Daytrip: A Go West Outing to Woodstock

“You want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.” -- Bill Murray as Phil Connors in “Groundhog Day.”

In honor of Groundhog Day tomorrow, I thought we’d take a trip to the charming McHenry County town of Woodstock in the far northwestern suburbs.

The Woodstock Town Square. Photo by mstephens7 on Flickr.Now many of you are likely nodding your heads and thinking, "Sure. Groundhog Day. Woodstock. Makes sense.” But others might be a bit confused.

The 1993 comedy “Groundhog Day” – starring Bill Murray as an egocentric weatherman – was set in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where each year on Feb. 2 a groundhog named Phil emerges from his burrow. His “handlers” then announce whether he’s seen his shadow; no shadow, according to legend, means an early spring is on its way.

While that tradition truly dates back more than 120 years in Punxsutawney, much of the movie “Groundhog Day” was filmed in Woodstock, especially on its beautiful town square.

As a result of the movie’s popularity, Woodstock now has its own “Groundhog Days” festival each winter – complete with a chili cook-off, free screenings of the movie, a walking tour of filming sites and on Feb. 2, the emergence of “Woodstock Willie” from a tree trunk on the Woodstock Square. Fans of the movie will appreciate that a polka band plays in the bandstand during the ceremony to help “wake” Willie from his winter nap.

The Opera House. Photo by travit on Flickr.Unfortunately, the blizzard has resulted in the cancellation of nearly all of the Groundhog Days festivities this year.

But there are still plenty of reasons to spend an afternoon in Woodstock – either playing on the square with your kids, shopping with a girlfriend or on a day out with your spouse.

“Groundhog Day” is one of my favorite movies. If I happen to flip by it on television, my next 90 minutes are likely occupied.

But I only made my first trip to Woodstock this fall, after my daughter and I spent a fun morning at the awesome Discovery Zone at Deicke Park in Huntley. It was a gorgeous warm day, and when I realized that Woodstock was less than 20 miles north on Route 47, I decided we’d go for a scenic drive.

We easily found parking on the square and spent the next hour just playing in the grass and on the band shell. Then I coaxed her into her stroller and we walked around the square, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. I’m a fan of historic architecture, so I was enchanted by the Opera House (built in 1889, it still hosts plays, concerts and performances) and the Old McHenry County Courthouse (built in 1857).

We bought a couple of scoops of ice cream and did a bit of window shopping before heading home, which took us about 80 minutes, traveling Route 47 to Elburn before heading east to Geneva.

Now a friend of mine who grew up near Woodstock recently warned me that while it certainly is a pretty town, it doesn’t have much going on. And I did notice that while the square is charming, it definitely seemed to have less shopping and restaurant activity than say, downtown Geneva or St. Charles.

The Old McHenry County Courthouse. Photo by reallyboring on Flickr.Still, if you like historic architecture, the movie “Groundhog Day,” or small towns with a true “Americana” feel, I think you’d be very happy spending a day in Woodstock. You could also easily plan a visit to coincide with an event happening on the Woodstock Square – it hosts festivals, summer band concerts, the farmer’s market, car shows and a Victorian Christmas celebration, along with Groundhog Days, of course. This list gives you a good idea of when events are scheduled. The area around Woodstock is home to many pumpkin and apple orchards, too, and we’ll have a guide to those next fall.

Now back to the movie. If you’re a fan like me, make sure to check out this website before your trip. You can download a Walking Tour of locations featured in the movie – including the restaurant that served as the “Tip Top Café,” “Ned’s Corner” (Phil? Hey, Phil? Phil!) and the Victorian home that served as the inn where Murray’s character woke up every morning to the sounds of “I Got You Babe.”

Now we just have to wait and see what Punxsutawney Phil predicts tomorrow – although I think we all have a good guess!