See where all of Chicago comes to shop with Big Bus Chicago
Wondering how Magnificent Mile got its name? Just hop off the Chicago Bus Tour and take a look. If you’re in the market for some serious shopping, this is where you’ll find just about every store you can think of. Not to mention a huge choice of restaurants, cafes and bars. There’s plenty of entertainment on tap too.
All pretty magnificent, we think you’ll agree. But the Mile didn’t earn that adjective until 1947, when North Michigan Avenue had become Chicago’s most fashionable location. Real estate developer Arthur Rubloff dubbed the street Magnificent Mile and the name stuck. It’s even been trademarked!
We’ll always have Paris
The street was originally an Indian trading post. But back in 1909, the ‘Chicago Plan’ was created to transform this area into something quite different. The developers were thinking of wide, grand avenues, like the Champs-Elysées in Paris. So they widened the street and built the bridge here too.
Tall towers
The Magnificent Mile runs 13 blocks from the Chicago River to Oak Street. But don’t focus all your attention on the window displays. Look up, and you’ll see some of the tallest buildings in the US, including the John Hancock Center, Trump International Hotel and Tower, and the historic Water Tower.
Other interesting facts about Magnificent Mile
- It’s home to around 460 stores, 275 restaurants and 51 hotels
- 22 million people come to stroll along the mile every year
- The National Geographic named it as one of the 10 best shopping avenues in the world
- Every Christmas the trees along the mile are lit up with over 1 million lights
