The Magnificent Mile, the northern part of Michigan Avenue between the Chicago River and Lake Shore Drive, is Chicago's version of the Champs-Elysées: a grand wide boulevard with exclusive shops, museums, restaurants and ritzy hotels.
All the big names in shopping are present here, from Disney and Niketown to Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. The wide sidewalks, often adorned with well-maintained flowerbeds are always crowded. The areas around the Magnificent Mile are some of Chicago's wealthiest.
Architectural landmarks like the John Hancock Center and the Tribune Tower can be found in abundance along the avenue. Building booms in the 1920s, 70s and 90s turned the once low-rise residential street into an economically thriving area bordered by tall skyscrapers.