Recently, I was in the market for a new iPhone charger. Normally I do a lot of shopping online, but this time I didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the charger to arrive in the mail. I was in the middle of using what little juice my battery had left to navigate my way to the Apple Store as I happened to walk past the Blackhawks Store.
“What the Hell,” I thought, and I decided to let my phone die then and there as I ventured in.
Two hats, a poster, and a Kane jersey later—my questionable navigation skills had me heading north with my head on a swivel. It wasn’t long until I found myself in awe of all the stores in the area, and I ended up buying way more stuff than I’ll ever need. I’d list it all out for you, but I don’t feel like embarrassing myself more than usual today.
Moving on, we’ve all read and heard about the Magnificent Mile before, but I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s something you need to experience firsthand. I’ve given up my online shopping in favor of the Mile because I honestly just feel spoiled now.
Here’s why the Magnificent Mile will spoil you for life:
1) You Can Find EVERYTHING
Seriously though, you’d need to set a whole week aside to sift through it all. Apparel, department stores, food, gifts, jewelry, pet stores, sports, art, electronics, grocery stores, luxury items, shoes, toys, home furnishings, shopping centers, and cosmetics.
Bet you can’t even read that sentence out loud without taking a breath.
2) It’s Good for You
Well… Kind of. We wrote a whole post on this point before, but I’ll break it down for you again (since I’m such a nice guy and all). We all know money can’t buy happiness in the long term, but have you ever tried to frown after buying a new TV? Well me neither, but let’s just say you can’t.
Bonus: Record yourself buying a TV, frowning, and saying the previously mentioned sentence without taking a breath at the same time, and we’ll mention your name in an article or something.
Back to the matter at hand, someone has to carry all of those heavy bags right? Lugging those things over the course of a mile is tiresome work. Because of this, you’ll need to refuel, and what better way to do that than with some of the healthier food options along the Mile?
3) Food
If there’s anything I love more than buying things for myself, it’s food. There are probably just as many restaurants in the area as there are stores, so the Mag Mile is a kind of paradise when it comes to these two categories. There are some smaller restaurants and chains sprinkled about, but there are massive novelty restaurants here as well. Some of the more popular options are Harry Caray’s, Michael Jordan’s Steak House, the Signature Room at the 95th, Park Grill (my personal favorite), and Ditka’s.
We all know shopping can make you a bit parched as well, so you’ll be happy to know that there are more bars than I can count here too. (And I can count pretty high).
4) Attractions
Attractions is a very broad category, so allow me to simplify it for you. Some of the most well-known destinations in Chicago are located around the Mag Mile. We’re talking 360 Chicago, Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Art Institute. Even the lesser known attractions like the Redhead Piano Bar, Second City, and House of Blues are worthy enough of a visit to the area. Once you get used to having all of this around, you won’t want to go anywhere else. And since you won’t want to leave…
5) Hotels
This is one that you can probably disregard if you live in the area, but for those who are looking to make a day and night out of their trip to the Mile, this is probably music to your ears. There are 67 hotels to choose from, and this includes the cream of Chicago’s destination hotel crop. (Personally, I think you should get a petition to my editor going that allows me to visit all 67 of these hotels, but that’s your business). It’s cool enough that you can stay overnight along the Mile, and it’s even cooler that your stay can include one of the best-rated hotels in Chicago.
Oh, I almost forgot. During my visit, I got so caught up in everything the Mile had to offer that I completely forgot to buy my phone charger. Looks like I’ll be heading back that way soon.