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Start your trip at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, where the graduation scenes for With Honors were filmed (with U of I students playing many of the graduates). View more than 8,000 works of art from around the globe at the Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, or cheer at a Fighting Illinois basketball game at Assembly Hall. Be sure to see the turn-of-the-century Foellinger Auditorium, which was made to look like Harvard for the movie shoot and has hosted notable real-life speakers that include Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt and Bill Gates. Every April Champaign hosts Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival at the Virginia Theatre. All films are selected by the noted film critic himself, and are often accompanied by commentary from the movies' stars and directors. Make a stop in Danville to see the 1940s Danville Stadium, where the Babe Ruth biopic The Babe was filmed. The minor league ballpark, home to the Danville Dans college team, was used to portray Fenway Park and Forbes Field in the flick.
Head to Springfield and tour the historic Illinois State Capitol, where interior scenes were filmed for Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. Then trace the history of one of the country's greatest presidents at the nearby Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum. Be dazzled by the two special effects theaters that conjure historical ghosts and Civil War cannon rumblings. View displays of artifacts that range from the Lincolns' personal items to an original copy of the Gettysburg Address.
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Be awed by Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, which holds the remains of an ancient city where a Mississippian Indian culture once flourished. Sixty-eight of the original 120 earthen mounds have been preserved, including the 100-foot-tall Monks Mound. Travel to East St. Louis and snap a photo of the Poplar Street Bridge that spans the Mississippi River and crosses over to St. Louis' Gateway Arch, featured in the comedy classic National Lampoon's Vacation. Continue on to Sparta, the location used to portray a Mississippi town in the critically acclaimed crime drama In the Heat of the Night.
Stop in at the Misselhorn Art Gallery, a former railroad depot that played a role in the film. The gallery features a permanent exhibit of candid photos taken by locals who played extras in the movie. Near Carbondale, wine lovers will want to linger on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, located along a 25-mile scenic drive through the Shawnee National Forest. The Wine Trail is made up of eight different wineries, many of them award winners. Be sure to make a stop at the Tuscan-style Blue Sky Vineyard in Makanda, with panoramic country views and two romantic suites located upstairs from the tasting room. Many of the Trail wineries hold festive food and wine events throughout the year.
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Take the plunge at Mermet Springs, a spring-fed stone quarry in Mermet that reaches depths of 120 feet. Scuba dive to see sunken treasures that include the Boeing 727 airplane used in the action thriller U.S. Marshals. Experienced instructors and equipment rentals are available. Take a picture with the 15-foot-tall Superman Statue in downtown Metropolis, the official adopted “Home of Superman.” Across the street is the Super Museum, featuring rare Superman movie props and a gift shop with super souvenirs. Be sure to see the Americana Hollywood museum and gift shop, located next door to Harrah's Metropolis Casino. The museum features a multimedia tribute to some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, incorporating authentic movie props and costumes. The gift shop offers loads of celebrity collectibles from around the world.
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