Every great city has a special street or district ripe for touristing.
Los Angeles has Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Las Vegas has The Strip. New York has 5th Avenue. Boston has Newbury Street. London has Bond Street. Zurich has Bahnhofstrasse Street.
Chicago's special street is called Michigan Ave. and it's also referred to as "The Magnificent Mile". Michigan Ave. is an amazing place to walk through and it's currently home to over 50 hotels and over 100 restaurants.
There's great shopping experiences for EVERYONE. Fashionistas can shop at Prada, Gucci, Neiman Marcus, Zara, etc. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore North Face, Eddie Bauer, Lululemon Athletica, etc. Personally, my favorite store is the Apple Store. :)
For a complete list of everything to do on Michigan Ave., check out:
http://www.themagnificentmile.com/
Michigan Ave. also serves as a cultural anchor for the city of Chicago. Some of the best celebrations and holiday events have occurred here. Some examples include:
Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Parade (2010)
Filming Oprah's 24th Season Opening Show (2009)
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival (during the holidays)
Michigan Ave. also serves as an access point to some of Chicago's finest architecture, museums, and parks. Some examples include:
Beautiful buildings :)
Marathons on Michigan Ave.
Outdoor concert and picnic at Millennium Park.
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Michigan Ave. is an amazing and charming district. I encourage all SVU attendees to take the time to explore the place. Michigan Ave. really showcases some of the best shopping, dining, arts, architecture, and scenic views of Chicago.
Michigan Ave. is located about 2 miles from McMcormick Place (where the SVU Conference is). Its fast and easy to get there by bus, cab, or by walking.
Check it out!
Have an awesome day,
Manny :)