Chicago Walking Tours - The Magnificent Mile
With your tour guide,
Anne P. Mitchell
| Summary: The Magnificent Mile is aptly named. Although you can take a walking tour of the Magnificent Mile in a day, we recommend that you allow a bit longer to really explore this stunning and unique stretch of Chicago. |
There are so many things to see and do in Chicago that it would take a lifetime to cover them all. Like most other cities, however, there are several dozen main attractions that belong on every tourist’s “to do” list. Whether you’re visiting for a day or a week, the Magnificent Mile is a definite must see. While it will typically take more than several days to cover every inch of the Magnificent Mile, if you start out early enough, you can make it around to a handful of the most popular spots in a day.
One of the first stops just before you step onto the Magnificent Mile is Oak Street Beach. If you’re hungry, settle into a seat at Oak Street Beachstro - literally steps away from the sand. The official address is 1001 N. Lake Shore Drive, but this beachy little eatery happens to be one of only two restaurants located on the beach. Oak Street Beachstro serves up salads, pasta, seafood, steak, sandwiches and plenty of tasty side dishes for lighter appetites. Oak Street Beachstro is open from May-October and they are closed when it rains as all seating is outdoors. The hours are Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
After you’ve filled your belly head back to Michigan Avenue to the John Hancock Center at 875 N. Michigan Avenue. The John Hancock Center is Chicago’s 3rd tallest building offering spectacular views spanning up to 80 miles through four states! The observatory is open every day from 9 a.m.-11 p.m..
Located nearby at 806 N. Michigan Avenue is one of Chicago’s most popular attractions - the Old Chicago Water Tower. Constructed in 1869, the Old Chicago Water Tower was one of the few buildings that survived the Chicago Fire of 1871. This Chicago landmark stands out among the many modern and grand structures surrounding it mainly because it resembles a small castle or gothic tower. Beautifully constructed from limestone, the Old Chicago Water Tower is the nation’s first water landmark. After filming or taking snapshots of the structure, stop inside and check out the visitor’s information center. 312-742-8811.
Want to learn about all things Hershey’s? Stop by the 3,600 sq. ft. interactive Hershey’s retail store at 822 N. Michigan Avenue. Check out one-of-a-kind Hershey’s products as well as a wide selection of souvenirs. If you have kids, this is the perfect place to take them! 312-337-7711.
Located just one block east of Michigan Avenue at 220 E. Chicago is one of Chicago’s most progressive museums - the Museum of Contemporary Art. MOCA displays artwork from 1945 up through today in the form of sculpture, paintings, video and film, photography and performance. Located a few steps away from Lake Michigan, the Museum of Contemporary Art also houses a 300-seat theater, a gift store, a bookstore and a terraced sculpture garden offering wonderful views of Lake Michigan. The Museum is closed on Mondays and admission is free every Tuesday. Hours are Tuesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 312-280-2660.
As you make your way south down Michigan Avenue towards Wacker Drive, stop at the world famous Tribune Tower located at 435 N. Michigan Avenue, 312-222-3994. The neo-Gothic design attracts sightseers from all over the world. The structure, which houses the Chicago Tribune and the Tribune Corporation, was built in 1925 and it stands approximately 462 feet tall.
Just south of Wacker Drive at 201 E. Randolph is the Millennium Park Welcome Center in the Northwest Exelon Pavilion. Grab a map and program schedules and head across Michigan Avenue to the 24.5 acre Millennium Park - the latest addition to Chicago’s already magnificent landscape. In the making since 1997, this sprawling park includes work by a collection of artists, designers, landscapers and architects, including Kathryn Gustafson, Frank Gehry, Juame Plensa and Anish Kapoor. The park began to open in bits and pieces toward the end of 2003, first introducing the 300-seat Park Grill, where patrons can enjoy dinner under the stars.
Right next to the Park Grill is a 16,000 square foot ice skating rink that converts in the summer to a 150-seat starlit dining area featuring outdoor concerts and fashion shows. As you make your way through the park in either direction, you’ll find beautiful fountains, various forms of art on display, murals and one of the most ambitious installations the general population has ever seen - the Crown Fountain.
The Crown Fountain, designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, features two 50 foot glass block towers with digital screens displaying a series of puckered faces each reflecting the diversity of the city’s population. The screens are situated directly across from one another atop a slick surface. Take a close look and you’ll notice a spout in the middle of each screen or right in the “pucker” on each face. As water shoots out from screen to screen, you’ll realize what this installation is all about.
Another notable Millennium Park attraction is one of the world’s largest outdoor sculptures - Cloud Gate. Created by world-renowned British artist Anish Kapoor, the elliptical-shaped stainless steel sculpture reflects the park, weighs in at more than 100 tons, and measures 66 feet in length, 33 feet high and 47 feet wide.
With crisscrossing steel, a whopping 120 feet high and room for 7,000 concert goers, the Frank Gehry designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion is a definite must-see for all visitors to Chicago. If you don’t have time for an outdoor concert, simply wandering around the vast and architecturally stunning Pavilion is a treat in itself. In a word, fascinating!
Chicago’s Millennium Park is bordered by Michigan Avenue to the east, Columbus Drive to the west, Randolph Street to the North and Monroe Street to the South. Feel free to also visit www.millenniumpark.org for a complete listing of attractions, schedules and events.
As you can see, the Magnificent Mile is aptly named. Although you can take a walking tour of the Magnificent Mile in a day, we recommend that you allow a bit longer to really explore this stunning and unique stretch of Chicago. Also, to really make your Chicago vacation fun, consider staying at one of the Chicago Bed and Breafast Inns which are within short walking distance of the Magnificent Mile!
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