If you're a train geek and you have some time left before dinner, it might be worth your while to continue west on Jackson, cross the river, and then turn left on Canal St. to check out Union Station. Once, all the railroads in America ran through Chicago, and you can still catch traces of that in this monumental neoclassical building. It will also be full of people on their way home from work, catching Metra trains for the suburbs. Join the march between the giant marble columns and down the grand steps, and where the falling baby-carriage climax of The Untouchables was filmed. (Please remove actual babies from carriages before attempting to re-enact the scene, though). Check out the enormous atrium and its long, stately wooden benches. Hang out for a few minutes if you're not in a hurry ? this is a great spot for people-watching ? or head back out to the street.
Time to decide: what do you want for dinner? Armed with your guide for the Near West Side, catch a cab and tell the driver to take you to Little Italy or Greektown, just west of the Loop. (If the weather's favorable, you can walk to Greektown in a few minutes). Have a nice, long, leisurely dinner at a family-run restaurant. You'll be spoiled for choice. If you'd prefer to stay closer to the Loop, try Bella Bacino's for the best stuffed pizza in Chicago ? and, by definition, anywhere.
If the concierge told you that Buckingham Fountain is on, and if it's near 8PM, catch a cab to Grant Park, and head to the fountain. When night falls, the water dances and soars and is illuminated by lights. Celebrate a successful day in Chicago with an ice cream cone from the Bobtail stand near the fountain.
Otherwise, have the cabbie take you to Michigan and Randolph, and walk north on Michigan, back towards the river. On the bridge, have another look east and west. Cross the river; the building on your left is the Wrigley Building. (It will be impossible to miss.) Look down Michigan at the lights and the people for a memorable view. If you're a fan of coming full circle, you might take a taxi back to the Hancock Center for drinks on the 95th floor, and see how the night view compares to the one you saw at the start of the day.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Along the Magnificent Mile
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Along the Magnificent Mile - updated May 2024
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Along the Magnificent Mile Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
