Chicago - Magnificent Mile

http://www.themagnificentmile.com/

This was the part of the trip that I was least interested in, but it was one of those things that people say you need to see.

Millennium Park was right across from the Art Institute, and it would make sense to do them together. As it was, after exploring the park there was not enough time to do the Art Institute justice, but looking at the map we realized that we were just a few blocks from the Chicago River end of the Magnificent Mile, and at the other end we would be relatively close to our hotel, so going down that route seemed like the most logical thing to do. That was a day of much walking.

It is not the only place in Chicago where you can spend a lot of money. On my morning route bringing back breakfast, I would pass a dealership with many luxury cars, and nearby was a fancy organic grocery. I am sure we could find many stores with fancy brands, but this area is the famous one.

If you love shopping, or the window or regular kind, then you will probably find it kind of cool. In some ways it reminded me of the shopping areas you have in casinos, except there is usually more in the way of themed decoration (which I like) and also, you would not have to keep crossing the street. If you do intend to check it out, it may be useful to see which shops are where, and start out on the correct side of the street.

Ultimately I just found it annoying. Yes, there were familiar names and some really big stores, but it just felt like crass commercialism. I had just finished reading Peggy Orenstein's Cinderella Ate My Daughter and oh look, there's an American Girl Place. One cab driver had suggested that ribs or steak might be another food to try, and we hadn't really taken it too seriously, but looking at the menu outside Michael Jordan's restaurant, no, that was never going to happen.

I know not everyone will feel this way. That being said, my sisters love shopping may more than I do, and still the only place they went in was the Disney Store.

So, maybe it needs to be seen, but if you go on a bus tour that drives down it and see it that way, I think that would probably be good enough.