Rd. More on the game in the next post...