UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

#5. Punxsutawney

The Movie: “Groundhog Day”

The Setting: Punxsutawney, Pennnsylvania

Where It Was Actually Filmed: Woodstock, Illinois

Why you should visit: If you’re looking for classic small town charm, humans or groundhogs can’t do better than Punxsutawney. The town’s quirky crown jewel is February 2nd; however, the hamlet’s shops and restaurants can be enjoyed any time of year: Punxy Phil’s may not be the filming location of the Tip Top Cafe, but it maintains the same local diner vibe.

Don’t miss this iconic spot: Gobbler’s Knob, the iconic clearing in the woods just outside town where Punxsutawney Phil wanders out of his stump and predicts the duration of winter. But there are also a plethora of human-sized, cartoon groundhog sculptures around town to remind you exactly what we’re doing here.

Instagram moment: Obviously, you need to do your best groundhog impression and predict the weather onstage at Gobbler’s Knob. If you find yourself in Woodstock, where the movie was actually filmed, you can take a walking tour of film locations, and even stay at the Cherry Tree Inn B & B (a private residence at time of filming that has since grown into its own self-fulfilling prophecy). Just maybe don’t stay as long as Phil Connors.

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