Magnificent Mile / Michigan Avenue

Fashion, architecture and history in Chicago come together on a renowned stretch of Michigan Avenue nicknamed the Magnificent Mile. As you walk from the Mile’s southern border, the Chicago River, to its northern border, Oak Street, you’ll pass several Chicago landmarks like the Water Tower, one of the city’s most beloved buildings and one of the only to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; the Tribune Tower, home to the Chicago Tribune; and the John Hancock Center, one of the tallest buildings in the city.

Fashionistas clack their stilettos down the Mile to shop at Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany and Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s one of the most prestigious sections of pavement in the country, and a stroll down it is a Chicago must-do, even if you’re only window-shopping.