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The Magnificent Mile is a stretch of North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, United States between the Chicago River and Oak Street. Although not a true mile, the name Mag. Mile is sure to last, as "Magnificent Three-Quarters-Of-a-Mile" or "Magnificent 4,000 Feet" are less catchy.
Along this street is a mixture of high-class stores, restaurants, office buildings and hotels. The area has a high concentration of the city's major media firms and advertising agencies, including the Chicago Tribune newspaper, and only a few blocks away the Chicago Sun-Times.
It is the home of Chicago's famous Water Tower landmark, the postage-stamp sized Water Tower Park with its historic clock, as well as the eight-level Water Tower Place shopping center which grew up next door to, and overshadowed, the comparatively diminutive landmark. The shopping center is anchored by two department stores: Marshall Field's North Michigan store and Lord and Taylor. North of the shopping center can be found the famous John Hancock Center, the art deco Palmolive Building (also known as the Playboy Building) and the lavish Drake Hotel.
The entire mile is noted for its spectacular Christmas displays.
At the northern edges of this district can be found the exclusive One Magnificent Mile building; East Michigan Avenue, an extremely expensive and exclusive one-block area of real estate running east from North Michigan Ave. and facing directly onto to Lake Michigan; and the on-ramp to northbound Lake Shore Drive.
Cultural institutions in this area include Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art and the Terra Museum of American Art (sadly the Terra Museum of American Art closed on October 31, 2004).
The CTA Red Line's Chicago and Grand stations are useful for reaching the Magnificent Mile.
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