Begin your North Shore tour with a hearty breakfast at Walker Bros. Original Pancake House in Wilmette, where scenes from Ordinary People were shot. The blockbuster Home Alone features several sites in Wilmette and Winnetka. One of the most memorable is the scene in which the eight-year-old main character races through Winnetka's Hubbard Woods Park and slides across an ice rink. Swing by New Trier High School in Winnetka to see where two other hit comedies, Uncle Buck and Sixteen Candles, were shot. Dip your toes in Lake Michigan at Glencoe Beach, featured in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Also in Glencoe is the beautiful Chicago Botanic Garden, where you can take a nature walk or hop aboard a guided tram tour. Be sure to check out the entertaining Model Railroad Garden, with 15 garden-scale model trains that chug past miniature scenes of some of America's favorite landmarks, including a Hollywood vignette complete with Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Stroll through downtown Highland Park, home to charming restaurants and shops. Central Street was the site of the sports car chase scene at the end of the teen comedy Weird Science. The mega-hit Risky Business was also shot in Highland Park. Nearby in Vernon Hills is the opulent Cuneo Museum and Gardens, located on 75 acres dotted with formal gardens and statuary that made it a perfect setting for the wedding scenes in My Best Friend's Wedding. The gazebo where the best friends were caught kissing was built specifically for the film, but Cuneo's owners liked it so much they decided to keep it permanently. Take a guided tour through the historic Mediterranean-style Cuneo mansion to see Renaissance artworks and lavish European furnishings. The extensive gardens include a tropical plant conservatory and antique statues, as well as resident deer and peacocks. In the evening, pack a picnic and enjoy music under the stars at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park. This lovely outdoor music venue presents big-name performers that range from pop to classical (the Chicago Symphony Orchestra calls Ravinia home during the summer months).

Check out the Lake Forest Metra Station, used as a location for Derailed and Ocean's Twelve. Next, make a stop at the State Financial Bank in Waukegan, seen in the crime caper The Ice Harvest. Under the Grand Avenue overpass, located just outside downtown Waukegan, you'll see the spot where the weatherman's news van was stopped by a state trooper in the hysterical Groundhog Day. Then head for Six Flags Great America in Gurnee and take a spin on daredevil roller coasters like Superman Ultimate Flight (where you can vertically soar like a superhero) and Batman The Ride. Splash the afternoon away at the adjacent Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. This Caribbean-themed water park features 25 water slides, a massive wave pool, and Skull Island, the world's largest interactive water playground. Or shop to your heart's content (with fabulous savings) at Gurnee Mills, featuring hundreds of the best names in retail, including the Abercrombie & Fitch Outlet, a Gap Outlet, the Banana Republic Factory Store, a Tommy Hilfiger Company Store, and many more.