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    The Magnificent Mile

    4.3 (210 reviews)

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    Andrea U.

    North Michigan Ave. between the Chicago River & Oak Street is Chicago's upscale shopping strip. The retailers are luxury brands with nationwide stores such as Apple, Zara,Tiffany, Saks, Harry Potter, Nordstrom, Nike, Ferragamo, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Burberry ... with beautifully manicured medians. The Peninsula & Ritz Carlton hotels are here as well.

    10.31.15
    Wendy L.

    The Magnificent Mile is a North Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago that has everything from shopping, hotels, restaurants, and beautiful architecture. It's a delight for the senses! And the view in daylight is as beautiful as it is at night. I enjoyed walking in during my visits - especially on my first visit to The Windy City. It's amazing! I love Chicago!

    largest Starbucks in the country
    Janice K.

    I was here as part of a hop on hop off bus tour. There are tons of shops and restaurants of all types of budgets. If I didn't have annual passes to Universal Studios Orlando, I would have checked out the Harry Potter store. The largest Starbucks is four floor and a huge area. If you like shopping, give this area a try.

    James L.

    I was last in Chicago over 10 years ago, so I recently made a much needed return to the "Windy City." Being a Brooklyn kid, I forgot how much I enjoy being in an urban setting like Chicago. It has a certain energy and vibrancy which cannot be replicated out in the suburbs. I was staying with some friends near the "Magnificent Mile," so of course, we had to spend some time visiting the most famous street in Chicago. The concept for the Magnificent Mile was part of the 1909 Burnham Plan and construction started in the 1920's. Seemingly every decade or so, the thoroughfare undergoes changes as new shops and restaurants rise and fall. No trip to Chicago is complete unless you wander up and down Michigan Ave to check out the array of high-end shopping and the endless variety of restaurants. On this trip, I made it a point to visit all of the famous buildings in the area, since Chicago has truly stunning architecture. I found this guide to be extremely helpful: https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-most-iconic-buildings-map

    Starbucks roastery 1 of 6 in the world...
    Pam A.

    Missed the mile at first walked on one street over and found the Ballys casino. Walked into Nordstrom and exited on the opposite side to bustling streets and beautiful gardens!

    Sanjay G.

    Treat this as a 5th Avenue of New York or Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles or Champs-Élysées Ave in Paris known for its world-class shopping, also has plenty to offer architecture buffs. more than 450 retailers within walking distance in downtown Chicago, make your way to The Magnificent Mile. This portion of Michigan Avenue - Starts from Chicago River and ends at Lake Shore Drive (next is North Avenue beach) I guess sharing the link is not possible other, I would have shared the link to starting and pointing. department stores and luxury retailers like Bloomingdale's, Marcus, Macy's, Tory Burch and Nordstrom. also, The Magnificent Mile is home to several top-notch eateries and luxury hotels, including The Drake, the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, and the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile. Architecture buffs - you are gonna like it, as this is your real downtown. While walking around, turn your eyes upward for views of the Chicago Water Tower, which survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and is the longest-standing structure on Michigan Avenue. Other structural highlights include the Wrigley Building (once the headquarters of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr.) and the Tribune Tower (former home to the Chicago Tribune daily newspaper).

    Joan M.

    What a vibrant beautiful street .. the backbone of Chicago!! It has every store you could ever want from designer jewelry to designer clothing and everything in between. A host of hotels from run of the mill to complete luxury. Magnificent Mile has it all. The streets are wide and pavements are wide. It's an easy walk despite lots of people, you never feel overwhelmed with crowds. So much to see and do... oh of course I never mentioned the host of restaurants and coffee shops. A pure joy to amble along this street.

    Buildings
    Judit C.

    One of the most amazing mile you can walk in Chicago is The Magnificent Mile ( Michigan Avenue) Either crossing the bridge over the Chicago River, overlooking the beautiful Riverwalk, or just looking at the amazing buildings one after another ... so many famous buildings! The 360 Tower, the Wrigley Building, the Chicago Tribune, so many more ... The street itself is wide enough for buses, cars, pedestrians ... Plenty of buses are running day and night, one after another. There is access to the train, Red, Purple, Brown, Orange, Blue lines ... You can find amazing shops on The Magnificent Mile ... The flowers are so beautiful! Especially now, in April, the tulips are blooming. What a lovely sight! I never get tired of walking on The Magnificent Mile!

    Safura O.

    We dined last night at Althea inside Saks 5th Avenue ~ renowned celebrity chef and plant-based pioneer, Matthew Kenney @althearestaurant on the @chicagomagmile. It was the most amazing meal we have ever eaten in our entire life!! The food was absolutely exceptional! We ordered a variety of appetizers, kimchi dumplings, mac n cheese, jackfruit crab cakes! Every bite left us in awe and it definitely exceeded our expectations. This is plant-based dining at its absolute finest. Gorgeous views of the beautiful starlit Chicago skyline was an added bonus. For our main courses we ordered the vegan zucchini lasagna, spicy udon noodles and kelp noodle caccio pepe. We honestly took turns tasting each other's meals because we just couldn't get enough. The lasagna is a cold dish, but it's so fresh and full of fragrant flavors it's electrifying with each bite. The udon noodles are in a world of their own! The creamy broth has the perfect kick to it and the tempeh served on top is seasoned to absolute perfection!

    So beautiful!
    Shayla B.

    The name speaks for itself; the Magnificent Mile is truly magnificent! When in Chicago, you mustn't miss an opportunity to visit this beautiful place. The Magnificent Mile is an urban district that's comprised of both high and low end shops, restaurants, and astounding views of both the city and the Chicago river. Even if you're not a big shopper, it's still worth a stop just to simply take in the beautiful views or to dine at one of the many restaurants along the Avenue. This area is also packed with tons of skyscrapers and popular landmarks such as the Wrigley Building, Chicago Water Tower, and the Tribune Tower. The architecture is stunning and quite noticeable all throughout. Along with other patrons, you'll also find random street vendors along Michigan street as you stroll through the Magnificent Mile. There's also several events that take place here throughout the year. Tourists and locals alike flock to this area for the shopping and the views. The best views in my opinion are the ones that you'll get whilst crossing over the Michigan Avenue Bridge. The Chicago River is such a stunning sight and this is the perfect place to take it all in. The views are amazing and the picture taking opportunities seem to be endless. The Magnificent Mile is truly a stunning area within Chicago that everyone should experience.

    Stephanie H.

    Love shopping? Well you found a place with both high and low end shops! It gets very touristy as there are a lot of fun things to do. You might want to visit the largest Starbucks, or shop at Gucci, maybe VS, whatever you want, it's probably on the Magnificent Mile. I love it in the winter, since there are so many places to go into when you need a break from the cold. You can see great architecture that Chicago has to offer. It truly is a fun and bustling experience!

    Brian F.

    The Magnificent Mile is a section of Chicago just north of downtown that is home to high end shops, restaurants, museums, and hotels. It also contains well-known buildings like the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, the Chicago Water Tower, and more. It's a packed street with a lot of things to do. It's a great touristy place to walk around and see the sights of the beautiful Chicago architecture and even people watch. You can spend a lot of time in this area popping in and out of the different shops on this strip.

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    This is the place to stay for your hotel since most shops and food are here. Recommend for those who are looking

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    Cloud Gate - Cloud Gate ("The Bean")

    Cloud Gate

    4.6(988 reviews)
    0.6 miThe Loop

    Cloud Gate aka "The Bean" is one of the best spots in Chicago - . If you've just arrived in town,…read morethis is an easy and classic first stop in Millennium Park. The mirrored, bean shaped sculpture acts like a giant mirror, giving you a unique reflection of Chicago's skyline and the crowd around you. Obviously, it's a great place for photos and a must visit in Millennium Park.

    Cloud Gate, otherwise known as the Bean, sits in the middle of Millennium Park in downtown Chicago…read moreand is one of those public art installations that consistently surprises people who encounter it for the first time despite being one of the most photographed objects in the city. I walked up to a seamless polished stainless steel form that reflects everything around it without a single visible seam or joint across its entire surface. That engineering achievement alone is worth appreciating before I even started engaging with what the reflections actually do. The reflections are the experience. I watched the Chicago skyline curve and distort across the surface in a way that shifted constantly depending on where I was standing, and walking slowly around the perimeter gave me a different composition every few steps. Walking underneath the concave arch in the center, which locals call the omphalos, produced a funhouse mirror effect that reflected me and everyone else from overhead in a way that was consistently disorienting and engaging regardless of how many times I have seen it. On a clear day with blue sky the effect was particularly strong, with the skyline wrapping around the sculpture against a bright background. On overcast days the palette shifts toward silver and grey and produces its own version of the thing. Admission is free and the park is open and accessible, which made Cloud Gate an easy addition to my Chicago itinerary without any planning required. It gets crowded, particularly on weekends and during summer, and the area immediately around the sculpture fills with people taking photos throughout the day. Early morning visits before the crowds build give you a more relaxed experience and better light for photography. It is one of the few landmarks in any city that genuinely lives up to what people say about it.

    Photos
    Cloud Gate - 07.04.25 touched the surface of The Bean... check!

    07.04.25 touched the surface of The Bean... check!

    Cloud Gate - 07.04.25 The Bean with Chicago's skyscrapers in the background and the clouds floating above

    07.04.25 The Bean with Chicago's skyscrapers in the background and the clouds floating above

    Cloud Gate - My wife, her parents, and me at the Bean.

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    My wife, her parents, and me at the Bean.

    Chicago Pedway - A mosaic we saw near in in The Pedway near Macy's (Nov 2026)

    Chicago Pedway

    3.9(51 reviews)
    0.6 miThe Loop

    There's an underground pedestrian walkway in downtown Chicago. "Minimum hours are M-F 7am-5pm. Some…read moresegments also open evenings and weekends." So it's great for people working and shopping, and it's also the home of some nice visual arts. We entered in Millenium Park (Nov 2025) to cross Michigan to see some cool stuff in the Chicago Cultural Center. Then we continued on to Macy's. Near Macy's, we saw maybe 20 stained-glass works on display. Very cool! This part of the Pedway says it's open on Sat, too. All the Pedway sections combined are about 5-miles of free bright clean tunnels, hallways, and some walkways, connecting buildings and shops in the north loop, with some sections scattered around the loop and a section north of the river. There's maps at the entrances we used, and there are maps online, too.

    I spent a lot of time in Chicago in the late 90's early 2000's. Yeah I'm old, but I never new about…read morethe 5 miles of tunnels and halls under the skyscrapers of this amazing city. During my visit to Chicago last week during really cold weather this underground Pedway was a life saver keeping me out of 0° temps with wind and snow. Underground has some shops, restaurants, dry cleaners, shoe shine, barbers, a Macy's, a Mall that has been killed by Amazon and Covid, Metra Trains including the Red and Blue lines. I was shocked to find beautiful stained glass art over 100 years old, which should be in a museum IMO. Amazing find! Another find from the tunnel, was access to the Chicago Cultural Center on Michigan and Randolph. This center has a revolving display of art and design from the diverse residents of Chicago. The final surprise was the largest Tiffany Glass dome in the world riding high in the top floor of the cultural center. More on that in another review. But a must see. Overall I was glad I found the Pedway to save me from the cold. Some areas have security, such as the mall, but like anywhere in the city exercise caution to keep yourself safe. I was only able to explore one section. Two others exist that I have yet to discover. Enjoy!!

    Photos
    Chicago Pedway
    Chicago Pedway
    Chicago Pedway

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    Wings of Mexico

    Wings of Mexico

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.2 miNear North Side

    Wings of Mexico…read more Beautiful wings. Gold. Always a line for taking picture. Nice. Clean place. Lots of people. They placed the wings in the perfect place. Highly recommended

    You will find this pair of gold wings in the front of The Plaza of America. They tempt you to hop…read moreup there and take a photo with them. The wings are made of bronze with cement and iron bases and were installed in the Plaza in May 2022. They are the work of renowned Mexican artist Jorge Marín, who intended the piece to proudly symbolize the immigrant journey. Marin partnered with the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago and Visit Mexico for the piece. The wings are well traveled. They were actually made in 2010 and before reaching its current home in Chi-town, it began it journey in Mexico City, with stops at 25 other locations, from California to Dubai. It was scheduled to be moved to Brookhaven, Georgia in October 2022, but for some reason still remains in Chicago as of April 2023. I like the concept of the wings and its backstory. It takes all of those wing murals popping up across the county to the next level. It is rare to see them in sculpture form. I really like these wings, even though they are pretty basic. They are still very detailed, eye catching and they are definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Parking to get a closer look at this sculpture is difficult to do, as is most parking in the Windy City. This sculpture is not a destination piece and most of its viewers will be passerbys such as myself. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. Also, be very careful if you are going to get a closer look, as i previously mentioned, this is located at a busy roundabout. With that being said, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

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    Wings of Mexico
    Wings of Mexico
    Wings of Mexico

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    State Street, That Great Street - Looking north on State.

    State Street, That Great Street

    5.0(3 reviews)
    1.0 miThe Loop

    State Street is arguably less popular than Michigan Avenue, which has greater name recognition at…read morethe very least. But State does play an important function in that the intersection of State and Madison is the zero point for the Chicago Grid--that wonderful innovation that makes it so easy to fin you away around the city. The density and character of this street changes drastically as you drive it. In the Loop, it's full of lots of trendy restaurants and shops, hotels, and so on. The Chicago Theatre is right here amongst a bunch of other theaters on surrounding streets. I love wandering along State during the holiday season to see the holiday windows at Macy's. I haven't ever taken in the Thanksgiving parade, but I may just have to do that whilst I still live in Chicago.

    North South through the loop! State Street is like the…read moresecond street in the Second City. It's kinda outdone by Michigan Ave, but State Street is a pretty impressive address too. It goes all the way through downtown, and there's plenty of history and shopping along this street. All addresses in the City of Chicago are measured from the intersection of State Street and Madison. That intersection is like the 0 mile marker for the city. It started off as a trail for cowboys and horses back in the day. Y'ah! Mayor Daley did a famous revitalization project back in the day which made this place a lot easier to navigate and really opened the street up. Walgreens has a flagship store on this street. Michael Jordan opened up his restaurant on this street! Sinatra sang about it- this street is legendary. There's lots of shopping, restaurants, and things to see and do along here. Every detail has been fretted over around here, as real estate is at a real premium along this famous street. Good luck finding any parking through here. Yea right.

    Photos
    State Street, That Great Street - DePaul on the left, Harold Washington Center in the background right, and UIC Law on the foreground right.

    DePaul on the left, Harold Washington Center in the background right, and UIC Law on the foreground right.

    State Street, That Great Street
    State Street, That Great Street - Sullivan Center.

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    Sullivan Center.

    Tribune Tower

    Tribune Tower

    4.6(56 reviews)
    0.2 miNear North Side

    The Tribune Tower is a 463 ft tall,, 36 floor neo-Gothic skyscraper. The early 1920s international…read moredesign competition for the tower became a historic event in 20th-century architecture. It was built & named for the f Chicago Tribune owner, The Tribune Tower Is a residential & office building. Almost 150 fragments from famous structures & historic sites around the world are embedded in Tribune Tower's first story walls. Chunks of the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramid of Cheops and the Berlin Wall are visible here.

    Chicago Tribune Building---Slices of History, Both Inside and Out…read more Spend some time exploring this neo-Gothic landmark on Michigan Avenue. It was built based on a contest that awarded architects prize money totaling $100,000, including a $50,000 first place award which was substantial considering some workers at the time made $1 per day. On the outer walls of the building, there are slices of places from around the world-such as the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Parthenon, Hagia Sophia, the Palace of Westminster, petrified wood from the Redwood National and State Parks, the Great Pyramid, The Alamo, Notre Dame de Paris, Abraham Lincoln's Tomb, Independence Hall, and the Berlin Wall. More recently a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center was added to the wall. So much fun exploring and discovering new landmarks on each visit. On the inside in entrance lobby, the walls have famous quotes related to freedom of speech and the press. More restricted access due to the Tribune Tower being converted into multimillion-dollar luxury apartments. Still a great place to see slices of history.

    Photos
    Tribune Tower
    Tribune Tower
    Tribune Tower - Beautiful entry

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    Beautiful entry

    The Gentlemen Statues - The Gentlemen Statues Chicago

    The Gentlemen Statues

    5.0(2 reviews)
    0.4 miNear North Side

    Almost walked past this. Opposite side of The Riverwalk. Great detail. Great background view of…read moreChicago skyline! Worth the stop!

    This is an amazing piece of work by Taiwanese Artist and Sculptor Ju Ming. It is located in the…read moreAMA Plaza and outdoor seating is offered for individuals to sit and admire and discuss the sculpture of the eleven men cast in Bronze who are dressed in business suits, trench coats and some with umbrellas...obviously as if they were on their way to work in a modern city environment. Upon a close-up inspection recently, I noticed that the eyes were not pronounced and that they seem to be expressionless as the grayness of their cast figures suggest. Almost as if it was just another day going through the same routine- wake up, go to work, eat, sleep---REPEAT. It reminds me in a way of Andy Warhol's Campbells Soup Can-we live from one meal to the next. About the Artist: Ju Ming (1938-) was originally trained as a woodcarver; however, his work evolved into sculpting in bronze in addition to other materials such as styrofoam, stainless steel as well as other mediums. He became well known in Taiwan during the 1970s and later in 1983 in New York City when he had individual exhibition of Living World Series: A Pair of Classical People at the Max Hutchinson Gallery. This piece in particular, is regarded as one of the most important works among the early production of the Living World Series. Ming's Living World Series appears or suggests that his work may evolve from his perception of the world around him; however, he has been quoted as saying that there is no one interpretation or set interpretation designated in his intention to create his sculptures. There are other parts of The Living World Series including "Imprisonment"which has drawn attention to his style of thought provoking sculpture. FYI-This Public Piece of art was purchased by Eagle Holdings, which is the parent group of the Langham Hospitality Group.

    Photos
    The Gentlemen Statues
    The Gentlemen Statues
    The Gentlemen Statues

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    The Magnificent Mile - localflavor - Updated June 2026

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